- GTA 5 is still among the biggest open-world games on the market.
- Despite its popularity, the game is more focused on the illusion of freedom rather than freedom itself.
- This is an important sacrifice due to Rockstar’s focus on cinematic experiences.
When I think of the best open-world games, Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 3, and Elden Ring come to mind. However, these are far from the only ones, and there is one particular game that everyone likely thinks about, Rockstar’s magnum opus from 2013.
GTA 5 is basically what most open-world games aspire to be. It presents a huge world and gives players an endless amount of freedom, at least on paper. When playing the game, you can drive a stolen supercar up Vinewood Hills, skydive off Mount Chiliad, or just spend the afternoon cruising the boardwalk.
As great as all of this may seem, GTA 5 has its limits. In fact, I would argue that it doesn’t really take long for those limits to show up, and beneath the sprawling open world of Grand Theft Auto lies a fairly limited world.
Why it matters: True open-world freedom is incredibly hard to achieve for any game today, and even GTA 5 cannot completely rid itself of this criticism.
Not As Open As You May Think
Taken at face value, GTA 5 is truly limitless. Between heists, races, robberies, and simple fun activities, players have no shortage of options at their disposal.
However, these options are held back by a set number of limitations. Going crime-free isn’t possible, and neither is running a legitimate business in Los Santos. Everything in GTA 5 revolves around Rockstar’s ruleset.
Nowhere are these limits more apparent than during the story mode. GTA 5’s linearity often becomes too constricting in main story missions, with the slightest move resulting in a failed mission.
You don’t have to take my word for it either. Grab a GTA 5 key, and you’ll see just how restrictive the story mode is.
A Fixed Set of Characters
Most games about freedom allow players to make their own characters. I can’t really put into words how many hours I’ve spent making the perfect character in RPGs like Skyrim, but Rockstar’s games don’t allow this liberty.
Instead, GTA 5 puts players into the shoes of Michael, Franklin, and Trevor. All three characters have fixed, albeit distinct personalities. Their stories also follow the same events each time, leaving little room for freedom.
As a player, I can’t really choose to play as Trevor in a specific manner or shape his story any differently than Rockstar intended. Needless to say, this type of design doesn’t leave much room for freedom.
GTA Online
In comparison to story mode, GTA Online is inherently suited to freedom. However, even within the online game mode, the experience revolves around a set of systems that rarely encourage exploring off the beaten path.
Still, this does not mean that GTA 5 fails as an open-world game. In fact, the reality is far from it.
Rockstar’s gameplay still holds its own over a decade later. The team’s gameplay philosophy is inherently more geared toward cinematic adventures set within an open world as opposed to a title designed around the fundamentals of open-world gameplay.
Most people are well aware of the game’s pros and cons by now, but for those still looking to grab a copy, digital marketplaces like Eneba are the perfect places to explore when attempting to buy GTA 5.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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