When Grand Theft Auto 6 finally comes out, it needs to take more cues from Grand Theft Auto 4 than 5. While GTA 5 and GTA Online have carried the series through an entire console generation, the style of GTA 4 would be more fitting for the next title. While it would be a change from how the series has been for the last decade, it could keep future games relevant.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is arguably one of the most anticipated games currently in production. GTA 5 was the biggest game for the series thus far, and GTA 6 has a lot to live up to in order to reach the previous game's success. However, the best way to do so may be to not follow in its footsteps, but rather try to model itself after the lesser-appreciated GTA 4. While not as big as its sequel, persistent rumors of a GTA 4 remaster show that it has its fans, and its approach is worth looking into.
GTA 4's Story Had A Stronger Emotional Core Than GTA 5
When Grand Theft Auto 4 came out, it was criticized for having a more dour tone than was typical for the series. Even though GTA 4 could be a bit of a downer at points, the game had a real strength for injecting emotion into its story. Although Niko definitely isn't a good guy, the game managed to get across a lot of reasonable motivations for him, putting it a step ahead of GTA 5 in that regard.
In Grand Theft Auto 4, Niko's ambitions differ from a lot of other GTA protagonists. Although he's a professional criminal, he doesn't have ambitions of rising further in the underworld. His goal is to find the man who betrayed him and his childhood friends back in Serbia before the events of GTA 4. In addition, he also shows a strong protective streak towards his loved ones, especially his foolish cousin Roman. In fact, it's for Roman's sake that Niko ends up entangled in Liberty City's organized crime rings to begin with. In comparison, the GTA 5 crew is primarily focused on getting rich and getting out of the latest trouble that they've stumbled into.
Niko's twin goals of avenging his lost friends and protecting Roman give him a surprising amount of humanity, especially considering how brutal he can be both in the game and his backstory. While GTA 5 is basically an over-the-top adventure through one setpiece after another, GTA 4 is more low-key and restrained. Grand Theft Auto is not known for its subtlety, but taking a more restrained and emotional approach could pay off in the next installment. With what has been revealed about GTA 6, that idea is completely plausible.
GTA 5's Outrageously Edgy Nature May Be Out Of Date For GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto is a series that has pushed the envelope since the beginning, and Grand Theft Auto 5 pushed it harder than any title before. The game's edgy sense of humor and satire became one of its calling cards and was impossible to ignore in gameplay. However, that same type of in-your-face abrasiveness may already be out of fashion by the time that Grand Theft Auto 6 comes out. Mimicking it carries the risk of making the game look dated when it's still a new release.
Grand Theft Auto 5 lives up to the series' reputation of being violent and controversial and took it a few steps further. The game attempts to lampoon as many aspects of society as it can, and takes more risks than it has since San Andreas Hot Coffee scandal. One obvious example of this is the entire character of Grand Theft Auto's worst protagonist, Trevor Philips. He's essentially a violent, reckless criminal with virtually no restraint, and he's one of the protagonists. A good amount of his scenes involve him doing something violent, disturbing, or bizarre, often on a whim, and it is often played for shocking laughs. He is also the primary participant in GTA 5's disturbing torture scene, giving the game another controversial feather in its cap.
Trying to be shocking to get laughs and attention can work, but it's often not sustainable. Saints Row 3 is a good example of a game that went too far in that direction and ended up looking dated and embarrassing as a result. While GTA 5 didn't quite go that far, its edgy nature may end up being a detriment if GTA 6 tries to recreate it. GTA 6 doesn't need Trevor's shock comedy, which could easily be out of fashion once GTA 6 comes out.
GTA 4 Was More Immersive Than GTA 5
A game's story is one of its most important aspects, and it's vital to keep players invested. When it came to story, GTA 4 had an impressive and immersive plot for a series that's better known for controversy than storytelling. While GTA 5's own story could be fairly lacking in depth at times, GTA 4 manages to make the player feel like a vital part of the setting.
Over the course of GTA 4's story, the player guides Niko through a lot of missions, both in and out of the main story, that helps to establish Niko as well as the world of Liberty City. The game even lets the player make some major decisions in a few storylines by having Niko choose between two feuding characters. While some of these are simple choices like GTA 4's decision between Dwayne and Playboy X, they serve a role in making the player feel like an important part of Liberty City.
While a lot of GTA 5 is spent doing random tasks around the city between heists, GTA 4 ties things together well. It feels like the missions in GTA 4 are all building up to something, even ones disconnected from the main plot. It feels like the player has an important role rather than simply pulling off big heists, and the game feels more natural as a result.
Grand Theft Auto 4 is not without its faults, but it is a better blueprint for GTA 6 than 5. By holding back the series' more edgy qualities while emphasizing the story, the game will be stronger as a whole. Grand Theft Auto 6 has lofty expectations following GTA 5's success, but that doesn't mean it has to follow the same path.
