This is easily the most engaging, interactive and immersive open world game I've ever played. It's from last gen, yet nothing feels dated in its design, with game mechanics and world building that stands above even the technically superior RDR2. Condensed in its design, lacking the sprawl of GTAV, at no point are you deprived of something to do. Each of the missions you select or stumble upon ties into central narrative, never leaving you aimlessly wandering around the way other, more successful open world efforts of late (RDR2, Watch Dogs 2, etc.) are guilty of. The combat is superb, a visceral engine molded off the combat from WB's Arkham series, but more realistic and punishing. If you try to fight the enemies like Batman, thinking that all you have to do is counter their attacks, you will never make much progress. Even the driving, which is usually an afterthought in games of this sort, is incredibly fun. The handling lacks realism, giving this component more of an arcade feel, but the liberties you've given on the road result in many thrilling episodes of insanity.
Outside of making untold amounts of money from people who gladly buy anything they make,
what the fukk is Rockstar doing to push the open world genre forward?