5 underrated features of GTA 4 that are absent in GTA 5

Even though GTA 4 was released in 2008, it had some features that were quite advanced for the time. While fans did speculate they might get to use these gameplay mechanics in the next installment (GTA 5), Rockstar decided never to use them again. This was quite disappointing for players because the game has some really cool features that would've helped Grand Theft Auto 5 flourish even more.

These features are comparatively underrated but allow players a lot of fun in the game. Some of these mechanics also allow GTA 4 to feel more realistic than others in the series. This article lists five such features that are absent in Grand Theft Auto 5.

Note: The article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion.

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5 GTA 4 features that Rockstar should have added to Grand Theft Auto 5

1) Turning off the vehicle's engine

Grand Theft Auto 4 has a really cool feature where players can turn off the vehicle's engine before getting out. This allowed the game to feel more realistic and grounded in reality.

However, Rockstar decided not to implement this feature in GTA 5 for unknown reasons. While the latest Grand Theft Auto title has a lot of improvements from previous games, fans miss these small things that made the prequel so good and memorable.

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2) Disarming the enemies

Despite having cool graphics and gameplay mechanics, Grand Theft Auto 5 lacks a few basic features, like disarming the enemies. This was quite useful in the previous game, as it allowed players to take out enemies without having to use a gun.

With some practice, any gunfight could be turned into melee combat by taking away the weapon from the enemies. This was a great gameplay mechanic that made GTA 4 special. Fans are hopeful that Rockstar Games might bring this feature back in Grand Theft Auto 6.

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3) The NPC and Police AI

NPCs always behave strangely in most of the Grand Theft Auto games. They don't serve any bigger purpose other than being target practice for players. However, the NPC and Police AI in Grand Theft Auto 4 feel smarter than the ones present in Grand Theft Auto 5.

There are some noticeable differences, such as the NPCs not freaking out if players get too close or stare at them for too long. The police also don't instantly start shooting players for looking at their way. On the other hand, the cops in Grand Theft Auto 5 are much more aggressive and sometimes can be quite annoying.

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4) Melee combos

While weapons and gunfights are a crucial part of the Grand Theft Auto franchise, some games offer a great hand-to-hand combat experience, like GTA San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto 4. However, this was quite lacking in the last installment of the series.

Even though Grand Theft Auto 5 has three protagonists with various special skills, they can't perform complicated melee combos and are restricted to basic punches and kicks. While this is not a big issue, it is still quite underwhelming from what Rockstar has in its older title.

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5) Picking up objects

It was quite a surprise for players to be able to pick random objects off the street and launch them at unsuspecting pedestrians. This often resulted in some hilarious moments that slightly dulled the general grim and dark environment of the game.

However, this feature is missing from GTA 5, where players cannot interact with most of the environment and random objects on the streets and around them. This was the most noticeable downgrade that fans spotted as they booted up Grand Theft Auto 5 for the first time.

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While these features might have been missing from Grand Theft Auto 5, the police chase in the GTA 6 leaks have given hope to the fans that Rockstar Games might bring them back with the next installation in the series.