Red Dead Redemption 2 is Rockstar's most well-written game, and it would be wise if the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, GTA 6, took a great deal of inspiration from it. Although details about the upcoming GTA title are scant thus far, there is plenty of time to discuss and theorize on what the game will be like. Considering the strength of RDR 2's story, it's not unfair to hope for that sort of quality in the next Grand Theft Auto.
Very few leaks about the development of GTA 6 have come out, with most discussion of the title being speculation and wishful thinking on the part of fans. However, a recent news post from Rockstar confirmed GTA 6 is in development, exciting fans who had been waiting for such an announcement. There are still plenty of questions surrounding the sequel though, and with it having been almost a decade since Grand Theft Auto V first released, there's bound to be a lot of anticipation surrounding it.
The best thing that Rockstar could do in regards to GTA 6 would be to take some cues from Red Dead Redemption 2 when putting it together. With Arthur Morgan's adventure still highly acclaimed - potentially more than the GTA series, in some respects - there are definitely lessons to be learned from it. RDR2 was more realistic and serious in tone compared to GTA 5, and a similar approach could work wonders in GTA 6.
RDR 2's Arthur Morgan Is An Inspiration For GTA Protagonists
Arthur Morgan is an incredibly complex protagonist who balances criminal actions with innate decency, and that pushes him a level above the usual protagonists from the Grand Theft Auto series. While Arthur can be funny and lighthearted, the bulk of his characterization is spent on both his internal struggles as well as his attempts to keep the Van Der Linde gang intact and functioning. Arthur is better than any GTA protagonist to date because he is a very dynamic character, and virtually any action the player takes in-story feels in character for him as he sways between kindness and ruthlessness.
Arthur's complexity is something that Grand Theft Auto has struggled to create with its own protagonists. Grand Theft Auto 5 was probably the series' biggest experiment with it, but it arguably only worked with Franklin, who illustrated the biggest level of depth out of any of the game's protagonists. Michael and Trevor, by comparison, are more like caricatures, with the latter in particular seemingly reflective of the inane approach to gameplay many GTA players had taken in the series up until that title. Trevor's participation in GTA 5's controversial torture scene is the biggest example of this problem. While he may serve a point in reflecting the sandbox nature of the series, he's way less believable as a character than the figures Rockstar populated in Red Dead Redemption 2.
For Grand Theft Auto 6's protagonist, Rockstar should try to remember what made Arthur so likable. GTA 6 shouldn't copy him, of course, but he has several qualities that can serve as an inspiration. Creating a protagonist who has a personality outside of being a criminal, and has relationships that they try to keep would be a good first step. Injecting more personality into the main character is one of the best ways to make them memorable. From there, all Rockstar needs is a good story to tell.
GTA 6 Should Replicate RDR2's Immersive Open World
Red Dead Redemption 2's huge, Easter Egg-filled world has plenty for Arthur to explore and an equally impressive amount of things to do. Arthur could go into town and watch a magic lantern show, or place some bets in a game of poker or five-finger filet. He could travel across the countryside in search of landmarks and treasures, and he could even spend days camping and hunting in the wilderness. Arthur can even greet almost every random person he comes across in his travels. The sheer variety of things to do and people to meet makes Red Dead Redemption 2 feel like one of the most complete sandbox experiences in gaming.
In comparison, while Grand Theft Auto 5 delivered in terms of having a large world for players to run around in, it feels much emptier in comparison. The areas outside of the main city can feel barren with a lack of activities, even with several creative and random side missions available in GTA 5's less populated areas. There are certain parts of the map that feel pointless because it never feels like the player has a reason to go there. The region of Sandy Shores is a particular offender, as unless a mission takes the player there, there is almost nothing that gives the player reason to come back. The map could have definitely used more activities and fewer dead zones.
Grand Theft Auto 6 should do a better job of balancing a large game world with plenty of things to fill it with. Every area of the map should feel like it exists for a reason, and the player should always be able to find something to do no matter where they are in the world. Rockstar should try to address this while developing GTA 6.
GTA 6 Needs To Emulate Red Dead Redemption's Tone
Storytelling has always been a focus of the Grand Theft Auto games, but arguably not to the extent seen in Red Dead Redemption or Red Dead Redemption 2. Although details such as GTA 5's protagonists' sleep cycles matching their personalities exist in-game, the games tend to put their brand of edgy and satirical comedy ahead of everything else in the writing process. While this is something of a trademark for the series, it does have the downside of making the stories harder to get invested in. When seemingly every person in the game world is a jerk or complete fool, it's difficult to care about what happens. As a result, despite having a fairly long story with three ancillary characters, GTA 5 still mostly feels like a sandbox for players to cause chaos in rather than a setting for an adventure.
In contrast, Red Dead Redemption 2 has a more balanced tone with plenty of grounded and somber moments that balance out the intense gunfights and raids. Even so, it still manages to contain plenty of lighthearted moments, such as Arthur and Lenny's hilarious drunken night out in the mission "A Quiet Time". Mixing a variety of emotions into the story helps each of them pop more. For instance, A Quiet Time stands out as the comedic high point of the game because it's one of the few times that RDR2 does straight comedy for a full mission. However, with GTA 5 focusing on comedy almost all the time, the big jokes don't stand out as well.
Of course, this is not to say that GTA 6 should completely abandon the series' style. GTA has long focused on comedy, satire, and chaos first. However, with Rockstar already indicating that GTA 6 may be less edgy, this would be the perfect opportunity to weave a more complex and emotional story into one of the games.
GTA 6 is still a long way away, so there is a lot of time to see just what Rockstar decides to do with the game. GTA 5 was a seminal entry in the series, but RDR2 succeeded by taking a different approach completely. By taking a few lessons from Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar may be on track to being the best Grand Theft Auto to date.