The internet has been buzzing about all of the crazy storylines GTA VI will offer, its yet-to-be-announced heist mechanics, or how the dual-protagonist story will play out. The main campaign will deliver the explosive action and high-speed chases that fans have been waiting for over a decade now without question. However, I'm counting down the days for another reason: it's to put away my weapons (and disable the HUD if it lets me) and explore the world that Rockstar has built.
The massive open worlds of Rockstar aren't just pretty backdrops to fool players between missions like in most other games. The studio has a legacy of building worlds that are not only technical marvels, but also feel like they have a living population inside them. There are still small details and hidden mechanics that players are discovering all the way back in GTA IV thanks to slowing down and appreciating this chaotic universe.
However, it's with Red Dead Redemption 2 that Rockstar proved just how much detail it could cram into a game. NPCs don't care if the player interferes or not. Their stories play out in the background regardless. It's those exact moments that I am planning to not miss out on by rushing through the storyline.
Imagine that level of obsessive, microscopic polish being applied to GTA VI’s Leonida. I want to see street food vendors flipping burgers in real time and find out how they react to a nearby car crash. Will shadowing one of the hundreds of random NPCs on a street lead me to their workplace? How will the sound effects change once a thunderstorm passes by while out in the mountains? What will that same storm look like from under the water if I’m in the middle of scuba diving?
Almost every open-world game nowadays tries to grab my attention with constant checklists, pop-ups, and urgent map icons. Once again, it will be refreshing to just observe. There is an unmatched level of atmosphere that this studio is capable of building. Sure, there are plenty of things to do to pass the time, but I'm keen to find out if the world itself can become the star of the show.
When GTA VI is in my hands, the sports cars and romancing can wait. My first few hours are already reserved for taking a slow stroll through the streets admiring the art and creativity hiding in plain sight.
