Grand Theft Auto VI’s big first-look trailer is hitting me with some deja vu. Back when Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes dropped its first trailer, my brain had to do a double take as the animations and lighting made me think I was looking at live action for a split second. GTA 6 is doing the same thing for me, and it’s all thanks to the NPCs, which display a serious upgrade in their animation and lifelike movements.
With nearly 80 million views at the time of this writing, Grand Theft Auto VI’s first trailer is threatening to unseat Grand Theft Auto V’s reveal trailer in plays (which currently sits at just under 100 million and went live 12 years ago). And it’s for good reason: The game has not only been highly anticipated for years, but its visual flair shows a dramatic improvement over the last installment, particularly where it concerns the people living in Vice City.
So let’s dive into examples from the trailer that show off the vibrant cast of oddballs who are making Leonida feel like a worthy setting for one of the most anticipated games of all time.
Life is a beach
Around 20 seconds into the trailer, we get a quick shot of a beach scene, with folks sunbathing, having a jog, and just chillin’ under the sun in Vice City (there’s also a cute little dog running toward the camera).
Everything—from the walking and running animations to the sheer density of people—immediately sells the vibe of a crowded beach. You can also see someone to the left getting sunscreen sprayed on them, with their skin actually looking wet in comparison to other people.
Close-up handshake
Not only is the handshake here very lifelike, but pay close attention to the eyes under the sunglasses of the person facing the camera, as well as the slow drop of their lip as their facial expression changes. Even their necklace has a distinctly natural movement to it.
Hopefully, this level of subtlety will be the standard during dialogue scenes across the game.
Bikini lady sure has some nice hair
It’s not so just the movement of hair that stands out to me here, but also the level of detail in the mixture of long hair and braids on the side of her hair.
Also, note how the lady in the red swimsuit naturally looks over at the subject of our shot here while some folks in the background naturally move about while having a conversation.
Dadbod guy’s got some moves
This is another great example of very true-to-life animations, but take note of the facial expressions here. It’s subtle, but note how the lady in the white bikini’s face has such a clear expression. Even from a distance, there’s a sense of liveliness here.
Have a Vice day
Yes, the jiggle looks particularly fluid here. But it’s the other “ambient” NPCs here that stand out to me. The way the hair from two of the characters here blows in the wind has a very lifelike movement to it (especially for the lady on top of the car who briefly has part of her hair cover the front of her face). The driver also moves in a realistic way. He’s not merely glued to that seat, staring ahead into nothing.
Thrillbilly Mud Club
Once again, the NPCs on display here have an impressive amount of facial expressions. The movement of the two guys behind the front subject here also move in a natural way while turning to face the camera . Pay attention to how the guy with the backwards cap actually sort of looks over the main subject here, as if he wants to make sure he’s not missed in the shot.
Scenes from daily life in Vice City
There are a few scenes in the trailer that simply feature folks going about their lives in Vice City. In all of these, the density of people, unique animations for specific individuals, lifelike movements, stances, and activities each of the NPCs demonstrate really help sell the sense that Leonida is a real place with actual people going about their business.
And that wraps some of the NPC scenes that stood out the most to us. Which moments from the trailer looked particularly impressive to you?
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