The biggest look yet at Grand Theft Auto VI has arrived in print. Edge magazine's new special edition devotes a 16-page cover story to the game following a visit to Rockstar's Edinburgh headquarters, complete with more than ten new screenshots of Jason, Lucia and the state of Leonida.
Many of the screenshots show Jason and Lucia in new outfits, while several others reveal Leonida locations that have not been seen before. The feature is an extensive interview rather than a hands-on session, and it digs into how the open world, its people and its police are being built to react to the player.
What follows is the full rundown of what the cover story reveals, from the map itself to the systems tracking how Jason and Lucia behave. The Edge special edition carrying the GTA 6 feature is out now digitally, and this is the clearest picture yet of what that world will ask of players.
A Bigger, Denser Leonida
Leonida nearly matches the combined playable areas of GTA 4, GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2
Considerably more indoor locations than in previous Grand Theft Auto games
Fully functioning bus and train networks that both Jason and Lucia can use
A day and night cycle significantly longer than the one in GTA 5
Narrower streets and highways, designed for a more realistic feel
A densely populated world, with activity and detail packed across the map
Rockstar's head of development still encounters areas he has never seen, even after years on the game
Separate teams built out the fictional brands, billboards, radio commercials, television programming, pedestrians and political campaigns
NPCs That React To You
Rockstar set up an entire studio dedicated to the game's non-player characters
NPC behaviour takes into account temperament, aggression, location, what they have witnessed and how the player treats them
Pedestrians behave differently by district, and some are more willing to confront the player instead of immediately fleeing
Simply walking around with a shotgun can alarm nearby pedestrians, even if it is never aimed at anyone
A gun resting over the shoulder may draw less concern than one held in the hands, though some people may still challenge the player
Players can drop a weapon, and certain situations allow some leeway before a wanted level triggers
Characters show different levels of disgust depending on their environment — in one example, Jason recoils after entering a house that a dog has trashed
Encounters stay unpredictable: a robbery victim might fight back, a shopper could intervene during a gas station holdup, or other drivers could challenge the player to a street race mid-escape
Crime, Police And The Criminal Profile
Police K9 units take part in pursuits, with dogs joining the chase
A more detailed heat system has police tracking information about the player's location, clothing and accomplices
Some drivers resist carjackings, and some motorists carry weapons and will fight back
Certain cars carry tracking devices, adding another complication to stealing them
The Criminal Profile system places the player on a scale from Professional to Irredeemable, represented by angel and devil icons
Players can incapacitate enemies, or try threats and intimidation, before turning to lethal force
The Criminal Profile can influence how Jason and Lucia's story develops
Robberies and escapes are designed to feel less predictable, with bystanders capable of disrupting the plan
Jason, Lucia And Their Bond
Players can switch between Jason and Lucia, similar to the character-switching system in GTA 5
Unlike the GTA 5 protagonists, Jason and Lucia begin with a shared emotional history
Their closeness is tracked across four levels and grows as they spend more time together
Players can influence their relationship and their criminal behaviour, while the partnership stays central to the story
Whether their criminal lifestyle is worth continuing is a major narrative theme
Red Dead Redemption 2 had a substantial impact on GTA 6's storytelling, and work on the two games overlapped for several years
Rockstar traces its approach to a more interactive open world back to at least 2015, and settled on the Bonnie and Clyde-style pairing after finishing Red Dead Redemption 2
Vehicles, Services And Buffs
Scooter Bros delivers the player's personal vehicles, including weapons stored in the trunk
Refuelling is fast and a full tank lasts a long time, and even low fuel leaves some room to keep travelling
The WAINK app lets players locate specific vehicles sought by criminal fences, with the vehicle's condition affecting how much money is received
Coffee boosts stamina, while protein shakes provide a health buff
With the launch now weeks away, the cover story frames GTA 6 as a game less about scripted set pieces and more about a world that pushes back. How much of that survives contact with millions of players is the November 19 question.
Source: Edge / GamesRadar
