GTA5 is the Goat of Urban crime gaming in a simulated environment.

The level of detail to the level design, and where the game is at as of writing this... if this was released today it would be an AAA game for just GTA Online.

I don't think much more needs to be said about the game itself. So let's move on to the players and the business model.

First off the Shark Cards by themselves is the industry normal. In my honest opinion, unless you are making about $100+ an hour at your job, Shark Cards are NOT worth it. So if you are single, living with your parents and pulling in close to 70-90k a year go ahead. Otherwise you are an addict and need help if you find yourself in defense of purchasing these - and I am not being offensive here:

Rockstar's business model uses the adversarial nature of the game to increase the difficulty of avoiding the use of Shark Cards. Pack that with their new content all being behind pay walls further all but coerces you to consider Shark Cards.

But the real issue isn't just the subversive tactic here, it's also that there is no stability to the game to justify considering Shark Cards as paying for a service. (Which would give them more value in my book). Imagine trying to form a group, you guys are doing a CEO mission and suddenly your game crashes, okay you dust yourself off relog in and spend the time to form up a group again, a few minutes later it freezes and you crash, or you end up in a cage, or you get booted to story mode. This is the poison diminishes the value of GTA Online, the game is unplayable online and so I will not recommend this game.

GTA5 is the Goat of Urban crime gaming in a simulated environment. The level of detail to the level design, and where the game is at as of writing this... if this was released today it would be an AAA game for just GTA Online. I don't think much more needs to be said about the game itself. So let's move on to the players and the business model. First off the Shark Cards by themselves is the industry normal. In my honest opinion, unless you are making about $100+ an hour at your job, Shark Cards are NOT worth it. So if you are single, living with your parents and pulling in close to 70-90k a year go ahead. Otherwise you are an addict and need help if you find yourself in defense of purchasing these - and I am not being offensive here: Rockstar's business model uses the adversarial nature of the game to increase the difficulty of avoiding the use of Shark Cards. Pack that with their new content all being behind pay walls further all but coerces you to consider Shark Cards. But the real issue isn't just the subversive tactic here, it's also that there is no stability to the game to justify considering Shark Cards as paying for a service. (Which would give them more value in my book). Imagine trying to form a group, you guys are doing a CEO mission and suddenly your game crashes, okay you dust yourself off relog in and spend the time to form up a group again, a few minutes later it freezes and you crash, or you end up in a cage, or you get booted to story mode. This is the poison diminishes the value of GTA Online, the game is unplayable online and so I will not recommend this game.