Highlights

  • Rockstar has built an impressive legacy with titles like Grand Theft Auto 3 and the Red Dead Redemption series.
  • The highly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer cements it as the biggest game in Rockstar's history.
  • While Grand Theft Auto 6 will have realistic mechanics and visuals, it will also maintain the series' signature surrealism and satire, which may be off-putting to Red Dead fans who enjoy a more serious tone.

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 of Grand Theft Auto 3 in 2001, and with every subsequent series entry, Rockstar only grows more impressive in the eyes of fans. Then there are games like Max Payne 3 and Bully, which both show just how versatile the studio can be. And with the release of the Red Dead Redemption series, Rockstar has seemingly proven that its titles aren't just excellent video games, but gigantic blockbuster events that can't be missed. And Grand Theft Auto 6 certainly looks to be another one of those.

After years of non-stop rumors, Rockstar has finally revealed Grand Theft Auto 6, dropping a debut trailer a few weeks ago. Though it only comes in at a minute and a half in length, the GTA 6 reveal trailer already 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 6 could end up paling in comparison to Red Dead Redemption 2 in one very specific way.

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Red Dead Redemption 2 Fans Might Be Let Down By One Big Aspect of GTA 6

Red Dead Redemption 2 Focused on Realism

When Red Dead Redemption 2 launched 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 2 raised that bar to never-before-seen heights, and its strict approach to realism quickly became one of its defining traits. From a technical standpoint, Red Dead Redemption 2 still 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.

But Red Dead Redemption 2's realism doesn't just encompass how the game looks, but how it feels as well. Along with weight movement and shooting animations, Red Dead 2 also 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 2 also 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 2 strove 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 on Red 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, seeing Red 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 6 might end up being a bit of a letdown. From a technical standpoint, Grand Theft Auto 6 will probably look and feel pretty realistic, likely directly carrying over most of Red 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 least GTA 5. GTA 6's visuals will also probably look even more realistic than Red Dead 2, at least if the reveal trailer is anything to go from.

However, one area that Grand Theft Auto 6 probably won't approach with realism is the game's tone. The GTA series has always been centered around surrealism, where realistic elements are juxtaposed directly with more bombastic, over-the-top satire, and Grand Theft Auto 6 will probably be no different. While Red Dead 2 strove for realism in its dialogue, characters, and narrative, it's more than likely that GTA 6 will 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 what Red Dead fans necessarily want anymore.