They fill the world with activities, but there is no systematic connection/depth to it. You can do it for the "experience of doing it", but not much else. Same thing is with everything you do for your camp.
Now, not every game needs rpg mechanics...but this would be far more rewarding if systems like faction, reputation ( honor), side activities, economy and encounters/emergent gameplay were more interconnected, sort of Mount&Blade-esque system, to have a sense of world impact.
Similar to Bethesda: "freedom" means literally run in whatever direction, with no consequences to it.
There is linear..and then there is Rockstar design. You get mission fail/killed even for the most banal freeform attempt to play the game, like trying to flank your enemies. Their mission design is a straight line with invisible walls outside of doing anything game director exactly wants you to do. It completely clashes with all the level of detail they put into making the world seem believable.
how so? Rockstar games (that aren't GTA) have the best third person shooting.
Max Payne III: definitely, despite ( somewhat) clumsy player control/movement. Outside of this, absolutely no Rockstar game is even average. Clumsy aiming, cover system, barebones enemy AI and poor encounter design, lackluster weapons, rudimentary mechanics, ...MGSV, Uncharted 3+, Mass Effect 2+, Gears, Binary Domain, Resident Evil 4+, Icarus, Lost Planet 2, Mafia 3, Last of Us, etc, etc: all are drastically better. Saints Row games are only worse in comparison.
Driving/riding is great from Rockstar, but combat is inferior to nearly every "AAA" title.