grand theft auto V is objectively one of the best games ever made. it doesn't take a genius to deduce this or high-level dialectics to prove it's the truth. if it's the highest-grossing entertainment product of all time, it's probably pretty ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ good. and as an "entertainment product," its records compete with (and readily beat) thriller by michael jackson and james cameron's avatar. no other video game comes close. even 13 years later the satire is biting and relevant, the mission design and gameplay are miles above GTA 4's laundry list of "drive to place and shoot guys" or "drive to place and hit E", the visuals were standard-setting at the time and continue to be today, and as a singleplayer narrative experience it's STILL worth playing for anyone who somehow hasn't done it yet.
and with that out of the way, DO NOT BUY THE GAME if you want to play it. alternative means are available and very very plentiful.
why don't i recommend buying the game? well, partially because it heralded rockstar's worst era. quality of games notwithstanding, r*'s recent spate of anti-consumer business practices and rampant exploitation of their best talent has caused me to sour deeply on them as a company. the BIG reason i don't recommend this game is because it's just... not worth buying in 2026, especially when rockstar constantly puts it "on sale" for fake prices just to sucker people into online so they can try to hook another few whales. it embodies nearly everything bad about modern multiplayer live-service gaming.
unless you absolutely positively HAVE to play the game with other people, just sail the seas until you make it to los santos. it's worth a visit and a thorough exploration, but not for the price rockstar asks and DEFINITELY not when money is as tight as it is for most people nowadays.
