Missed Melee Combat Opportunity in GTA V
*Disclaimer: Not Copium* Rockstar's Missed Opportunity for melee combat
GTA V's melee combat was mid.
Hear me out!One feature I really think GTA V should've brought back from GTA: San Andreas is gyms where V could learn different fighting styles.
Quick refresher:
San Andreas had three gyms, each teaching a unique martial art:
Boxing- (Ganton Gym, Los Santos)
Kung Fu / Karate- (Cobra Martial Arts Gym, San Fierro)
Kickboxing- (Below the Belt Gym, Las Venturas)
On top of that, a small number of NPCs throughout each city actually used those fighting styles. It wasn't a huge feature, but it made the world feel more alive and gave each region a little more identity.
Since San Fierro and Las Venturas weren't in GTA V, Rockstar could've assigned specific fighting styles to different factions instead.
Triads could've had Kung/Karate
Military, FIB, NOOSE, and Merryweather could've had Kickboxing
Street Gangs & Syndicates could've had Boxing or Kickboxing depending on their affiliation etc.
It would've added another layer of immersion to both Story Mode and GTA Online. Imagine getting caught off guard because an NPC suddenly throws a spinning heel kick instead of the standard punches. It'd be unexpected, hilarious, and make encounters feel much less repetitive.
It also would've made crews in GTA Online far more interesting. You just know some crews would've required members to train a specific fighting style, giving crew brawls and the classic "1v1 me" challenges a lot more personality and weight.
Not asking for Sleeping Dogs-level melee combat. But if Rockstar combined multiple fighting styles with the brutality of Red Dead Redemption and Manhunt melee system with a touch of environmental interactions, melee combat in GTA VI could be genuinely fun instead of just something you occasionally use.
Knocking people out with the flashlight in V was funny, now imagine if they brought the plastic bag back from Manhunt.
It ain't much, but that's my 2 cents.