This week Grand Theft Auto V makes its debut on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. At first glance it's just a prettier looking version of last year's triumph, but there's a lot that's new buried beneath its polished exterior.
The most apparent addition is of course, first-person mode. GTA V can now be played almost entirely in that view, which essentially turns it into a different game -- at least aesthetically. I've made sure to experience my new-generation playthrough in this mode and with about 10 hours under my belt I'm pleased to say it's awesome.
Getting a first-person view of carjacking, shooting -- even just walking down the street breathes new life into the game. First-person driving shows you the car's moving gauges -- even the headlight and high-beams icons glow appropriately.
If there's one drawback to first-person mode it's that it partially severs the player from assuming the identities of the game's three main characters, Trevor, Michael and Franklin, because, well, they're not in front of you on screen. I only bring this up because of how important the development of these people is to the narrative of GTA V, so it's a little upsetting that someone playing for the first time might not get the original story the way it was originally presented.
Nevertheless, the dimension first-person mode adds is the key that makes playing GTA V for the second time not a total rehash.
The new-gen GTA V also ups the ante with a list of technical upgrades beyond the improved textures and graphical makeover. The Xbox One and PS4 editions of GTA V feature increased draw distances -- meaning the game generates visual information that appears further away (which reduces image pop-in).
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