The amount of things that have happened in our lives since the last Grand Theft Auto game could fill an encyclopedia. People having their mitzvahs, both bar and bat, this year were only just born when the last game dropped. And while I certainly would have enjoyed the jokes about getting such-and-such before GTA VI forever, eventually the game has to come out. Ahead of the November launch of the game, Rockstar released an extended, almost-30-minute gameplay preview. First on Netflix but later tonight on YouTube. Two things are true: It’s the best looking graphics we’ve maybe ever seen, and it doesn’t look like any of the basics of GTA have changed.
In the GTA VI footage, we see several scenes and set pieces for our protagonist couple. Jason Duval is a former Army soldier who now works for drug runners in Vice City, and Lucia Caminos, an ex-con an former freedom fighter from Liberty City. Between the two, we learn of a citywide conspiracy of corruption and criminality. The opening salvo of the footage shows Jason and Lucia going into a drug den to pick up a package for someone named Boobie and ultimately having to shoot their way out when the cops show up.
As you’d expect, this scene, like most we see in the footage, is intensely violent. Headshots aplenty and a body count in the high dozens. But as we continue the footage, we see it’s kind of all as you’d expect. The game footage—captured on a base level PS5—looks incredible. The graphical fidelity, the lighting, the scenery, the car physics. The performance capture and voice acting—you can hear both Stephen Root and Bobby Moynihan—are all top notch. That said, in 13 years, we haven’t advanced beyond basic cover shooting and car chases?
For some, it’s possible the incredible visuals and story might be enough, but I’ll personally need to see that people say after playing the whole thing before dropping $79.99.
Grand Theft Auto VI drops on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X on November 19.