IGN Preview, GTA 5: A New Perspective

From shooters to action games, we’re all used to adopting the first-person, but the way in which this new perspective transforms the GTA 5 experience can’t be understated; it fundamentally alters how you inhabit and interact with this world. It rewrites the experience, both in single-player and online.

Nelson tells me the idea has been kicking around for a while, but it’s only been possible to do it justice since the arrival of next-gen consoles and the power they bring. It also required another precious commodity: time.

...

“I just think it’s a different way of experiencing the world. It’s a different perspective,” Nelson says, as he tries to put his finger on what makes it feel so distinct. “You’re eye-level, down with the people on the street, and as you walk past them, you see them sort of look at you out of the corner of their eye. All of this stuff existed in the game before – lots of little details.”

And now it’s possible to appreciate those details like never before. It’s not just the textures but the posters and in-game TV shows and movies have all been rendered in high-definition, so it’s now possible to press your face up to the glass of GTA 5 and not be disappointed.

...

Nelson and his team have worked tirelessly to make this new perspective not only work but feel totally immersive. The fastidious attention to detail that originally went into the creation of GTA 5 is once again evident in the way first-person mode has been executed. When you step inside a car for the first time and settle down into the driver’s seat, you’ll notice the vehicle has a thoughtfully-designed dashboard – the speedometer and gas dial all work and, in some of the more high-end cars, digital displays even show the name of the radio station and song you’re listening to. Your character will even bob his head to the music. And that level of detail extends to every car, boat, and plane; they all have unique cockpits, so you’re never just plonked behind the same wheel. (Oh yeah, you can even duck down behind the steering wheel if you're being shot at.)

...

It’s still very apparent that you’re playing as Michael, Franklin, or Trevor. Their personalities haven’t been extinguished – in fact, the animations which made them feel so distinct and well-rounded have been adapted to work in the first-person. An idle Franklin will crack his fingers or adjust the brim of his hat. Michael will light up a cigar when relaxing at home. When parachuting as Trevor, if you look down, his arms carry the unsightly marks and scars you probably always imagined.

You can pull up your phone, and it’s not an overlay – you’re now looking down at your phone. If you want to take a selfie, it now feels like you’re doing just that.