We tuned in, our minds expecting a major leap forward for the GTA franchise from a very innovative way to show off the gameplay of a title that’s been a long time coming. We were delighted to see the episodic approach to the gameplay showcase, a sublime balance between something important to do and all of the things that can distract you on the way to get there.
We knew that the footage on display was from a PS5, but we couldn’t really believe it until the premiere drove the point home, the words flashing bold and proud to cap off an explosive look at a game that’s looking so darn good. It took us back to when we first saw GTA 5, and how far video games have come since then as far as graphics are concerned. Well, there is no better duo of titles to showcase that evolution than this pair of Rockstar’s finest.
Here are some of the biggest changes that GTA 6 is bringing to the table over its predecessor.
1. The Character Models
This is probably the first port of call for anybody looking to compare the graphics between a new behemoth and the one that ruled the scene before it. Franklin, Michael, and Trevor looked good for a trio of protagonists on the generation of gaming hardware that their adventure was staged with. Yes, their clothes were customizable, and there was a wide variety of authentic-looking stuff on offer. The facial animations were pretty good, although we now see how stiff they could be in comparison to what’s on offer today.
Jason and Lucia, on the other hand, are simply in a different class as far as how realistic they look goes. The seat glistens off either character’s brow in situations that demand a bit of tension, while the sun’s rays glance gently off their skin when they’re out and about in Leonidas. Their facial expressions are a mile ahead of what was a pretty solid benchmark before yesterday’s premiere, and this is an area where GTA 6 definitely feels like an evolution.
That goes for the NPCs as well, both the ones you interact with and the ones who populate the streets you roam when you’re in between missions. The people of Leonidas are a lively and very good-looking bunch.
2. Movement and Combat Animations
We’re going to wait until we test this all out for ourselves before we formulate a complete opinion, but we must admit that the movement both in and out of combat looks ever so smooth and refined. The opening firefight from the premiere was a great showcase of that, with the player being able to line up headshots ever so smoothly, while running, taking cover, aiming posture, weapon recoil, and how enemies react to gunfire are all looking quite authentic and polished.
That’s not to say that GTA 5 was a slouch in this area, but when you consider everything else that’s happening around you while you’re trading bullets with whatever new faction you happened to run afoul of, GTA 6 becomes a very impressive showcase of what a studio can do when it takes the time to realize its creative vision on its own terms. The animations for snapping to cover were especially nice to see in our opinion, and they seem to have ironed out the fairly mechanical ones from the previous game.
3. The Vehicles
This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise considering how other current-gen titles have brought a whole garage of vehicles to life across different genres of games. GTA 6’s cars and motorcycles were a prominent part of Leonida’s streets, and the new lighting and visual upgrades made them a highlight of the experience. Vehicles gather up a real sense of momentum, something that was quite evident in that early chase sequence, while the bodywork, paint, glass, and other materials on each car look and feel quite close to what you might see if you look outside at a busy street.
Rockstar has apparently had race car drivers help with crafting the controls on its cars, and we did see a few races in the reveal, so we’re expecting that the controls, and how they respond to your inputs on the road, are also going to be a step up from GTA 5. Once again, that’s not to diss what was on offer before, but you only have to see how a single crash has tangible effects on the cars involved to know what we’re talking about.
4. Lighting, Shadows, and Reflections
You’re probably not going to be surprised that ray tracing makes a world of difference in GTA 6 compared to the lack of it in the previous game. Leonidas is a bright, sunny, and aesthetically pleasing visual fiesta in the daylight where the sun shines brightly on everything you see, the shadows from its rays coming into contact with the city’s infrastructure falling oh so naturally onto the concrete where they move with precision alongside their sources.
Step into a building, and the interiors are already looking their best, with a seamless transition that’s clear to see thanks to how consistently it worked in the premiere. Of course, that might vary in the final game, but we’re erring on the side of optimism with this one.
People’s reflections, and those of things in the world around them, are constantly playing off reflective surfaces, making everything look very authentic and serving to embellish the art style that GTA 6 is going for. Its predecessor was certainly on the top of its game back in the day, but we have to say that as far as light and the way it interacts with the world is concerned, GTA 6 is an evolution of what the franchise has ever had to offer.
5. Water Physics and Rendering
We wish the premiere had shown off the waters around Leonidas a little more, but what was there to see is miles ahead of anything Rockstar has managed in GTA before it. The way the surface of the ocean ripples gently in the breeze, and the way waves interact so organically with the coast when they reach the end of their never-ceasing crescendo is spellbinding enough that we had to give the game’s water systems a section of their own.
GTA 5 might have been among the best games in the studio’s library of heavy hitters, but the crown has definitely been passed on to a worthy heir in this regard. The reflections we were talking about earlier are a major factor in making GTA 6’s water rendering look so authentic, and Leonidas is definitely a place where hitting the beach is going to be a regular part of our daily routine.
6. Volumetrics/Atmosphere
This one’s interesting, as GTA 6 does have an obvious edge, but there was so little to improve that the differences are merely owed to a more capable and modern platform in our opinion. The smoke from cigars rises up into the air before dissipating into the ether, while a fog settles over a dark alleyway that refuses to budge. Characters remained grounded in their environments, the world around them responding to their every move with a level of detail we’d call intricate.
It was a sight to behold and a true evolution of the strong presentation that was already on offer in GTA 5, where the city was always chugging along even as you caused mayhem within it. But GTA 6 is designed differently, with the world not just reacting, but remembering what you do in it, and to have such a level of authentic detail running alongside those complex systems is definitely an achievement, and perhaps the most important factor of comparison between the new heavyweight and the reigning franchise champion.
7. Environmental Detail and Density
Leonidas is a pretty place, with a lot of greenery around. You might think that every blade of grass, or every palm leaf, is a potential graphical hazard just waiting to introduce pop-in or poor textures, but that isn’t the case in GTA 6 from that glimpse we got of it. Materials such as metal surfaces, clothing, concrete, glass, and natural additions like plants and foliage are all presented so well, and with such detail that we were almost tempted to reach out and try touching them. The draw distance is great, and definitely ahead of anything the franchise has managed so far too.
This is probably a great place to mention the incredible hair rendering on display in the premiere, which was especially noticeable on a long-haired character who leans out of a window to fire at a pursuing vehicle. We’re quite curious to learn more about how the developers have managed to achieve what they have on that front.
We’d say that it’s a definite, and arguably very tangible, upgrade over GTA 5, which simply could not match what’s on offer here, hardware-related disadvantages aside. It’s also important to realize that the streets in GTA 6 are teeming with activity and are just dense, with signs, cables, stuff on the roads, buildings, and incidental objects making Leonidas feel packed to the brim with things to make it feel real, and make your time in it feel all the more memorable as a result.
8. Environmental Destruction
We watched Lucia hurl a molotov at a stolen vehicle to destroy evidence of her crimes, and kept a very sharp eye on the car itself as she walked away. We’re glad we did. The flames wrapped around it before going up in a blaze, pieces of glass and metal flying outward while the flames and smoke billowing from the scene danced around gently in the background.
Vehicle collisions came with tangible, authentic damage to both cars, their pristine looks somewhat marred by the laws of physics that GTA 6 seems to be taking quite seriously. We’re wondering how the game’s going to give us moments to make more of those Wasted gifs this time around, which was something GTA 5’s physics often felt very eager to provide. However, an improved level of authenticity in a game that’s supposed to feel like a life away from your real life never hurts now, does it?
9. World Interactivity
A world with a lot of stuff to see, but little to do isn’t going to cut it in a game like GTA 6, or any open world worth its salt for that matter, Thankfully, Leonidas is chick full of things to see, things to do, and activities to carry out, all of which tie in meaningfully to your characters and the story you’re building with them. Gyms, kayaking, scuba diving, basketball, races, and so much more are all on offer, each bringing interactions we see no reason to believe are not going to be as polished as what the premiere showcased.
Yeah, GTA 5 did have things to do as well, and a lot of variety, but Leonidas comes with a sort of energy that simply thrives on you going off the beaten path, emergent events just waiting to unfold in ways that you’re going to have to work hard to predict. Of course, we’re challenged to find a way it can manage to hold its own against its successor thanks to how the world’s constantly encouraging you to engage with it, and with the franchise’s signature chaos just waiting to unfold at the right moment.
10. Camera/Post-Processing
It might have been done for the premiere alone, but the motion blurring, depth of field, exposure changes, and camera responses to key moments felt like GTA 6 is going for a more cinematic style to presenting your adventure than the previous game. We’re hoping it’s the case in the entire game, and considering how consistent it was across the entire presentation, it’s likely that the new game is trying to get you way more involved in what’s unfolding than anything that’s come before it.
There seems to be an emphasis on cinematic angles in GTA 6 that favors closer angles and a more dynamic camera that’s not afraid to move around while letting the scene remain readable for players. Whether that’s going to be a part of the final game, and perhaps come with ways to customize things to our liking, remains to be seen, but it’s definitely an evolution of the camera work in GTA 5, which didn’t have that emphasis on presenting things like a movie.
GTA 5 did have its own tricks up its sleeve, but none of it was up to the standard of what the upcoming flagship title is apparently bringing to the table.
And that’s a wrap on some of the things that stood out to us as we were spellbound by the first good look at a game we’ve been talking about for years. Well, the reality’s beginning to sink in now, and we can’t wait for November and the day we join Jason and Lucia on an adventure for the ages.
