Grand Theft Auto fans have found the perfect way to pass the time before the long-awaited release of GTA 6 later this year, as a mind-blowing photorealistic mod has appeared for the previous entry in the series.
It's been nearly 12 years and two console generations since Grand Theft Auto V first dropped onto the PS3 and Xbox 360, yet we've still somehow not got to play the highly-anticipated follow up that fans have been craving for years now.
While it was undoubtedly handicapped by the hardware that it was released onto, GTA 5 was by far one of the most graphically impressive games when it dropped, and subsequent visual updates - including the recent 'Enhanced' edition - have given it a much appreciated new coat of paint to stand up against contemporary games despite being over a decade older.
However, with GTA 6 on the horizon fans and worries about a potential price increase, gamers are getting antsy for an experience that truly pushes the boundaries of what game graphics can produce, and that's why some have found amazement in a fan-created 'photorealistic' mod for GTA 5, as reported by GAMINGbible.
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Created by Razed Mods, NaturalVision Evolved (and the upcoming NaturalVision Enhanced update) is a visual overhaul mod for Grand Theft Auto V that changes "the environmental weathers, lighting system, ambient colors, tonemapping, world textures, building models, props, vegetation and much more in order to blur the line between fantasy and reality."
The Grand Theft Auto series has always had a visual style that doesn't directly emulate real life, yet this ground-up overhaul completes transforms the fifth installment into an utterly lifelike experience that it often difficult to distinguish from actual photos.
That was certainly the subject of one post on the r/GTA6 subreddit, which writes alongside screenshots of the mod: "Maybe you won't believe me but these photos are from GTA 5... The question comes to mind; Can GTA 6 be better than this?"
The answer to that question has the potential to be disappointing depending on what you're wanting from GTA 6's graphics, as it's almost guaranteed that the upcoming game won't look as 'good' - or at least as 'realistic' - as this particular mod.
First and foremost, GTA 6 still has to be able to run on the lower spec hardware of the Xbox Series S, so compromises are going to be made in some areas, but even the PC release won't quite capture this particular look, although for good reason.
"They're not going for that, so no," one comment succinctly explains, and that gets to the root of it all. Rockstar simply aren't wanting to make an entirely realistic looking game, and one glance at the trailer (which many fans will be very acquainted with at this point) will show that in action.
"Nope never has," adds another commenter, explaining that "when GTA 4 had ultra realistic 4k mods, GTA 5 still went for a sorta stylized look, GTA 6 is obviously doing the same."
If you're looking for something to quench your thirst for GTA 6 though then slapping NaturalVision Enhanced on your copy of GTA 5 might be the way to go, as at the very least you'll spend a fair amount of time gazing at the jaw-dropping views on display.