Things We Expect in Grand Theft Auto V

There are certain things that have become standard after four games in the Grand Theft Auto series. Many people have grown up playing these and by this time are die hard fans. Elements of the game are standard, things that we always look for and give us a smile when we see them. Other things would be missed if left out, though not enough to cause any amount or anger or disappointment in fans and other gamers. What do we expect in Grand Theft Auto 5 and what do they entail? Well, some of these are slight improvements on many of the old standards, things that would enhance overall gameplay experience is slight but noticeable ways making the game jump from great to perfect. Let’s take a look.

Better Vehicles

One problem that has been a rampant plague in the past few titles in the Grand Theft Auto series is the handling and control of cars. If you aren’t a seasoned player of racing games of all shapes and sizes just driving down the road can be a task of great contemplation, let alone the nearly impossible feat of out-driving the cops. Pedestrians suffer a terrible plague of hit and run kills in Grand Theft Auto, mostly because simple mechanics such as turning corners at night right angle is nearly completely impossible. In Grand Theft Auto V we expect this gameplay mechanics issue to be fully addressed. Sure, we don’t want the game to be too easy, and yes we want it to be realistic, but if I can make a nice right hand turn at a traffic light in real life it gets incredibly frustrating when the in game equivalent is unnecessary difficult.

More Checkpoints

Checkpoints have always been a precious and highly valued thing in Grand Theft Auto. The common rule of thumb is that you’ll get a checkpoint at the end of a mission, not before. It is only in Grand Theft Auto IV’s DLC content that the mid-mission checkpoint is introduced. In a world where games can usually be saved just by entering a menu and hitting a few buttons at any time, this can be a difficult and annoying thing when real life rudely interrupts for things like dinner, work and school. When mid-mission and with no checkpoints in sight you are faced with a tough decision, just turn off the consol and call it quits or leave it running and hope that the game is still up when you get back and that nothing has caught fire. Mid-mission checkpoints are a must that were only recently introduced and should be considered standard practice in GTA 5.

The World

The World of Grand Theft Auto has always been a fantastic sight to behold. Rumors are that in GTA 5 we will be returning to the world of San Andreas, something that is supported by trailers that have already been released. While we loved Liberty City from GTA 4, we couldn’t help but miss the sprawling world of its predecessor. There was always a new location to discover, a few new people to interact with. Liberty City was more of a microcosm, one that was beautiful and tons of fun in its own right. However, we’d love to have the chance to explore the open world that was San Andreas once again.

The Missions – Big and Small

While missions are fun overall, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for some major improvements. Everyone loved the long mission of the bank heist from Vice City. We want more of these long missions where you really feel as if you were a part of something, not just going on another mission to kill someone or steal something. That being said, we also want our actions to have a greater influence on gameplay. Think along the lines of Deus Ex. Should this NPC be killed off because he’s in the way? Maybe we can just tie him up and leave him for someone to find later instead. It’s these kind of decisions that really make the most difference on gameplay. Does an NPC get killed off because of your actions? How are you going to continue without this key character? It is these changes to the world around us that we want to see the most.

The Characters

We love all the characters in GTA games, don’t me wrong. But maybe it’s time for a few updates. For example, what about a female main character? So far we haven’t been able to play as a woman, only being able to play as men. I think this has found it’s time. Also, what about character development. Since GTA already has many RPG elements why not take it one step further and really get into character development of not only your own character but other NPCs as well.

The Pedestrians

Pedestrians are like a plague. They are only there to give ample practice at the good, old fashioned hit and run. This is almost always on accident though, as driving mechanics aren’t as easy as they probably should be. Something that many people would love to see is being able to interact with pedestrians on a greater level. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Just some comments back and forth would be enough, so long as the pedestrians aren’t mute, oblivious sheep that only populate the area to make it look inhabited.

Grand Theft Auto 5 is a game that’s already being talked about and looked forward to, even though the release date is still a long ways off.  The things discussed here are just a few of the things we would like to see included in this next installment of the series. They are things we expect to see, the next logical step up in game play experience from Grand Theft Auto 4.