Summary
Rockstar has built up quite an impressive legacy over the last two decades. Of course, while Rockstar worked on several games before then, it first became a real household name with the release ofGrand Theft Auto 3in 2001, and with every subsequent series entry, Rockstar only grows more impressive in the eyes of fans. Then there aregames likeMax Payne 3andBully, which both show just how versatile the studio can be. And with the release of theRed Dead Redemptionseries, Rockstar has seemingly proven that its titles aren’t just excellent video games, but gigantic blockbuster events that can’t be missed. AndGrand Theft Auto 6certainly looks to be another one of those.
After years of non-stop rumors, Rockstar has finally revealedGrand Theft Auto 6, dropping a debut trailer a few weeks ago. Though it only comes in at a minute and a half in length, theGTA 6reveal traileralready goes a long way in cementing this game as the biggest in Rockstar’s history. But while Rockstar is sure to knock it out of the park yet again,Grand Theft Auto 6could end up paling in comparison toRed Dead Redemption 2in one very specific way.
WhenRed Dead Redemption 2launched back in 2018, it broke new ground for realism in video games. While video game graphics have always gotten increasingly better over time,Red Dead Redemption 2raised that barto never-before-seen heights, and its strict approach to realism quickly became one of its defining traits. From a technical standpoint,Red Dead Redemption 2still looks impeccable, even half a decade later. Character and face models look incredibly life-like, character movement and death animations are equally detailed and realistic, and the game’s lighting and textures are still unparalleled in most games.
ButRed Dead Redemption 2’s realismdoesn’t just encompass how the game looks, but how it feels as well. Along with weight movement and shooting animations,Red Dead 2also delivers some heavy-feeling mechanics, such as slower movement speeds, weapon sway based on environmental factors, and some more deliberate-feeling horse controls than its predecessor.Red Dead 2also added some survival game mechanics such as the need to consume food to maintain stamina, and the need to adjust clothing types to comply with temperature changes.
Red Dead Redemption 2strove for realism, and in the process ended up splitting the fanbase a little. By far the most realistic game Rockstar has ever made, many fans weren’t too keen onRed Dead 2’s slower-paced gameplay. But for every fan that didn’t like slow-paced horse rides or slower movement speeds, there were another handful that did, seeingRed Dead Redemption 2’s realism as one of its best features.
Grand Theft Auto Has Always Been More Focused on Surrealism
But for those fans,Grand Theft Auto 6might end up being a bit of a letdown. From a technical standpoint,Grand Theft Auto 6will probably look and feel pretty realistic, likely directly carrying over most ofRed Dead Redemption 2’s mechanics and animations. Fans can probably expect some more realistic shooting, driving, flying, and movement mechanics, along with some weighty new animations, all of which will likely make the game feel more realistic than at leastGTA 5.GTA 6’s visuals will also probably look even more realistic thanRed Dead 2, at least if the reveal trailer is anything to go from.
However, one area thatGrand Theft Auto 6probably won’t approach with realism is the game’s tone. TheGTAseries has always been centered around surrealism, where realistic elements are juxtaposed directly with more bombastic, over-the-top satire, andGrand Theft Auto 6will probably be no different. WhileRed Dead 2strove for realism in its dialogue, characters, and narrative, it’s more than likely thatGTA 6will continue the series' pattern of putting a big emphasis on satire, tongue-in-cheek humor, and larger-than-life characters, and that might not be whatRed Deadfans necessarily want anymore.
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.
