Chapter 840 - 900: Phenomenal Performance

Players online were madly discussing the content of "Grand Theft Auto," pointing out the endless details, the satirical stories, and the seemingly inexhaustible easter eggs.

It's safe to say "Grand Theft Auto" drove many players completely wild and excited.

However, there was a segment of players who were the exception.

"It's fun," was the unanimous agreement among countless players.

But were they satisfied?

That's another question entirely.

In "Grand Theft Auto," players could initially choose from three starting locations.

Each of these starting locations corresponded to a different protagonist and a different era.

The protagonist in Liberty City was named Tommy, and his story was about a pure rise to power, much like a gangster tale.

In Los Santos, the protagonist Carl fought for his family.

But whether it was Tommy or Carl, their stories were considered quite perfect.

There were even corresponding crossovers. For example, Ken and Paul, who accompanied Tommy to the end in Liberty City, were sent away by him and then met Carl in Los Santos.

Regardless, despite some sadness, it was a fulfilling conclusion.

But the protagonist of the final story, Niko, in Liberty City, had an ending that left countless players with a bitter taste.

Because with him, players once again felt a signature characteristic of Nebula Games.

That is, their stories hit hard.

In this open-world game, they experienced the trolley problem quests from "The Witcher: Wild Hunt."

Unlike Tommy, who went back after his boss framed him and landed him in jail, or after his mother was killed by an enemy gang, Niko in Liberty City actively participated in a series of events, all to avenge his former comrades.

To get revenge, Niko worked for gangs and for government officials.

Compared to the other two protagonists, Niko's story was clearly much darker, and his ending was likewise.

Players had to make two completely different choices, but both resulted in regret.

In the first choice, in the subsequent storyline, the brother who had been looking after Niko throughout the game was shot and killed on his wedding day.

In the second choice, Niko could save the brother who had been looking after him, but Niko, who had already achieved his revenge and was preparing to live a peaceful life with his girlfriend, would see his girlfriend murdered at his brother's wedding.

Players were forced to choose between these two agonizing options.

Those players who chose to start in Liberty City, watching other players excitedly diving into the cities of Vice City and Los Santos, felt a pang in their hearts.

"Crying because I chose the Liberty City story first!"

"It's okay, it's okay, other players will experience it too."

"That's not necessarily true. I know there's a tragedy, but can't I just skip Liberty City's main quest? The open-world exploration is enough to keep me hyped anyway."

"Ugh! I thought it would be awesome to play, but I can only say, better late than never. Persona and XCOM tricked me into lowering my guard. I never expected Grand Theft Auto to weave in an ending like this."

"Honestly, at first, I wanted to storm Nebula Games and beat up Boss Lucas. But now that I think about it, if this content wasn't there, I'd probably feel a bit out of sorts."

New players were still loudly complaining online about Nebula Games, listing Boss Lucas's numerous offenses.

Meanwhile, veteran players were already preparing packages and sending them to Nebula Games headquarters.

Simultaneously, as player reviews soared,

mainstream media scores from places like GAMESTOP also started to come in.

Before this, some media outlets had already given "Grand Theft Auto" scores.

However, the industry and players hadn't paid much attention, as they were all from third- and fourth-tier gaming media.

They lacked any real authority or professionalism.

They were purely trying to capitalize on the hype of "Grand Theft Auto," so most players ignored them.

Media scores are a bit like esports matches.

Players only remember the top-tier media. As for ordinary media? No one remembers them.

The reason these A-list media outlets took so long to release their reviews was that they hadn't received early press copies. But to maintain their authority, they needed time to fully understand the game to provide a well-reasoned and insightful review that demonstrated genuine comprehension.

And the scores these gaming media outlets gave were almost identical.

They were uniformly perfect scores.

This left many players a bit stunned.

After all, as games have developed and times have progressed, achieving a perfect score has become incredibly difficult.

Yet, "Grand Theft Auto" managed to achieve this feat.

Among them, GAMESTOP, the most authoritative and largest game review media outlet for both players and the industry, published its own review.

"If we're talking about milestone open-world titles, then 'Red Dead Redemption,' 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,' and 'The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim' would definitely be on the list. And now, there's another new milestone title that can join this star-studded lineup."

"Nebula Games has succeeded once again. Without a doubt, 'Grand Theft Auto' is a masterpiece, a game of epoch-making significance that once again showed players worldwide the charm of open worlds."

"As the name of this genre of game suggests, 'Grand Theft Auto' has truly crafted a virtual world that feels as real as reality."

"The game's story is set in several fictional cities filled with masters of redemption, celebrities, and fallen figures, in an era filled with expectation yet struggling to survive."

"Before this, I never imagined a game could achieve this, could make me feel as though I was actually in the real world while playing."

"Walking on the green sidewalks, sunlight filtering through the leaves as dappled shadows fall on the ground, driving a sports car in the afterglow of sunset or after a rain, strolling through brightly lit, opulent streets at night under dazzling neon lights – all of these make players involuntarily immerse themselves in the game's cities like Vice City and Los Santos."

"With abundant content, you can be a taxi driver, a shadowy figure mixed up in gangs, indulge in the decadence of casinos and nightclubs, or engage in high-speed races on mountain roads… The game offers countless ways to play and side quests."

"And this isn't even the greatest appeal of 'Grand Theft Auto.' Three starting cities with different styles, three protagonists of different ethnicities and backgrounds, each experiencing their own life stories. The clever narrative and cinematography seamlessly connect them, giving players a cinematic experience."

"The entire story of the game isn't as superficial as players might think. Sharp satire and dark humor regarding the characteristics of each era permeate the whole game without being preachy. It possesses its own unique ideas, something no other game has."

"Although the cities are fictional worlds, the hypocrisy, greed, corruption, false piety, and abuse of power that the game satirizes are astonishingly real."

"If you want to experience a world as real as possible in a game, choose 'Grand Theft Auto.'"

"If you want to play a game with an urban setting, choose 'Grand Theft Auto.'"

"If you want to experience a brilliant, movie-like story, it's still the one to choose."

"Without exaggeration, if Nebula Games' previous titles hadn't fully delivered the charm of the next generation, then the arrival of 'Grand Theft Auto' announces that gaming has entered a new era."

After this incredibly high praise was released,

it instantly excited countless players who loved "Grand Theft Auto."

These players also widely shared the review articles.

Sales, scores, player affection, combined with the urban setting theme,

these factors caused the game's popularity to surge once again.

It almost formed a phenomenon-level gaming culture.

(End of chapter)