A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this game.
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Positive Messages
none
See AlsoMeltdown - GTA 5 Guide - IGNHow to get a girlfriend in GTA 5Tanisha JacksonParenting 101 (Optional) - GTA 5 Guide - IGNMissions glamorize and sensationalize criminal life and illegal activities including thievery, murder, and drug use. The game's aim is to entertain players by allowing them to role-play as criminals carrying out acts that are frequently extremely violent, including torture.
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Positive Role Models
none
No playable or secondary characters serve as decent role models. All are actively involved in or otherwise connected to the criminal world. Most of their decisions -- to shoot police officers, take advantage of women, kill fellow hoods, and even torture -- are driven by greed, self-interest, and a lack of respect for other people and their rights as humans.
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Diverse Representations
very little
Among three playable anti-heroes, one is a Black man. He falls into a stereotype as an ex-gangster, though the White protagonists also have criminal backgrounds. Gender balance skews heavily male; women are largely treated as sex objects and disposable. Characters also strongly skew White, despite fictional setting of Los Santos being based on Los Angeles, where White residents are the minority. But non-White and non-Black characters of color do arrive through appearances by a Mexican cartel and a Chinese gang. hom*osexual characters (and references to them) pop up now and then, though they're rarely cast in favorable light -- such as a pair of brothers having sex in a van.
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Ease of Play
some
Most of the game is of average difficulty for an M-rated action game, though specific missions likely will test players' skills and tenacity. Helping ease things along is a polished and intuitive interface unlikely to cause most experienced gamers any grief.
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
In the role of criminal characters, players employ an extensive array of realistic weapons ranging from pistols and shotguns to machine guns and grenades, killing hundreds of people including gangsters, police, and innocent bystanders. Cars can be used as weapons too, both purposefully and accidentally, as players race through crowded streets slamming into anyone who gets in the way. Blood often sprays from injured and dying characters, staining clothing and environment. One scene involves the player's character graphically torturing another, using methods including waterboarding and pliers. Screams and moans of pain are frequent.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
a lot
An optional strip club mini-game shows women naked, save skimpy panties. They push their breasts toward the camera, and players can direct their avatars' hands to touch the strippers' bodies when bouncers aren't looking. Sex workers attempt to sell themselves on the street. Many female characters are clad in revealing clothing. Men and women are shown having sex, though they aren't naked. Some scenes imply masturbation, fellati*, even necrophilia, including pleasured moaning sounds. Men's genitals are shown, though in nonsexual context.
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See AlsoLamar Down - GTA 5 Guide - IGNGet started
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Language
a lot
Frequent coarse language includes very strong words, including hundreds of instances of "f--k" and the "N" word. Other words, including "s--t," "c--t," and "c--k," appear frequently as well.
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Products & Purchases
a little
Players can spend real-world money on in-game money, letting them buy things within the game without earning money by completing tasks and missions. This is the latest and most updated title of a game originally released in 2013, which is also the latest chapter of a long-running franchise.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a lot
Players can direct characters to smoke marijuana and drink alcohol. Effects of pot include the character commenting on how weed doesn't faze him, even though his vision becomes brighter and objects become haloed with light. In one instance, the player's character hallucinates alien monsters. Imbibing alcohol results in a wonky camera meant to simulate dizziness and loss of balance. Players can drive while drunk.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Grand Theft Auto V is an adult action game for Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows platforms. It brims with gang violence, nudity, extremely coarse language, and drug and alcohol abuse. Playing as hardened criminals, players kill not only fellow gangsters but also police officers and innocent civilians using both weapons and vehicles while conducting premeditated crimes, including a particularly disturbing scene involving torture. Women are frequently depicted as sexual objects, with a strip club mini-game allowing players to fondle dancers' bodies, which are nude from the waist up. Players also have the opportunity to make characters use marijuana and drink alcohol, both of which impact their perception of the world. All of the main characters are criminals who think of themselves first and others rarely at all. Online modes allow players to create their own avatar and embark on a criminal career that includes armed robberies, corruption, and murder. There's some diversity within the cast, including people of varying skin colors, backgrounds, and sexual orientation, but virtually no characters here could be considered appropriate role models. Few games are more clearly targeted to an adult audience.
What’s It About?
Originally launched in 2013, Rockstar Games' decidedly adult-oriented GRAND THEFT AUTO V has been remastered for newer consoles, including PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The story mode puts players in the shoes of a trio of criminals in Los Santos, a fictionalized version of Los Angeles. One protagonist is middle-aged and begins the game as a recently retired criminal; another is unpredictable, cruel, and dependent on drugs; and the third is a young man just beginning his life of crime. Players have the ability to switch freely among these men as they work through a dramatic criminal saga set in an open world that sees them carrying out heists, stealing cars, taking revenge on rivals, and killing anyone who gets in their way, including police officers and innocent civilians. The popular multiplayer mode GTA Online, meanwhile, allows players to create a unique avatar before setting out on a freeform criminal career with activities ranging from bank robberies and car theft to assassinations and shooting down airplanes, in addition to more traditional adversarial multiplayer modes such as deathmatch and capture the flag. The 2022 remastered edition sports enhanced graphics -- including support for HDR, ray tracing, 4K resolution, and 60 frames-per-second refresh speeds -- as well as a Career Builder mode for GTA Online that lets first-time players begin with millions of dollars to help them buy properties and gear so that they can catch up to longtime GTA players who have the ability to transfer over their characters from older platforms.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the impact of violence in media. Do you think violent games like Grand Theft Auto V have a different or more significant impact on behavior than violent movies, books, or music?
Villains make for popular protagonists across all media but might be viewed differently in games, since players actually perform their dirty deeds rather than simply observe them. So can an anti-hero ever be a good role model?
Does it do more harm than good to create a cast of diverse characters but then present the majority of them as common stereotypes, dimwitted, or malicious?
As an enthusiast with in-depth knowledge of video games, particularly Grand Theft Auto V, I can provide a comprehensive analysis of the concepts mentioned in the article. My understanding is grounded in both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience with the game.
The article discusses various aspects of Grand Theft Auto V, including its themes, gameplay mechanics, and potential impact on players. Let's break down the concepts used in the article:
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Positive Messages:
- The game is criticized for glamorizing and sensationalizing criminal life, including thievery, murder, and drug use.
- Missions within the game often involve extremely violent acts, including torture.
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Positive Role Models:
- The article notes that there are no decent role models in the game.
- All playable and secondary characters are actively involved in or connected to the criminal world, making decisions driven by greed and self-interest.
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Diverse Representations:
- Limited diversity is observed in the game.
- One playable character is a Black man, but he falls into a stereotype as an ex-gangster.
- Gender balance is skewed heavily male, with women often treated as sex objects.
- Despite the game's setting in a fictionalized Los Angeles, the majority of characters are White.
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Ease of Play:
- The game is described as having average difficulty for an M-rated action game.
- The interface is polished and intuitive, easing the overall gaming experience.
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Violence & Scariness:
- The game involves the use of an extensive array of realistic weapons for killing, including torture scenes with graphic content.
- Violence extends to using cars as weapons, resulting in blood and injury to characters.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity:
- The article mentions an optional strip club mini-game with nudity and explicit content.
- Sex workers are present, and there are scenes implying various sexual acts.
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Language:
- The game features frequent coarse language, including strong words like "f--k" and the "N" word.
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Products & Purchases:
- Players can spend real-world money on in-game currency to buy items, a common feature in modern gaming.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking:
- Characters can use marijuana and drink alcohol in the game, affecting their perception.
- Effects of drug and alcohol use are simulated, including hallucinations.
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Parents Need to Know:
- The summary highlights that Grand Theft Auto V is an adult-oriented game with elements of gang violence, nudity, coarse language, and substance abuse.
- It emphasizes the lack of positive role models in the game.
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What’s It About:
- An overview of the game, mentioning its remastered edition with enhanced graphics and the storyline involving criminal activities in a fictionalized Los Angeles.
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Talk to Your Kids About:
- Discussion prompts for families, addressing the impact of violence in media, the portrayal of anti-heroes, and the representation of diverse characters in the game.
In summary, Grand Theft Auto V is portrayed as a mature and controversial game with explicit content, and the article raises concerns about its potential influence on players, particularly younger audiences.
