video game
video game
Grand Theft Auto V is a action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the seventh main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, following 's Grand Theft Auto IV, and the fifteenth instalment overall. Set within the fictional state of San Andreas, based on Southern California, the single-player story follows three protagonists—retired bank robber Michael De Santa (Ned Luke), street gangster Franklin Clinton (Shawn Fonteno), and drug dealer and gunrunnerTrevor Philips (Steven Ogg), and their attempts to commit heists while under pressure from a corrupt government agency and powerful criminals. Players freely roam San Andreas's open world countryside and fictional city of Los Santos, based on Los Angeles.
The game world is navigated on foot and by vehicle, from either a third-person or first-person perspective. Players control the protagonists throughout single-player and switch among them, both during and outside missions. The story is centred on the heist sequences, and many missions involve shooting and driving gameplay. A "wanted" system governs the aggression of law enforcement response to players who commit crimes. In Grand Theft Auto Online, the game's online multiplayer mode, up to 30 players engage in a variety of different cooperative and competitive game modes.
Shared between many of Rockstar's studios worldwide, the game's development began around the time of Grand Theft Auto IV's release. The developers drew influence from many of their previous projects (such as Red Dead Redemption and Max Payne 3) and designed the game around three lead protagonists to innovate on the core structure of its predecessors. Much of the development work constituted the open world's creation, and several team members conducted field research around California to capture footage for the design team. The game's soundtrack features an original score composed by a team of producers who collaborated over several years. Grand Theft Auto V was released in September for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox , in November for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, in April for Windows, and in March for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Extensively marketed and widely anticipated, the game broke industry sales records and became the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, earning $&#;million in its first day and $1 billion in its first three days. It received critical acclaim, with praise directed at its multiple-protagonist design, open world, presentation and gameplay. However, its depiction of violence and women caused controversies. Several gaming publications awarded the game year-end accolades including Game of the Year awards. In retrospect, it is considered one of seventh and eighth generation console gaming's most significant titles and among the best video games ever made. It is the second-best-selling video game of all time with &#;million copies shipped, and one of the most financially successful entertainment products of all time, with over $&#;billion in worldwide revenue. Its successor, Grand Theft Auto VI, is scheduled to be released in
Grand Theft Auto V is an action-adventure game[2] played from either a third-person[3] or first-person perspective.[b] Players complete missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story.[5] Outside of the missions, players may freely roam the open world. Composed of the San Andreas open countryside area, and its fictional Blaine County and city of Los Santos, the world is much larger in area than earlier entries in the series.[6][c] It may be fully explored after the game's beginning without restriction, although story progress unlocks more gameplay content.[8]
Players use melee attacks, firearms and explosives to fight enemies,[d] and may run, jump, swim or use vehicles to navigate the world.[e] To accommodate the map's size, the game introduces vehicle types absent in its predecessor Grand Theft Auto IV, such as fixed-wing aircraft. In combat, auto-aim and a cover system may be used to assist against enemies.[9] Should players take damage, their health meter will gradually regenerate to its halfway point.[f] Players respawn at hospitals when their health depletes. If players commit crimes, law enforcement may respond as indicated by a "wanted" meter in the heads-up display (HUD).[13] Stars displayed on the meter indicate the current wanted level (for example, at the maximum five-star level, police helicopters and SWAT teams swarm to lethally dispatch players).[14][g] Officers will search for players who leave the wanted vicinity. The meter enters a cool-down mode and eventually recedes when players are hidden from the officers' line of sight that displays on the mini-map for a period of time.[16][h]
In the single-player mode, players control three characters: Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips and Franklin Clinton—criminals whose stories interconnect as they complete missions. Some missions are completed with only one character and others feature two or three. Outside the missions, players may switch between characters at will by a directional compass on the HUD, although this feature is restricted at certain points during the story. During missions, characters may automatically switch to complete specific objectives. A character's compass avatar will flash red if he is in danger and needs help, and flash white if he has a strategic advantage.[19] Though players complete missions with the protagonists, the more difficult heist missions require aid from AI-controlled accomplices with unique skill sets like computer hacking and driving. If an accomplice survives a successful heist, they take a cut from the cash reward[20] and may be available for later missions with improvements to their unique skills.[21] Some heists afford multiple strategies; in a holdup mission, players may either stealthily subdue civilians with an incapacitating agent or conspicuously storm the venue with guns drawn.[22]
Each character has a set of eight skills that represent their ability in specific areas such as shooting and driving. Though skills improve through play, each character has a skill with expertise by default (e.g. Trevor's flying skill).[23] The eighth "special" skill determines proficiency in an ability that is unique to each respective character. Michael enters bullet time in combat, Franklin slows down time while driving, and Trevor deals twice as much damage to enemies while taking half as much in combat.[24] A meter on each character's HUD depletes when an ability is being used and regenerates when players perform skilful actions (for example, drifting in vehicles as Franklin or performing headshots as Michael).
While free-roaming the game world, players may engage in context-specific activities such as scuba diving and BASE jumping, and visit businesses such as cinemas and strip clubs. Each character has a smartphone for contacting friends, starting activities and accessing an in-game Internet.[26] The Internet lets players trade in stocks via a stock market.[27] Players may purchase properties such as garages and businesses, upgrade the weapons and vehicles in each character's arsenal, and customise their appearance by purchasing outfits, haircuts and tattoos.[28]
In ,[i] criminals Michael Townley, Trevor Philips, and Brad Snider partake in a failed robbery in Ludendorff, North Yankton, resulting in Michael being presumed dead. Nine years later, Michael lives with his family in the city of Los Santos under the alias Michael De Santa, having made a secret agreement with a Federal Investigation Bureau (FIB)[j] agent, Dave Norton, to stay hidden. Across town, gangbanger Franklin Clinton works for a corrupt car salesman and meets Michael while attempting to fraudulently repossess his son's car. The two later become friends. When Michael finds his wife sleeping with her tennis coach, he and Franklin chase the coach to a mansion, which Michael heavily damages in anger. The owner of the mansion, drug lord Martin Madrazo, demands compensation, so Michael returns to a life of crime to obtain the money, enlisting Franklin as an accomplice. With the help of Michael's old friend Lester Crest, a disabled hacker, they rob a jewellery store to pay off the debt. Meanwhile, Trevor, who lives in squalor in rural Blaine County, hears of the heist and recognises Michael's work; Trevor had believed the FIB killed Michael in the Ludendorff heist. Trevor finds Michael and reunites with him, forcing the latter to reluctantly accept the former back into his life.
As time goes on, the protagonists' lives spiral out of control. Michael's criminal behaviour prompts his family to leave him. When he later becomes a movie producer, he comes into conflict with Devin Weston, a billionaire venture capitalist and corporate raider, who attempts to shut down Michael's studio. Michael thwarts his efforts and inadvertently kills his lawyer, to which Devin vows revenge. Meanwhile, Franklin has to rescue his friend Lamar Davis from rival gangbanger Harold "Stretch" Joseph, who attempts to kill him multiple times. Concurrently, Trevor tries to consolidate his control over various black markets in Blaine County, waging war against The Lostoutlaw motorcycle club, Latino street gangs, rival meth dealers, the private military company Merryweather, and triad kingpin Wei Cheng.
Having broken his agreement with Dave by committing robberies again, Michael is coerced by Dave and his superior, Steve Haines, to perform a series of operations alongside Franklin and Trevor to undermine the International Affairs Agency (IAA).[k] Under Steve's direction and with Lester's help, they attack an armored car carrying funds for the IAA and steal an experimental nerve agent from an IAA lab. As Steve comes under increasing scrutiny, he forces Michael and Franklin to break into the FIB building and erase evidence against him from the servers. Michael takes the opportunity to wipe the data on his activities, destroying Steve's leverage over him.
After reconciling with his family, Michael starts planning his final heist with Trevor, Franklin, and Lester: raiding the Union Depository's gold bullion reserve. However, Trevor discovers that Brad was not imprisoned as he was led to believe, but killed during the Ludendorff heist and buried in the grave marked for Michael. Deducing the heist was a setup and that he was supposed to be killed in Brad's place, Trevor feels betrayed and leaves Michael for dead during a shootout with Cheng's henchmen. Although Franklin rescues Michael, Trevor's anger towards the latter causes friction within the group and threatens to undermine their plans. Meanwhile, Steve attempts to arrest Michael, but they, alongside Dave, become caught in a Mexican standoff between the FIB, the IAA, and Merryweather. Steve escapes while Michael and Dave are saved by Trevor, who believes only he has the right to kill Michael.
The Union Depository heist is successful, but Franklin is afterwards approached by Steve and Dave, who contend that Trevor is a liability, and Devin, still seeking vengeance on Michael. Franklin has three options: kill Trevor, kill Michael, or attempt to save both in a suicide mission. Should Franklin choose to kill either Michael or Trevor, his relationship with the other ceases, and he returns to his old life.[31][32] Otherwise, the trio, aided by Lamar and Lester, withstand an onslaught from the FIB and Merryweather before going on to kill Cheng, Stretch, Steve, and Devin. Michael and Trevor reconcile, and the three protagonists cease working together but remain friends.[33]
Main article: Development of Grand Theft Auto V
Rockstar North began to develop Grand Theft Auto V in , around Grand Theft Auto IV's release. The development team totalled more than 1, people, including Rockstar North's core team and staff from parent company Rockstar Games' studios around the world. The proprietary Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) was overhauled for the game to improve its draw distance rendering capabilities. The Euphoria and Bullet software handle additional animation and rendering tasks.[38] Having become familiar with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox hardware over time, Rockstar found they were able to push the consoles' graphical capabilities further than in previous games.[39] Analyst estimations place the game's combined development and marketing budget at more than £&#;million (US$&#;million), which would make it the most expensive game ever made at that time.[40][l]
The open world was modelled on Southern California and Los Angeles,[42] and its design and in-game render constituted much of the game's early work.[43] Key members of the game world production team took field research trips throughout the region and documented their research with photo and video footage.[39]Google Maps projections of Los Angeles were used by the team to help design Los Santos's road networks. To reflect and reproduce Los Angeles's demographic spread, the developers studied census data and watched documentaries about the city. The team considered creating the open world the most technically demanding aspect of the game's production.[46]
A fundamental design goal from the outset was to innovate on the series' core structure by giving players control of three lead protagonists instead of one.[43] The idea was first raised during Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas' development, but contemporaneous hardware restrictions made it infeasible. Having developed two Grand Theft Auto IV episodic expansion packs featuring new protagonists in , the team wanted to base Grand Theft Auto V around three simultaneously controlled protagonists. The team viewed it as a spiritual successor to many of their previous games (such as Grand Theft Auto IV, Red Dead Redemption and Max Payne 3), and designed it to improve upon their gameplay mechanics.[19][47] They sought to improve the action gameplay by refining the shooting mechanics and cover system[48] and reworked the driving mechanics to correct Grand Theft Auto IV's awkward vehicle controls.
After an audition process, Ned Luke, Shawn Fonteno and Steven Ogg were selected to portray Michael, Franklin and Trevor, respectively.[34] Their performances were mostly recorded using motion capture technology, but dialogue for scenes with characters seated in vehicles was recorded in studios instead.[51] The game's original score was composed by a team of producers who collaborated over several years.[52] Licensed music provided by an in-game radio is also used.[53] The team licensed more than tracks shared between fifteen radio stations, with an additional two stations providing talk radio.[m] Some of the tracks were written specifically for the game, such as rapper and producer Flying Lotus' original work composed for the FlyLo FM radio station he hosts.[55]
Rockstar Games announced the game on 25 October [56] They released its debut trailer one week later,[57] with an official press release acknowledging its setting.[58] Journalists noted the widespread industry anticipation ignited by the announcement, which they owed to the series' cultural significance.[59][60][61] The game missed its original projected Q2 release date, pushed back to 17 September to allow for further polishing.[62] To spur pre-order game sales, Rockstar collaborated with several retail outlets to make a special edition with extra in-game features.[63] They ran a viral marketing strategy with a website for a fictional religious cult, "The Epsilon Program", that offered users the chance to feature in the game as members of the cult.[64]
A re-release of the game was announced for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One at E3 This enhanced version features an increased draw distance, finer texture details, denser traffic, upgraded weather effects, and new wildlife and vegetation.[65] It includes a new on-foot first-person view option, which required the development team to overhaul the animation system to accommodate first-person gameplay.[4] The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were released on 18 November [66] The PC version, initially scheduled for simultaneous release with the console versions,[65] was delayed until 14 April [67] According to Rockstar, it required extra development time for "polish".[68] The PC version is capable of 60 frames per second gameplay at 4K resolution, and the Rockstar Editor lets players capture and edit gameplay videos.[69]
Plans to develop single-player downloadable content (DLC) were later scrapped as the team focused resources on Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Redemption 2.[70] After Grand Theft Auto V's source code reportedly leaked online on 24 December , possibly originating from members of Lapsus$,[71]dataminers found at least eight sets of single-player DLC were in development but cancelled, including a Liberty City expansion.[72]
A new version, commonly referred to as "Expanded & Enhanced", was announced in June [73] Released on 15 March for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S,[74] it features technical enhancements and performance updates.[73] A trailer released for the new version in September was met with negativity, becoming one of the most-disliked videos on PlayStation's YouTube channel;[75] journalists noted that fans were frustrated by Rockstar's continued focus on the game instead of other projects such as a new Grand Theft Auto game, as well as an lack of apparent new features demonstrated in the trailer.[76][77][78][79]
Main article: Grand Theft Auto Online
Developed in tandem with the single-player mode, the online multiplayer mode Grand Theft Auto Online was conceived as a separate experience to be played in a continually evolving world.[80] Up to 30 players[n] freely roam across the game world and enter lobbies to complete jobs (story-driven competitive and cooperative modes).[81] The Content Creator toolset lets players create their own parameters for custom jobs, like racetracks and deathmatch weapon spawn points.[82] Players may band together in organised player teams called crews to complete jobs together. Rockstar Games Social Club extends crews formed in Max Payne 3's multiplayer mode to those of Grand Theft Auto Online. Players may create their own crews and join up to five total. Crews win multiplayer matches to earn experience points and climb online leaderboards.[83]
Grand Theft Auto Online launched on 1 October , two weeks after Grand Theft Auto V's release.[84] Many players reported connection difficulties and game freezes during load screens.[85][86] Rockstar released a technical patch on 5 October in an effort to resolve the issues,[87] but problems persisted the second week as some players reported their character progress as having disappeared.[88] Another technical patch was released on 10 October combating the issues,[89] and Rockstar offered a GTA$, (in-game currency) stimulus to the accounts of all players connected to Online since launch as recompense.[90] Because of the widespread technical issues present at launch, many reviewers bemoaned their Grand Theft Auto Online experience but generally recognised its open-ended exploration and dynamic content as strengths.[91][92][93][94][95]
Post-release content is continually added to Grand Theft Auto Online through free title updates. Some updates add new game modes and features,[96][97] and others feature themed gameplay content, such as the Independence Day Special update that added patriotic-themed content on 1 July [98] The widely anticipated[99][] Online Heists update launched on 10 March and suffered some initial technical difficulties due to the increased user load.[] Shortly after the game's PC release, some players reported being banned from Grand Theft Auto Online for using field of view and cosmetic mods in single-player.[] Rockstar stated in their official blog that nobody had been banned from Online for using single-player mods, but that recent updates to the PC version had the "unintentional effect" of making such mods unplayable. They stated that mods are unauthorised and may cause unforeseen technical problems and instabilities.[]
Reception
Grand Theft Auto V received "universal acclaim" from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic, based on 50 reviews for the PlayStation 3 version[] and 58 reviews for the Xbox version.[] The game is Metacritic's fifth-highest rated, tied with several others.[o] Reviewers liked the multiple lead character formula,[][] heist mission design[][][] and presentation,[16][][] but some did not agree on the quality of the story and characters.[][][][]IGN called Grand Theft Auto V "one of the very best video games ever made",[] and Play considered it "generation-defining" and "exceptional".[]Edge wrote that it is a "remarkable achievement" in open-world design and storytelling, while The Daily Telegraph declared it a "colossal feat of technical engineering".[] It became the second-ever western-developed game to be awarded a perfect score from the Japanese video game magazine Famitsu, after The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.[]
CNET felt that the game encouraged players to engage with all three characters.[]Edge found that switching players helped avoid long travel times to mission start points. Because of the switching mechanic, Game Informer noted that players are kept "in the thick of the action" during shootouts.[]Eurogamer wrote that switching added a tactical element to shootouts as characters set up in strategic outposts would cause fewer "shooting gallery" situations than previous instalments.[]IGN felt the switching feature gave players more choice in their approach and made missions less predictable.[]
Giant Bomb considered the heist missions a welcome deviation from series typical mission structure.[]Eurogamer likened them to "blockbuster set-pieces",[] and GameSpot cited the film Heat as a stylistic influence on their design.[]Joystiq felt creativity and methodical approaches were encouraged.[]Polygon likened rapid character switching during heist missions to "film editing, with the player serving as editor, switching rapidly to the most interesting perspective for any moment".[]Computer and Video Games felt that overall mission design was more diverse than and lacked the escort errands of its predecessors.[]
Edge praised the game's graphical fidelity and absence of load screens.Play complimented the draw distances and weather and lighting systems.[] In Eurogamer's view, the lighting system was the game's most significant advancement.[]Official Xbox Magazine (OXM) thought that the game was "probably the Xbox 's greatest technical achievement", and was surprised that the open world could render on the console.[] Reviewers lauded the open-world design and its streamlining of Los Angeles's geography into a well-designed city space.[16][]GameTrailers considered the Los Angeles emulation authentic and the open world "full of voice and personality".[]IGN and PlayStation Official Magazine (OPM) made favourable comparisons between Los Santos and Grand Theft Auto IV's Liberty City.[][]OXM felt Los Santos surpassed the "grey and gritty" Liberty City.[] Reviewers praised the world's satire of contemporary American culture[16][][][][]—OPM opined that "the scathing social commentary is, of course, present and correct".[]
Destructoid called the sound design "impeccable" and praised the actors' performances, original soundtrack and licensed music use.[16]IGN and Giant Bomb commended the music selection and felt that the original score enhanced dramatic tension during missions.[][]GameSpot wrote that the score "lends missions more cinematic flavour".[]Edge said that the licensed music enhanced the city's "already remarkable sense of space" and that the original score improved the atmosphere of the gameplay. They summarised the game as "a compendium of everything Rockstar has learnt about the power of game music in the past decade".
Many reviewers found the land-based vehicles more responsive and easier to control than in previous games.[][][][]Game Informer explained that "cars have a proper sense of weight, while retaining the agility necessary for navigating through traffic at high speeds".[] In addition to the vehicle handling, most reviewers noted the shooting mechanics were tighter than they had been in previous games,[][][] but Destructoid felt that in spite of the improvements, auto-aim was "twitchy and unreliable" and cover mechanics "still come off as dated and unwieldy".[16] Some reviewers felt the game solved a persistent problem by adding mid-mission checkpoints.[][][]
The story and characters—particularly Trevor—polarised reviewers. Some found the narrative inferior to previous Rockstar games and cited Grand Theft Auto IV and Red Dead Redemption's plot strengths.[][][][] Others thought the protagonists' contrasting personalities tightened the narrative's pacing.[16][][]GamesRadar thought the game negated the story inconsistencies and muddled morality of previous series entries.[] Trevor was considered a particularly "horrible, terrifying, psychotic human being—and a terrific character" by GameSpot.[]Eurogamer found Trevor "shallow and unconvincing", and that his eccentricities hurt the narrative and overshadowed Michael and Franklin's character development.[]Joystiq faulted the protagonists' perceived lack of likability, as the conflict between Michael and Trevor grew into a "seemingly endless cycle".[]The Escapist had difficulty connecting with the characters' emotions since they acted out of greed with no sense of morality and thus gave players little reason to support them.[]
Re-release reception
Grand Theft Auto V's re-release, similarly, received critical acclaim. It is the highest-rated PlayStation 4 and Xbox One game on Metacritic alongside Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2,[][] and the second-highest rated PC game alongside several others.[]
Game Informer considered the addition of first-person "another significant breakthrough for the series" in the vein of Grand Theft Auto III's shift to third-person from Grand Theft Auto's bird's-eye view.[]GameSpot found that playing in first-person heightened the impact of Grand Theft Auto V's violence, which made him reflect on morality and character motivation more than before.[] opined that players feel like inhabitants of the world, rather than "guns attached to a floating camera".[] The first-person view, in IGN's opinion, aided immersion and created a "surprisingly different experience".[] praised the "finer details" in first-person animations like camera lean when players take corners on motorcycles, or the navigational instruments in plane cockpits.[] Reviewers found playing the game more difficult in first-person,[][] but Game Informer preferred the challenge.[]
GameSpot thought the improved graphics and spatial anti-aliasing made the open world "even more spectacular". They said that in first-person "everything looks bigger and more imposing".[]IGN favoured the PlayStation 4 version's graphics over the Xbox One but thought both consoles rendered the game well and maintained mostly consistent frame rates.[] They praised the increased frame rate and graphics options offered in the PC version.[] called the console version's frame rate so consistent it was "scarcely believable",[] although GameSpot cited occasional frame rate dips.[] They opined that the PC version let players "witness the full extent of Rockstar's admirable handiwork", but noted that it "retains evidence of its last-gen roots with simple geometry".[] praised the Rockstar Editor's accessibility on PC but criticised some of its limitations and camera angle restrictions.[]IGN appreciated the PC version's customisable controls,[] and GameSpot felt that constant switching between the mouse and keyboard and a gamepad was necessary for "the best experience".[]PC Gamer called the game "the most beautiful, expansive and generous" of the series.[]
On the game's multiplayer, IGN reported low player counts in matches, long wait times in lobbies, server disconnection and occasional crashes. "Because of that," they wrote, "I can't strongly recommend the multiplayer experience alone".[] found online character progression streamlined by comparison with the original version. According to them, the "grind of just doing PvP until co-op Jobs arrive with regularity"[] was lost, and newcomers would likely find multiplayer enjoyable and balanced. However, they wrote of frequent server disconnection, especially during load screens.[]GameSpot thought the online mode was fun but "still suffers from a lack of direction" for its open-ended and frenetic gameplay.[]Game Informer reported "minimal lag or issues in the expanded firefights and races".[]
The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series releases received tepid responses from critics, who questioned the value proposition of a new version of the ageing title. While the improved visual fidelity and quicker loading times were singled out for praise, reviewers generally found the core gameplay, storytelling and character models dated.[][][][]Hardcore Gamer thought the lack of new content made the upgrade difficult to recommend to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players.[]GamingBolt was apathetic towards the visual enhancements but praised the increased accessibility for Online newcomers.[] thought the release offered the supreme console experience and highlighted the improved graphics and load times.[]Push Square faulted the antiquated humour but thought the visual and technical enhancements gave the "sunny sandbox a new lease of life".[]
Grand Theft Auto V received multiple nominations and awards from gaming publications. Before release, it won Most Anticipated Game at the Spike Video Game Awards.[59] The game was review aggregators Metacritic and GameRankings's highest-rated for the year [][] The game appeared on several year-end lists of 's best games, receiving Game of the Year wins from independent journalist Tom Chick,[]CNET,[]Edge,[] the 31st Golden Joystick Awards,[] the 5th Annual Inside Gaming Awards, the Spike VGX Awards,[]Slant Magazine[] and Time.[] It was named the Best Xbox Game by ,[]GameSpot,[] and IGN,[] and the Best Multiplatform Game by Destructoid.[] Rockstar Games and Rockstar North won Best Studio and Best Developer from Edge,[] and the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award at the 10th British Academy Video Games Awards.[]
Various in-game elements were recognised with awards. Trevor was named Best Character for the Official Xbox Magazine's Game of the Year Awards ,[] while Lamar Davis won the Best New Character award from Giant Bomb.[] The music received awards from Spike VGX,[]Hardcore Gamer[] and The Daily Telegraph.[]Grand Theft Auto Online won Best Multiplayer from GameTrailers[] and BAFTA,[] and Best Xbox Multiplayer from IGN.[]Online was also nominated for Biggest Disappointment by Game Revolution[] and Hardcore Gamer.[]Grand Theft Auto V won Best Technical Achievement in the Telegraph Video Game Awards,[] and Best Technology at the 14th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards.[] The graphical and artistic design received awards from IGN,[]The Daily Telegraph[] and BAFTA,[] and a nomination at the Game Developers Choice Awards.[] The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences awarded the game with Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering, signifying "the highest level of achievement for engineering artificial intelligence and related elements which contribute to a challenging game".[]
The game received numerous other awards. It was awarded the title of Most Immersive Game at the Inside Gaming Awards. The general public voted for the game to win the User Choice Award at the PlayStation Awards [] and the Community Choice award from Destructoid.[] The game received the Platinum Award at the PlayStation Awards[] and was named the Best British Game from BAFTA.[] At IGN's Best of Awards, it earned multiple wins, including Best Xbox Graphics,[] Best Xbox Sound,[] and Best Action Game on Xbox ,[] PlayStation 3[] and overall.[]