Thanks to Rockstar Games we had the opportunity to test the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 5 for the PC. This game proves that any console can not hold a candle to the PC. We want to show if it was worth to wait for it. Because of the many reviews and information you can get, we want to keep it simple and focus on the differences between the PC and current-gen version of this game. After installing 55GB from the seven DVDs and downloading a 6GB patch we could start the game.

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GTA 5 is a game full of details, great graphics and thrilling missions. It is a game with such a great gaming experience as unfortunately we see it only every few years. The game was released April 14th after it was delayed a few times. Players can now drive through Los Santos and enjoy the story of the protagonists Michael, Franklin and Trevor.

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We like it that the developers have learned from the mistakes they have made with the previous game and that they did not repeat them. That means that we had no problems with parallel running programs, faulty game starts, extreme Hardware-Use, etc. Players have to create a Rockstar Social Club Account to play the game. The game is also playable offline after once you have created the account. Players have to be connected to the Social Club to play GTA Online. We love it that you do not have to own the best PC. It is possible to enjoy Grand Theft Auto 5 highly detailed on a regular middle-class PC. It is also not important if you use a Radeon- or a Nvidia-Chip for the graphics. This game also supports Dual- & Triple-Monitoring-Setups and NVIDIA 3D Vision with up to three displays. We also like that we do not have to use a gamepad to play the game successfully. We want to talk about the controls latter.

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First, let us take a look at the story which should be clear until this game was already released on consoles. Not like in the previous GTA games we enjoy the story of not only one protagonist. In GTA 5 you play as Michael, Franklin and Trevor and all of them are different characters. Trevor and Michael are old friends and most of the time highly criminal. Franklin is more like a small rogue which crosses the lives of Michael and Trevor. All three are sliding deeper and deeper into a swamp of gangster and private problems in the story.

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There are missions players have to succeed with all of them and also stories you just only need two of them or play only with one protagonist. Mostly it depends on the situation which of the three characters we control but it is also possible for players to switch to their favourite character. The core of the game are the large-scale raids which need a planning phase (spy situation) and a procurement phase (Vehicles, gadgets) after you choose between plan A and B and start the mission.

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The developer add more music and DJ-Comments, individual Soundtrack-Play and the Rockstar Editor to the PC version.

With the Rockstar Editor players can create and share gaming experience videos from Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online. The Rockstar Editor includes a lot of tools to record and edit videos. It is also possible to choose the time of day, cameras, the weather and also dialogues. User can also include some special effects in their videos and also use a soundtrack or include a text. It is possible to upload the videos on YouTube and the Rockstar Games Social Club.

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Lets talk about the online part of GTA 5. GTA Online is like a MMO for the game. You have to create a character for their online actions and use this character for some tutorial-missions at the beginning of the online part. Players get this first missions from Franklin’s friend Lamar. In the Online part players can drive races, do some thefts stuff or shoot other players down and other stuff known from the main game.

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If players reach level 12 they can take part on some Heist-Missions which are like the the core missions from the single player game we talked about. From two up to four players can take part on this missions.

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We noticed that it is more fun to play the Heist-Missions with friends than with other players that you do not know. The player that starts the missions is also the host of the session and he also has to pay for the operations. Players have to pay attention because one operation could take about two hours but it is a lot of fun.

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Many people say that it is always the same in GTA. That means you start a mission, you go there, succeed the mission and run away. On the one hand this is truth, on the other hand the missions in GTA 5 offers some little surprises. It is a lot of fun and it was not boring for us to play the main game at anytime. If players need a little break from their thugs life they have the opportunity play tennis, golf, run a triathlon, go to the cinema or do a lot of other activities.

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If you are worried of playing GTA 5 with Mouse and Keyboard, we can reassure you. It works very well to play the game with this controller. We had not a problem to keep the vehicles permanently under control. We could also fligh with helicopters or planes very well after a little bit of time. It works very well if you play some hardcore action with the keyboard, too. The switch between Michael, Trevor and Franklin works fast by using the F-button. We noticed that it is possible to switch from keyboard to the gamepad while the running game smoothly, too.

What we like is that the first-person-view works a lot of better than on the PS4 and Xbox One. The characters react much more directly on the change of the direction.

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Unfortunately, you can only see the great graphical differences between the PC and current-gen if you have a system that supports 4K, but we noticed that the game looking great on the PC because of the longer distance of view, framerates and better textures. This is one of the best gaming world we ever have seen in a PC game.

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Let’s summarize! Rockstar celebrates the release like the game would be the best game ever made and they are right. GTA 5 is a milestone in the gaming history. We think you should not compare GTA 5 with other games like this or other GTA games. GTA 5 is GTA 5 and it is great game. We would prefer if the missions would offer more unexpected twists. Los Santos offers more to do than the missions include. We hope that Rockstar will release some more DLC with missions to play soon.

Rockstar did a great job and ported successfully the game from the Console to the PC. We are still amazed about the insane level of details of the game’s world, the lively atmosphere of the city and surrounding areas even after many hours. Rockstar transferred Los Angeles really great into the game.

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We could not imagine how great GTA 5 could run on the PC. We love it that the controls with the keyboard working so well.

We love the chemistry between the characters which feels naturally and real. Their story fits great into the world of Los Santos. We think that Rockstar did such a great job that this game is a must have for the PC.

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