5 little things GTA 5 lacks compared to GTA 4

Rockstar Games released GTA 5 in September 2013 to much fanfare. However, as time went on, players started realizing that the title, despite being better than its predecessors in many areas, lacks subtle details in comparison to GTA 4, which the studio released back in 2008. With Grand Theft Auto 6 set to arrive in 2025 on Current-Gen consoles, it remains to be seen if these things will return to the series.

Not much has been revealed about the sequel's features yet, but more details might be showcased leading up to its release next year. Until then, let's take a look at five little things Grand Theft Auto 5 lacks compared to Grand Theft Auto 4.

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Realistic NPC reactions and 4 other little things GTA 5 lacks compared to GTA 4

1) Interactable street vendors

Accessible restaurants are absent in GTA 5. While there are plenty of Burger Shot and Cluckin' Bell outlets in Los Santos, players cannot go inside and order food. This feature has been a part of the series since Grand Theft Auto Vice City and is also present in Grand Theft Auto 4.

Notably, the 2008 title also has street vendors from which its protagonist, Niko Bellic, can buy hot dogs and soda. Although one can find street vendors in Grand Theft Auto 5 as well, they cannot be interacted with, just like all the restaurants on that game's map.

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2) Crouching

Players can crouch whenever they want in Grand Theft Auto 4. In fact, they can also move when crouched. This simple mechanic had been a part of the series for a long time until Rockstar Games decided to replace it with the stealth stance in Grand Theft Auto 5.

The protagonists of the 2013 title can crouch in cover, but the restrictions applied outside of this are unnecessary. Fans hope that crouching returns in the next installment, but that has not been confirmed yet. Interestingly, the September 2022 GTA 6 leaks have suggested that a proning mechanic might be introduced.

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3) Realistic NPC reactions

Grand Theft Auto 4's NPC reactions are far superior to those of Grand Theft Auto 5. While the latter's pedestrians have some good animations, like taking pictures of players' cars, the inhabitants of Liberty City are more realistic overall.

A good example of this is how they react to the weather. Grand Theft Auto 5's NPCs don't have much of a reaction to the rain, whereas those in its predecessor cover their heads, use umbrellas, and run to avoid getting wet. It doesn't exactly impact gameplay, but it was a nice little detail that added more realism to GTA 4.

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4) Turning off the car engine

Another gameplay feature that made Grand Theft Auto 4 very realistic is the ability to turn off the car engine. Players can either leave the vehicle as it is, with its headlights, radio, and engine on or switch the engine off before exiting. In Grand Theft Auto 5, the engine turns off automatically upon getting out of vehicles.

Just like the previous entry on this list, it is a minute detail that fans appreciate and should have been kept in the sequel. Cars are integral to the series and have many uses in Grand Theft Auto 5 and Online. In fact, Drag Races debuted in the multiplayer with January 25, 2024's GTA Online weekly update.

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5) Picking up objects

Objects like cups and bricks can be picked up at will in Grand Theft Auto 4 and thrown in any direction. Players often use this mechanic to mess around with NPCs in Liberty City when not busy with story mode missions.

Rockstar should have made this one of GTA 5's features as well since it could have made the game a little more fun. Furthermore, the developer also didn't include the detailed melee combat seen in its 2008 release.