The first official Grand Theft Auto 5 trailer has finally been revealed by Rockstar Games!
This is the next core entry in the hit GTA series following the last game, Grand Theft Auto IV. As you can see, this title will have a completely different feel from past games, which you can witness for yourself in the debut trailer for GTA V!
Here’s our analysis: Grand Theft Auto 5 is clearly set in the city of Los Santos, and may be set in the whole of San Andreas (two license plates seen in the trailer look to say just that) as a spiritual follow-up to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Although it is unclear whether or not the surrounding cities of Los Santos (a fictional Los Angeles, California) are included.
It’s also unclear if the cities of San Fierro (San Franciso, California) and Las Venturas (Los Vegas, Nevada), both of which were featured in GTA: San Andreas, will make a return here in GTA5. What is confirmed is Vinewood (the fictional GTA equivalent of Hollywood) does return, as the Vinewood sign is show in the trailer. We also see lots of rural footage of people mountain climbing, riding planes and jetskies, and rural environments. Which could mean the game will contain just as much outdoor gameplay as city gameplay.
Many mysteries surround the game, with questions so far unanswered. Some people think the person in the trailer is an older Tommy Vercetti (the main character of GTA: Vice City). Although others think it is Claude (the main character from Grand Theft Auto III). It could of course be anyone, but it most likely an all-new character.
What is clear is that the game seems to be set in MODERN DAY America, and perhaps the same universe and timeframe as Grand Theft Auto IV (an e-Cola machine is clearly visible in the trailer, which were featured in GTAIV). The trailer heavily suggests that the game is set in the United States at present day, and that the game’s subject matter will be heavily focused on the economy and the modern-day recession; with the current woes of the financial market and its effects on the fictional city taking center stage.
One scene in the trailer shows a person nailing a “for sale” sign in front of a house while another shows closing businesses and “going out of business” signs. Also lots of homeless people living under freeway overpasses and beggers holding up “Need Money” signs. This is a subject which has largely been ignored, surprisingly, in modern-gaming. But is ripe for material that would allow gamers to relate to the title they’re playing. And with the city-based crime gameplay of the GTA series, this theme couldn’t be more fitting for a modern Grand Theft Auto game to be released in 2012. I wonder if they’ll tackle the presidential race?
Another shot shows a crop-duster (which could mean that playable planes are back, which weren’t featured in GTAIV much to the dismay of fans. We also hear of a private jet and see a military jet in the trailer) alongside…. you guessed it, some immigrant workers.
Could the illegal immigration issue also be focused on in GTAV? If you are setting a game in modern-day America, the issue of illegal immigration (especially if Mexico is featured in the game) is not one that could be ignored. It has also been suggested that this game may feature multiple playable lead characters for the first time in the series’ history. Could one of them be an illegal immigrant or someone with a work visa/Green Card? That’d definitely offer players a very unique gaming experience and an interesting perspective from a story viewpoint. All of this is speculation of course, but as you can see its clear that immigrants from Mexico are featured in the game.
Speaking of which, a bit of the storyline is also revealed in the trailer, which talks about the main character’s desire to turn away from what is presumed to be a life of crime (his “former” life) and become “a good guy for once”, a dad — a family man. He wanted to live the life seen in the movies. The rich country-club-style, and he bought a big house to do just that. It is presumed that the economy then hits the skids and its all downhill from there, with more Grand Theft Auto-style scenes shown following a bit of commentary on the game’s backstory. These include a scene of a robbery of some sort, a scene of a drug dealer, and that of an liqueur store and prostitutes.
Sharp-eyed gamers will catch a lot of hints in the trailer that may reveal more about Grand Theft Auto 5. For example you can see a freeway which is the real-life “Interstate 5” (called Los Puerta Freeway in GTA5) that connects Los Angeles to San Francisco and goes all the way down to Mexico. Along with the horrible state of the economy in 2011, is the rise of narco terrorism and the violent state of Mexico, thanks to the drug cartels, part of Grand Theft Auto V?
Obviously that’d make for an interesting and timely subject matter for a GTA game, and with the focus being on the dollar and the economy, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think that this highway in the game actually allows you to enter Mexico. Another scene shows some weights and weight-lifting signs like “Pump Buddy” and “Muscle Sands”; in GTA: San Andreas you could exercise and lift weights to build muscle and change your physique. That feature was axed in GTAIV, but would be a great feature to bring back and would be another connection to San Andreas. You can even spot a reference to In N’ Out Burger, the legendary burger chain that people in the southwest (mostly Arizona and California) enjoy. I wonder if it’s hidden menu will be featured in the game… Gotta get that burger Animal Style!
Overall GTA5 is shaping up to be another landmark entry in the series, and could be the most relevant game yet. It’s also going to be the largest, with Rockstar stating in 2009 that the script for this game would be over 1,000 pages long. Expect big, big things as 2012 nears.
What are your thoughts on Grand Theft Auto V? Anything you saw in the trailer or ideas you have that I didn’t see? Let us know by leaving a comment!