gta – Trekking with Dennis

Grand Theft Auto VI: My Thoughts on the “Extended Look”

Spoiler Warning: Beware of minor spoilers (and/or potential spoilers) for Grand Theft Auto VI.

It’s been a little while since we last talked about Grand Theft Auto VI – arguably the most-anticipated video game of 2026, at least for those of you lucky enough to own an Xbox Series or PS5 console. I recently watched Rockstar’s “Extended Look” at the game, and there’ve also been a couple of interesting tidbits of GTA 6 news that have trickled out, so I wanted to get into all of that today.

As always, I have a couple of important caveats before we get started! While I *am* looking forward to trying out Grand Theft Auto VI, I’m not gonna be picking it up next month. I don’t own a current-gen console, and I have no intention of spending an obscene amount of money on new hardware just for the sake of a single title. If and when Rockstar can be bothered to do what *every single other developer in the industry* does and release a PC port, I’ll be sure to check out GTA 6 at that point.

Promo image for Grand Theft Auto VI in the style of a postcard — *GTA 6* launches next month.

Everything we’re going to get into today is also the *subjective, not objective* opinion of just one player. I’ve been a fan of the series since I first played the original Grand Theft Auto and its London spin-off at the tail end of the ’90s, and I know what I like and want to see from these games. But I’m also keenly aware that, as someone who doesn’t play GTA Online, I’m not necessarily the true target audience here! Although gamers can be argumentative sometimes, I like to believe there’s room in the gaming community for disagreements and differences of opinion – even on the hottest games of the year – that don’t descend into name-calling and toxicity. I share my thoughts with you in that spirit.

Finally, earlier this year, I laid out three reasons why Grand Theft Auto VI could – possibly, conceivably – not be considered as big a success as its immediate predecessor. I want to clarify that, while I still believe it’s a slim possibility rather than something likely to happen, I am *not* rooting for the game to fail. I want to play a fun, engaging, and exciting open-world crime adventure as much as the next person, and while I will speak critically about GTA 6 where I feel it’s necessary, that doesn’t come from a place of “hate.” Analysis and opinions are just that – and any criticism is intended to be constructive for GTA 6, Rockstar, and the wider games industry.

With all of that out of the way… let’s talk Grand Theft Auto VI!

Ready for an “Extended Look?”

First of all, before we get into the “Extended Look,” a couple of other points have come up over the last few weeks. Firstly, and perhaps most significantly for the game’s potential sales prospects, we have the online mode – or rather, the complete *lack* of an online mode.

In short, while an online mode is planned for Grand Theft Auto VI, it won’t be available when the game launches, meaning GTA 6 will be a wholly single-player experience at first. I’m a single-player gamer; I’ve never really got on with online multiplayer games of any kind, so that’s just fine with me! But it does make me wonder how it’ll impact GTA 6′s potential sales. Let me explain.

Why is Grand Theft Auto V one of the biggest games on the planet? Why has it made so much money for Take-Two and Rockstar? Why is it *still* routinely in the top-twenty most-sold games some thirteen years after its launch? I’ll give you a hint: it ain’t because of its single-player mode!

Still frame from the GTA VI Extended Look showing a car on the highway — *Grand Theft Auto VI* will launch without its online mode.

Grand Theft Auto V is where it is because it’s an online game. Many folks *only* engage with the online mode, or if they did play the single-player campaign once upon a time… they haven’t for years. To release the sequel without that online component feels like a risk… but it also makes me wonder what on earth Rockstar and Take-Two have been spending all this time and money on. For the amount of time Grand Theft Auto VI has been in the works… is it not reasonable to think it’d launch with both of its main modes – single-player and online – ready to go?

I’m not at all connected with the wider GTA fan community or any folks who regularly play online, but I have to imagine that if I were a huge fan of GTA Online, I’d be pretty disappointed to learn that the sequel – which took thirteen years to be ready to go – won’t be launching with my favourite mode (or the *only* mode I care about). Some folks may well decide not to even pick up the game at launch, instead choosing to wait until the online mode is ready. While there may be some advantages to playing the campaign first – like getting acquainted with the new map, new weapons, etc. – that may not be enough to convince folks to part with their money. And it strikes me as an odd decision.

Promo of GTA 5 Online — How will the lack of an online mode impact sales?

It was argued for a while that one of the main reasons why Grand Theft Auto VI couldn’t get a simultaneous PC release was because of the potential for cheating in the online mode. Rockstar, some fans alleged, wanted to ensure the console launch went smoothly and that they had more time to patch out or catch any bugs, exploits, or issues that could give PC players an advantage in multiplayer. But that argument – weak though it was – is now completely shot, so any conceivable excuse there may have been not to give the game a PC release has also evaporated.

I don’t want to linger on this for too long, ’cause I admit it sounds a bit like sour grapes coming from a PC player, but I really don’t get why Rockstar has developed such an antagonistic attitude towards PC gaming. Grand Theft Auto began as a PC series, with ports to consoles coming *after* the first game’s PC-exclusive release. And when basically every other big studio in the AAA space can manage to launch their games on PC at the same time as home consoles… I really don’t get it. It’s not a money issue, it’s not a tech issue, and it’s certainly not a multiplayer cheating issue. Maybe Rockstar hopes some fans will “double-dip;” buying the game on console first, then re-purchasing it on PC a year or two later. And… yeah, maybe some people will. But most won’t, so why not take full advantage of a big, multiplatform launch?

It didn’t make sense to me when they did it with past games, and it doesn’t now, either.

Still frame from the GTA VI Extended Look showing a fan boat — Piloting a fan boat through the game’s version of the Florida Everglades.

With no online mode at all, no simultaneous PC release, and a smaller install base of current-gen consoles today compared with the Xbox 360/PS3 generation in 2013… I really do wonder whether this game’s launch is gonna be as big and as financially lucrative as Rockstar and Take-Two are predicting. And that’s before we get into the raised price of the game, its $100 “special edition,” which merely adds back in cut content, and the sky-high prices of current-gen hardware.

But if you’re interested in a deeper dive into the game’s potential launch issues, click or tap here for a longer piece about that.

When Rockstar announced that Grand Theft Auto VI was going to get a collector’s edition for a whopping $400, I barely even rolled my eyes! That’s way too much money for a couple of keychains, shot glasses, and stickers, of course, but it’s also pretty common in the AAA games industry to have such things. But then I found out that this expensive collector’s edition… *doesn’t even come with a copy of the fucking game*!

Still frame from the GTA VI Extended Look showing Jason opening a car door — Jason getting into his car.

So for $400, here’s what you get: a plastic alligator figure, a baseball cap with the game’s logo, a pair of plastic sunglasses, a bum-bag with the game’s logo, a mirror with a sticker on it, a keychain, a spoon, a shot glass, a bunch of stickers, a poster/map, and a metal tin.

And, as mentioned, no Grand Theft Auto VI to play.

Does that sound like $400 worth of value to you? Because to me, you know what it sounds like? One of those crappy “Loot Crate” things that people used to pay, like, $25 a month to get as a subscription. Some cheap tat vaguely related to something you’re into. I cannot fathom *anyone* looking at that collection of shite and genuinely, hand-on-heart believing that it’s worth much more than $40, let alone $400.

Four cropped images from the GTA 6 Collector's Edition showing products — This can all be yours for the low, low price of… $400.

And I know games have been doing this for years. Every AAA game comes with an expensive edition that includes an action figure, some stickers, or whatever. But even by those standards, this feels both overpriced *and* lacklustre. Even in their own promo images, Rockstar and Take-Two couldn’t hide the fact that these things are cheaply-made shite, and some of them – like stickers and keychains – are the most basic, cheap, low-effort tat you could *possibly* throw into a collector’s edition.

To then tell players that they have to buy the actual game separately – and that their $400 is going on stickers, keychains, and plastic shite? I mean… what can I even say?

I think we’ve all known for a long time that Rockstar and Take-Two would push the boat out when it comes to monetising Grand Theft Auto VI’s launch. This is, after all, the company that sells “Shark Cards,” and is more guilty than most when it comes to normalising microtransactions in fully-priced games. But even knowing that GTA 6 was going to be monetised out of its backside… this collector’s edition still feels appalling.

Promo of the GTA 6 Collector's Edition box — The collector’s edition tat in its box.

Okay, okay. I promised you my thoughts on the game’s “Extended Look,” didn’t I? So let’s belatedly get into that!

Speaking as we were of Grand Theft Auto VI being excessively monetised, we have the deal Take-Two struck with Netflix; the “Extended Look” premiered exclusively on Netflix – a paid-for streaming platform – before being shown off to the rest of the world. How do we feel about that?

Though the “Extended Look” was only exclusive to Netflix for six hours, I still think it’s kind of a shitty thing to do to paywall what is, in essence, a glorified commercial. Not only that, but it generated a fair amount of ill-will towards the game, with folks rightly pointing out that locking your own marketing material away from fans, then demanding cash, isn’t a great idea. Will that translate to lower sales? No… not in any meaningful way, anyway. But it does feed into broader conversations about Take-Two and Rockstar being incredibly greedy, and has done nothing to help the game’s reputation.

Still frame from the GTA VI Extended Look showing Lucia on her phone with Jason — Lucia and Jason with Val.

On the content of the “Extended Look,” here’s what I’ll say: I thought the game looked good.

I was definitely getting more of a Red Dead Redemption II vibe than a Grand Theft Auto V vibe from the footage that was shown off, perhaps with some Cyberpunk 2077 thrown in for good measure. Those two games are a starting point for beginning to understand Grand Theft Auto VI, I feel, and with both of them being pretty darn good… well, that indicates to me that this’ll be a title I’m going to enjoy!

Red Dead Redemption II sold a whopping 85 million copies, which puts it behind Tetris, Minecraft, and – what else? – Grand Theft Auto V as the fourth-best-selling game ever. It did sell substantially fewer copies than GTA 5, but it’s an incredible game… and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. If Grand Theft Auto VI channels some of that style of storytelling and world-building… I for one will be a very happy bunny.

Still frame from the GTA VI Extended Look showing a hang glider — Parachuting/hang gliding seems to be back!

And I’m sure a lot of other folks will enjoy that, too. Even if Grand Theft Auto VI doesn’t outperform its predecessor, I think there’s huge potential for it to eclipse Red Dead II’s numbers – and within a matter of days of launch, it should’ve broken even and begun to turn a profit, even with the insane and highly-inflated budget that the game was afforded by Take-Two and Rockstar.

Nothing I saw in the “Extended Look” turned me off or made me feel less interested in GTA 6′s world or story, and I really didn’t notice any causes for concern in gameplay terms, either. I know some folks have criticised Grand Theft Auto VI for being locked at 30fps on console, but I felt the game looked great and seemed to be running smoothly. Speaking for myself, I’ll take a smooth 30fps over a stuttering and lagging attempt to reach 60fps any day of the week, and if a lower frame-rate is the compromise Rockstar had to make to squeeze this ambitious title onto current-gen hardware… it was a sacrifice worth making, in my view.

Still frame from the GTA VI Extended Look showing a shop robbery — Robbing a shop.

With the game’s story mode being so heavily emphasised – and literally being the only playable mode upon release – then the story will have to carry the game. Gameplay could be fantastic, but a narrative adventure lives or dies on the strength of its story. I have confidence in Rockstar, based on their past work – Red Dead Redemption II in particular. And with GTA 6 seeming to draw more on Red Dead II, that’s another positive note about the potential quality of its story.

I’m sure there will be opportunities in Grand Theft Auto VI to let loose in Vice City and just… go on a crime spree. That was where I had the most fun in several previous GTA titles! I had a blast tearing up those same streets in the original Vice City some two decades ago, and I’d often find that the game’s missions would be secondary to making my own fun, exploring the world, and getting into mischief! But Red Dead Redemption II, while it allowed players that same freedom, also felt like a game with a more curated story, and it was the game’s story that kept me coming back. I feel like GTA 6 is going to be more in that category, at least in single-player, with the open world serving the events of the narrative rather than being a pure sandbox. That’s my takeaway from the “Extended Look,” at any rate.

Still frame from the GTA VI Extended Look showing shooting from a car — Jason firing his weapon from a moving vehicle.

I don’t think we’ve seen enough from Jason, Lucia, or any of the other main characters – even after the “Extended Look” – to really get a feel for who they are or what their arcs will look like. We’ve been promised a “Bonnie and Clyde” type of story; a modern-day crime thriller. But we all know how Bonnie and Clyde’s stories ended – and how the gang’s stories ended in the Red Dead Redemption games, too, come to that!

Vice City – and, to an extent, other GTA games – saw players building city-spanning criminal empires. But I’m not sure something so elaborate and huge would fit with the tone of what we’ve seen so far. To me, this story feels a bit smaller in scope, more comparable to Red Dead II or Cyberpunk 2077 – the city continues to exist around the player, almost indifferent to their actions most of the time. While you can build up your characters in those worlds, I think it’s fair to say that you never quite conquer the entire city in the way that you do in some other titles.

Again, though, that’s just my preliminary read on things.

Still frame from the GTA VI Extended Look showing the character swap/top down view — Swapping between characters seems to work just like it did in *Grand Theft Auto V*.

So let’s wrap this up.

Gameplay? Looks good, though hardly groundbreaking in terms of being a third-person action/shooter. Performance? We saw a carefully-curated demo, but it was running on console and it looked solid. Narrative? Harder to judge, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic. The open world? It looked positively gigantic, with echoes of Cyberpunk 2077′s Night City in terms of how vast it is… and how small the player might feel within it.

Now all we need is a PC port and I’ll be all set!

Seriously, though… GTA 6 looks good. Which makes it kind of disappointing that Take-Two and Rockstar are such cheapskates when it comes to launching the game on PC. I’m not gonna buy an expensive console to play one game, so I’ll have to find something else to play while I wait for the inevitable PC port… hopefully next year, not in 2028 or 2029!

Still frame from the GTA VI Extended Look showing cars at the airport at night — Driving to the airport after dark.

I can understand not wanting to support Grand Theft Auto VI given some of Take-Two and Rockstar’s other moves. Locking trailers behind a paywall, selling cheap tat for $400, cutting out content from the game to be re-sold as part of a more expensive edition, trying to force PC players to buy two copies… the list goes on. And, of course, Rockstar is accused of union-busting and mistreating its staff here in the UK, which is pretty awful.

But in terms of the way the game looks, I’m not gonna lie: this could be one of the biggest and best titles of the decade.

So I hope this has been interesting! I won’t be reviewing Grand Theft Auto VI this year, obviously, but if there’s more to say about the game when it launches, I’ll be sure to cover any big stories right here on the website. And when that belated PC port finally arrives, I’m looking forward to getting my hands on GTA 6 for myself. When that happens, I’ll be sure to talk about the game some more, so I hope you’ll join me for that. Thanks for checking out my thoughts on the “Extended Look” today. See you in Leonida!

Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to be released in November 2026 for Xbox Series S/X and PlayStation 5. A PC release has not been confirmed. The Grand Theft Auto series – including GTA 6 and other titles discussed above – is the copyright of Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

Grand Theft Auto VI Should Be Free

Thu 23.01.25Dennis

I recently read an article about the price of the highly-anticipated upcoming video game Grand Theft Auto VI. According to the journalist, a number of analysts and businesspeople in the games industry are “hoping” that Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar will price Grand Theft Auto VI higher than the current $70/£70 that has become standard since 2020. The reason for this is simple: it will open the door for other publishers to follow suit, increasing the prices of games across the board.

To me, that sounds absolutely repulsive. The corporations that make up the games industry have literally never made more profit than they’re making right now. Even expensive failures like Concord last year hardly registered as a blip on the charts; these corporations are making money hand over fist in a way they could’ve only dreamed of a few short years ago.

A still frame from the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer showing Lucia holding a wad of cash. — The games industry has never been richer and more profitable.

So today I’d like to propose a counter-argument: Grand Theft Auto VI should be free-to-play for everyone.

First of all, let’s clear up this myth surrounding the so-called standard price of video games. In most cases – and especially for AAA games released through corporate publishers – £70 only gets your foot in the door. The true price of fully feature-complete games has been well above £70 for years, and it’s only getting worse. So-called “premium editions” or “deluxe editions” aren’t giving players something extra, they’re cutting out content that was developed alongside the game, fully-integrated into it, and selling it back to us for a premium fee. Some of these special editions can be well over £100 – so that’s the true price tag of most AAA video games in 2025.

We’ve seen a recent trend in which AAA publishers are adding “early” access into deluxe editions of games, too. Charging players extra to play the game on its real release date instead of up to a week later is pretty shitty when you think about it, and just another way that corporations like Take-Two – and others in the AAA space – exploit their players.

Screenshot of the different editions for NBA 2K25. — Take-Two’s own NBA 2K series comes with “standard” and “all-star” editions, the latter having more content.

Grand Theft Auto VI will have a single-player campaign, and although Take-Two has cheaped out on development, cutting off PC players for some incomprehensible reason, I gotta confess that I’m genuinely looking forward to playing it. The Grand Theft Auto series has usually been good fun, and I’ve been playing since the first title was released in the late ’90s. Remember playing the first Grand Theft Auto with its top-down view? Those were the days, eh?

But let’s be honest: Grand Theft Auto VI is, first and foremost, a multiplayer title. That’s how Rockstar and Take-Two see it, and after the rampant success of Grand Theft Auto V’s online mode, they’re not wrong about that.

Screenshot of the Rockstar Store showing Grand Theft Auto V "Shark Cards" for sale at different price points. — In-game sales, like these Shark Cards for *Grand Theft Auto V*, are where Take-Two and Rockstar will make the most money.

Grand Theft Auto V isn’t just any online multiplayer game, though. It’s a game that has been monetised to death, incorporating basically every scummy pay-to-win trend going – and pioneering new ones that other corporations in the games industry have latched onto like parasites. Most games that charge players real money for an in-game currency, skins, cosmetic items, and particularly that charge for gameplay-enhancing vehicles, weapons, and items have something in common: they’re free.

So to reiterate: Grand Theft Auto VI should be free-to-play, and Take-Two should be content with making all of the money in the world from sales of in-game currency and pay-to-win items. Charging even £1 for the game up-front – let alone £90 or £100 as some corporate leaders are soiling themselves in anticipation over – just feels obscene for a game that’s going to be monetised to hell and back.

A still frame from the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer showing a flock of flamingoes. — A flock of flamingoes from the *Grand Theft Auto VI* trailer.

By including all of these pay-to-win mechanics, Take-Two and Rockstar want to have it all. They want to charge players money up-front, then keep charging them for in-game items, currency, and more. But that isn’t a fair approach – most publishers pick one or the other, and with Grand Theft Auto VI clearly having an online focus, it’s only right that it’s made available for free to everyone who wants to play it.

Do I think that’s a realistic outcome? Well… why not? Corporations are gonna try to grab as much cash as possible, of course, and there will be some desperately disappointed analysts, executives, and investors if Grand Theft Auto VI goes free-to-play from day one. But it would also be a statement; Rockstar and Take-Two could argue that they’re taking a stand and win some free positive PR in the process. Given that the overwhelming bulk of the money Grand Theft Auto V had made (and Grand Theft Auto VI intends to make) comes from in-game transactions anyway, it wouldn’t actually be a huge loss to Take-Two. Grand Theft Auto VI will still be hugely profitable.

A still frame from the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer showing Lucia wearing an orange prison uniform. — *Grand Theft Auto VI* should be free.

So that’s my proposal! Forget these desperate attempts to start the base price of the game at £80 or £90 and just go free-to-play. It’s the right thing to do for an online multiplayer game that’s sure to be crammed with pay-to-win mechanics, an in-game currency, and more cosmetic items and skins than you can count. It would also be a wonderful middle finger to corporate leaders, investors, and analysts who are already making more money than they’ve ever made before and are just being greedy. Plus, from Take-Two’s point of view, it would be a marketing and PR masterstroke if handled well.

So go on, Take-Two and Rockstar! It’s the right thing to do, it’s bound to score you plenty of free publicity and positive press, and it would be hilarious to boot. The Grand Theft Auto series has long satirised corporate America, get-rich-quick schemes, and greed… so why not pull the ultimate power move by making the newest entry in the series totally free for everyone to play? I think it’s a fantastic idea!

Will Grand Theft Auto VI really be free-to-play? Maybe we should start a rumour that it will be and see how panicked the games industry and its corporate overlords get!

Grand Theft Auto VI is still in development and is planned to be released on Xbox Series S/X and PlayStation 5 consoles in late 2025. Grand Theft Auto VI is the copyright of Rockstar Games and/or Take-Two Interactive Software. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

Multiple sources have reported on the “hope” in the games industry for a price hike from Take-Two and Rockstar when Grand Theft Auto VI launches. I’ve linked a handful below.

Ten Games To Play While You Wait For GTA 6

Sat 16.12.23Sat 16.12.23Dennis

Spoiler Warning: Minor spoilers may be present for some of the games on this list.

The recent trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 has got a lot of gamers salivating! We really ought to try and avoid boarding the hype train, but with Grand Theft Auto 6 being the long-overdue sequel to the most successful and profitable video game of all-time, a bit of excitement is understandable! However, the game won’t launch until sometime in 2025 – and probably even later for PC players like me, unfortunately – so until then we’re all facing a dilemma: what should we play?

I’ve picked out ten games that I think could be fun substitutes for Grand Theft Auto 6. I’ve tried to avoid the most obvious pick: Grand Theft Auto V! But I’ve selected games in the same open-world space, with comparable driving and third-person action gameplay, or with a focus on crime and criminality. There are bound to be hundreds of “what to play before GTA 6” lists floating around… so you may have seen some of these ideas already. But maybe – just maybe – there’ll be something a bit different in the mix this time!

A screenshot from the Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer showing the fictional Vice City from above after sunset. — Vice City after dark.

As always, this list is the entirely subjective opinion of one person only! If you hate all of my ideas, think they’re too obvious, or you’ve seen a far better selection of games elsewhere – that’s okay! There’s no need to take anything too personally or get into an argument.

I’ve already shared my thoughts on the recent trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6, and you can find that article by clicking or tapping here.

With all of that out of the way, let’s get started!

Game #1:
Saints Row 2 (2008)

Promotional screenshot of Saints Row 2 featuring a character firing a handgun. — Running and gunning!

For me, Saints Row 2 is where the series managed to strike the right balance between being a pure “GTA-clone” and the utter silliness and wackiness that would come to define its later entries. There was an attempt to reboot the Saints Row series earlier this year, but unfortunately it wasn’t well-received so I can’t recommend it. But if you don’t mind stepping back to the Xbox 360 era, Saints Row 2 could scratch that open-world crime itch!

Saints Row 2 is comparable to Grand Theft Auto 4 in terms of graphics and gameplay – but with a less-realistic physics engine that seemed (to me, anyway) to make driving a bit more arcadey and fun. It also has a bit more of a grounded story when contrasted with later Saints Row games – there’s no visiting Hell or battling aliens from outer space in this one. There’s an open-world city to cruise around, cars to jack, missions to get stuck into, and basically all of the Grand Theft Auto trappings with a less-illustrious name attached. It was great fun in 2008 – and although I haven’t played it in a while, it’s still a game I heartily recommend!

Game #2:
Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition (2012; 2014)

Promotional screenshot of Sleeping Dogs showing protagonist Wei Shen holding a shotgun. — Wei Shen in Hong Kong.

Sleeping Dogs takes the Grand Theft Auto formula but puts two very distinctive spins on it. Firstly, the player character is a cop, not a criminal – albeit an undercover cop who seems to have no qualms about breaking a few laws! And secondly, the game is set in Hong Kong, not the United States. Both of these elements help it stand out from other open-world crime games!

You’ll occasionally hear Sleeping Dogs discussed in conversations about underrated games – and rightly so! It’s a fantastic title that was criminally under-appreciated when it was released. The game’s underwhelming sales at launch led to the cancellation of a potential sequel – but Sleeping Dogs is still a fantastic standalone experience. If you play on PC, the game is frequently available at a steep discount during Steam sales, and with the winter sale coming up soon, you might be able to pick it up for less than the price of a coffee. Surely it’s worth a shot for a few pounds or dollars!

Game #3:
Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game (2024)

A promotional screenshot of Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game showing first-person driving. — Driving up-river!

You won’t have to wait too long for this sequel to Mudrunner and Snowrunner; it’s due for release in March. I’ve had a surprisingly fun time with Saber Interactive’s off-road vehicle simulation games, so if the driving side of Grand Theft Auto is what you liked the most, I’d happily recommend all three. If you’re sick of racing games and are looking for a different kind of vehicular challenge, Mudrunner, Snowrunner, and the upcoming Expeditions could be just what the doctor ordered!

Snowrunner has several large open maps and plenty of vehicles to choose from – and the off-road part of the driving simulation is really the focus of the game. I expect Expeditions will do something similar – but according to the developers, it’ll also be adding new features like a recon drone, metal detector, and of course, new vehicles!

Game #4:
Red Dead Redemption II (2018)

Promo screenshot of Red Dead Redemption II featuring protagonist Arthur Morgan and a horse. — Howdy, partner!

Alright, I suppose we couldn’t put together a list like this without talking about Rockstar’s most recent title! Red Dead Redemption II is, in my humble opinion, Rockstar’s magnum opus – and one of the most incredible video games ever made. If you haven’t played it… what are you waiting for? I’ve only played it once, and I’m seriously considering going around for a second playthrough sometime soon.

Red Dead Redemption II takes Rockstar’s open-world formula to the 19th Century, with an incredible map based on parts of the American midwest, the Rocky Mountains, the Deep South, and more. The single-player campaign features one of the best stories ever told in a video game, with incredible characters and an intense, deeply emotional narrative. I can understand being put off by the time period if you’re craving a game set in the modern day… but give it a shot, especially if you can find it at a discount. I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

Game #5:
Crime Boss: Rockay City (2023)

Promotional screenshot of Crime Boss: Rockay City featuring Chuck Norris' character. — Outer space exists because it’s afraid to be on the same planet as Chuck Norris.

I’d argue that Crime Boss: Rockay City was unfairly criticised upon release by folks who’d either over-hyped it or had set the wrong expectations. If you go into it expecting a first-person Grand Theft Auto experience with all of the bells and whistles of a Rockstar game… sure, I guess it’s fair to say it comes up short. But if you look at the game for what it is – a fairly straightforward and linear FPS that’s more comparable, in some respects, to the Payday series – there are more than enough charming features to make it worth playing.

Crime Boss: Rockay City has voice acting from the likes of Chuck Norris and Danny Trejo, and its ’90s setting is something a bit nostalgic. The game is also set in a fictional city based on Miami – just like a certain upcoming crime game that we’re all looking forward to! Crime Boss: Rockay City is reasonably priced, and didn’t try to overcharge. That being said, it could well be available at a discount when holiday sales get going this month – so keep an eye on it!

Game #6:
Cyberpunk 2077 + Phantom Liberty (2020; 2023)

A screenshot of Cyberpunk 2077, looking out over an apartment building. — The view from V’s apartment.

As I said recently, I never thought I’d be in a position where I could recommend Cyberpunk 2077 to anyone in good conscience! However, the addition of the game’s big 2.0 update and the Phantom Liberty DLC has been a game-changer – quite literally! Cyberpunk 2077 had been slowly but surely rebuilding its reputation after a disastrous launch three years ago, and by the time I got around to fully playing through it, the worst and most egregious of the bugs and glitches had been fixed. But the 2.0 update and Phantom Liberty have genuinely transformed the experience.

Many of the complaints that I had about Cyberpunk 2077′s gameplay – from the way clothing and armour worked to how police would randomly spawn in Night City – have been addressed and completely fixed, and the addition of a new story campaign has been fantastic, too. I can understand not wanting to play the game or to support a developer who behaved deceitfully – and we should never forget how CD Projekt Red acted in the run-up to the game’s release. But if you haven’t played Cyberpunk 2077 yet… you are honestly missing out on a great story and a fun experience.

Game #7:
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)

Loading screen art from the game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City featuring protagonist Tommy Vercetti. — Protagonist Tommy Vercetti.

Is this one too obvious? With a return to Vice City on the cards in 2025, it could be fun to step back in time to see its first appearance! I really enjoyed Vice City at the time – it felt like a step up from Grand Theft Auto III with a bigger map, more vehicles, and a fully-voiced protagonist. I’d go so far as to say that Vice City’s homage to the likes of Scarface and Miami Vice has me genuinely questioning how well Grand Theft Auto 6 will work when it takes the iconic Miami-inspired city out of the ’80s and into the modern day.

If you grew up on Grand Theft Auto V and other games of that generation, stepping back to Vice City could feel like a downgrade – and I fully appreciate that. But the game has a fun story, and if you can overlook the admittedly outdated graphics and the technological limitations that come with a two-decade-old game, it’s absolutely worth playing. I had a blast with it in 2002 – and knowing that that was more than twenty years ago makes me feel absolutely fucking ancient!

Game #8:
Shenmue I & II (1999; 2001)

Cropped poster of Shenmue I & II. — A promo poster showing some of the games’ characters.

Before Grand Theft Auto III came along, the original Shenmue on the Dreamcast was an early open-world pioneer. In some ways, its world is more detailed than even Grand Theft Auto V’s, with a day-night cycle that actually matters to characters’ schedules, dynamic weather, mini-games, and more. I absolutely adored Shenmue back when I owned a Dreamcast – and I never miss an opportunity to recommend the game to players who might’ve missed it when it was new.

Shenmue tells a compelling story of revenge. Protagonist Ryo Hazuki must track down the man who murdered his father, and his quest takes him from his home town in Japan across the sea to Hong Kong and beyond. It’s a relatively slow-paced game with a lot of dialogue and investigating, but these sections are broken up by intense hand-to-hand combat battles that use a variety of martial arts moves, as well as quick-time events… which Shenmue can claim to have invented. For better or worse! Both games are available in one package, and this could be another one to add to your wishlist and keep an eye on.

Game #9:
Mafia: Definitive Edition (2002; 2020)

A promotional screenshot of Mafia: Definitive Edition featuring a character holding a gun walking past two cars. — Promo screenshot of *Mafia: Definitive Edition*.

When I first played Mafia on the original Xbox, I thought it was basically going to be “Grand Theft Auto in the ’30s” – but that hardly does it justice. The game – and its two sequels – have been remade from the ground up in recent years, putting to shame Rockstar’s appalling Grand Theft Auto III Trilogy “remaster” from a couple of years ago. Of the three, the original Mafia is probably the title I’d recommend most highly – but the entire trilogy can be picked up as one set.

All of the elements of a Grand Theft Auto game are present, but the ’30s setting and heavy focus on the titular mob makes for a completely different kind of story. Many of the gameplay elements will be familiar, but different and distinct enough to make this open-world crime title stand out from the crowd. I enjoyed the story of Tommy Angelo, a “made man” in the mob, and Mafia: Definitive Edition is an easy game to recommend to any fan of the GTA series.

Game #10:
Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023)

A screenshot of Baldur's Gate 3 showing a dice roll. — Ready to roll some dice?

I know, I know: this one’s a bit “out there,” as Baldur’s Gate 3 seems to have very little in common with the Grand Theft Auto series. It’s a completely different style of game – but as players, we’re willing and able to try out new experiences, right? If you’re at all interested in games with incredibly strong and compelling narratives, give Baldur’s Gate 3 a chance to show you why it’s my “game of the year.”

A turn-based role-playing game with a branching storyline, incredibly fun characters, and one of the best character creators I’ve ever seen, Baldur’s Gate 3 seemed to come out of nowhere this year and completely blew me away. I had an absolute blast playing it this summer and autumn, and even after sinking more than eighty-five hours into a single playthrough, there are characters I haven’t met, whole areas of the map that I missed and didn’t explore, and so much more to try! I really need to start that second playthrough sometime soon!

So that’s it!

A screenshot from the Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer showing characters on a beach during the day time. — Characters on the beach as seen in the *Grand Theft Auto 6* trailer.

We’ve taken a look at ten games to play while you wait for Grand Theft Auto 6. I hope I managed to pick one or two that you might not have been expecting! I’m sure I’m not the only one putting together lists or compilations like this one; there’s a lot of buzz around the next Grand Theft Auto title, and people are definitely going to be looking around for comparable experiences in the meantime. If I helped even one person find one game to try, then I’ve done my job and contributed something positive to the discussion!

Because I play on PC – and because Rockstar, despite its insane financial resources, is cheaping out on Grand Theft Auto 6′s PC release – it might be 2026 or even 2027 before I’ll be able to get my hands on it. I might not live that long… but if I do, I hope you’ll swing by Trekking with Dennis for a review! If there’s significant news about the game between now and then, I’ll do my best to cover it and discuss it here on the website. And if you missed it, you can find everything I had to say about the December 2023 trailer by clicking or tapping here.

Have fun out there – and happy gaming!

Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently in development and will be released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X in 2025. No PC release date has been set. All titles discussed above are the copyright of their respective studio, developer, and/or publisher. Some promotional screenshots courtesy of IGDB. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer: Thoughts and Impressions

Tue 05.12.23Tue 05.12.23Dennis

Spoiler Warning: Minor spoilers may be present for the Grand Theft Auto series.

One of the first subjects I ever wrote about here on the website was Grand Theft Auto 6. That was all the way back in 2019 – and I said at the time that Grand Theft Auto V felt like it had been hanging around for a little too long! Suffice to say that official news about Grand Theft Auto 6 is long, long overdue – and before we go any further, I think we should acknowledge that.

Rockstar has milked Grand Theft Auto V dry, and the company’s obsession with keeping that game going across three entire console generations has clearly come at the expense of other projects. Red Dead Redemption II’s online mode didn’t get the support it should have, and the less said about the appalling Grand Theft Auto Trilogy remaster the better. Even Grand Theft Auto V’s single-player mode was sacrificed at the altar of Rockstar’s obsession with online multiplayer: the game never received the single-player DLC that had been planned back in 2013.

So we come, belatedly, to Grand Theft Auto 6. The game has one heck of a legacy to live up to – and only time will tell if it will be up to the task.

If you’ve followed the story online or on social media, chances are you’ll already be aware of the big leak that hit Grand Theft Auto 6 a year or so ago. Early footage of the game made its way online and has been doing the rounds for months, so in that sense I wasn’t stunned or blown away by any of the reveals in the trailer; I’d seen the outline of the game already. And I have to say up-front that there are a couple of pretty big disappointments.

The first is the game’s setting. Returning to Vice City is just not what I’d hoped to see; it’s too samey and too similar to Grand Theft Auto V’s Los Santos. Both are sunlit, tropical cities by the beach, both are set in the modern day, and while there will undoubtedly be improvements mechanically and visually from the previous entry in the series, I’m just not convinced at this stage that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be able to truly differentiate itself from its predecessor and stand out in the way it needs to.

For me, the game’s world, time period, and overall setting are hurdles that it will have to overcome – and they’re totally unnecessary ones. Grand Theft Auto V stood apart from its predecessor by hopping across the country, leaving a New York City stand-in behind. Red Dead Redemption II likewise made some big decisions in terms of setting, choosing a setting inspired by parts of the Rocky Mountains, Midwest, and Deep South instead of simply returning to the world of the first game. And both titles stood out because of those decisions.

A few months ago I saw a poll somewhere on social media. Unscientific, I know, but I think the results were interesting. The question posed was “where should Grand Theft Auto 6 be set?” and while Vice City put in a creditable showing, it ended up in a distant second place behind the preferred option: “somewhere new.” At least some players agree with me, then: it would’ve been preferable if Grand Theft Auto 6 could’ve been set in a new location, perhaps somewhere other than a sundrenched coastal city decked out in palm trees.

There’s also a case to be made, I’d argue, that teasing a game that won’t be ready for potentially two full years – barring any major delays – is too early. It’s not as bad as something like The Elder Scrolls VI, which was teased back in 2018 and may not be ready until 2028, but there’s still a lot of work to be done on Grand Theft Auto 6. The trailer, as you can see, wasn’t showing bona fide gameplay but rather a combination of “in-engine footage” and CGI.

Rockstar has been notorious in the games industry for its culture of “crunch” – the borderline-abusive practice of forcing staff to work ridiculously long hours in the run-up to a title’s launch. This happened with Red Dead Redemption II – and although Rockstar has pledged to do better, promising gamers a deadline of 2025 for Grand Theft Auto 6′s release could lead to the same old problems all over again. Although the end of 2025 may seem a long way off, developing a game as large and complex as Grand Theft Auto 6 will surely be a time-consuming and difficult process, and even with some work having already begun, two years – at the very most – isn’t actually all that long when it comes to modern game development. We’ll have to watch this space for leaks from within Rockstar to see how bad “crunch” and working conditions get.

A fabulously festive flock of flamingoes.

One major disappointment for me, as someone who plays on PC, is the apparent lack of a simultaneous PC release. Rockstar’s official press release only mentioned Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 consoles, so reading between the lines that seems to leave out PC. Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption II both launched on PC more than a year after landing on home consoles, so Rockstar has done this before… but what are the executives spending all of the billions of dollars that they made from Grand Theft Auto V on if not making sure the new game will be available to everyone who wants to play it?

Cutting off PC players is a mistake – one that I hope can be rectified before launch. Delaying the game on console by a few months, if necessary, would be worth it to get that simultaneous release. Practically every other major release from AAA publishers can manage this, and with Rockstar’s insane financial resources, there’s no reason why they can’t, too. Trying to spin this as some kind of “point of principle” in favour of home consoles over PC is just… stupid. That argument made no sense to me when Rockstar has tried to pull it in the past and it makes no sense now. It’s the company cheaping out, hoping to get away with spending less money on development and testing – and nothing more.

So… more Grand Theft Auto. That’s basically the takeaway from this trailer for me. More of the same from a series that could’ve tried something a little different. Having a woman protagonist is great, and I hope that the writers will create an engrossing single-player story that will be fun to see unfold. I’m not a multiplayer gamer, so that’s the side of Grand Theft Auto 6 that I’m interested in.

As for the setting, I have to say I’m disappointed. I knew that this was coming based on the leaked gameplay, but I still half-wondered if Rockstar might’ve had time to change things up and go for something a bit different. I guess the company has decided to not rock the boat too much in light of the rampant success of Grand Theft Auto V… but to me, it feels that Rockstar is playing things a little too safe. I’d have liked to see a bit more boldness in choosing a genuinely different setting – perhaps a city based on Chicago or Washington DC, or setting the game in a time period like the ’70s or the ’90s. That would’ve helped Grand Theft Auto 6 develop its own identity. That’s already a tough task, as the game will be living in its predecessor’s shadow for a long time, but it’s one Rockstar seems to have made more difficult with some of these creative decisions.

Maybe I’m showing my age here, but part of what I felt worked best about Vice City was its ’80s setting. Leaning into the likes of Scarface and Miami Vice for inspiration really took that game to a different thematic place, feeling distinct from Grand Theft Auto III. Taking Vice City out of the ’80s and into the modern day is perhaps a bit of a challenge; there’s an open question as to how well Rockstar’s Miami stand-in will work in a contemporary setting. That’s a concern, too.

Based on what we saw in the trailer, I feel that it’s actually difficult to judge how the game might play. No real gameplay was shown, after all. But knowing that Rockstar is playing it safe with Grand Theft Auto 6, I think we can reasonably make the assumption that it won’t look, feel, or play much different from its predecessor. There will be guns to shoot, cars to jack, and an open world filled with crime to get stuck into.

This camera angle from the trailer is almost reminiscent of the original GTA games!

For me, Red Dead Redemption II is Rockstar’s magnum opus. If I dared to dream, I’d say that I’d hope Grand Theft Auto 6 could reach comparable heights… but I don’t want to put too much pressure on the developers. Some games are genuinely once-in-a-lifetime masterpieces, and asking for “another one like that” probably ain’t gonna happen – as much as we might want it to! So what I guess I’m trying to say is that I want to set appropriate expectations for Grand Theft Auto 6 and not over-hype the game to the moon and back. There will undoubtedly be a lot of excitement for the game as its launch gets closer… but keeping that in check as much as possible is absolutely worth trying. Don’t forget what happened with Cyberpunk 2077! Or Starfield.

To end on a positive note, the release of a new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is something I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to. I played the first game back in the ’90s – along with its London-based spin-off – and had a blast with it at the time. Watching the series make the transition to 3D was also fun to see in the early 2000s. So I’ve been a fan of the series for a long time.

Everybody who’s excited for *Grand Theft Auto 6* raise your arms!

The trailer showed off some impressive-looking environments and character models; on par, at least, with those seen in Red Dead Redemption II. Nothing blew me away – but by the time the game has been fully-built and is in our hands, I daresay we can expect high graphical fidelity and a visually pretty title.

So that’s all for now, I guess. I’ll be waiting to see whether Rockstar can be bothered to launch the game on PC in 2025 – if not, it might be 2026 or beyond before I’m able to get my hands on it.

Assuming I live that long, I hope you’ll check back in for a review – and in the meanwhile, if we get more information, another trailer, or more juicy details about Grand Theft Auto 6, I’ll do my best to cover it here on the website.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently in development and will be released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles in 2025. Grand Theft Auto 6 is the copyright of Rockstar Games and/or Take-Two Interactive Software. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

The “remastered” Grand Theft Auto trilogy sounds like a complete rip-off…

Sun 17.10.21Fri 15.04.22Dennis

The last couple of years have been a mixed bag when it comes to bringing back classic games. The likes of Resident Evil 2 and Crash Bandicoot have been remade from the ground up and released to critical acclaim… but then titles such as Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning and Mass Effect: Legendary Edition have been lacklustre at best, with minimal effort put into what basically amounted to a repackaging.

It’s in light of games like Mass Effect: Legendary Edition – which is one of the most disappointing titles of 2021 for me personally – that I look upon the clumsily-named upcoming title Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. With the game seemingly quite close to release but nary a teaser video nor screenshot in sight, I can’t help but feel that it will be, at best, better described as a repackaging or a re-release… one with a hefty new price tag slapped on.

Three older games are getting the so-called “remaster” treatment from Rockstar.

When Warcraft III was “remastered” last year, the original version of the game was pulled from sale. Fans could no longer play the original Warcraft III, and that became a massive problem when the “remaster” ended up being absolutely atrocious. Promised features were missing, the game was riddled with bugs, and overall fans considered it an awful experience. With no way to return to the original version of the game, many fans were left stuck.

The reason I bring up Warcraft III: Reforged as an example of a “remaster” gone wrong is because Grand Theft Auto developers Rockstar have chosen to do the exact same thing with The Definitive Edition’s three constituent games. All three have been de-listed – industry slang meaning they’ve been removed from sale digitally – on all of the platforms where they had been available. As attention shifts to the remaster, Rockstar doesn’t want anyone to be able to purchase the original version of these games.

*Warcraft III: Reforged* is an example of how not to handle a remaster.

Why? That’s the obvious question. “Money” is part of the answer; Rockstar doesn’t want the renewed attention on these three games pushing people to just pick up the original versions of one or more of the titles instead of paying a reported $70 (£60-65 in the UK) for the new version. But if the remaster is anywhere close to being as good as it should be, that shouldn’t even be a concern!

In short, Rockstar’s decision to pull Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas from sale is the biggest and most clear indicator so far that they don’t have confidence in their own product. They’re already anticipating that the “remaster” is going to be savaged for making no changes or minimal changes to these three older games, so in order to force players to buy it and artificially inflate sales they’ve chosen to pull the original versions from sale – just like Blizzard did with Warcraft III. Despite Mass Effect: Legendary Edition’s many issues, EA and BioWare didn’t have the audacity to pull the original versions of the Mass Effect trilogy from sale.

Promo art for *Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition*.

I have happy memories of Grand Theft Auto. Scoring the original game in 1997 or ’98 – hot on the heels of press complaints about its violent nature and knowing it would irritate my parents – was a fun adventure and scored me bragging rights with my friends at the time! Someone I knew even got in a ton of trouble for buying the game before he turned 18! The three games from the early/mid 2000s that will be part of this remaster are also games I remember with fondness from that era. I picked up a set which included Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City for the original Xbox, then got San Andreas when it was released a couple of years later.

On the Xbox, it was possible to listen to custom soundtracks while cruising around Vice City or Los Santos. The Xbox allowed players to rip CDs to its internal hard drive, which could then be accessed in certain games – and the Grand Theft Auto titles were among them. When I lived with friends during that period, kicking back to play some Grand Theft Auto was a frequent evening and weekend pastime – and though I have no doubt I’m over-romanticising those memories (because damnit Rob, you always hogged the control pad and it drove me mad!) I still have very positive memories of these three titles as social games and as escapist entertainment with friends.

I have fun memories of playing all three games in this set.

I’m sceptical that Rockstar – a company which has spent much of the past decade milking one successful game and not creating anything new – has Grand Theft Auto’s best intentions at heart with this remaster. The price tag is already generating a fair amount of sticker shock, and rightly so, but I doubt the remaster’s issues will end there.

Where are the screenshots, teasers, trailers, and gameplay videos that we should expect to see for a game that’s supposedly weeks away from release? Having seen nothing at all except one piece of box art, I feel certain that Rockstar is hiding the game for a reason. And that reason is probably simple: The Definitive Edition will be better described as a re-release or repackaging than a “remaster.”

We’re still yet to see any screenshots or a trailer for *The Definitive Edition*.

The Definitive Edition – lacklustre or not – has been created for one reason, and one reason only: to get fans to shut up about the absent Grand Theft Auto 6 for a while. It’s a cheap and easy way for Rockstar to throw fans a bone while continuing to ignore the one thing that’s been requested over and over for almost eight years. Rockstar is unwilling to let go of Grand Theft Auto V and its lucrative online mode, but with fans increasingly agitated by the company’s antics – such as re-releasing the game yet again on the new PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X – they evidently felt that they had to be seen to offer something.

Remastering Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas was clearly seen as a way to do that without having to shift any development resources away from Grand Theft Auto V and its online mode. The wheels will come off that juggernaut sooner rather than later, though, as the backlash to the announcement of the game’s re-release on the latest generation of consoles showed. I hope Rockstar has been working on something more than The Definitive Edition for when that moment comes – because it’s coming soon.

I might’ve been tempted to go back and replay these three games, but it seems like The Definitive Edition won’t be the best option for doing so, especially not at the price that has been discussed in recent days. But fundamentally, what the Grand Theft Auto series needs is not a re-release of three older titles that are still perfectly playable in their own right, but a proper sequel. Rockstar hopes that The Definitive Edition will buy them some time. Maybe they’re right – but only if it’s any good, and nothing I’ve seen or heard so far has convinced me that it will be.

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition will be released before the end of 2021 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X. The Grand Theft Auto series is the copyright of Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

Fifteen games worthy of a second look in Spring 2021

Sun 28.02.21Mon 06.02.23Dennis

Spoiler Warning: Though there are no major spoilers, minor spoilers may still be present for a few of the titles on this list.

Anthem is gone, Cyberpunk 2077 is still a stinking mess, and there are delays aplenty across the games industry as the pandemic rolls on. What’s a gamer to do? Well, I might have the answer for you! Tomorrow will be the first day of March, and to me March has always meant the beginning of Spring. There are small snowdrops beginning to bloom in my garden, and the nights are getting shorter. A few times this past week I’ve even managed without the heating on in my house – much to the dismay of the cats!

There are still plenty of great games that – all being well – will be released this year. If you missed it, I put together a list just after New Year of ten of the most interesting titles! But considering the delays and that this time of year is typically fairly quiet in terms of releases, I thought it would be a great moment to consider a few games that deserve a second look. I’ve limited the list to titles that are readily available to buy on current-gen platforms and PC, so no out-of-print games this time.

Without any further ado, let’s jump into the list, which is in no particular order.

Number 1: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch, 2017)

Nintendo’s most recent karting game is a ton of fun. It’s the kind of arcade racer that has a very low bar for entry – anyone can pick up and play this fun title. But mastering Mario Kart 8 – especially if you choose to head online – is no small task, and there’s a surprising amount of skill involved to be truly competitive with the best players! I’ve adored the Mario Kart series since its inception on the SNES, and this version is the definitive Mario Kart experience… at least until they make Mario Kart 9!

Number 2: Fall Guys (PC and PlayStation 4, 2020, coming to Xbox and Nintendo Switch this summer)

Among Us gained a lot of attention not long after Fall Guys was released last summer and stole at least some of the cute game’s attention! The fact that Fall Guys isn’t on mobile probably counts against it as far as finding a broader audience goes, but despite what some have claimed, the game is by no means dead. Season 4 – which promises to bring a new set of futuristic rounds – is being released soon, and for less than £15 (at least on PC) I honestly can’t fault Fall Guys. It’s an adorable, wholly unique experience in which your cute little jelly bean character runs a series of obstacle courses in a video game homage to the likes of Total Wipeout. Each round lasts only a couple of minutes, and it really is way more fun than words can do justice to! I’ve recently got back into playing after taking a break, and there’s plenty of fun still to be had.

Number 3: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (PC and Xbox, 2002)

You can find Morrowind on PC, and despite being an older title it’s compatible with Windows 10. There has been an active modding scene for almost twenty years at this point, so even if you’ve already played the base game it may still be worth going back for more. In my subjective opinion, Morrowind is the high-water mark of the Elder Scrolls series. It certainly offers players more to do than its predecessors or sequels – more NPCs to interact with, more factions to join, more types of weapons to wield and spells to cast, and so on. Especially if you hit Morrowind with some of the visual/graphics mods that are available, it can feel almost like a new game!

Number 4: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, 2002)

Another older title that you can find on PC, as well as on iOS and Android, Vice City was one of three Grand Theft Auto titles released between 2001 and 2005. Remember when Rockstar was able to put out more than one game per decade?! If you’ve had your fill of Grand Theft Auto V by now – and it’s been out for eight years, so I wouldn’t blame you if you were ready to play something else – maybe going back to one of the older games will be a nostalgic blast. Many fans of the series consider Vice City to be the best entry, and while I don’t think I’d go quite that far, I had a ton of fun with it back on the original Xbox.

Number 5: Banished (PC, 2014)

There are some great city-builders out there, but one of my favourites from the last few years is Banished. The game was built entirely by one person, which never fails to amaze me! It would still be a fantastic title if it had been made by a full studio, but the fact that the game and all its complex systems were programmed by a single developer is an astonishing achievement. Banished isn’t easy, even on lower difficulty settings, and it will take a little time to get into the swing of how to plan your town and manage your resources. But if you’re up for a challenge it’s a wonderful way to lose track of time!

Number 6: Skully (PC, PlayStation 4, Switch, and Xbox One, 2020)

Skully is a game that I’ve been meaning to write a proper review of since I picked it up last year, but it keeps slipping down my writing pile. From the moment I saw the trailer and heard the game’s premise – a 3D platformer in which you play as a disembodied skull – I was in love, and the game did not disappoint! The environments are beautiful and the game is plenty of fun. It manages to feel at points like an old-school 3D platformer of the Nintendo 64 era, and at others like a wholly modern experience. It’s also an indie title, and it’s great to be able to support indie developers wherever we can!

Number 7: Jade Empire (PC and Xbox, 2005)

If the demise of Anthem has got you missing the “golden age” of BioWare’s role-playing games, make sure you didn’t skip Jade Empire. The Xbox exclusive was overlooked by players in the mid-2000s, and while other BioWare games from that decade, like Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age Origins are all held in high esteem, the Chinese-inspired Jade Empire is all but forgotten. When Steam has it on sale you can pick up Jade Empire for less than the price of a coffee, and for that you’ll get what is honestly one of the best and most interesting role-playing games of all time.

Number 8: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (PC, 1997)

Starfleet Academy is unique among Star Trek games because it features the cast of The Original Series in video clips recorded especially for the game. These aren’t scenes from films or episodes of the show; you literally will not see them anywhere else. Starfleet Academy is a starship simulator, and while its visuals obviously don’t look as good in 2021 when compared to other titles, the overall experience is fantastic. You won’t find another game quite like it – especially because ViacomCBS has all but given up on making Star Trek games since the release of Star Trek Online!

Number 9: Forza Horizon 4 (PC and Xbox One, 2018)

I signed up for Game Pass in order to be able to play racing game Forza Horizon 4 – and it was totally worth it! The Forza Horizon series attempts to find a middle ground between true racing sims and arcade-style titles, and generally manages to do so quite well. Forza Horizon 4 has a map which represents parts of Great Britain, and that’s something unusual! I didn’t see my house, but it’s always nice when a game uses a familiar setting. There are plenty of fun cars to race in, and different kinds of races too, including going off-road.

Number 10: Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Multiplatform, 2013)

Is it just me, or has every subsequent game in the Assassin’s Creed series struggled to hit the highs of Black Flag? Origins and Odyssey were decent, but even in 2021, I think that Black Flag is the definitive title in the franchise! There’s something about its pirate setting and the wonderful crop of NPCs that make Black Flag a truly enjoyable experience from start to finish. For a game that’s approaching its eighth birthday it still looks fantastic, too!

Number 11: The Last Of Us (PlayStation 3, 2013)

Despite its severely disappointing sequel, The Last Of Us is fantastic. If you’re looking for a game with amazing characters and a deep, engaging story, it simply can’t be bettered. I put The Last Of Us on my list of games of the decade as the 2010s drew to a close, and for good reason. Joel and Ellie’s trek across a hauntingly beautiful post-apocalyptic United States was absolutely one of the gaming highlights of the last few years. The characters are so well-crafted that they feel real, and every twist and turn in the intense storyline carries emotional weight. The game is being adapted for television, and I’m interested – cautiously so in the wake of The Last Of Us Part II – to see what will happen when it makes the leap to the small screen.

Number 12: Age of Empires: Definitive Edition (PC, 2018)

Though I know Age of Empires II is the title most folks prefer, I’ve always appreciated what the original Age of Empires did for the real-time strategy genre. If you’ve been enjoying the recent remake of the second game, it could be a great time to give the original a try as well. Age of Empires didn’t invent real-time strategy, but it was one of the first such titles I played after its 1998 release – and I sunk hours and hours into it in the late ’90s! There’s something about building up an army of Bronze Age warriors to smash an opponent’s town that’s just… satisfying!

Number 13: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, 2019)

I played through Jedi: Fallen Order last summer and documented my time with the game here on the website. Suffice to say I had a blast; the linear, story-focused title is exactly what the Star Wars franchise needed after the Battlefront II debacle! Having just seen the dire Rise of Skywalker I was also longing for a Star Wars story that I could actually enjoy for a change, and Jedi: Fallen Order did not let me down! I had a great time swinging my lightsaber across a galaxy far, far away… and I think you will too.

Number 14: No Man’s Sky (PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, 2016)

No Man’s Sky was incredibly controversial at launch. The pre-release hype bubble got wildly out of control, egged on by a marketing push that oversold the game. Remind you of any recent titles? But despite the backlash in 2016, Hello Games has since put in a lot of hard graft, and five years on No Man’s Sky genuinely lives up to its potential. Had it been released in this state I think it would have been hailed as one of the best games of the decade – if not of all time. I understand not wanting to reward a game that was dishonestly sold, and that the “release now, fix later” business model is not one we should support. But there’s no denying that No Man’s Sky is a great game in 2021, and if you haven’t picked it up since its 2016 launch, it could be worth a second look.

Number 15: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 (PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, 2020)

A full remake of the definitive skateboarding game is hard to pass up! In the Dreamcast era, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater launched an entire genre of skating games, and its amazing soundtrack is a nostalgic hit of late ’90s/early ’00s punk rock. The remade version, which you can pick up on Switch and the two new consoles later this year, is great fun, and has managed to do something rare for a remake: genuinely recapture the look and feel of the original title. Obviously the visuals are brought up-to-date, but the feel of the game and the way tricks are performed are fantastic. I was able to slip right back into playing as if I’d never put the Dreamcast controller down!

So that’s it. Fifteen games that I think are worth your time this Spring.

There are plenty of fun titles on the horizon, but some of the ones I was most looking forward to – like Kena: Bridge of Spirits – have recently been delayed, prompting me to look at my library and put together this list.

I hope this has inspired you to find something to play over the next few weeks! If not, stay tuned because there will be plenty more gaming-related articles here on the website. Happy gaming!

All titles listed above are the copyright of their respective studio, developer, and/or publisher. Some screenshots and promo artwork courtesy of IGDB. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

Ten games to play instead of Cyberpunk 2077

Thu 10.12.20Sun 20.11.22Dennis

Highly-anticipated (and almost certainly over-hyped) role-playing game Cyberpunk 2077 releases today. If, like me, you don’t really have £50/$60 to spend on a single game this close to Christmas – or you don’t have a PC or console capable of playing it – I thought it could be fun to go through a few alternatives.

I don’t hate Cyberpunk 2077. It’ll most likely be a decent game, and I’m sure I will eventually give it a shot. But there are many fun titles out there that offer comparable experiences – and most don’t cost as much! Here’s ten options for those of us who aren’t indulging in Cyberpunk 2077 on day one.

Number 1: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic & Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords (2003; 2004)

Coming after The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones had left the franchise in a pretty disappointing place, Bioware’s Star Wars epic and its Obsidian-produced sequel were outstanding. At a time when I wasn’t enjoying Star Wars’ cinematic output, these games came along and did a lot to save its reputation. For around £15 (on Steam) you’ll be able to pick up both titles and enjoy two of the best stories in the entire franchise. The two games are significantly better than several of the Star Wars films, so if you’re even slightly interested in a galaxy far, far away but haven’t given either title a try yet, it could be a great time to do so.

Number 2: Deus Ex: Human Revolution & Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (2011; 2016)

When I think about many of the components of Cyberpunk 2077 that people are most excited about – such as the ability to augment your human character, first-person gunplay, and different ways to reach objectives and complete missions – I’m reminded a lot of the Deus Ex series, especially its most recent offerings. Though a far more linear experience, for a lot less money you could play through a couple of solid stealth/action games that offer at least some of the same features as Cyberpunk 2077. It’s even set in a dystopian future where corporations are in charge!

Number 3: The Witcher 3 (2015)

The Witcher 3 was CD Projekt Red’s last game before Cyberpunk 2077, and it’s widely hailed as a masterpiece. Though the two games are certainly different in terms of setting, point-of-view, and the like, if you’re like me and haven’t yet got around to playing one of the generation’s best role-playing games, this could be a great opportunity to do so. The Witcher 3′s huge success and positive reception is a big part of why Cyberpunk 2077 has seen such a massive hype bubble.

Number 4: Shenmue I & II (1999; 2001; re-released 2018)

Though its story disappointingly remains incomplete, if you’re looking for a game with a truly engrossing narrative Shenmue could be just what you need. These two ambitious titles were originally released for the Dreamcast, sadly sharing the fate of that console and being underappreciated. Both were re-released for PC in 2018 as a single bundle, and if you missed them when they were new it could be a great time to jump in. Shenmue pioneered the idea of an open world before anyone even knew what that meant, and was the first game I ever played that felt genuinely cinematic. I think I’ll be recommending these games to people for as long as I live!

Number 5: Doom & Doom Eternal (2016; 2020)

If Cyberpunk 2077′s big draw was its first-person shooting, Doom and Doom Eternal could be great substitutes. If you want to feel like a total badass, kicking butt and taking no prisoners (literally) then there’s no better choice. The rebooted Doom series ditched the horror vibe of Doom 3 and went back to its roots – shooting demons in the face by the absolute boatload. The two games both have fantastic soundtracks that perfectly suit the fast-paced, explosive gameplay. And Doom Eternal introduces a grappling hook. Need I say more?

Number 6: Grand Theft Auto V (2013)

Because of the ridiculous hype bubble that’s grown around Cyberpunk 2077, a lot of players are going to be disappointed when they realise it isn’t “Grand Theft Auto in the future.” So why not play the most recent entry in Rockstar’s crime saga instead? It’s a huge open world, there’s plenty to do, and if you want the experience of running amok causing havoc in a densely-packed city, this is about as close as you can get right now. There’s even a first-person mode (except on the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3.)

Number 7: Titanfall 2 (2018)

A fun, futuristic shooter with mechs. That’s what Titanfall 2 is, and this underappreciated gem was sadly released at a very competitive moment in the first-person shooter genre. That led to underwhelming sales, but if you’re willing to give it a shot you’ll find a truly exciting, action-packed experience. Part of the appeal of Cyberpunk 2077 is its first-person perspective, and while you won’t find as many customisation options or a branching story, what you’ll get with Titanfall 2 is some of the best gunplay ever put into a game with weapons that have a realistic kick.

Number 8: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002)

One of the best role-playing games every made, and the high-water mark of the Elder Scrolls series in my opinion, Morrowind is packed full of fun and interesting quests, random NPC encounters, and a diverse set of locations and environments across its open world. Eighteen years after it was released there are quests I’ve never completed and whole storylines I haven’t seen; it’s just too big to fit everything into a single playthrough. Despite being released a decade earlier, Morrowind has much more going on than Skyrim – more weapon types, more factions to join, and even more NPCs to interact with. You just have to look past its text-based interface, which can admittedly feel dated in 2020.

Number 9: Pillars of Eternity & Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (2015; 2018)

Both Pillars of Eternity and its sequel have a decidedly old-school feel, thanks in part to their visual style and use of an isometric perspective. Each game takes 40+ hours to beat – longer if you play more side missions and take your time – so there’s a lot of role-playing to get stuck into. It’s hard to say much more without spoiling the experience, but if you’re looking for an in-depth role-playing experience with fun customisation and where your in-game choices truly impact the story, look no further.

Number 10: Halo: The Master Chief Collection (2014; 2019)

When I think about “futuristic first-person shooters,” one series springs to mind ahead of all the others: Halo. The Master Chief Collection brings together the first six titles in the series (or every game except Halo 5) for hours and hours of single-player or co-op gameplay. Cyberpunk 2077 doesn’t offer co-op! The exciting tale of humanity’s war against an alien alliance known as the Covenant is detailed in these games, and although the quality of the series has waned somewhat in recent years, even Halo at its worst is still light-years ahead of many other games.

So that’s it. Ten games you could play instead of Cyberpunk 2077 while you wait for the day-one bugs to be patched out and for the game to drop in price! Or because you aren’t interested in one of the biggest releases of the year.

If nothing else, this was an opportunity to talk about some fun games and highlight them in the run-up to Christmas. Remember that the Steam holiday sale is likely coming up in a matter of days; it could be worth waiting to see if any of your favourites will be on sale. I highly doubt Cyberpunk 2077 will see even a 5% discount so soon after its release, but you never know!

All titles listed above are the copyright of their respective studio, developer, and/or publisher. Some screenshots and promotional artwork courtesy of IGDB. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

Grand Theft Auto 6 speculation

Thu 05.12.19Sun 20.11.22Dennis

Grand Theft Auto V came out in September 2013 on PS3 and Xbox 360. It has since been released on current consoles as well as PC, and it would be an understatement to say it’s made developers Rockstar a metric fuckton of money. For a six-year-old game to continually be among the most-played games and in the sales charts across all three platforms is no mean feat, and repeating GTA 5’s success will be a challenge like no other.

So how to go about it?

There’s been a lot of speculation going back several years about what form a future Grand Theft Auto title should take. I don’t have any sources, this is just my opinion. So take everything from this point with a grain of salt.

The formula for GTA 5’s success was based on its online mode, and that’s been where the real money has come from for Rockstar. Online has kept people interested and returning, and most importantly, spending money on in-game cash and items. But Grand Theft Auto games weren’t built on multiplayer, and even in the case of GTA 5, it wasn’t what hooked people in in the first place. The core of any GTA game has, and always should be, a great story. It wasn’t until Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas that the series even featured a multiplayer mode, albeit a very limited one which was a bit of fun but nowhere near the scale of GTA 5.

The story for any GTA game needs several key elements to come together: character, location, era, and destination. Each element influences the others, as characters become defined by the era and location they reside in, and the destination they strive to reach changes depending on who they are and where they came from.

The setting and era need to be nailed down first. GTA 5 has done exceptionally well with a modern setting (or modern-ish now, given the game is into its seventh year of life). But previous entries in the franchise have used the recent past – the 1960s, 1980s, and 1990s. It would be tempting to suggest that an historical setting, even a recent decade, would cause the game to find more of a niche audience, as players who want their games firmly rooted in the modern day might drop out. But the success of Red Dead Redemption II, while admittedly not on the same scale as GTA 5, should show that historical settings can play very well when there’s an interesting world with lots to do and some great characters.

There’s a lot of nostalgia flying around at the moment – especially for the 1980s and 1990s – and Rockstar could absolutely tap into that. Doing so would not only open up the game to the significant market which exists right now for a nostalgic setting, but would ensure GTA 6 would stand apart from its predecessor and not look like simply an updated version of what people have already been playing for the last few years.

Differentiating itself from GTA 5 will be a big task, and the physical location will be a part of that too. I’ve heard “rumours” (which, let’s be honest, are 99.9% bullshit) that there might be a return to Vice City on the cards. But to me that doesn’t make a lot of sense. Vice City is Rockstar’s version of Miami, where Los Santos (the setting for GTA 5) is their version of Los Angeles. But LA and Miami are both cities on the coast, with beaches, in a sunny, tropical part of the country. The look and feel of those cities is different, but not radically so. Not as different as, say, New York or Chicago would be. Given that Rockstar’s New York analogue, Liberty City, was the setting for GTA 4 I think that’s an unlikely candidate. I’d be wary of another tropical setting if the game is to truly step out of GTA 5’s shadow.

Practically everyone speculating on GTA 6’s location has been looking at past settings, thinking Rockstar might take the series back to one of its prior locations. But games should, where possible, try to push forward, and the United States is far bigger than California, Miami, and New York. It would be great to see a Midwestern city like Chicago or Minneapolis parodied in the next game, or a version of a city with history like Philadelphia or Boston. A city based on Washington DC could be a great choice too. It could even go to one of the big Southern metropolises like Atlanta, but I think after a game set in the balmy, sunlit California (sorry, I mean San Andreas) it would be interesting to have an autumn or winter setting somewhere to the north, where players could see snow.

A setting based on Detroit, for example, could highlight the decline in former industrial areas of America. And with Detroit having major crime and gang problems in the real world, it would be an interesting setting. A Washington DC analogue could focus more on decadence, elitism, and political corruption. And a setting with a Chicago theme could tackle the Mafia and organised crime. There are dozens of potential US cities which could serve as settings that would be different from what’s come before, but not so different as to be offputting to fans.

Leaving the United States entirely isn’t something I think would do well. GTA is, in a peculiar way, a distinctly American entity, not least with its huge emphasis on firearms. Placing the next title in Europe or South America might seem interesting, but I think it would lose too much of what makes a game “Grand Theft Auto” – as opposed to a generic action-shooter. Watch Dogs Legion (due out sometime before April 2021) is supposed to be set in London, so if Rockstar released GTA 6 any time around or shortly after that, it would draw immediate comparisons – and perhaps some criticism – if it were to use the same or a similar setting. Certainly since GTA 3 in 2001, the series has so wonderfully parodied the United States that leaving that behind entirely seems unthinkable.

But perhaps a split setting or a dual setting could work. In a way, San Andreas tried to accomplish this with its three cities. There were missions which took players from one city to another – across what was for the time an absolutely huge map – but generally, most missions took place within one city. In GTA 6, there could be two major locations – one in the United States which would serve as the player’s home base, and another in Europe, Asia, or South America which the player could visit for part of the game. Attempting something like this, and particularly finding a way to transition smoothly between two large open environments, would be ambitious, but it should be something next-gen hardware could handle.

While a split setting might work well from a story perspective, one thing players have enjoyed about GTA 5’s online mode is that there was one map, one open world, which everyone was traversing. If GTA 6 has two separate – albeit linked – locations, that potentially raises challenges when it comes to the online mode, and while these challenges could be overcome, anything which risks narrowing or splitting the playerbase ultimately carries a risk of reducing the mega-bucks Rockstar has been making.

Personally, I really liked GTA 5’s three-protagonist approach. Being able to switch between characters on the fly was great, and the interaction between the characters gave the story more depth than it would’ve had if we were just seeing the others as NPCs. So it would be great if GTA 6 could retain that idea, at least in some form. Certainly two playable characters could work, and it would potentially allow for co-op play. And yes, making one of the protagonists a woman, or giving players the ability to choose their character’s gender à la Mass Effect, would be a nice touch. I guess that’s not essential, but there’s no reason not to.

Finally, the character’s destination comes into frame. What’s their story arc going to be? Where are they going to end up at the end of the campaign? In past games we’ve seen players building a criminal empire of sorts, buying up business interests, earning more and more money, and essentially becoming the kingpin of their virtual city. There’s no need to stray too far from that formula, but some changes again to help the game stand out from its illustrious predecessor would be good. San Andreas dealt with street gangs, GTA 4 saw players tackle Russian/Eastern European organised crime, and GTA 5 most recently saw heists and corruption. Other entries in the series also saw heavier involvement of the Mafia. Organised crime is a theme running through GTA, but so is corruption. In a Washington DC-themed city, players could deal with corrupt politicians and a corrupt government, and that could be a fascinating parody of our current times. There could also be an exploration of drug cartels, or of Asian organised crime syndicates. In short, there’s a lot of organisations the game could explore without retreading too much old ground.

Here’s the thing: there’s no conclusion to this article. Until the game is officially announced and we know the rough outline of its setting and protagonist, there’s not much more to say except to fantasise about my “perfect” GTA game. The map should be big, but not so big it becomes a chore to drive from place to place. It should be diverse, with a city but also rural areas to give some variety. I’d really like to see a brand new setting, one that GTA hasn’t explored before. A Washington DC-themed city would be my first choice if I had to pick, but there are so many great options for cities to parody across the United States that almost any could be exciting. Time period-wise, I think the 1970s, 80s, or 90s would work well – it would be modern enough that players wouldn’t feel overwhelmed, but distinct enough to ensure the game wouldn’t be viewed as just a copy or iteration of its predecessor. But at the end of the day, if the writing is good, if the story is engaging, and the vehicles and guns are fun to play with, the game will be great.

From a purely financial point of view, I think an awful lot of people who enjoyed GTA 5 are going to jump into its sequel just to see what it’s like – and to get something new after a long time playing in the same sandbox. In that sense, almost anything Rockstar produces should be profitable. It would be up to them to turn that around and reproduce what GTA 5 managed, but I think with careful management of GTA 6’s online mode, that’s certainly a likely prospect.

Whenever it comes out, I’ll definitely jump in and see what they have in store!

Grand Theft Auto V is available on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. All Grand Theft Auto titles are the copyright of Rockstar Games and Take Two Interactive. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.