First-Person Mode
Right off the bat one of the most noticeable new additions to GTA V on the latest console generation is the appearance of a fairly extraordinary first-person mode. What makes it extraordinary isn’t the fact that it simply exists, oh no no. It has been given that Rockstar trademark polish to add more than you might think to what could have been a simple camera viewpoint change.
Every vehicle now has a fully mapped and high resolution interior, including new animations for passengers to go with it. You can dive into first-person at any point during GTA V‘s gameplay, right down to the shooting segments. There’s no reason to worry about having to use an extra button to get into this mode either, as it can be totally customized from within the options menu. This gives you total control over what’s in first-person and what’s in third.
For example, you may like to drive and shoot from cover in first-person, but third person is your preferred camera position when simply running around GTA V. Thanks to the hefty arsenal of options, you can drive up to your target in first-person before dashing towards cover in third-person and popping out again to put your foes into an early grave from first-person. Doesn’t sound like much right now but believe me here, it adds something truly awesome to the already wondrous experience.
Rail Gun
The first of two new weapons in GTA V on the eighth console generation is the Rail Gun. Frankly all that needs to be said on the matter is, “Holy shit balls, this is freaking awesome.” Not writing anything else here, though, would just leave you all with the picture of Michael above wielding this beast of sci-fi creation.
The Rail Gun is reported to be capable of blowing a car into a bajillion pieces with one shot, if it’s a direct hit. Its magazine and rate of fire however are quite slow so picking your targets is incredibly important. Being a Rail Gun and not a rocket launcher, missing your target results in the amount of damage dealt equaling precisely nothing. No point firing off this monster at moving targets or squishy flesh-bag humans. Blow a few choppers out of the sky or shred those irritating selfie-takers on the beach when they aren’t moving for a satisfying surge of destruction.
Hatchet
Rounding out the new weapons in GTA V is one for the wannabe axe-murderers out there. When is a hatchet not a hatchet? When it’s a hatchet buried in the face of some poor passerby who looked at you funny. Then it’s a piece of facial jewelry. Okay, now I see why I was turned down for the police force…
Anywho, this woodcutting weapon allows players to dish out more than their fair share of bloody murder in a rampage even Jason Vorhees would be proud of. When put alongside the aforementioned Rail Gun, the Hatchet has the scientific qualities of… well, of a piece of wood with a hunk of sharp metal strapped to the top. Admittedly it isn’t all that much of a big deal until you remember the addition of First-Person Mode. Then it gets incredibly messed up.
Sometimes we just want to let off a little steam. Maybe that guy on the bus was a complete ass to you. Maybe the shop attendant short changed you and you don’t have the guts to bring it up. Well, with a mixture of GTA V‘s first-person mode and the Hatchet, you can go postal on Los Santos, reliving every slasher flick and random break in calm you’ve ever had through the arena of blood-splattered death. It’s perhaps a little too close to reality now but it has no less of a power to bring a smile to your face.
30 player GTA V Online Mode
GTA V‘s online mode, succinctly titled GTA Online, already had a pretty large amount of people playing online per server. With this latest edition (and the upcoming PC release) 30 players will be able to play together throughout GTA Online with two spectator slots also available to peeping toms.
This is bound to ramp up the mayhem on the streets of Los Santos which already felt a little too small for some players. Having one person driving around in a tank was bad enough. Imagine having 29 of them rolling around throwing depleted uranium in all directions while you’re just trying to rob a few stores without growing an extra head. That being said, when players come together there are so many opportunities for outright hilarity that this wouldn’t matter.
What’s perhaps the most interesting part of this though is that they’ve added in two spectator slots. Being able to follow random people around and snap photos or videos of them may not appeal to everyone. There are some out there that have been clamoring for something like this. You know when you just can’t be bothered to go and shoot people, let someone else do it and just watch them. Maybe this is a stealthy sequel to Manhunt 2 that we never expected. Put on your tinfoil hat kids.
Murder Mystery Mission
Speaking of tinfoil hats, GTA V on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 sees the arrival of a small selection of new single player missions available to each character. One of the first is a murder mystery that Michael can delve into.
While it isn’t entirely clear as of yet what it will entail (heck I’m writing this while my GTA V patches and takes FOREVER) what is known are the rewards. By completing the Murder Mystery as Michael you’ll be granted the use of unique filters for story mode and using the iFruit camera. It adds a Film Noir feel – one which GTA V already has to some degree in its story.
As more details come to light we’ll be sure to throw them up on the site. Right now it looks like you’ll have to follow a cryptic selection of notes to get that special filter and become a Film Noir director yourself. To me, nothing sounds more awesome than grabbing one of the more 1920s gangster-esque cars and throwing on that filter just for the giggles.
Stock Car Racing
Another new addition to the single player is that of Stock Car Racing. For anyone not familiar with this brand of motorsport, it basically entails driving cars around a circuit and beating seven shades of Castrol GTX out of each other.
Taking part in these Stock Car Races will allow players to unlock new muscle cars to use in GTA V and enough sponsorship decals to make any NASCAR fan a little weak at the knees. With the Murder Mystery being Michael’s new thing and another addition being just for Franklin (more on the next page) it wouldn’t be surprising to find that this is Trevor’s new plaything. Let’s be honest here too, Trevor is the kind of guy you’d expect to see in a Stock Car Race.
Add this to the newly spruced-up First-Person Mode and we could possibly see a Destruction Derby-style racer which stands up to other titles that focused completely on the motorsport. Whatever happens, bombing around a dirt track listening to Pat Benatar on the radio just sounds like a glorious way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Franklin the Naturalist
Coming in as the third new single player venture for GTA V, we have Franklin’s entry. As GTA V on the eighth generation and PC will bring a menagerie of new animals to the table, it only makes sense to have some sort of activity based around them.
This selection of missions will see Franklin going off into the wilds and documenting the animals he sees. Sort of like a bird watcher – or twitcher – you’ll be expected to check off everything you see. There are rewards for putting on your best David Attenborough impression. Completing these tasks will net you the special Kraken Submersible which can be used to simply explore or go find nuclear waste dumped offshore.
Be careful not to confuse this with Franklin becoming a naturist because that’s just a whole different kettle of rather naked fish. Then again, when GTA V lands on PC it’s bound to be a matter of time until the nude mods start flooding in. That’ll mean PC players will be able to become Naturalist Nudists, or Nudist Naturalists, whatever takes your fancy really.
Animals!
On the subject of animals. the current generation version of GTA V adds a vet-load of cute little furry creatures to the streets of Los Santos. There are even a few more sea-dwelling species that will pop up during your playtime.
Residents of Los Santos (those that aren’t you) can now become the proud owners of Pugs, Poodles, Huskies and probably many other different breeds of canine. Don’t worry cat lovers, our little feline friends can be found here, too. They’ll often be spotted scurrying through alleyways or sat with their lazy backsides on the nearest wall. Never before have I wanted a catnip gun so much.
Out in the distant oceans Hammerhead Sharks, Killer Whales, and perhaps even Humpback Whales can be found swimming around. There’s never been a better reason to jump into one of GTA V‘s numerous boats or submarines to go take a look at the animals which probably end up in your can of “100%” tuna. Oh yeah while we’re on Tuna, Dolphins have been spotted out in the coastal waters.
Xero Blimp
Okay, pretty much everyone had the blimp in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 version of GTA V, I’ll grant you that. Does that mean the new Xero Blimp isn’t worthwhile? The answer to that question is hell yes it’s worthwhile.
It isn’t always easy to get to and it’s about half the size of Los Santos itself but the Xero Blimp is infinitely more mobile than the floating wet bag of effluence from the first edition. Add to that the fact the red canvas really pops out against the cityscape and you’ve got a way to easily get to any location without having to concern yourself with walls or roads.
Of course, by the time you get a few dollars in your pocket the helicopters and planes on offer make this Xero Blimp totally useless. In the opening few hours, though, it provides a slow but easily controlled way to get anywhere you want to go.
New Radio Tracks
This is a pretty big one. A huge selection of new songs have been added to the soundtrack of GTA V. Almost every station has seen a wealth of new musical ditties added to it. The wide range of new songs available simply boggles the mind.
To put it simply, there’s over 160 new tracks in this current generation version of GTA V. That’s on top of the 240 that were present in the original version. There is something here for everyone. Rock fans will find Yes’ Roundabout, Mountain’s Mississippi Queen, and Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas. Those who prefer Non-Stop Pop will find the likes of Jamiroquai and even the Backstreet Boys regaling their eardrums for many hours to come.
Other standouts include Ray Price, 2Pac and Gorillaz finding their way into the list. Some awesome folks over at Reddit have compiled a list (with some help from the GTA forums) of all the new songs that have been heard or confirmed so far. Talk Radio fans shouldn’t be disheartened as most of the stations have seen their conversations extended to bring a little more to the GTA V experience.
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