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Why gamers love Grand Theft Auto

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) V has been the only topic of conversation in my circle of male friends since the game was launched on Sept 17.

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) V has been the only topic of conversation in my circle of male friends since the game was launched on Sept 17.

We constantly talk about our progress in the game, share tips on how to successfully complete missions and our favourite non-criminal activities (fancy some yoga, golf or skydiving?). We even engaged in an hour-long discussion with a table of complete strangers who happened to overhear our conversation.

Little wonder that the game made more than US$1 billion (S$1.25 billion) on its first day of sales — a figure Hollywood movie producers can only dream of.

I think the key to the game’s success is its innovative, all-consuming and thoroughly engaging gameplay — something others have yet to match.

The core GTA experience tests gamers on several crucial skills. You need excellent driving skills to evade cops and shooting skills that help you survive missions with a firefight. Its missions are also notorious for introducing twists and turns in the plot, making it vital for players to think and react on their feet. And in GTA V, players have to plan their heists before executing them, adding a new element of strategy.

But you can also take a break from completing missions and pursue hobbies such as racing or scuba diving. Other games offer similar activities as well, but GTA actually rewards you for immersing yourself in its world and indulging yourself in its frivolities.

A game of tennis will boost your stamina and speed rating as well as reward you with more cash to spend on weapons, while going to the gym makes your character stronger. You can also head to locations like flight school and perform tricks and stunts at the skate park to specifically work on certain skills and make it easier to progress in the game.

You can even enhance your GTA experience via the aptly-named iFruit companion app for the iPhone or iPad. It features a mini-game which allows you to train Chop — a character’s dog in the console version — and use it to your benefit.

The more you play with the mini virtual pet app on your iPhone or iPad, the better-behaved and more useful Chop will be in the console game. You can also place orders for customised cars on the app and find one waiting in your garage the next time you fire up your gaming console.

These fun diversions and leisurely pursuits allow gamers to do things they otherwise would not be able to do in real life, on top of their jobs and families. It offers an escape from reality — it’s catharsis, really.

With GTA V, video games are inching closer towards true open worlds with unstructured gameplay mechanics that are actually fun to be in. Remember the boring, commerce- and economics-driven world of Second Life? Neither do I.

Enter the fantasy world of GTA V’s Los Santos and almost immediately you are transported to a place where you can be anything you want to be. Isn’t that an inviting thought?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hiranand Sunny is a reporter with TODAY’S Digital Media Desk.

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