WithGrand Theft Auto 6in development, fans of the series are eager to discover what the upcoming sequel will entail. Rockstar likes to experiment with each of its titles to see what the fans enjoy the most, and the evolution seen throughout theGrand Theft Autoseries is proof of this. There is currently very little information regarding the title available, leaving fans to speculate about how the story and the gameplay will function.
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Grand Theft Auto 5was the first installment in the series toincorporate multiple playable protagonistsinto the game’s plot. This feature enhanced the overall story, but if Rockstar chooses to return to its roots by utilizing only one protagonist for the game’s entirety, many improvements could be made.
8A Deeper Backstory
Grand Theft Auto 5’s approach in conveying its story was to divide it among the three characters of Franklin, Michael, and Trevor. This allowed fans to uncover the history of three separate, but connected, individuals by allowing them to experience the plot from their perspective.
Though each story was detailed and engaging, it is difficult to deny the limitations of this storytelling method. A single protagonist would allow for the creation of a deeper character with a more expansive background, which could allow for the character to become more endearing.
7A Single Personality
Grand Theft Auto 5gave its three primary protagonistsshockingly different personalitiesand, surprisingly, it worked wonders for the game’s story. Unfortunately, the binary between these personalities can often become jarring when players are forced to repeatedly switch characters.
IfGrand Theft Auto 6were to abandon the idea of multiple protagonists, it could focus primarily on one character. Switching between multiple characters with vastly different personalities can result in an uneven story for players, so one definitive demeanor would offer a more consistent experience.
6Smoother Pacing
Grand Theft Auto 5’s story starts slowly while the gameintroduces its main characters, but once the three stories intertwine, the pacing begins to flow more naturally. Though the pacing picks up as the story progresses, the opening drags considerably.
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The plot ofGrand Theft Auto 5requires the player to regularly switch between each of the main protagonists to advance the story, but doing so disrupts the pacing. If its sequel were to limit the player to one playable character, the narrative could progress more fluidly.
5No Character Switching
Though many games with multiple protagonists can offer immersive experiences, howGrand Theft Auto 5forces the player to constantly switch between its protagonists can often break a player’s immersion in the story.
There are many moments throughout the story where the player will betransported to a different locationto follow the story of another character. This mechanic limits the supposed freedom the game offers by restricting the player to a set path. This also goes for missions since the need to swap to other characters can hurt their flow.
4Special Abilities
The 2013 game introduces a series of special abilities unique to each character. Franklin and Michael can slow time while driving or engaging in combat, whileTrevor is near invinciblewith his ability to negate damage. To use these abilities, the player must switch to the character of their choice, a feature that quickly becomes monotonous.
If the next installment chose to use a single character as the primary protagonist, perhaps multiple powers could be attributed to them alone. It would be a shame ifGrand Theft Auto 6continued to confine this exciting ability behind a loading screen.
3The Lone Wolf Approach
Claude, the unspoken protagonist ofGrand Theft Auto 3, has become something of an icon due to his mysterious demeanor. Though he has several associates who assist him when he requires, for the most part, he works alone.
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The approach to creating a main character with only a few connections can benefit a narrative in multiple ways. The character’smotivation is often unclear, portraying them as unpredictable and erratic; with multiple protagonists, this unique method of storytelling is absent, rendering the plot predictable and the characters uninteresting.
2Higher Stakes
Though the ability to switch between characters inGrand Theft Auto 5is intended to be used as how it is described, players have found ways to exploit it to assist them in combat situations. Several missions permit the player to switch between characters whenever they feel the need to, but unfortunately, this feature can lessen the game’s challenge if overdone.
A scenario wherein a character is one bullet away from a game over can be quickly remedied by switching to an alternative character. This negates the level of difficulty seen in previous installments, but ifGrand Theft Auto 6were to feature a single protagonist, this flaw could be fixed.
1A Simple Story
With multiple characters at the helm of a narrative, the plot may become more convoluted than it intends to be. Trying to balance and link three separate stories throughout a game’s duration can prove to be an effective method of storytelling if done correctly but, oftentimes, renders the plot needlessly complicated.
A single protagonist would allow for a more straightforward story to be told, thus making the narrative easy to follow. By reverting to its single protagonist approach, developers at Rockstar could further improve their storytelling methods.
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