“Intense violence, strong sexual content, use of drugs and alcohol,” these are only some of the qualities that gave Grand Theft Auto V its mature rating and at face value it may seem like that’s all the game is, but that’s the wrong assumption.

There’s a method to Rockstar Games’ madness and the seemingly pointless and controversial content that is put into its Grand Theft Auto games.

Grand Theft Auto is synonymous with controversy because of its gameplay, and Rockstar thrives off of that to sell its games.

That’s why GTA V made $800 million in one day.

Rockstar isn’t shallow; GTA V doesn’t stoop down to the level of senseless violence.

It’s violence with the purpose of telling a compelling, topical story.

GTA V’s purpose is to be a commentary of post-finical crisis America, to exaggerate how hedonistic our society has become.

It paints a picture of America as a place where the mass media sells its products through sleaze and how violence envelops our lives through the media we consume.

There’s a torture scene in which the player must torture information out of a hostage, it’s something that rides the fine line of tastelessness because of its graphic nature.

But it redeems itself by facilitating a dialogue about military torture.

One notable change from GTA IV to GTA V is the fact that it revolves around heist missions. The missions build on each other and ultimately lead up to a robbery of some sort.

Missions get more outrageous and exciting as the game progresses. The biggest change, though, is the fact that there are three playable characters.

Each character has their own personality that allows for different ways to approach gameplay and view the games story.

GTA V is a brilliantly crafted game in which its dark story and comedic moments comment on topics that are relevant to today’s society and is far from being a game that “just” spreads violence.