Grand Theft Auto 5 was one of the most anticipated, acclaimed, and successful games of 2013. Released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, it sold more than thirty million copies before the port and received universal praise from the public and critics. With all that success, Rockstar released an enhanced conversion for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, boosting the graphical quality while updating and expanding several aspects. A PC version is also already available for purchase on Steam.
See the differences between the PS3/X360 and PS4/XOne versions:
Graphics
The world is now even more detailed on the newer consoles, providing considerably greater immersion. Texture resolutions are higher, the anti-aliasing effect is better, and so are the light and shadow effects, while the rain is visibly more beautiful. The number of people walking the streets, cars on the roads, and other details in general has also been greatly increased.
First-Person Camera
A new first-person mode has been included. Players can switch between camera modes by pressing a single button and can play the entire game in an unprecedented way. This changes the gameplay significantly, working in a manner very similar to familiar first-person shooters. It is still possible to choose between free aim and auto aim.
As for the controls, changes are made automatically to adapt them better to this new mode in the series, but players can also customize those differences if they wish. Vehicles can be driven in first person as well, and each has a detailed interior view showing the car radio, rearview mirror, the passenger in perspective, and the reactions and gestures of the character controlled by the player.
New Modes and Exclusive Content
Rockstar announced that players who own the PS3 or Xbox 360 version will receive exclusive content. Completing certain challenges makes it possible to unlock the classic Dodo seaplane (pictured), which appeared in earlier games, and the Duke O'Death car.
Other new features include: a new murder that leads the character Michael to take part in a story in the best investigative-film style; new Stock Car modes; new cars and vehicles in general; challenges to photograph “wildlife” throughout Los Santos; and two new weapons, an axe and a kind of machine gun that fires electromagnetic shots in the finest science-fiction style. The radio stations also feature more than 100 new tracks and new stations.
New Upgrades and Online Modes
Online events on eighth-generation systems support 30 players in “races” and Deathmatches. Data can be transferred from one generation to another; in other words, if you have a character on your PS3, you can transfer it to the PS4, and the same applies to both Xbox consoles.
Character customization has also been revamped, considerably increasing the number of options available to players. It is worth remembering that on PS4, cellphone calls result in conversations through the DualShock controller's “speaker,” with the character's voice coming from the controller itself.
“Is This Conversion Worth Buying?”
The international press appears unanimous in saying yes. According to Kotaku: “Rockstar could easily have converted a successful game by simply improving the visuals and adding a few tracks. Instead, they decided to go further, and the result is what we should expect, feel, and appreciate in a Grand Theft Auto game in the future.” GameSpot published a review saying, “Even if you have already played GTA V once, it is important to pick it up again just to remember how remarkable it is.”
As mentioned earlier, the PC version is already available after several delays. See the preview released by the press by clicking here.
