To say Rockstar had a lot to live up to with its Extended Look at Grand Theft Auto 6 would be an understatement. But after nearly 27 minutes, we came away suitably impressed with Vice City, Leonida, and the exploits of Lucia, Jason and the rest of the insane cast. Beyond showcasing all kinds of different activities and some gorgeous sights, it also highlighted several new systems in play.
Let’s delve into 25 insane details you probably missed from the Extended Look, and how they impact the gameplay in several notable ways, starting with…
Talking Heads
Whatever may happen between Lucia and Jason, you can’t deny that they’re a well-oiled machine when working together. During combat, Jason will call out for her to move up, and they’ll remain communicative throughout, even during what seem to be unscripted moments. It adds to their personalities and their overall dynamic in the best ways.
Environmental Destruction
Another great detail is how glass and furniture react during battles. Shards spray forth if an enemy shoots a window near you. Tables are overturned, and even desktop monitors fall over from the impact of bullets. It helps the environments feel more like actual living spaces rather than movie sets.
More Natural Cover Animations
The cover system remains as impeccable as ever, perhaps even more so than in Grand Theft Auto 5. Besides animations more cleanly distinguishing between different heights of cover, characters will position themselves behind pillars and boxes differently depending on the circumstances. The transitions are also very clean, further adding to the smoothness of gunplay.
Slow-Mo Kill Effect
Another noteworthy element that popped up more than once in gun fights – a slow-motion effect that triggers on killing enemies. It seemed to signify the end of a battle in the first mission, but we see it appear again when Jason is conducting a security sweep against a rival gang, even with hostiles remaining. Maybe it’s just a stylish flourish to emphasize the brutality of some shots.
Six Stars
The six-star Wanted system is back and better than ever, especially because of how the police act at higher levels. If you notice the icons beneath the gauge, they indicate details that they’ll look out for when searching for you, including the number of people they’re pursuing, their clothes and their vehicle. It’s a strong evolution of what we’ve seen before and makes sense considering the more grounded nature of GTA 6.
I’ll Shoot, You Drive
One of the more humorous sections sees Lucia and Jason meeting up with Raul…who just committed a robbery and needs them to act as getaway drivers. One of them at least; the other, in this case Jason, moves to the back of the car to take aim and dispatch pursuing cop cars. But it’s confirmation that the person doing the shooting doesn’t have to hang out in front.
Reversing the Roles
In the same vein, we see the player driving as Jason and seamlessly swapping to Lucia, who takes aim at pursuing vehicles. Essentially, driving and shooting isn’t tied to a single character, and each can watch the other’s back by any means necessary (assuming your skills are up to snuff, of course).
Backyard Wrestling
An underrated part of the Extended Look confirming what seemed unlikely but feels like a natural fit: Backyard wrestling, complete with a horrible, run-down ring. While I’m not sure that Rockstar would crib WWE 2K’s wrestling mechanics wholesale, it would be pretty cool if there were actual backyard matches, complete with meager crowds cheering on the madness.
Basketball
We’ve speculated that it was the case for a long time, and the Extended Look officially confirmed it: You can play basketball. Well, you can shoot some hoops at Jason’s crib, to be more specific. The real question is whether you can partake in some pickup games with other NPCs (and go guns-blazing if you lose)
Underwater Exploration
Besides operating an airboat through a swamp, a snippet of underwater exploration is shown. The player has scuba gear and an O2 meter in the top right. Manta rays and other fish serenely pass by, and the environment seems much more developed than GTA 5. What secrets could underwater locations hold? How extensive will they be? We probably won’t know without diving in head-first, but it’s enticing all the same.
Track Racing
Different kinds of races abound throughout Leonida, and while the street racing takes us through Vice City at night in style, what’s more interesting is that there are now proper tracks. Whether it’s in race cars or dirt bikes, these feel much more professional compared to the more chaotic barreling through streets.
Potential Honor System
Near the beginning of the pick-up mission, before things go sideways, Jason can interact with a dog in the hallway. There are options to pet, scold (if you’re a fiend) and study it. But if you pet it, an icon pops up on the right. Perhaps contributing to the new Criminal Profile system? Or maybe it’s a seal of approval from Lucia?
Jason’s Special Ability
During the closing parts of the Extended Look, we saw Jason getting his hands dirty to clear out a hostile crew. And at one point, it seemed to include activating a variation of Red Dead Redemption 2’s Dead Eye system. While kill zones were highlighted in red, areas that dealt non-lethal damage (which is indeed a thing) were highlighted in yellow. So on top of shooting an enemy in the knees or arms to incapacitate them, you can straight up shoot their hands to disarm them.
Stranger Danger
In this same mission, we see a unique example of the dual protagonist system and the expanded functionality of cellphones, when Lucia is texting Jason about the number of enemies. Naturally, it’s unnecessary, since he’s already begun to clean house and even radios the fools to let them know, but it could be just one instance of a character serving as recon while the other acts on that information as you switch back and forth.
One Mission, Two Types of Action
What’s also noteworthy about this is the different action tempos. While Jason is busy clearing out targets in the upper levels after things go awry, Lucia is attempting to escape and ends up in a desperate struggle (which culminates in a cliffhanger as she falls down an elevator shaft). It feels proper cinematic, and like they’re two distinct perspectives playing out.
Simultaneous Roles
Beyond this, there are several missions where Jason and Lucia have simultaneous roles. Robbing a diner is a great example, as is both pointing their guns at someone to steal his car. We can also see them robbing a convenience store, Lucia reloading her handgun while Jason slams someone’s head against the table.
Escape/Grapple Prompt When Knocked Down
In two separate instances, Lucia can be seen using a prompt to escape from a struggle. The first is more tugging back and forth, but the latter is far more desperate, as she plants a heel in her attacker’s face. Perhaps this is your bog-standard escape function in certain situations, but it is interesting to see the different contextual circumstances (and how they vary in terms of lethality).
The Weapon Wheel Returns
Blink, and you probably missed it, but at one point, the weapon wheel can briefly be seen. A dedicated slot for going unarmed, another for binoculars, but otherwise, it’s still the same eight slots that we’ve seen in GTA 5. Of course, you can also swap over to an items tab and equip different accessories, from a mask to hide your face to sunglasses and a cap for more face hiding.
More Detailed Minimap
Much like the Wanted system, you have to wonder just how much a game could improve on the minimap. On top of how GTA 6 is handling the former, it’s also made the latter feel far more layered with 3D-esque buildings and more clearly demarcated roads like freeways. Naturally, this ends up completely overshadowed by flashing blue and red when fleeing from the cops.
Shooting Police Car Tires
Fortunately, it seems disabling cop cars is much easier. When shooting their tires, they won’t just burst and stop the vehicle’s movement, but also cause it to lose control and overturn, flipping in the process. They may also swerve out of control, just like cars traveling at such high speeds in real life (sometimes). It should make challenging hordes of cops easier, though you probably shouldn’t get used to it.
Changing Vehicles to Fool the Cops
Remember that icon that denotes the vehicle that cops will be looking for if you’re wanted? As showcased in the gameplay, Lucia and Jason exit the car, set fire to it with a Molotov and then get inside a nondescript van to drive away. Just make sure not to leave anything (or anyone) inside.
Tuning In (and Maybe Fragging Out)
Just in case you thought Rockstar would abandon it in the transition from GTA 5 to 6, there’s an actual working television in Jason and Lucia’s apartment. You can sit down and watch for an extended period, but what also caught our attention is the familiar-looking controller to the bottom right of the screen, hinting at the ability to potentially play games within the game.
Brand-New Commercials
Of course, it wouldn’t be a new Grand Theft Auto without a new wave of commercials. From a “medicine” ad to another that seems to highlight the beauty of nature before taking a devious turn, they carry the series’ signature dark humor.
Weapon Icon Position Change
If you missed the placement of weapon icons during combat, good news – they’re now back in the top left, as last seen in Grand Theft Auto 4. Moving it away from where radio stations appear is a good move, and pretty much mirrors most third-person shooters from the past decade.
Stellar Motion Capture
In terms of attention to detail, what isn’t there to like about Grand Theft Auto 6? However, if there’s one thing that we had to pick, it would be the motion capture, which comes across so seamlessly that it might as well be real-life. You wouldn’t think that Rockstar could improve on what Red Dead Redemption 2 had to offer, but even outside of cutscenes and character interactions, the motion capture is top-notch.
