5 things previous GTA games did better than GTA 5

With each GTA entry, Rockstar Games tries to redefine the gameplay experience, and Grand Theft Auto 5 is regarded as one of the best titles from the popular franchise. Although the gameplay is more advanced and refined than the other titles, there are some noticeable differences that most fans regard as downgrades. These alleged downgrades can be mostly seen in the open world of Grand Theft Auto 5.

This article lists five things that previous titles did better than GTA 5.

Note: This article is subjective and only reflects the writer's opinions. The listings are not in any order.

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5 elements from old Grand Theft Auto games that are better than GTA 5

1) Accessible buildings

Grand Theft Auto 5 has very less accessible buildings when compared to other popular GTA games. Many fans have alleged that this reduction has made the buildings and houses on the map look like mere decorations. While you can enter restaurants, cyber cafes, and a few random buildings in Grand Theft Auto 4, the latest game only allows you to watch them from outside.

Even the 3D Universe games have more accessible buildings than Grand Theft Auto 5. In San Andreas, you can go to the gym, eateries, casinos, and many other establishments that offer some kind of service. However, in the latest game, most buildings have no utilities.

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2) Side activities

While this is a debatable topic, veteran GTA fans will agree that Grand Theft Auto 5 has only a few side activities compared to the huge open world it provides. While you can engage in cycling, hunting, racing, and athletics, they are very limited in quantity and the novelty wears off quickly.

In the older games, you’re able to go on dates, play various sports, loot houses, change your physique, expand territories, and do many other things. These features could have been great implementations in the realistic world of Grand Theft Auto 5. But, Rockstar decided to discontinue them, which has disappointed fans.

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3) Wanted Levels

The wanted level mechanism is a major downgrade in GTA 5. Rockstar implemented six-star wanted levels till Grand Theft Auto 4. However, in the latest game, you can only get up to a five-star wanted level. The higher wanted levels put daring players’ skills to the test. However, Grand Theft Auto 5’s wanted mechanism is fairly simple to beat.

Fans are now hoping that the studio will bring back the six-star wanted level system in the upcoming game. While the leaks showed a five-star wanted level, the community is optimistic that Rockstar will reconsider its decision and add the additional level after GTA 6's announcement.

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4) Special abilities

While many players believe special abilities were only introduced with GTA 5, the older games also have them, but in different forms. Rockstar Games used to reward players with increased health, extra armor, dual weapon-wielding, and many more in the form of special abilities. You must grind for them to unlock, which makes the rewards more appealing.

However, in GTA 5, special abilities are given to the protagonists from the very beginning. You can simply switch to a character and use their special ability at any time without grinding for it. This makes them a little less appealing and more of a complimentary feature that is readily available.

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5) NPC Interactions

Grand Theft Auto 5 has more life-like NPCs on the map, but Rockstar Games noticeably reduced the ability to interact with them. Michael, Franklin, and Trevor can only exchange a few dialogs with them, which becomes repetitive after some time.

In older games, you can pick NPCs in your vehicles, date them, recruit them, and do many other things. For example, in San Andreas, if you hold a camera to the NPCs, they will pose for a photo. The latest game has no intricate interactions, but fans are hoping that Rockstar will re-introduce them in the next GTA game.