5 things GTA 4 did better than GTA 5, ranked

Grand Theft Auto 5 is Rockstar Games' most successful title ever, but there are many things that its predecessor, GTA 4, did better. Both games are polar opposites in terms of tone and setting. While the latter leans towards mature tones and has a gritty storyline, the former ditched that in favor of a brighter theme and featured three lead characters for the first time in the series.

Additionally, the two games largely vary in terms of technology as well, given that one came out in 2008 and the other in 2013.

That said, Rockstar appears to have fallen short of fully capitalizing on the older game's advancements. So, this article will be ranking five things that Grand Theft Auto 4 did better than its sequel.

Note: This listicle is subjective, and the ranking reflects the writer's opinions.

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Side activities and 4 more things GTA 4 did better than GTA 5, ranked

5) The in-game population

The quality of Non-Player Characters (NPCs) determines how real an in-game world feels. The ones Rockstar designed for GTA 4 are near perfect and react very realistically to the things happening around them. They are undoubtedly one of the best things about the title and make Liberty City seem like an actual place.

Unfortunately, Rockstar seems to have missed the trick with NPCs in the sequel. Although not outright incompetent, they just aren't as impressive, and the gaming studio could have implemented them in a much better way.

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4) The police

Fans have long complained about the police being too aggressive in Grand Theft Auto 5. Instead of trying to arrest players, they go in all guns blazing, even for the most trivial offense. This seems quite perplexing, especially when considering how Rockstar designed cops in the older game.

The police force in GTA 4 has a varied set of reactions depending on the level of crime. These cops will do their best in trying to apprehend the criminal, which showcases a more realistic approach. With the GTA 6 leaks hinting towards smarter police AI, many hope that they are an improvement over the 2013 title.

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3) Side activities

The dearth of side activities in Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of its biggest drawbacks. While the story mode is pretty enjoyable, there isn't much to do besides it. On the contrary, GTA 4 has tons of things to engage in outside of story missions. These include mini-games, dating, hanging out with other characters, and more.

Therefore, it is hard to understand why Rockstar Games did away with these activities in its 2013 release. A possible explanation could be to push players towards the game's online mode, which eventually became the reason for its unrivaled longevity and financial success.

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2) The story

Grand Theft Auto 4 arguably has the best story in the franchise. As mentioned before, the game has a dark and gritty feeling to it and explores themes of revenge and sacrifice. At its helm is Niko Bellic, who has a wide range of emotions and a distinct persona and goes through an incredible character arc.

Grand Theft Auto 5's story, however, is much light-hearted in comparison. While that isn't exactly a bad thing, it just lacks the emotional depth that its predecessor possesses, which was possibly due to focusing on not one but three protagonists.

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1) Story Mode DLCs

Rockstar Games completely abandoned Grand Theft Auto 5's story mode in favor of GTA Online. Although the multiplayer has its own benefits, and two of the three lead characters have appeared in it, it would have been interesting to witness the campaign's aftermath.

Luckily, GTA 4 did not suffer from this and received two highly engaging DLC expansions, "The Lost and Damned" and "The Ballad of Gay Tony." Each episode offers a unique experience, and their lead characters were already introduced in the main storyline, providing a sense of continuation.