When Grand Theft Auto V launched back in 2013, it didn’t just redefine open-world gaming — it set the gold standard for immersion, detail, and scale. Fifteen years later, Rockstar Games is poised to do it again with GTA 6 Money, and if the early screenshots and leaks are anything to go by, we’re on the verge of a generational leap unlike anything the series has seen before.

But how much has really changed? What does GTA 6 feel like compared to its predecessor? One dedicated Redditor, known as Noru1222, decided to find out by painstakingly recreating nineteen GTA 6 screenshots inside GTA 5 using a combination of mods like Visual V. The results are stunning — not because GTA 6 looks better (that was expected), but because these side-by-side shots highlight exactly how Rockstar’s technology, artistry, and attention to detail have evolved.

Let’s take a deep dive into these comparisons and explore what they reveal about the future of Vice City — and the next era of open-world storytelling.

Lighting: The Soul of the Scene

The first thing that hits you when comparing the two games is the lighting. It’s not just brighter or sharper — it’s alive.

In one shot, a character nicknamed Brian hands over a brick of cocaine to what appears to be Jason, one of GTA 6’s rumored protagonists. The GTA 5 recreation captures the pose, the background, even the color palette. But where GTA 5’s lighting feels static — a simple source casting highlights and shadows — GTA 6’s version glows with cinematic intensity. Neon reflections bounce off skin, light diffuses through haze, and shadows curve naturally across textured surfaces.

It’s a leap from “pretty” to “photorealistic,” powered by Rockstar’s next-gen rendering engine. Every GTA since Vice City has captured the vibe of its era. GTA 6 seems ready to capture reality itself.

Textures, Faces, and Humanity

Another striking upgrade lies in character textures and facial detail. The side-by-side comparisons show faces that are almost unrecognizable as belonging to the same series. GTA 5’s models — impressive for their time — now look plasticky, with simple skin tones and rigid expressions. In GTA 6, pores, wrinkles, tattoos, and even the subtle stretch of skin are visible.

The hunters in one image embody this evolution perfectly. GTA 5’s rugged outdoorsmen look like game NPCs from another era. But in GTA 6, their counterparts exude individuality — muddy boots, weathered faces, and varying body types that hint at a far more organic NPC system. You can practically feel the Florida humidity clinging to their clothes.

It’s clear Rockstar isn’t just upgrading graphics. It’s giving every character, no matter how minor, a touch of humanity.

Environmental Density: A Living World

GTA 5’s Los Santos was revolutionary in its scale — but even its biggest fans admit the city could feel static at times. NPCs followed predictable routines. Cars moved along simple paths. The world, for all its size, lacked the illusion of spontaneity.

That’s changing in GTA 6.

In the boating and motorcycle scenes recreated by Noru1222, the contrast is obvious. In GTA 5, the water is calm, the NPCs are posed, and every detail feels placed. In GTA 6, chaos reigns beautifully. Boats drift, people socialize, and the waves react dynamically to motion. The same goes for highways filled with bikers or pedestrians walking in clumps — there’s rhythm, randomness, and life.

Even more telling are the city scenes. You can spot street signs, littered sidewalks, illuminated interiors, and active storefronts. It’s not just a map — it’s a breathing ecosystem.

Water, Weather, and the Next Generation of Realism

One of the most jaw-dropping differences appears in the water physics. GTA 5’s oceans were impressive for 2013, but relatively flat by modern standards. In GTA 6, waves have mass and depth. Light refracts through ripples. Floating objects — like a poolside beer bottle — react realistically, even fizzing and spilling into the water.

These micro-details are no accident. Rockstar has reportedly spent years reworking its fluid simulation technology, taking cues from Red Dead Redemption 2’s snow and mud systems. That technology now seems fully realized in GTA 6’s coastal setting.

Add to that improved weather dynamics — denser clouds, more natural fog, and volumetric lighting that changes the tone of entire scenes — and you start to see how GTA 6 aims to capture not just the look of Florida, but its unpredictable energy.

Vehicle Interiors and Material Fidelity

Hop inside a car in GTA 5, and the interior feels functional — clean, but simple. Dials, textures, and leather seats are mostly static. In GTA 6, though, the interiors look handcrafted. Buttons gleam with subtle reflections. Dashboard materials differ between vehicle types. The stitching on a jacket or the leather on a seat tells a story of craftsmanship that goes far beyond what most open-world games attempt.

Rockstar seems to be blurring the line between environment art and storytelling. When a player steps into a luxury sedan, it feels luxurious. When they hijack a rust-covered truck, it feels gritty and lived-in. It’s immersion through texture.

Lighting Indoors: The Bar and Club Scenes

The bar scenes in Noru1222’s recreations show just how sophisticated Rockstar’s interior lighting has become. In GTA 5, light sources are bright but blunt — a bulb illuminates a corner, a neon sign glows faintly. In GTA 6, the same spaces breathe with environmental light: reflections bouncing off bottles, dust visible in beams, and shadows that actually move.

It’s not just a step up; it’s a new form of storytelling. Every flicker of neon and glow of beer foam contributes to mood and authenticity. A GTA 6 dive bar looks like a place you could actually smell.

Wildlife and the Natural World

If there’s one area that highlights Rockstar’s evolution, it’s nature.

In GTA 5, wildlife was sparse and mostly decorative. Animals followed simple patterns, and vegetation felt more like wallpaper than foliage. But the recreated shot of a deer being stalked by a cougar shows GTA 6’s nature at an entirely new level. You can see the reflection of the deer in the water. The predator’s fur is visibly wet where it’s touched the surface.

This isn’t background dressing — it’s simulated life. It carries forward the meticulous animal AI from Red Dead Redemption 2, suggesting that wildlife in GTA 6 won’t just exist, but interact dynamically with the player and environment.

For a world rumored to include swamps, beaches, and forests, that’s huge.

NPC Variety and Behavior

One of GTA 6’s most exciting prospects lies in its NPC diversity. GTA 5’s pedestrians were memorable but repetitive — the same handful of faces, body types, and voices recycled across Los Santos. In GTA 6, even background characters stand out.

The screenshots reveal different builds, outfits, and postures, from beachgoers to bikers to influencers filming themselves at the gym. It feels like Rockstar’s AI systems are being rebuilt to make Vice City’s citizens as unpredictable as real ones.

Imagine pedestrians reacting to rain by covering their phones, or commenting on the player’s clothing choices. GTA 6 might finally deliver the living society that GTA 5 hinted at.

Vice City: Scale and Density

While Los Santos was modeled on Los Angeles, GTA 6’s Vice City will reportedly blend Miami’s nightlife with sprawling Florida-inspired outskirts. Even from the screenshots, the differences are staggering.

The skyline appears denser. Buildings have depth — visible interiors, reflections, and signage that actually casts light. The streets are cluttered with real-world details: newspaper boxes, food stalls, and the chaos of daily life. It’s a city that doesn’t just exist — it functions.

For the first time, players may truly feel like they’re in a metropolis that never sleeps.

Underwater Exploration

Underwater exploration was one of GTA 5’s most underused features. Once the novelty of scuba diving wore off, there wasn’t much to discover beyond a few collectibles and sharks. GTA 6 looks ready to change that.

The underwater comparison shows coral reefs, sea turtles, eels, and realistic light scattering through water. Every inch feels handcrafted. It’s not hard to imagine side missions, treasure hunts, or environmental storytelling taking place beneath the waves this time around.

If Rockstar gives the ocean the same love it gave the wilderness of RDR2, players might find themselves diving more often than driving.

Technology Meets Artistry

It’s easy to focus on surface-level improvements — lighting, reflections, polygon counts — but what’s most impressive about these recreations is what they imply. Rockstar isn’t chasing graphics for graphics’ sake. It’s chasing immersion.

GTA 6’s realism isn’t just visual; it’s contextual. Lighting changes tone with the hour. Textures wear and tear over time. NPCs behave differently based on their environment. Every design choice reinforces the feeling that this is a world, not a game.

Even GTA 5’s best modders — with all their tools and artistry — can’t quite replicate that sensation. It’s the difference between imitation and innovation.

A Legacy Reborn

Despite all this, one thing stands out: GTA 5 still holds up. Even after fifteen years, its visuals, animations, and world design remain impressive. The fact that it can even compare to a next-generation title speaks volumes about Rockstar’s craftsmanship in 2013.

But GTA 6 is clearly the future.

It’s not about simply being “better.” It’s about being deeper — emotionally, technically, and atmospherically buy GTA 6 Money. It’s the culmination of everything Rockstar has learned from two decades of open-world evolution, from the chaotic satire of San Andreas to the haunting realism of RDR2.

Final Thoughts

When GTA 6 launches next year, it won’t just mark a new chapter in gaming. It’ll redefine what we expect from interactive worlds.

The comparisons created by Noru1222 give us more than a glimpse of upgraded visuals — they show the philosophical leap between two generations of Rockstar design. GTA 5 was about giving us a sandbox. GTA 6 looks ready to give us a society.

As we await Trailer 3 and the inevitable avalanche of new footage, one thing’s clear: the streets of Vice City are going to make Los Santos look like a prototype. And for players who’ve spent the last decade living, modding, and thriving in GTA 5’s world, that’s the most exciting upgrade of all.