GTA V is very good, but certainly not for all tastes. If you're arguing that it's technically *bad* then I'd argue that you're being obtuse, unless you're talking about GTAO networking/social issues in which case then dear sweet lord yes it's shit.
I can understand if someone's personal preferences makes 'em want a game to take place entirely in a desert or something, so long as they admit it's not really fair criticism of the game's
aesthetics per se -- if there were some major thematic betrayal to the western genre by adding biomes outside of the desert, or some horrible gameplay tuning decision revealed here, then we should be worried, but as far as I can tell this is a *good* thing.
Examples of good westerrrrns outside of the (admittedly awesome) desert setting:
Little Big Man (1970) -- The battle of Little Bighorn didn't take place in the desert... but it sure was a hell of a thing.
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) -- Multiple biomes, isn't that nice? Deep South --> Texas etc. Hardly incompatible with RD* style.
Pale Rider (1985) -- Mountains and snow work too.
Lonesome Dove (1985/1989) -- Case example of a Western epic, plains biome
Ravenous (1999) -- Western horror is beautiful and right. Sierra Nevada(?) this time, between the Spanish-American War and Civil War. For a more recent example, try Bone Tomahawk (that's desert! Malibu! rejoice!)
Deadwood (2004) -- "Life is essentially a series of miserable tasks."
That's off the cuff, could go on. Also this seems to be becoming a thread to suggest kickass westerns so please gimme suggestions -- in deference to desert settings I'll go first:
The Quick and the Dead (1995) -- Sharon Stone is miscast as a gunslinger femme fatale -- shoulda gone with someone more spry and less pretty there -- but this is still a juxtaposition of the western showdown w/ Street Fighter (the game)... Gene Hackman chews scenery, Leo DiCaprio gets gutshot, and I'll bet dollars to donuts you've got worse thing to do with your time than watch Sam Raimi be naughty. Super fun movie if you've missed it.