GTA V has awful gameplay mechanics

[Dr. Doom]

Where do I even start with this game.

1. Character feels extremely slow. It's like you are trying to navigate through treacle.
2. Bad controls. The lack of responsivness between your button inputs and the character is one of my biggest gripes with this game. GTA IV was bad, but I thought GTA V would have improved on it's predecessor after being released on more powerful hardware. But no. it still feels overwhelmingly janky.
3. Bad gunplay. How did they go from producing Max Payne 3 to this? Nothing feels satisfying to shoot. Again, this is intertwinled with the bad controls.
4. Inability to continue missions upon death. Ugh. This one pisses me off so much - I honestly do not have the will or desire to continue with the story mode.
5. Horrendous driving model. Reminds me of GTA 3. Again, after so many GTA games, I would have assumed Rockstar would have improved in some way, but no. There is nothing natural about handling the cars.

The last game I have just completed is Doom - everything feels so slick, smooth and polished to hell. The reason why I love Doom so much is because it controls so damn well. Granted it's a different type of game (a fast paced FPS), so I decided to try out Watch Dogs for a more apt comparison. The difference is day and night. While it may not be the best game, Watch Dogs feels so damn good to control in comparison. Everything is responsive.

How does a game which has such terrible mechanics score so highly? It just doesn't feel fun to play. The basics are so frustrating.

 

[Ravelle]

GTA never interested me past Vice City, the characters and story doesn't do anything for me.

 

[Deleted member 21709]

You get used to the feel and controls. It isn't an issue, lots of people are perfectly enjoying themselves.
I wish the physics didn't take a step back from GTA IV though.

The gunplay isn't as tight as Max Payne 3 because the scope is completely different, but I'm not worried they won't improve that for GTAVI.

Why compare it to Doom?

 

[Deleted member 8468]

I absolutely love driving around the city though.

 

[Cation]

Lol I know people complained about it, but it kinda makes it fun and different. Also you get used to it quick. I think I got it down in the first day, now whenever I pick it up - it doesn't feel odd


Get guud?

 

[Video Games Are Dumb]

I dunno, I like the gameplay well enough. It works. Problem is that the missions are just so dang boring. You're never really challenged to merge the mechanics you're taught in the beginning EXCEPT for the heist missions, which are the only good missions. So everything else feels so flat.

 

[Deleted member 25448]

Welcome to 2013.

 

[EliR]

How does a game which has such terrible mechanics score so highly? It just doesn't feel fun to play. The basics are so frustrating.

Click to shrink...

Maybe those basics don't mean as much most people as you like to believe.

 

[melikefishnchips]

Agreed. I also find the wanted system to be really aggressive and annoying.

i get it's more realistic and what not but overall I feel like it's much harder to just fuck around and enjoy yourself like in past games which sucks cuz I really like the world they crafted but it feels like I'm constantly getting slapped on the wrist in some form or another the longer I stay in it.

 

[Laserbeam]

These are a lot of the problems I've had with all the GTA/Rockstar games that they seemingly refuse to change. I guess they don't have to. Some/most people just love them.

I've hard arguments with a friend who thinks I'm just being a "hater" of popular things but that isn't the case. They do so much to make great games but I'm constantly frustrated by some of their other choices to the point that I'd rather just not play them for extended amounts. It's baffling to me.

 

[Maximus Odinson]

That's just what Rockstar likes to do mang

 

[Wander_]

welcome to 2013.

 

[Trieu]

I only played GTA V on PC and I found it to be responsive enough and the controls were exactly how I imagined them to be. I can't speak for the console version though. Gunplay seemed fine, but not as satisfying as a gunsblazing-only game.

 

[packy17]

GTAV came out in 2013. You have to look at the broader context when talking about "scores".

 

[Nappuccino]

The controls aren't that bad.

Now, your health bar / armor bar / and information surrounding those bars? That's the game's greatest sin. Cannot tell you the number of times I just died because the game did nothing to inform me about health mid-combat.

 

[BeaconofTruth]

Rockstar games in general have bad game mechanics and are routinely apologized for it.

 

[Osu 16 Bit]

What do you mean the inability to continue missions upon death? It has checkpoints and they seem pretty generous to me. I am replaying the single player right now and every time I've died I've barely lost any progress, seems like most games.

 

[MillionIII]

Wrong, it feels great and it is part of the reason why millions still play it, how many people play Watch Dogs again?

 

[mingo]

Pretty much agreed with everything, controlling the plane and the helicoptor was the worse. This is why, IMO, one of the most overrated games ever made. Its a 6/10 game for me.

 

[Deleted member 8196]

I don't think a lot of people outside this forum will agree with you since the game sold over 100 million copies and GTA Online is one of the most popular MP with millions of players every day playing.

A game with awful mechanics ain't selling over 100 million copies.

 

[ConradCervantes]

Rockstar is bulletproof at this point, so they see no reason to improve something that they feel is good enough, even though public consensus of their gameplay mechanics is negative.

And since people are already using this argument, the fact that it has sold over 100 million copies doesn't negate the fact that the game controls like ass. A game can be two things concurrently.

 

[Doctor Avatar]

So does Red Dead - in which Arthur felt drunk as soon as he got up in the morning.

Rockstar games are not good because they play well tbh.

 

[Joris-truly]

That's why i wait for the PC version since GTA 3. On foot controls and manual aiming are fixed. Shooting even feels great.

Did the same with RDR2 after trying it on console and hating the controls. Their fine with m&k on PC.

 

[Windu]

Rockstar has never really excelled at that, usually average execution. The horse for example in Red Dead was far too realistic for its own good. Would have preferred a more arcade feel like Assassins Creed's horse.

 

[skeezx]

going back to GTAIII i don't recall any of the games ever playing well in this regard.

 

[80s Old School]

It feels like 10 years later and I feel the game's success kind of ruins your argument. You should preface this with "my opinion" Op because the evidence doesn't support it. Also why are you comparing Doom to GTAV? Clearly they are trying to do different things. I know this is typical Internet hyperbole, but I felt like responding today.

 

[Deleted member 224]

GTAV and Doom 2016 are going for two entirely different things.

One game was developed with presentation as the primary focus. The world and the detail within it, the biomes within that world, the intractability with the ai, the sheer amount of stuff you can do, the voice acting and cutscene quality.

The other game was designed with a heavy emphasis on gameplay being the primary focus. There aren't many characters in Doom, most of the enviornments are designed with platforming or combat in mind, there's barely any cutscenes, etc.

I feel like people don't realize that every developer must make trade offs when developing their games, and you'll find that open world titles often trade gameplay feel for the sheer scale of the game.

 

[NameUser]

GTAV came out in 2013. You have to look at the broader context when talking about "scores".

Click to shrink...

Even by 2013 standards, the gameplay was bad. I said it at the time, and it feel like such an unpopular opinion. I feel like the world makes everything tolerable.

 

[c0Zm1c]

Is it the PS4 version? I think there was a thread not too long ago demonstrating control response issues with that version that were never fixed.

 

[Mathieran]

Yeah it's one of the few games that I've played that just downright feels awful to control. And some of missions are an exercise in pure tedium.

 

[SP.]

The only thing I didn't like about the controls was shooting while driving. The rest you can pretty much rely on the lock-on and it's trivial.

 

[sado0og]

GTA san anderas is the only perfect game on this series...

 

[ryseing]

Wrong, it feels great and it is part of the reason why millions still play it, how many people play Watch Dogs again?

Click to shrink...

It's funny, because when I played the original WD in 2014, I thought to myself "I wish GTA played this smoothly".

WD1 still has A+ gameplay.

 

[R.T Straker]

I've heard this one over and over before I got to play the game myself with the PC version and those statements couldn't be further from the truth.

Everything from driving to combat was smooth and responsive.

The only thing that felt like clunky or slow is the FP mode which I didn't spend much time with.

 

[King Alamat]

I cosign everything the OP said, except for the driving physics. I actually think they're the best of any sandbox game with cars and though I miss the heaviness of the fourth game, GTA V would be a perfectly good arcade racer had the classes been balanced worth a damn.

 

[xxracerxx]

It's serviceable and not that much of a pain.

 

[astro]

Every time I've tried GTAV it's been the gameplay mechanics that have eventually made be put the game down and never come back.

Same for RDR2.

I don't enjoy their approach with these games.

 

[rusty chrome]

Yeah Rockstar's games used to be more fun. I loved San Andreas.

 

[MakgSnake]

I...disagree - For a GTA game, it has the best one - Game came out in 2013, keep that in mind too. For 2020 they might be dated but def not for 2013.

 

[Hamster Plugin]

If you are fine with playing in first person, turning on first person mode fixes most issues with the controls. It made RDR 2 and GTA 5 tolerable to play. Being able to strafe instead of having your character turn every time you want to move a little left/right makes a huge difference.

 

[baggage]

maybe not a huge amount of people, but a lot of people play FiveM wherein a lot of servers are highly modified, including handling, gunplay, pretty much everything, though, it's modified because it's definitely a bit iffy.

 

[Linus815]

lol, if GTA has horrible driving mechanics then, I dunno, all non driving open world games do, because sure as shit Watch dogs, Wildlands, Sleeping Dogs, Just Cause all feel like the driving is an afterthought compared to GTA games. Mafia is the only series thats comparable.

I've heard this one over and over before I got to play the game myself with the PC version and those statements couldn't be further from the truth.

Everything from driving to combat was smooth and responsive.

The only thing that felt like clunky or slow is the FP mode which I didn't spend much time with.

Click to shrink...

the game plays really well on PC indeed, 60 fps helps a lot with the aiming especially.

 

[KenobiLTS]

The ability to speak does not make intelligent.

 

[Replicant]

Dude this is every Rockstar game ever made. You eventually get used to the controls, but the clunky gameplay has always been Rockstar issues.

At least they fixed the car physics.

 

[itchi]

Pretty good for a game that is 7 years old.

 

[Dr. Doom]

What do you mean the inability to continue missions upon death? It has checkpoints and they seem pretty generous to me. I am replaying the single player right now and every time I've died I've barely lost any progress, seems like most games.

Click to shrink...

I've respawned to the hospital. Now I have to drive all the way to the shop, and then drive to the mission with my 'buddy', and then continue the mission again. Who the hell has time for this shit?

 

[DammitLloyd]

It's funny, because when I played the original WD in 2014, I thought to myself "I wish GTA played this smoothly".

WD1 still has A+ gameplay.

Click to shrink...

WD driving is garbage

 

[Linus815]

I've respawned to the hospital. Now I have to drive all the way to the shop, and then drive to the mission with my 'buddy', and then continue the mission again. Who the hell has time for this shit?

Click to shrink...

A lot of people apparently.
And also, again, missions have checkpoints. You don't respawn in a hospital if you die, that only happens in free roam.

 

[Dr. Doom]

It's funny, because when I played the original WD in 2014, I thought to myself "I wish GTA played this smoothly".

WD1 still has A+ gameplay.

Click to shrink...

My thoughts exactly. I actually enjoyed it more than GTA V for that reason.

 

[SP.]

It's funny, because when I played the original WD in 2014, I thought to myself "I wish GTA played this smoothly".

WD1 still has A+ gameplay.

Click to shrink...

Could not agree more. Watch Dogs was had a horrendous story but the gameplay was really well done. Put dozens of hours into it purely because it was just fun to play.