10 Things Red Dead Redemption 2 Must Learn From GTA V

2. How Not To Do A Fighting System

For all the things GTA does right, it's never had a very reliable or weighty melee system. Considering the worlds Rockstar have created in both the original Red Dead and both GTA's IV and V with their 'RAGE Engine', we're yet to be able to utilise all the surroundings in any meaningful way. The soon to be re-released Sleeping Dogs from last year saw specific contextual prompts pop up when you were able to introduce an enemy's head to everything from window panes to telephone boxes, but Rockstar have never been able to implement a close-quarters fighting system that gave you a fun alternative to all the gunplay. Any who have played either of the GTAs since part three or Red Dead will attest to the fact that if you run out of ammo, you might as well just give up. All attempts to take on an enemy up close always end up as the same awkward flailing animations as you half skate your way around them, jabbing at thin air and feeling like punches land with the impact of a feather pillow. In GTA V it's rare that you'll have to take on enemies with your fists, but it stands to reason that with Red Dead's sensibilities and setting, we'd love to have a perfectly realised bar-room brawl or other interior-based showdown. Give us the ability to bust some heads on piano keys and pick up any object in the environment as a weapon. All the work has already been done in making sure everything can react separately anyway, so why not up the physics-based mayhem?