Summary
TheGrand Theft Autoseries has made a name for itself as a sandbox game full of destruction, and players won’t get to cause much destruction in the game without a wide range of weaponry. EveryGTAgame has featured a wide array of guns and other melee weapons to use in missions or in the open world. Some of these weapons can be bought, found, or given to the player as it is specific to a mission.
As such, all weapons inGTAhave a use. However, some weapons are far more practical or useful than others. Then there are the weapons that can be considered to be wholly impractical.
The idea of implementing a jerry can full of gas as a weapon inGTA 5was inspired. It allows the player to create a fire when standing far away, making it less likely that the police will suspect them of causing any damage. Also, igniting some gas that leads to a series of vehicles will cause a huge firebomb that very few NPCs will escape. Sadly, that is all this weapon is good for.
Choosing the jerry can as a regular weapon is going to lead to the player’s inevitable death in combat with the policeor other players online. The can is slow to activate, and it is likely to only take out one target at a time. It may be fun to set cars on fire for a bit, but when the police are alerted, players may want to swap for a more practical weapon.
A molotov cocktail can do a lot of damage very quickly. These throwable objects will explode and set alight anything in the vicinity. As all players know, these weapons are great for crowd control and dispatching large groups of vehicles at once. What lets the molotov cocktail down is its throwing arc.
A player can only throw one ofthese weapons so far inGTA 4, and the fire spreads so quickly that it is likely to catch up to the player and cause some damage to them too. To use one of these projectiles effectively, players must be facing in the correct direction and not be taking a lot of gunfire from other players or NPCs.
Most players would assume a firearm of any description would come in useful in the very firstGTAgame. These pistols can be found by the player when smashing open crates in the open world. Unfortunately, the top-down view in this early entry into the franchise makes the pistol less practical than it needs to be.
Trying to aim one of these pistols inGTA 1is awkward, and players are likely to go down before they can fire off a successful shot. Guns are a staple of the GTA series, but they had a long way to go after this first installment. Players are better off using a car to dispatch their enemies in this game.
Picking up and using a chainsaw inGTA: Vice Cityis some of the most fun a player can have in the series. This weapon can take out any NPC in one hit, as a shower of blood rains the streets and even splashes the screen. However, anyone who uses this weapon had better be prepared to run.
The chainsaw is a cumbersome weapon that prevents the player from moving quickly and does not make them bulletproof. This means that the chainsaw is fine for a few quick kills, but will become impractical as soon as the police show up. It isn’t even great for tearing apart vehicles.
The country rifle inGTA: San Andreasis a useful tool in the right circumstances. Players will find plenty of ammo for the weaponin the open world, and the automatic aiming in the game means the gun will rarely miss. The long barrel on the weapon also means it has a good range.
Sadly, that is one of the reasons the country rifle is so impractical. It is a long-range weapon that fires one round at a time, but it has no scope. The inclusion of a scope would make this weapon function as a miniature sniper rifle. However, the weapon remains stuck as another impractical weapon to use in a firefight.
Bringing theGTAseries into the third dimension was a huge step in making guns a viable option in the game. However, the first weapon that players will be given inGTA3is most likely going to be the bat. This melee weapon quickly shows its worth as it is a much more powerful option than the players fists, and does considerable damage to cars.
The bat may serve a purpose in the very early parts ofGTA 3, but it is quickly outclassed as soon as guns are introduced. Any player still wielding a bat by this point in the story is likely to be gunned down before they even land a hit on the enemy. As such, the bat becomes highly impractical for a serious playthrough ofGTA 3.
The firework launcher inGTA 5is a fun gimmick to use. The weapon will take out an NPC or other players in one hit and can even explode vehicles in a burst of lights and colors. But that is all the weapon can do.
The lack of ammo makes this weapon completely impracticalto keep on hand, and there are many more powerful options at the players' disposal. An RPG or shotgun will carry the player through combat much more effectively, and they are easier to obtain. However, it is more fun to fire this weapon into the air to see the results.
