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GTA series is a seminal video game franchise that has not only produced the most successful games out there but also carries a huge legacy in the video game industry because of how much influence it has over video game culture in general.
This series has single-handedly popularized the 3D open-world formula that players now see in every other major game. But it has also created its own separate identity with it.
This did not just happen out of luck, but rather how Rockstar Games has consistently improved both game mechanics and narrative devices with each installment in the series. These are the primary points that differentiate the GTA series from every other game franchise in the industry.
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This article contains five ways in which the GTA series has done this and separated itself from other open-world video games.
5 ways through which GTA has created a unique identity
1) Grounded in reality
The majority of open-world games, such as Genshin Impact or the Fallout series, are set in a dystopian or fantasy world.
While we can appreciate the allure of these environments, they don't have the same impact when compared to more realistic areas, such as San Andreas or Los Santos. The settings in the GTA series are always based on or loosely inspired by real places.
Calling the GTA series realistic might sound absurd, but it has more in common with reality than any other game on the market. Activities players can take part in are highly unlikely to occur, but they can still happen.
This reflection of reality in the game creates almost a mirror world where players can do whatever they want without suffering any serious consequences for it.
2) Amazing multiplayer mode
Usually when narrative-driven single-player games like the Call of Duty series or the Elder Scroll series bring out a multiplayer mode for their games, they reduce the size of the world and features from the main game and then present it to their audience.
But with GTA Online, the franchise took a completely different route and created a multiplayer mode for GTA 5. It has a much more expansive map and larger amount of activities for players to do, many of which are not even present in the main game.
One additional point of importance is that even though GTA Online was released in 2013, it still receives regular content updates.
3) Immersive environment
Many open-world games try to create a world that looks very immersive and atmospheric. This is done so that when players play the game, they feel like they are being transported to a new world.
While this appears to be a smart strategy, sometimes creators go too far and under-develop the player's engagement with the game's universe in which they find themselves.
The majority of the landscape in GTA 5 has an effect on gameplay and isn't just there just for the sake of visual appeal.
For example, if players damage their car on the motorway or scratch it on a lamppost, they must use the in-game system to restore it. Basically, whatever players do has an effect, for example, hitting pedestrians or mocking NPCs elicits various responses.
4) Huge amount of freedom
In many games, like Saints Rows and Just Cause, there are many activities and missions players can take part in. However, most of the time they are limited in the approaches that can be implemented.
Players need to follow the rules and regulations to complete an activity or mission in these types of games. Thus, only an illusion of freedom is created.
In the GTA series, players are absolutely free to use whatever kind of approach they take for each activity or mission. They can bring a truck to a gunfight or fly a car through a bridge to win a race. They are free to do whatever they want. This also extends to the types of activities they want to take part in.
If players want, they can blow up a truck or steal money from the bank, but the game also gives the players the option to do yoga or play tennis. This freedom of choice is another factor that is very important for the Grand Theft Auto series as it differentiates the franchise from others.
5) The world feels alive
With the current game development software and technology, making a massive world is not unthinkable. However, creating a vast world that feels alive and interesting is very difficult and many games fail at that. Games from the Grand Theft Auto Series did it right, and there aren't many 'empty stretches,' even in isolated areas where nothing happens.
Players can't go five minutes without running into something at least remotely interesting. For example, a comparison can be drawn with the Just Cause series which has a huge map miles and various biomes, and yet feels empty.
This could be because the Grand Theft Auto series has responsive NPCs and immersive side missions that keep players engaged when they are not taking part in the main storyline. Moreover, the world in all of the Grand Theft Auto games does not feel designed, but rather lived in and connected, which is something that a lot of games do not accomplish.
Note: This article reflects the writer's subjective opinion.
