Summary
GTA 5did a lot of things right, but there was one area that could have used a bit more time in the oven: close-quarters melee combat.Grand Theft Auto 6is on the way now, with a 2025 release date. Hopefully, it will improve upon this aspect ofGTA 5’s combat, which some argue was actuallydone better inGTA 4.
It may be unreasonable to expectStreet Fighter-level fist-fighting mechanics in aGrand Theft Autogame, but it’s fair to want a close-combat system that is a bit more engaging than mashing a button to win. In some ways, this button-mashing combat is exactly whatGTA 5offers, which is particularly disappointing, not only because of the missed potential of a fully-fledged combat system but also because players have been able to enjoy better hand-to-hand combat in other games. Previous entries in theGTAseries have deeper combat options, andGTA-inspired games likeSleeping Dogsshow the potential of an open-world crime game with advanced fighting.
How GTA 6 Can Improve Upon GTA 5’s Melee Combat
The melee combat ofGTA 5isn’t bad by any means, and it can even be fairly enjoyable in several circumstances. However, from a mechanical standpoint, it is a step down from its predecessors. For instance,GTA 4offered more robust hand-to-hand combat, incorporating more dodges, grapples, and other special moves that enhance and expand the combat experience. Additionally, theNPCs inGTA 4are more detailedin their behaviors, performing the same moves as the player and thus encouraging different tactics. Hand-to-hand combat inGTA: San Andreasis also more complex than inGTA 5, as players can learn new moves from the gym throughout the game.
GTA 5, by comparison, is much more straightforward, only allowing players to punch and kick, for the most part. There is a dodge function, but it is never necessary, as spamming attacks almost always gets the job done. This simplicity is made all the more disappointing by the fact thatGTA 5features many unique melee weapons, such as hammers, machetes, and police batons, which could have deepened this aspect of the combat system. Thankfully,Grand Theft Auto 6has an opportunity to build on the series' melee foundations while remedying some of the issues found inGTA 5.
GTA 6’s Melee Combat Is a World of Potential
GTA 6has a lot of opportunitieswhen it comes to modernizing and deepening the gameplay of Rockstar’s flagship series. On the melee side of things,GTA 6could reintroduce the more methodical combat ofGTA 4and the expansive moveset ofGTA: San Andreas, while adding a few extra mechanics and options. At the same time, the game should focus on variety and challenge when it comes to close-quarters encounters. Some worthwhile additions to melee combat inGTA 6could include:
Whatever additions or tweaks come to melee combat inGTA 6, the game must prioritize engaging, meaningful gameplay. Rockstar games, despite all their clear strengths, have been criticized for lacking depth in their gameplay.GTA 6certainly looks great, but it could make strides in moment-to-moment gameplay alongside its strides in graphical fidelity and attention to detail. Melee combat, in the grand scheme of theGTAseries, is a small piece of the puzzle, overshadowed by narrative, exploration, and gunplay, but ifGrand Theft Auto 6can show commitment to improving this puzzle piece, it could mean great things for the game as a whole.
Grand Theft Auto 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Grand Theft Auto VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and beyond in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.
