GTA 5 Trailer: Industry Verdict & Reaction

Some of the industry's top games journalists have given their reaction to the GTA 5 trailer and the overiding verdict is that it's great.

Ryan King, Editor of Play magazine was impressed with the colourfulness of the game, "I'm glad GTA V looks more vibrant, colourful and fun than the slightly dour and grittier GTA IV did."

While games™'s Ashley Day remarked, "It certainly looks like Rockstar's satirical edge remains sharp." He questioned the amount of player choice that the game would allow, "It's about time GTA properly integrated player choice, and consequence, into its stories."

Meanwhile, Dan Howdle of 360 magazine said it, "looks terrific," and that, "Rockstar is pushing current gen tech, pushing the scope of the GTA franchise, and pushing all of my buttons."

See below for the full reactions.



I'm thrilled to see GTA return to Los Santos. I loved how Rockstar North re-envisioned New York in GTA IV's Liberty City, so can't wait to see how they approach their fictionalised version of LA.
Chris McMahon, Games Editor, X360 magazine

A really impressive trailer that shows that Rockstar is pushing its story and setting in directions few games have even attempted. Recession-based L.A.? Yes, please. Technically, to me at least, it doesn't look too different from GTA IV, but it's what Rockstar can do with the characters and themes that's piquing my interest.
David Lynch, Senior Staff Writer, 360 magazine

I think this looks simply terrific. Rockstar is pushing current gen tech, pushing the scope of the GTA franchise, and pushing all of my buttons. Oorah.
Dan Howdle, Deputy Editor, 360 magazine

Initially I was disappointed to see it was returning to Los Santos, if only because I loved Vice City and was left slightly cold by San Andreas. Thematically, it just didn't hit the spot for me like the Eighties garishness of Vice City did. Even so, I'm glad GTA V looks more vibrant, colourful and fun than the slightly dour and grittier GTA IV did. That was my main concern before the trailer and the emphasis looks like it'll shift back to the humour and ridiculousness that arguably made the series to begin with.
Ryan King, Editor, Play magazine

I was surprised at just how good it looks, it's one of those 'squint and it could be real almost' moments. Nearly. Mostly though, I'm impressed by the direction and apparent themes – the recession, money, the homeless and the rich living side by side. L.A. (or Los Santos in this case) is the perfect setting for the subject matter.
Nick Jones, Editor in Chief, NowGamer

It certainly looks like Rockstar's satirical edge remains sharp but I'm intrigued to see if the gameplay has evolved at all. It's about time GTA properly integrated player choice, and consequence, into its stories.
Ashley Day, Deputy Editor, games™

It is now time for the professionals to try and out-jaded each other. Also: I thought it looked nice. No idea 'til I've played it though.
Ian Dransfield, Senior Staff Writer, Play magazine

I'm more intrigued by the GTA 5 trailer than the previous one, and I think that has a lot to do with the colourful tone. The images of recession and collapse suggest that this is going to stick with the mature angle of GTA 4, but the colour and vibrancy on show looks stunning. The music is classy and fits the tone of the trailer and the franchise perfectly, so yeah, I'm very keen to see what Rockstar has to show us next. Just please, please don't let it be mobile phones!
Dave Cook, Games Editor, NowGamer

I don't know what is my favourite bit is! It's such a well presented trailer - with so many hidden bits of info - it's quite hard to really focus on one aspect of it. Visually it looks outstanding, such as the way the biplane travels over the crops with its dust blowing behind it. Or the lighting effects from the sunrise or the cracks in the overpass.

I like the idea of tackling the financial crisis - and the binary opposites between rich and poor are constant throughout the trailer - but my favourite bit was probably the pest control heist. That looks like such a spectacular mission, and I'm already looking forward to it. GTA 5 can't be released soon enough...
Adam Barnes, Staff Writer, NowGamer

Such is the deep recession of quality and innovation in the modern games market, if Rockstar released 2004's San Andreas today it would rightly be considered progressive.

It could well be that GTA 5 is nothing more than an HD remake of the PS2 classic with a few boom-and-bust-coloured bells and whistles duct-taped to a new character roster, but – depressingly, admittedly – that's all it would take to cast a shadow over the rest of the generation's me-too junk.

The big question for me, though, isn't whether or not Rockstar can beat the rest – that's a done deal – but whether or not it can resist its growing addiction to restrictive narratives and overbearing mechanics. If it stays clean, I expect this to be the best game on the current formats.
Aaron Asadi, Editor in Chief, Play magazine

I look forward to reviewing this in 10 years time.
Darran Jones, Editor, Retro Gamer