Is GTA 5 Expanded and Enhanced still worth it for the PS5?

With the advent of the ninth generation of gaming consoles, Rockstar Games has kept themselves updated with advancing technology and released the highly anticipated GTA 5 Expanded and Enhanced edition for PS5 in march of 2022. It should be noted that the original GTA 5 came out back in 2013, which was almost a decade ago.

This might be seen as a great decision made by Rockstar Games at first glance. Unfortunately, when the game was actually released, it got polarizing reviews and responses from the gaming community. Many fans and critics saw the lack of new content and dated game mechanics that were still present in the remastered edition of GTA 5, making it no different from the original one.

Nevertheless, many critics and fans still praised this new release due to its improved graphics and visual quality. In the end, it might be really hard to decide if getting GTA 5 Enhanced and Expanded edition is worth it or not, especially for PS5 players. So, to make things a little clearer, this article will try to answer this hard-hitting question.

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GTA 5 Expanded and Enhanced for the PS5

Pros

Improved graphics

The first and most obvious improvement that players can see in this new version of the game is the updated graphics and animation. The graphics of the original GTA 5 have already aged pretty well compared to other games released during the same time, so it makes sense that with the help of the latest gaming technology, the graphical quality of the remastered GTA 5 would be at its peak.

Furthermore, new and improved fire and smoke animations were also added to the game, making the city more immersive and realistic. These two are probably the most popular animations seen by GTA players daily.

Due to all this, players who appreciate aesthetic and realistic visual quality while playing the game will really enjoy playing this new version of GTA 5.

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GTA 5 Enhanced and Expanded is faster than the original

IGN examined early versions of the Enhanced Grand Theft Auto 5 and discovered that the game loads much faster on the PS5, with repeat missions taking only about five seconds to load. The difference in autosave loading time is even more noticeable, with the PS4 taking two minutes and the PS5 taking 20 seconds.

The game also runs in 4K, with Ray Tracing at 30FPS and a 60 FPS version in 4K. Additionally, the PS5's adaptive triggers can also be used in gameplay, which already benefits from greater population and traffic diversity, higher plant density, and enhanced lighting quality across shadows, water reflections, and several other features.

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Cons

No new content

Even though the title of the remaster has "expanded" in it, in reality, the game does not provide anything substantially different than the original. Most of the difference comes in the technical aspects of the game, but in the gameplay and story aspects, everything is the same as the original.

Many players were hoping that with this expanded version of the game, Rockstar would introduce new areas, missions, characters, and even the continuation of the game's main plot. But this was not the case with the updated versions of the game. Due to this, many players don't see the point of getting this new version of the game.

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No crossplay

When players transfer their character to Grand Theft Auto Online new-gen, their character will only be able to play with new-gen console players. This creates a vast limitation as the PS5 is already in high demand, and many players still don't own it.

Moreover, players who used to play with older consoles won't be able to play with the same crew if they are the only ones who are getting the new-gen games. While most players know that Grand Theft Auto Online has never had crossplay, many fans are still hoping that this limitation will be removed with this new release. Unfortunately, this has not happened as of yet.

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In conclusion

Grand Theft Auto 5 new gen is great for players who are new to this series and want an easier and more accessible time playing them, especially with fantastic performance and graphics. But if players don't care about the technological advancement the Expanded and Enhanced edition brings with it, then they should keep playing the original.

Also, Grand Theft Auto 5 Expanded and Enhanced seems to be more catered towards beginners than advanced players, so it is best for newcomers looking for a much more accessible Grand Theft Auto 5 experience.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.