The day countless eager fans have been waiting for is finally here. Rockstar Games shared an in-depth look at Grand Theft Auto 6 on Netflix today, and it contained a ton of juicy details for gamers to pore over in the weeks ahead of the game’s November launch. While the previous two trailers for the game featured eye-popping footage of the beaches, nightclubs, and swamps in and around Vice City, today’s event provided our first official look at actual gameplay.
And judging from what we’ve just seen, there’s no shortage of things to see and do in Rockstar’s latest open-world crime epic.
Much of the Netflix reveal focused on the criminal aspects of the game, showing snippets of a drug deal gone wrong, Jason and Lucia knocking over a grocery store, and too many instances of vehicle theft to count. Later, while waiting for a mysterious Spanish-speaking man, the two banter over which of the two of them is the better criminal. But it’s no time for chit-chat: soon Jason is using a machine gun to take out a police SUV, cruiser, and even a helicopter as Lucia steps on the gas and finds a dank alley for the trio to hide in. Later, the duo get into a shootout after a lavish rooftop cocktail party goes pear-shaped.
Still, there’s no shortage of more chilled out things to do in GTA 6, like riding scooters, lounging at the beach, racing sports cars, dirt biking, and even a little urban skydiving.
In an Aug. 26 feature from Dazed, we learned that GTA 6 will allow your actions to alter Jason and Lucia’s appearance in pretty significant ways: “Food affects Jason and Lucia’s weight, while exercising visibly builds and tones their muscles. And, if you end up spending a long time away from your bed, on the run from police or on a multi-day bender, their features are going to pay the price for that as well.” Thanks to the Netflix preview, we got a clearer sense of how that will work, thanks to footage of Lucia working out and Jason swimming. Getting fit might be a tedious chore in real life, but you’ll get more immediate gratification here. Conversely, I’m sure there’ll be more than a few players who will do their darndest to make Jason and Lucia as thicc as possible for their playthroughs.
The Netflix special also includes a fascinating glimpse of Jason and Lucia’s apartment, with flamingo and palm print wallpaper and pink fairy lights. After helping Lucia pick her outfit for the evening, Jason grabs a drink from the fridge and spaces out in front of the TV, watching some commercials for antidepressants and revolting fast-food sandwiches.
Previous GTA 6 trailers have already highlighted the many oddball denizens of Vice City and its surroundings, and the Netflix showcase continued that trend, showing off glimpses of tough shirtless guys in Boobie’s crew, gals in bandana-print tube tops, friendly pit bulls, and men and women hard at work in their skivvies cooking up some drugs. Later, a disheveled older lady in a nightie takes a hammer to an old car. There’s a mix of svelte and portly men and women, and they all have immaculately rendered hair. At one point, we see Lucia and Jason getting questioned while in disguise — Jason is wearing a vivid yellow shirt with snakes on it, while Lucia wears a platinum blonde bob wig that’s enviably glossy.
But the developers say there’s more to the game’s NPCs than just another riff on the ubiquitous Florida Man memes. “It’s easy to go in with a cynical view and say, ‘Well that’s weird, put it in the game,’ but we couldn’t just stop there. We have to bring a sense of discovery to the players too, not just repeat cliches that already exist,” Rob Nelson, head of development and co-studio head at Rockstar North, told Dazed.
We’ll be able to savor all the silliness Vice City has to offer when GTA 6 launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X on Nov. 19.
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