When determining the quality of an open-world game, the concept of "openness" is key, but it can vary based on the game’s setting. A long-standing issue I had with Cyberpunk 2077 was its fake buildings in Night City, and as we look toward the release of GTA 6, I’m hoping Rockstar can set the record straight. U4GM's modded gta buy accounts provide players with an advantage during heists and are both legal and secure. Use coupon code "allen" to get 5% off at U4GM.
Urban vs. Rural Open-World Games
In rural open-world games like Breath of the Wild or The Witcher 3, freedom is found in the vast expanses of natural landscapes—plains, forests, and mountains. These games reward exploration and offer quests that arise unexpectedly. However, the calculus changes when the open world is set in an urban environment. Here, the freedom to explore is often defined by the streets and buildings. The real question becomes: Can players enter these buildings? Increasingly, this has become a make-or-break issue for me.
The Evolution of GTA’s Open-World Design
As the GTA series progressed, it got better at opening up its urban world. GTA Vice City was relatively limited, with only essential buildings accessible for missions. By GTA 5, Rockstar expanded the accessible interiors significantly, offering everything from shops and restaurants to gyms, underground tunnels, and other buildings that were fun to explore. This level of detail made GTA 5 a rich experience.
Rockstar refined this approach in Red Dead Redemption 2, a game set in a less densely populated world but still brimming with depth and detail. From saloons to movie theaters, Red Dead offered many places to visit and interact with. As GTA 6 nears its release, my greatest desire is for an even more expansive world—one with more buildings to enter and investigate.
The Challenge of Designing Urban Open-World Games
Urban open-world games are less common than rural ones, though titles like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Tears of the Kingdom, and Horizon Forbidden West feature towns and villages, most of the gameplay happens in vast open spaces like plains, forests, and mountains. While designing these expansive, natural worlds isn't easy, rural environments don't require the level of intricate design that urban settings do. A building needs detailed level design, down to individual rooms and objects, while players can relate to an open field at a broader level.
When urban open-world games fail to provide accessible interiors, it can significantly detract from the overall experience. Players can forgive a boring field, but a lack of building access in an urban environment hampers the exploration experience. This was one of my biggest issues with Cyberpunk 2077 at launch. Despite improvements in Phantom Liberty, the game still failed to address the problem of many inaccessible buildings. Eventually, I gave up and focused solely on the main quests.
Looking Ahead to GTA 6
With GTA 6 approaching, I'm hopeful that Rockstar can deliver where Cyberpunk 2077 failed. The initial trailer of GTA 6 already shows an exciting version of Vice City that looks packed with content. The game promises to be as dense as it is expansive, offering a city full of accessible buildings and areas to explore. While GTA 6 doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, it needs to deliver the key to the city, unlocking a truly immersive and accessible open-world experience.
In conclusion, the open-world formula for urban games is complex, but accessible buildings are crucial to keeping players engaged. I’m optimistic that GTA 6 will deliver on this front and make urban exploration as rewarding as its rural counterparts.
