Nine years on air Grand Theft Auto V Believe it or not, GTA 6 is still not out. This would have been considered impossible ten years ago, but here we are. Day after day awaits information about Rockstar’s next open-world video game.
Well, thank goodness it’s finally confirmed that GTA 6 is in “Positive Development” Earlier this year gave us all some new hope. It’s nothing substantial, but it’s something. Just know that the existence of the game is huge.
With the actual release of GTA VI and Rockstar’s next-gen GTA V release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, I take this opportunity Relive the game This is the first time since its launch in September 2013. A lot has changed since then. Some things are outdated, some things are not. So here’s what I found, and what I think needs to be improved in order for the game to live up to the huge expectations set by its predecessor.
Warning: Spoilers for Grand Theft Auto V
story
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)
Let’s start with the obvious: the story. While its sister series Red Dead Redemption has been praised time and time again for its narrative, Grand Theft Auto has been sorely lacking. GTA V is ambitious, offering some of the most cinematic moments to grace a video game as Michael, Franklin, and Trevor go to great lengths to try and get rich quick. It creates some funny shenanigans — the heist is still a spectacle — and it doesn’t quite fit together in the 30-hour narrative.
The biggest problem stems from an absent primary opponent (or, rather, the lack of a central opponent) as a thread through. Focusing on the last mission, with multiple characters being assassinated, feels like a last-minute attempt to create some drama.
It then culminates with Trevor kidnapping billionaire business tycoon Devon Weston. Devon Weston! That memorable villain, who everyone clearly remembers needs no introduction. How can we forget? As you can tell from my exaggerated use, the character becomes bland, thus condemning GTA V for making a whimper rather than a bang. This is GTA. This has to be the best. This is not it.
map
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)
GTA V’s map is impressive for two things: one is its size, and two is how gorgeous it remains to this day. So when I talk about maps, I talk more about how it works. The map itself is huge. So why is it so difficult to navigate through menus? You can’t even zoom out completely to see the whole thing at once. It’s an odd decision that makes jumping in and out (which you often do) more annoying than it needs to be.
In addition, the design has room for improvement. Los Santos is a bustling city where life and entertainment are everywhere. Blaine County, on the other hand, is the opposite, and even if that were the point, it wouldn’t make for the same fun experience. Diversity is key, but something other than deserts and mountains is needed.
fast travel
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)
It’s such a simple feature these days that I was shocked when I rediscovered how fast travel is in GTA V. As opposed to the simple point-and-click map functionality we’re used to in 2022, it’s far more complex — having players call, wait, and take a taxi to where they want to go. It’s not even available in some places, only places that can be reached by taxis. I know Rockstar loves realism, it’s just one of the oldest things in the game that needs updating for a new era.
Wanted Level
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)
Wanted level in GTA V can be very frustrating because it alerts the police whether you’re on a busy street in the middle of Vinewood or on a hilltop miles away. The system needs to make sense of your surroundings.
Expanding from here, having a wanted system tailored to that specific location makes things even more exciting. Local law enforcement in rural areas, heavy artillery in military districts and modified police cars for chasing street racers in downtown areas are just a few of the ideas I came up with. I believe Rockstar can do better.
Game over content
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)
After successfully completing the final mission, Michael, Franklin and Trevor become rich. Each character has tons of wealth to spend on the few purchases the game has to offer, including garages, hangers, movie theaters, and even golf courses. This and any side quests you didn’t complete the first time around (strangers and freaks) are all things considered end game content.
It had little traction, wasted the city’s potential, and kept coming back, Rockstar put all its eggs in GTA V Online. This obviously paid off, with the game making millions of dollars a month, but from a single-player perspective, the campaign needed more.
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