Grand Theft Auto 6 is still rumored to be in development by Rockstar Games, though everything about the game that has come out so far is simply that: a rumor. Though the game will inevitably be worked on and shown off at some point in the future, it doesn't stop fans from speculating where Grand Theft Auto 6 will take place, or various other elements the game could include. Many speculate Grand Theft Auto 6 will take place in Vice City once again, like how Grand Theft Auto 5 took place in the ever-popular state of San Andreas, and Grand Theft Auto 4 took place in a reimagined Liberty City.
It's not uncommon for Rockstar to take what was introduced in its past games, improve, and then reintroduce features in new games. Rockstar would even go so far as to make games that allowed for testing out new mechanics or ideas for future products. Many features that have been part of the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series have been improved upon and expanded as well, culminating in a more gameplay-rich and feature-dense product with each release. Despite all of this, Grand Theft Auto 6 has many things that it could borrow and improve upon from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas instead of GTA 5.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Could Include Better Protagonist Progression
In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, players are in control of one protagonist, Carl Johnson ("CJ"), as opposed to the three featured in Grand Theft Auto 5. The ability to tell a gripping narrative while swapping between three characters is a huge undertaking and was done very well. That being said, as a result, it limited the capability of truly personalizing each character to great extents. While GTA 5 has many customization options in hairstyles, tattoos, and clothing, what GTA: San Andreas brought to the table was truly unique. GTA: San Andreas allowed player action to improve CJ in many facets than just his superficial appearance.
In GTA: San Andreas, CJ had more interesting stats that needed to be managed as the game progressed. If CJ ate too much his Fat percentage would increase, causing an actual change in his body frame, making him slower, and causing NPCs to take notice and even comment on it. One might think that burning away all the Fat would be key, but that would actually hurt CJ in the long run.
At zero Fat, any sort of movement involving CJ's Stamina stat (running, cycling, swimming) would drain his Muscle stat instead. Much like in real life, it was best to maintain a healthy amount of fat for optimal performance, and it was a very unique addition to the GTA series that only recently saw a slight return in Red Dead Redemption 2's Arthur.
The Muscle stat in GTA: San Andreas could be compared to the Strength stat in GTA 5, though it's a more fluid stat in the former entry. Increasing Muscle in GTA: San Andreas was facilitated by various gyms that were located throughout the game world. The player could come to these gyms and through mini-games, improve CJ by lifting weights or using the bike to burn fat. This also changed how much more muscular CJ looked, increasing his Sex Appeal stat alongside the Muscle stat, making him do more damage and the ability to learn new fighting moves, or get girlfriends.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Needs a More Involved World
While Grand Theft Auto 5 has a huge open-world for players to explore and wreak havoc in, there is a lot of dead space in terms of things to do. Take Skyrim, where every so often there is a landmark that can involve the player in some way, or a unique biome that is more treacherous than the last. GTA 5, while large, has buildings that players cannot interact with, and areas like nightclubs and casinos that are simply inaccessible. Though Rockstar Games has added more to the game world in GTA Online, this doesn't do anything for players who want to enjoy the singleplayer experience.
GTA: San Andreas not only had many landmarks, but actual facilities that players could explore. Like mentioned previously, if the player wanted to improve CJ, they could hit up the gym and work out or learn new fighting moves than the basic jab-left, swing-right swing combo. It also included nightclubs with a dancing mini-game, restaurants players could enter and rob, bars with a pool table, horse race betting, casinos with many gambling mini-games, and stadiums where CJ is presented with unique vehicle challenges. Many of these areas help facilitate the more intricate game mechanics that help make GTA: San Andreas a masterpiece.
One major positive for GTA: San Andreas was the many biomes it had with three central unique cities, Mt. Chiliad with rural surrounding areas, and a vast desert with secrets all on its own. This made the now-small by comparison world of GTA: San Andreas feel so much larger than any GTA game before it. Each city and county came with its own unique pedestrians and police force, while also acting as narrative checkpoints as the player progressed through the game. Though Grand Theft Auto 6 doesn't need to include three cities, a more involved world with player choice being the forefront of interaction would be a step up from GTA 5.
Bridge the Life Simulator Gap in Grand Theft Auto 6
GTA: San Andreas had some fun features that aren't a big part of the GTA series anymore, and one of these is player hideouts. Early in the game, the player is allowed to start buying property, each with its own unique interior, and many with garages of varying sizes. This really made the world feel more lived-in and, depending on the player's tastes, they could choose to reside anywhere they'd like. This was convenient if the player would want to start in the middle of nowhere or near their favorite mini-games, as opposed to Michael's house for the 30th time.
The ability to have a girlfriend was another prominent side feature introduced early in GTA: San Andreas as well, with CJ having access to multiple girlfriends that he could try his luck with. With the right stats and the right dates, CJ could work his way up to the final reward with one of his girlfriends which were powerful upgrades. Some of these included not losing his money or guns when arrested or wasted, free pay and spray, and even some pretty unique vehicles and outfits.
Grand Theft Auto 6 could truly benefit from including some of these features from GTA: San Andreas that were axed in future installments. The option for players to choose their residence, how they progress their protagonist, even which significant other that reside alongside them could help make the singleplayer feel more immersive.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is reportedly in development.