GTA V - 2 Days to go

48 hours left and I have taken to extreme measures to avoid the leaks of gameplay, which are now widespread. This means I have taken to look at the past and revist some of the trailers for the previous games.

Lets start with game that start of it all, Grand Theft Auto III. Although, there were two previous games in the series, GTA III was the first to feature a 3D world and a cinematic storyline, featuring Hollywood talent providing some of the more memorable characters. Liberty City was so much more alive than in the earlier top down games. It revolutionised gaming, made the PlayStation 2 the essential console to own and brought the world the open world sandbox game. A format that would be copied many many times since.



A mere 12 months later, Rockstar North were able to release the next installment, GTA: Vice City. Rather than an add-on to GTA III. They releases an entire new game, with a new city and running an enhanced GTA III engine. Setting the game in the 1980's and featuring all the neon glow of Miami Vice and one the most impressive collections of 80's music on the soundtrack.



After a trip to Rockstar's versions of New York and Miami, there was only one logical place to go, Los Angeles. Rather than settle with just one city, Rockstar North thought the impossible and decided to bring an entire county to life. So GTA San Andreas featured the cities of Los Santos, San Fierro and Las Venturas. Set in the nineties and at the height of Gangsta culture. Players take control of CJ, a yonung member of the grove street gand in Los Santos as he travels up the ladder of organised crime across the state of San Andreas and take the gang to higher places. San Andreas really raised the bar for sandbox games, with a level of customisation never seen before.



For the first GTA of the HD generation, Rockstar decided that it was best to go back to Liberty City and show people what could be done with their new consoles. The result was stunning and beautiful. GTA IV proved that GTA had become more than just a video game, it had become an art form. Liberty City was the star of the show. It was easy to get lost in its many districts and activities. GTA IV followed the story of east European immigrant, Niko Belic as he tries to make a new start in America and forget his past. This being GTA, it doesn't go well, and Niko and his cousin Roman and up to their necks in Russian mobsters. Niko's story is fantastic and full of tragedy and remorse as he tries to find his place in a new world.



So with only a few hours to go now until the return to Los Santos. How else are you going to past the time? Fire up the PS2 and fit in a quick game of San Andreas? Way ahead of you!