GTA 6: 10 Specific Lessons It Must Learn From Recent Games
9. Smaller Focused Maps Beat Large, Empty Spaces
This is a point that GTA as a series already seems to pioneer pretty well, but is one worth mentioning when we consider some recent releases.
Bigger is not always better.
Rockstar maps, especially in more recent years, have been large and expansive, but have made sure that there’s always something to do that makes travelling worthwhile. GTA has winding streets and long highways that are perfect for shaking cops or taking them on high-speed pursuits. Red Dead 2 was full of random encounters that enriched the travelling experience.
We’ve seen games crop up since GTAV, however, that have assumed a big map is all that they need to be a success. Games such as Fuel, The Crew and the Xenoblade Chronicle series have proven that large, empty spaces are no fun and become a hindrance to gameplay, as opposed to a benefit.
Obsidion’s phenomenal The Outer Worlds proved that smaller maps that are full of exciting and engaging experiences can be far more rewarding than their oversized counterparts.
GTAVI will undoubtedly have a substantially sized map, especially given that it’ll be a next-gen release, but let’s hope they keep up the good work seen in their previous titles and don’t fall into the same lazy tropes as the games mentioned above.