Why GTA 6 should get rid of the linear structure used for missions in GTA 5

The GTA games have a fixed and linear mission structure that hasn't changed much over the years. Going forward, GTA 6 should look to make its missions more open-ended and non-linear.

The GTA franchise is known for the movie-like storylines in its games. These are played out through linear missions that have a set of objectives. Players must follow these instructions to complete the missions as intended.

Deviating from the course usually results in mission failure. This rigid linear structure is ironically more obvious in GTA 5 than in the 3D trilogy. Even though it provides choice-based approaches and endings, the missions themselves feel much more restrictive.

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GTA 6: Should the next title ditch the linear structure found in GTA 5?

GTA 5 is an open-world game that is often grouped in the sandbox category. A sandbox game is one where there is no coherent mission structure, and the game can be picked up and played at any point in any way. Examples of true sandbox games are Minecraft or Kenshi.

These don't follow a fixed storyline, and every playthrough is unique. The GTA games aren't meant to be sandbox, and their storyline is what draws people in. However, this does not imply that the structure must be rigid and linear.

Since the open world of GTA 5 is supposed to create a sense of freedom, the missions should have done something similar. The open-world setting, however, appears to be merely a ruse. It was always a choice of playing an interactive cutscene in two or more different ways.

Another significant issue was the game's filler missions. These missions may have been included by Rockstar to provide some level of immersion into the lives of the characters. However, they only managed to frustrate the players. Some of them seem completely unnecessary, while others seem poorly written.

"Scouting the Port" and "Did Somebody Say Yoga?" are a couple of examples. The former is an unnecessary mission that almost feels like it was intentionally there to annoy players. The latter makes no sense, is not entertaining, and doesn't develop the story either.

The next GTA title should focus on improving these issues in past games. It should decide which direction it wants to go and not be paradoxical. If the game has an open-ended world with great freedom, the missions should reflect that. Or it can go along with how the Mafia games do it and play out the plot through chapters.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinion of the writer.