The long-awaited extended trailer of the highly anticipated “Grand Theft Auto VI” arrived and left on August 27, although it gave us the deepest look yet at the graphics, systems, gameplay, and setting of the title set to release on November 19, which gamers have been waiting for 13 years.
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It was a 26-minute video first premiered on Netflix, although hours later available on YouTube, captured on a PlayStation 5 where you can see police chases, nightclubs, and, of course, a more interactive system for car theft.
Also the systems that connect the protagonists of this title, Jason and Lucia, such as being able to send and respond to text messages during the story development, as well as the possibility to order the character you do not control to perform a maneuver during a chase or shootout.
But perhaps the true star of the video was the metropolis where everything happens, a twisted version of Miami called Vice City that we last saw almost two decades ago in “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories,” set in the 1980s.
This version comes to modern times, with a much more advanced, dynamic, and lively metropolis, which includes not only the city but also the surroundings of the state of Leonida, its version of Florida, which includes not only rural roads but also swamps.
It is also a much larger map than its predecessors, doubling the size of the already gigantic map of “Grand Theft Auto V,” according to statements from the developers.
More choices, more freedom
Rockstar Games seems keen on expanding the kaleidoscope of options available to players with “Grand Theft Auto VI,” allowing them greater freedom in directing the story of Jason and Lucia.
Perhaps the most surprising is the ability to avoid killing civilians and police in the game, by providing options such as using suppressive fire to distract law enforcement and give you a chance to escape, although it remains to be seen if a full playthrough without killing anyone will be possible, in the style of games like “Metal Gear Solid.” The decision to kill will also affect the characters’ reputation, between bloodthirsty criminals or clever white-collar thieves.
“We wanted to give players the option not to kill police or civilians while trying to escape. In other words, you can force them to stay where they are while you escape, but this also aligns with the story of how Jason and Lucia are trying to get away from the law,” said Rob Nelson, co-studio head at Rockstar Games, in an interview with Famitsu reproduced by Kotaku. “It wouldn’t be natural for the couple to stay there and get involved in a long shootout when they are not cornered or left with no other option but to shoot. You can shoot, of course, but that will affect your reputation, and the police are a tough opponent this time!”
This freedom even has implications for the relationship between Jason and Lucia, where you can tip the balance to make it a romantic relationship or neglect the relationship – ignoring text messages, activities together, and more – so it is simply a criminal partnership, as Nelson revealed in an interview with IGN.
“The plot is structured in such a way that the circumstances they find themselves in force them to stay together for most of the story and work as a team. At a minimum, they will get through most situations as accomplices,” he said.
