The Reset Button - First-Person GTA? It's coming. And it's glorious.

First-Person GTA? It's coming. And it's glorious.

First and foremost, I apologize for the consecutive GTA-related posts. But this is my time and I'll write about what I want, dang it. GTA is honestly the cash-cow of the video game industry not named Call of Duty, so it's only fitting I write about it more than 3 times every other month.

Coming out on November 18th for PS4 and Xbox One and January 27th for PC, GTA V is going to rule yet another holiday season. And if you weren't excited about the technical tweaks and upgrades, this week Rockstar revealed a new feature never see in a console release of GTA.

A first-person perspective.

Thanks to the PC modding community, this feature has been featured in past GTA titles. The success of it on PC made Rockstar finally include it on the "remaster" for PS4 and Xbox One. Unfortunately for those last-generation console users, this feature is not going to be released for PS3 and Xbox 360. No patch, no upgrade, no nothing.

It's the price you pay for not getting with the times, I suppose. Or they just don't want to waste their time working on a patch for a game they've already sold. Yeah, that's probably it.

Want to see more about this awesome feature that has me super-hyped for a game I've already beaten? Check out the video below.



Yeah, that video pretty much sums up how awesome a first-person view can be in a game like Grand Theft Auto. Not only has Rockstar added full cockpit views to the vehicles, boats, and aircraft, all the gauges function. It's insanity, folks. Pure, unadulterated insanity.

So there you have it. By just adding another camera view, Rockstar has added even more hype to a GTA game that's already been on the market for over a year on other systems. There is no question this game is going to dominate the holiday for a second consecutive year. I've already preordered my digital copy for PS4 so it's all loaded and ready to go on November 18th without having to stop at a store.

Are you picking up GTA V on Xbox One or PS4? Going to wait for the PC version? If not, what's wrong with you? Go out and get this game November 18th. Experience one of the best games ever made. If you don't, your friends will all laugh at you and your family will "forget" to invite you to Thanksgiving because you're "lame". Their words, not mine.

Los Santos is calling, amigos. And 11/18 can't pick up the phone fast enough.

In some non-gaming news, the next edition of The Reset Button will be in a few weeks, as I once again have to travel for business. Don't miss me too much, Internet friends. While I'm away, do yourself a solid and check out the work of the other awesome contributors on New Geek Protocol while I'm gone. These guys (and gal) are awesome.

Until next time. Lock and load.

And, of course, game on.

-ML

Read More

The Reset Button: GTA: San Andreas - 10 Year Anniversary on Xbox 360.

GTA: San Andreas - 10 Year Anniversary on Xbox 360.

Everyone that knows me as a gamer knows I'm a HUGE fan of the Grand Theft Auto series. Since playing the top-down PlayStation titles, I've been hooked. The open-world, do what you please gameplay pulled me in from the first hour I played. I love freedom in games. Not having to follow a specific path everyone else will follow and being able to create your own way just appealed to me like no other game had. From GTA, GTA 2, GTA III, and GTA: Vice City, I explored the cities to the max, collected all hidden packages, found every stunt jump, and dominated every rampage.

But then, Rockstar Games changed it up. They launched Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. My gaming world was never the same. The exchanged the Mob-theme from GTA III and the Miami cocaine theme from Vice City and took it to the West Coast, playa.

As Carl Johnson, you return to Los Santos when your mother is murdered. The goal: return the Grove Street Families to the top of the gang world, all while finding out the truth about your mother and avoiding Officer Tenpenny and his C.R.A.S.H. LSPD unit.

Sex sells.

From Los Santos (Los Angeles) to San Fierro (San Francisco) to Las Venturas (Las Vegas), you take CJ on an awesome journey of redemption and justice. All in a 1990's West Coast setting. The soundtrack is the best of any GTA game, the world is massive and diverse, and the characters are interesting and well-developed. This is still my favorite GTA game out of all released, with V and Vice City rounding out my top 3. If you haven't played San Andreas, I have to question your gaming tastes and must urge you to pick it up.

But you don't own a Xbox or Playstation 2 anymore? Easy solution to that. First, the game is available on Android and iOS formats. But the controls for those mobile versions aren't the best and can be frustrating. So, I must recommend the newly-released digital Xbox 360 version.

Yes, they've released San Andreas on the 360 already as one of their "digital classics", but this version is different on a few levels. First, it boasts HD 720p graphics, which the "digital classics" version didn't. It was a straight port of the Xbox version. Second, it features achievements, which is a selling point for some gamers in regards to re-playing games. Honestly, the 10 year anniversary edition on Xbox 360 is the perfect reason to head to San Andreas for the first time or for another visit. Not enough to sell you? OK. Here's the kicker...

It's $4. Yes. Four dollars. That's it. One of the best games every made is less than a $5 footlong at your local sub sandwich establishment. So there really is no excuse for missing out on this masterpiece of a game.

Yes, you could have a JETPACK in San Andreas.

San Andreas pushed the envelope for open-world games and helped Rockstar further separate themselves as the developer to beat. You really have to play it to understand and admire what it's done for gaming.

Grab your gat, blast some Dr. Dre, and throw on your L.A. Raiders hat. You're about to hit the Westside, son.

Things just ain't the same for gangstas.

Game on.

-ML

Read More

Preparing for a return to Los Santos.

Back in the saddle again.

Sorry for the lack of content on my side of the fence, folks. Things tended to get a tad bit out of hand the last few weeks. Lapses in memory, traveling for work, and a Thursday Night Football game featuring my Atlanta Falcons took me out of my element and my posts suffered.

For that, I apologize.

But allow me to right the ship now and get back into the blogging spirit. I haven't touched many retro games lately, so I'm going to post about something I've very excited about. A return to Los Santos.

Los Santos.

If you're a gamer, you know Los Santos is the fictional representation of Los Angeles in the Grand Theft Auto universe. On the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, gamers worldwide ventured the rough streets, vast countryside, rugged mountains, and ocean depths of this enormous city. The game was Grand Theft Auto V and it was good.

Very good.

Good enough to become one of the, if not THE, best selling games of all time in a quick fashion. Gamers everywhere were hoping Rockstar Games would bring the sandbox king to the Playstation 4 and Xbox One consoles. A PC release was even petitioned for with a massive amount of signatures acquired. Ask and you shall receive, folks. This November, Michael, Trevor, and Franklin bring the chaos and mayhem of Los Santos to next-generation consoles. A PC release is set for early 2015.

Now, I put extensive time into GTA V on Xbox 360. But even in the amount of time I put into the game, I barely scratched the surface of everything it has to offer. GTA Online, probably one of the multiplayer modes I've wanted for a long time, was something I dabbled in but never fully embraced. And I left a lot of side-missions and events on the cutting room floor. Regretful, as anyone who knows me is fully aware that GTA and Splinter Cell are my favorite gaming franchises. So leaving a bunch of content behind when I made my transition to next-gen wasn't something I was pleased with.

November 18th changes all of those things. If you preorder the game, you'll be awarded $1,000,000 in currency to use in-game. Buy those cars you want. New weaponry. A few garages to store all your vehicles. New digs for Michael, Trevor, and Franklin. Whatever you want, really. Additionally, the game will feature updated visuals and other technical enhancements. Bundle this in with new weapons, vehicles, and activities and you have a recipe for all last-gen players to dive in again.

PS4 vs. PS3 screenshot. Massive difference.

In something I was surprised to learn, gamers who upgraded from Xbox 360 to Playstation 4 will be able to transfer their game save over from last gen to current gen. Yes, from Xbox 360 to Playstation 4. Obviously a PS3 to PS4 save transfer is also possible. This is a big deal for me, even though I wouldn't mind starting fresh. I'm not entirely sure if my GTA Online character will transfer, as well, but it would come as a pleasant surprise if so.

Another last vs. current gen shot. More massive difference.

I was greatly considering going digital for this, as I did so for The Last of Us and Destiny, but figured I'd do a physical copy instead. Not that I have any intention of ever trading the game in. I always find something to do in GTA, regardless if I've finished everything or not. And GTA Online will definitely keep me engaged for, I'm guessing, a decent amount of time. Especially if some of my online or real-life friends decide to grab it on PS4. Remote Play on my Vita also influenced my decision for PS4 vs. Xbox One. Being able to play from my living room instead of in the basement is a big one. If you own a PS4, a Vita is almost a necessary accessory for the system.

Overall, I'm ready for my return to Los Santos. It's been too long and there is a lot of chaos left to engage. Another work trip is going to prevent me from diving in day one, but it'll be there when I return. Trevor Phillips better get ready to burn things.

GTA. The best franchise in gaming today.

Thanks for coming back for my return to the blog. I'll be back next week.

Game on.

-ML

Read More