The latest edition of Grand Theft Auto 5 brings a host of visual improvements to Rockstar’s seminal open-world hit, but almost nine years on from its initial release, the game is beginning to show its age. Although undoubtedly the best way to experience GTA 5, with Rockstar introducing a number of graphical and performance upgrades to single-player and its multiplayer component, GTA Online, plus easier-to-navigate menus, these same upgrades highlight how Los Santos has lost some of its luster. GTA 5 is still a brilliant game, but there are aspects of its gameplay and presentation that means it has fallen ever-so-slightly behind the times. Those interested in experiencing Michael, Franklin, and Trevor’s story for the first time will find much to love, but for those tempted by a return voyage to Los Santos, the latest port is sadly lacking in incentives.
In terms of overall visual enhancements Rockstar has brought to the table, the latest version of Grand Theft Auto 5 does not disappoint. Players are given the option of experiencing the single-player and GTA Online in three different settings: Fidelity (which prioritizes ray tracing and overall resolution), Performance (which focuses on framerate), and Performance RT (which combines the best of both worlds). Fidelity sacrifices much in terms of smooth frames – particularly in packed lobbies of GTA Online – making Performance RT the standout setting. Players can now tear around Los Santos in buttery smooth 60 frames-per-second, and the improved visual enhancements make the game’s large roster of vehicles look shinier and better than ever before.
Also gone with the latest edition of GTA 5 is the game’s notoriously long load times. It should only take players an average of 20 seconds to load into the single-player from GTA Online and vice-versa – a noticeable improvement on the sometimes minutes-long wait on previous consoles. Faster load times have been accompanied by fresh tweaks to menus and UI, making it easier to navigate the many different heists, missions, and businesses of GTA Online without having to load into a lobby, although players can still expect to be bombarded with an annoying array of text notifications, phone calls, and general inane voice chat as they play.
The focus of GTA 5‘s latest port very much feels like it’s on GTA Online. When loading it up the first time, the first menu seen will be of GTA Online and not the single-player. Since its announcement, PlayStation Plus subscribers have been able to claim $1 million in GTA Online currency once a month, and for the next three months, GTA Online will also be free for those same subscribers. Rockstar has made porting characters over fast and simple, and approaching almost a decade’s worth of GTA Online content has been made easier by a more detailed map that displays clearly what different missions entail and what businesses do what.
New and returning GTA Online players should find these features helpful – especially the addition of the new Career Builder – but it is still much the same beast it was on previous consoles, with obvious money sink activities and grind-based moneymaking mechanics. It’s a formula that’s resulted in great success for Rockstar, and more updates are set to come throughout the year. However, with comparatively little being added to the single-player story, this new edition of GTA 5 feels designed mainly to entice new players into GTA Online‘s highly monetizable economy. There’s plenty to love in that setting, but the addition of more single-player content wouldn’t have gone amiss.
GTA 5‘s enhanced next-gen port is definitely the best way to experience the game, and it’s still every bit the enjoyable experience it was in 2013. However, with almost a decade having passed since then, Los Santos has started to show its age. GTA 5 lacks the detail or cinematic presentation of Rockstar’s own Red Dead Redemption 2. Animations look less fluid, melee combat feels antiquated, and gunplay – even with the addition of haptic feedback on the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller – lacks weight. RDR2 is still without its own next-gen upgrade, while Red Dead Online continues to languish without new content. Together with the official confirmation that GTA 6 is in development, this new port feels like a step backward when Rockstar should be looking to the future. It’s still a great way to play Grand Theft Auto 5, but even with the visual improvements and new multiplayer content, it feels less like a necessary return, and more like an aimless jaunt.
Grand Theft Auto 5 is available now. Screen Rant was provided with a digital PS5 code for the purpose of this review.
