As fans will have surely noticed, Grand Theft Auto Online has had a real emphasis on racing lately. That’s been the whole focus this Spring. Next up, The Vespucci Job, a new mode clearly inspired by a certain movie you may have heard of.
Oh, Grand Theft Auto Online. Truly, you are the gift that keeps on giving. When Grand Theft Auto V’s online component first launched on October 1 2013, it was… well, shambolic is probably the word that springs to mind. It was bugs, glitches and crashes-amundo, mostly due to the fact that the entire planet was trying to hop in at once on release.
Since those dark days, the game has come on in leaps and bounds. Rockstar have kept up a constant stream of support, in terms of new content (vehicles, clothes, weapons and such) and modes of play. Coupled with the title’s astonishing sales, this has ensured a dynamic experience and a dedicated playerbase. So what awaits us in this latest addition?
The Vespucci Job is a brilliant spin on racing. It’s a chaotic, ridiculous three-on-one car chase, which sees one player controlling a mini and up to three opponents in police cruisers. The cops’ goal, naturally, is to pursue the lone player, to prevent them from completing the set of scattered checkpoints around the ‘track’.
Now, as we know, the Grand Theft Auto franchise has always had a thing for parodies and pop culture references. Los Santos is a snarky take on Los Angeles, and the consumerism and celebrity-worship in the in-game city sure does strike a nerve. Let’s not forget the protracted legal battle that ensued, either, when Lindsay Lohan was convinced she was being parodied in the game against her will.
As such, the fact that this mode is one big snarky reference to The Italian Job should be no surprise at all. It’s the sort of thing that Grand Theft Auto does best: taking a kind of cheap shot, but doing it with so much style that we just don’t mind at all.
After getting in on the action, if you like the vehicle, you can buy one for yourself. It’s being added to the store along with the update. So, too, is a new helicopter, which can be modded with weaponry.
Utterly chaotic racing and heavily-armed choppers? All is business as usual in Grand Theft Auto Online, then. For a glimpse of the new mode, check out GTA Series Videos taking it out for a spin right here.