5 GTA features that were more relevant back in the day

GTA games have evolved throughout the generations, which has led to some features becoming irrelevant over time.

Nothing lasts forever, not even a once-popular video game feature. Of course, even minor features that had some popularity have vanished outright in the GTA series. Rockstar Games is constantly changing the way new GTA games look and feel, so it's only inevitable that some old features disappear over time.

More often than not, there's a better replacement for these features in the most recent GTA titles. Some gamers might prefer or love these old features over their newer counterparts, but the same can be said in reverse. Hence, it's useful to see how the GTA series has changed regarding some of its features.

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Five GTA features that aren't relevant as they used to be

5) Criminal Ratings

This feature didn't affect gameplay as most features did. Instead, it was basically a minor feature that let players know how much chaos they have caused in their respective GTA games.

In a game like GTA San Andreas, using a cheat code would decrease the player's score by 10 points most of the time. However, blowing up an aircraft would give them +30 points.

It was a high score that some players cared about, but it wasn't useful, so it was removed from the more recent GTA games.

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4) Top-down camera angle

A top-down perspective as seen in GTA 1 (Image via Rockstar Games)

This feature was practically synonymous with the 2D universe of GTA games. Even handheld games like GTA Advance and Chinatown Wars had a similar camera system. The last mainline GTA game to feature it was GTA 3, and it was completely optional.

A top-down camera angle isn't very useful in modern GTA games. It can work with some open spaces, but it would be outright useless in an in-door section without some serious revisions to how the system works.

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3) Save points

A save point in the Ocean View Hotel in GTA Vice City (Image via Rockstar Games)

Save points are a relic of the past in most video games. They represent a different era of video game philosophy, where the player had to go to a specific spot in order to save. If they didn't, they would lose all of their progress.

GTA 5 still has something similar when the player rests in a bed, but there are also quicksaves and autosaves. Hence, save points are less essential to the series nowadays compared to the games of yesteryear.

Not to mention, save points don't exist at all in GTA Online. It's an online multiplayer game, so any future games similar to it won't include save points either.

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2) Island Restrictions

There was once a time where GTA games had several islands yet prevented the player from accessing these islands normally. Different games handled it differently from one another, but the core concept was that these GTA games used Island Restrictions as a feature.

This feature essentially prevented the player from going to another island early on. Usually, players would have to abuse bugs to get to other islands or accept a hefty Wanted Level, depending on the game.

GTA Chinatown Wars was the first game to omit this feature altogether. Naturally, it doesn't exist in GTA 5 or GTA Online, thanks to the single island present in the game.

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1) Pay 'n' Spray

Old school GTA fans know what Pay 'n' Spray does. It was practically ubiquitous and essential to the 3D universe of GTA games. Pay 'n' Sprays were the best way to get rid of Wanted Levels, and they were also the only way to customize cars in most games (although it was only for the vehicle color).

GTA players get rid of their Wanted Levels in a completely different way in modern GTA titles. No longer are they required to pick up bribes or go to a Pay 'n' Spray. Instead, they just have to evade the police for a certain amount of time.

Not to mention, vehicle customization uses different shops, so Pay 'n' Spray wouldn't have much of a purpose anyhow.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.