5 great features present in older games that weren’t in GTA 5

GTA 5 has several noteworthy features that make it the masterclass of a game it is, but even then, it's missing some of the features found in the older titles.

It should go without saying that GTA 5 is the biggest offline GTA title in the entire series. This means that it has several features that don't exist (or are quite limited) in the older GTA games. However, that doesn't mean that GTA 5 has every single feature found in those older games.

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Five notable old-school features absent in GTA 5

#5 - Replays

Instant replays were a feature introduced in the PC ports of the old-school GTA games. It was even in GTA 4, but this feature doesn't exist in GTA 5's original version or the Enhanced Edition. As it's exclusive to the PC ports of these old-school GTA games, this feature obviously doesn't exist in their console counterparts.

What this feature allowed players to do was to rewatch their last minute of gameplay. It's a minor feature, but it's not in GTA 5 all the same. It was useful for reviewing one's gameplay, although it should be stated that these replays were pretty buggy and not well-executed.

#4 - Eating at restaurants and vendors

Eating, in general, is quite limited in GTA 5. Players can drink at their homes, but the best they can eat are some random snacks. Predictably, this means that several features, such as eating at restaurants with one's friends, are absent in GTA 5.

Likewise, street vendors are also non-operational in GTA 5. Eating some random snacks from a convenience store isn't as convenient as one might think. In the older games, it was a great way to fully heal, so it's a shame that this feature is largely limited in GTA 5.

#3 - Purchasable safehouses

GTA 5 has some purchasable assets, but no purchasable safehouses. GTA Vice City introduced the ability to buy non-mandatory safehouses, which several other games like GTA San Andreas expanded upon. In GTA 5, players just have access to one safehouse per character.

Considering GTA 5's map is by far the largest in the series, this is quite unfortunate. Saving in GTA 5 isn't limited to just being in a safehouse, but it's still a convenient thing to have.

#2 - Police Bribes

Police Bribes were one way to reduce a player's Wanted Level in the 2D and 3D universe of GTA games. Unfortunately, GTA 4 got rid of this feature as the Wanted Level system was revamped a bit. This means that players just have to get rid of their Wanted Level in a different way, which old-school players might not like.

Police Bribes were hidden all over the older GTA maps, which incentivized players to explore the world to remember their locations. It made getting rid of pesky Wanted Levels that much easier, which made it a useful feature (even if it was niche at times).

#1 - Casino-based gambling

In GTA 5, the only form of gambling is Hao Street Races and the Stock Market. The latter can be manipulated in some assassination missions, but the former is a skill-based gambling activity, so it's not like the popular casino-based gambling found in GTA San Andreas.

GTA San Andreas had:

• Blackjack
• Roulette
• Slot Machines
• Video Poker
• Wheel of Fortune

Wheel of Fortune (Image via GTA Wiki)

Each of them played the same way they're played in real life. Some players love to gamble, and the GTA series tends to promote itself as an adult-oriented video game series, so it's not like this form of gambling is an unlikely feature to include in a game like GTA 5.

The Diamond Casino & Resort does exist in the base game of GTA 5, but it's not enterable like it is in GTA Online. Naturally, this means that GTA Online once again reintroduces this beloved feature for fans to enjoy.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.