Back Story
What franchise has been loved more by gamers, while at the same time spurred numerous debates on morality and violence in videogames, than Grand Theft Auto? While GTAV in recent times has ended up selling more copies than most other games, missing it's top spot only to Minecraft, it's a franchise often remembered for it's massive breakthrough during the days of PlayStation 2.
For a moment though, let's speed through the history of the franchise.
The original Grand Theft Auto, developed by DMA Design which later became Rockstar North, made headlines back when it was released on PC and PlayStation in 1997. Not because of it's simplistic overhead camera and blend of 2D cars and 3D buildings, but because of it's violent crime depiction with references to sex and drugs. This shocking twist of playing the bad guy rather than the cops, a decision made during a troubled development, and an 18+ rating would gain a big success because of it's reputation. Overlooking it's limited visuals, it became a big hit.
After a couple of 1960's, London, inspired add-ons for the first game, a proper sequel followed in 1999. The premise remained, perhaps a little too close with the original as many criticised the lack of innovation. Although it did add a clever element of dynamic gang warfare, where doing tasks for one syndicate would aggravate their rival. It was visually tied up a little, especially on PS1 as the first game was rough looking on the platform, but it remained a hybrid of 2D and 3D viewed from above.
After the release of GTA2, rumours began circulating that Rockstar were moving to a fully 3D sequel. Allowing players to roam around and entire city in 3D. Despite similar games releasing meanwhile, most famously Driver 1 and 2 featuring fully 3D cities to drive around, the hype built itself upwards considering the scope of which GTA also focused on shooting, lots of pedestrians and non-driving missions.
The end result was GTAIII releasing on PlayStation 2 in 2001, to much fanfare. It became a huge hit overnight. Turning the franchise towards massive fame, which in turn led to one successful release after another, all the way up to GTAV becoming one of the most sold titles ever created.
Let's take a step back though, and look at three GTA titles that really spiralled the GTA franchise to a phenomenon in pop culture; the three releases on the GTAIII engine. That's right, GTAIII would result in two massively popular sequels before that generation of hardware ended. Mostly looked upon as a PlayStation 2 franchise, GTAIII, Vice City and San Andreas would make their way to platforms like Xbox and PC too.
Personally, my experience with the GTAIII trilogy has mostly been with Vice City, as I adore the 80s setting, music and vibe. Although I played a fair bit GTAIII too. My least, hands-on, experience has actually been San Andreas, despite it's massive popularity by fans.
Remaster
2021 saw the release of "Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition", where the entire GTAIII trilogy was ported over to Unreal Engine 4 and remastered considerably, while still retaining their simple 3D look of the original releases. They all saw a significant upgrade in lighting, 3D models for characters and cars, a new checkpoint system, a weapons selection wheel added and the possibility to move and shoot in all three games, a feature previously only featured in San Andreas.
However, these remasters saw a release in a bad state with lots of bugs and blatant visual errors, the terrible rain effects come to mind. An unfinished product in a rough state. Numerous patches would eventually fix the most obvious of them, up to a point where I decided to get the trilogy pack and play them all.
Recently, this edition has seen yet another patch, made by Rockstar themselves this time around. Dialling back the draw distance and altering the colour scheme of each title, a request by many fans to keep the sensation of a larger map hidden away in the distance and having the colour schemes aligned to the PS2 titles. Rockstar removed the original port company, Grove Street Productions, entirely from the credits when this patch rolled out. Clearly indicating they weren't happy about the original ports.
Nevertheless, this is history and the current state of the remasters is really good! So let's take a look these three titles that really out GTA in a mainstream spotlight, despite many complaints about their violence and morality. I still remember GTAIII making headlines on the news here in Norway, resulting in the government putting a 18+ age rating mandatory for purchase.
Time to thieve those grand autos!
Review
Played on: Xbox Series X
Released: 2021
Original release: 2001 (PS2)
Although I have many nostalgic memories of playing GTAIII on PS2 at a friends house in his basement, each with our own armchair staring at a large CRT, I also remember the place I played it for the first time.
It was in my lunch break at a warehouse which had an electronics store just nearby. I'd sometimes pop in to the store on my lunch break. In the gaming section they had a PS2 stand and had put on GTAIII on release. Not aware of release dates back then, I was pleasantly surprised to be finally able to try it out. Impressed by the visuals and the density of a 3D city, making note of the overly heavy motion blur which so many PS2 titles had.
In hindsight, with the violence concerns and controversies that followed, it probably wasn't the smartest move to put it on display in a shop where kids could play it! Although I was intrigued by the game, I never purchased it as my friend had it and I played it a lot at his place.
For it's time the city size and freedom of GTAIII was impressive and hadn't really been done at this level of detail. While the controls in GTA games have never been optimal, it didn't stand out as being clumsy in comparison with a lot of current titles. However, going back these days it's a rather different impression. The city looks incredibly small and suffers from a fairly basic and strangely designed layout.
The story is about Claude, a small time criminal who is left for dead by his girlfriend during a robbery. He manages to escape a prison transport that's attacked by a cartel and must work his way up the criminal ladder to earn his trust and reputation. It's a fairly standard plot, with a linear outcome. With Claude being a silent protagonist the dialogue makes little impression in the awkwardly animated in-game cutscenes.
The cars are fairly simply designed and control rather basic. That said, the driving holds up much better than the shooting and on-foot sections. Although this remaster allows you to walk and shoot, unlike the original, there's just so much inaccuracy with the awful lock-on system and lacklustre feel of the guns. Is there even a reload button?! With small roads plagued with traffic jam, the car chases don't really amount to much either, it lacks a heavier feel to the car physics like Driver.
Checkpoints remain awful still, even though some are changed for this remaster, with a weird discrepancy of how generous they are. Some missions are too long and complex for a retry right from the beginning, while other missions are super easy and quickly finished. There's often a lack of explanation as to what to do in the missions, ending abruptly by killing the wrong people.
What felt like a buzzing city back in the day, seems rather basic these days. it does have a fair share of traffic and pedestrians, but lacks basically any indoor buildings, like the mall and discos from Vice City. Even the ironically titled "Ammunation" gunshops feel simplistic when entering them, especially compared to San Andreas.
Graphically, GTAIII is the blandest of the trilogy here. It lacks something to make it stand out, with tons of grey buildings and a rather limited city scope, it just comes off as being any early 2000s title. There's a limited variety and forgettable car designs too. Because I'm familiar with the game, remaster and old, I see it as GTAII when I take a glance at screenshot, but it just doesn't stand out as anything special in hindsight for newcomers.
However, I must stress that the visuals made an impact back in the day. There were few, free roaming, cities that had this kind of size and detail with cars and pedestrians. Aside from the main missions, you'd have tons of fun blowing stuff up, doing taxi rides or grabbing an ambulance to speed around with the cops chasing you. A lot of the best GTA ideas came to existence in impressive 3D for it's time with this very title, giving a glimpse of a series that could expand into something truly spectacular.
At the end of the day it's been nostalgic to boot up this remaster and go back to Liberty City for a quick look. But as a entire playthrough it's felt archaic and cumbersome. Of the three games in the collection it's the easiest one to skip., especially newcomers that have no nostalgia connected to it. It's aged poorly, is visually unimaginative with an awkwardly designed city, has bad character animation and a forgettable story.
Review
Played on: Xbox Series X
Released: 2021
Original release: 2002 (PS2)
With a short development time of just a little over one year, Vice City would not only improve a ton of aspects from GTAIII, it would also shift it's entire setting over to a 1980's, Miami Vice inspired one. I remember well going over one evening to my friends house and playing it for the first time. I was blown away by the cool neon coloured visuals, the awesome 80's music spread into music genres on radio stations, the new vehicles and a much improved presentation.
My first proper playthrough was a few years later on PC if I recall correctly. This definitive edition is my second playthrough and has been a really enjoyable reunion with this classic! There's a significant jump from experimentation to a proper designed product going from GTAIII to Vice City in my opinion.
This time around the main protagonist Tommy Vercetti, memorably voiced by Ray Liotta, is an earlier convict released from prison after 15 years of a murder sentence. He is asked by his mafia boss to oversee the business in Vice City, basically Miami in real life. Tommy is ambushed in a drug deal that goes sour and he seeks information as to who has attacked him. Gradually through the story and missions, Tommy builds a criminal empire in the city. Like one does in any GTA title!
From the story beginning you get an impression the cutscenes are better scripted and the variation in missions is improved a big step up from GTAIII. Characters are better defined and the plot is more cohesive, building itself gradually up to a climax. There are obvious nods to famous 80s movie scenes and characters throughout.
Earning money not only lets you buy better weaponry this time around, but also real estate in the city, which in turn open new possibilities, connections and, of course, side-missions. There's generally a better connection between the city and how much interactivity there is. You genuinely become street wise and know where to drive and how each part looks.
As you build your empire, you settle in a mansion in the middle of Vice City, oozing the vibe of the movie Scarface, which again is a perfect placement with equal distance to each part of the city divided by water. With a lot of famous voice actors adding that little extra for a more believable plot. It still retains those chunky 3D modelled characters and awkward animation, a style that kinda become synonymous with the franchise, but it's a step up from the basic stuff in GTAIII.
Not only are there lots of new cars to drive, they've got more memorable designs with obvious influences of famous 80s cars. Motorbikes are added too, which I remember caught my attention the first time I played it back in 2002. They're fast and really fun to speed about with, while Tommy's Hawaiian shirt is shaking in the wind!
Although you still can't swim, more boats were added and even a proper seaplane that could fly properly. Giving way for the imagination to get even more creative in the wild and random stuff you'd mess about with. Raising the wanted level really brings on tons of heat, with new stuff like the police throwing spike mats at your car tires.
Vice City comes together as an overall better city design with a smarter layout and distinct recognisable areas. Drenched in a really cool 80s vibe, complete with purple and yellow sunsets with palm trees! Driving down the streets at night with the cool neon lit, Art Deco, buildings passing by helps it become a visually distinct and memorable experience.
The music is a stronger selection of famous tracks than GTAIII. Hand picked 80s hits and spread into genres on radio stations from the 80's. Really adding an extra dimension to feeling like you're driving about in a 80's movie and world. Sadly, there's a few music tracks from the original that has not made it's way to this remaster, although most of it remains. There's even 80s colouring put in the HUD, to differentiate itself from GTAIII.
If there's some complaints to be made it's still the same cumbersome shooting, which I feel almost all GTA games have. Combined with some ruthless situations you're thrown instantly into after cutscenes, it leads to many cheap deaths and retries before mission completion. While I enjoy the city, it's quite small in in modern times, there's a lot of repetition in locations you travel too. That said it utilise the whole map in a good way through the main story.
With a lot of improvements and variety, complete a more cohesive and stronger plot, all while sporting a far more unique and memorable visual style, Vice City stands out as one of the highlights of the GTA franchise. It really left an impression back in the day, and it still does upon replaying this remaster.
While it might not bring the whole lifestyle simulator aspect San Andreas, GTAIV and GTAV does, it's a wonderful world to dig into. Especially if you like the 80s setting and music.
Review
Played on: Xbox Series X
Released: 2021
Original release: 2004 (PS2)
San Andreas came out when I was a student and a classmate of mine played it intensely in our campus. I'd watch him play it a fair bit. Although I had some interest in GTA, I wasn't really a massive fan back then and after having recently played through Vice City, I didn't have a huge need to play SA.
Although both GTAIV and GTAV brought a life simulator aspect to the franchise, with tons of small elements like food and mini-games to build upon the sensation of living, breathing city. It avoided my attention that indeed these elements all began with SA and not GTAIV.
Not only is San Andreas a large game, containing three cities replicating Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas, all connected by rural wand woodland areas to drive between them, but it also bring sin a lot of aspects to make the player sink into a deeper city life.
The main character Carl Johnson, CJ for short, humbly begins his story in a back alley on a bicycle, needs to not only take part in regular story missions, but can join in tasks like expanding his control of the neighbourhood by taking part in gang turf war. He can go eating, either in an unhealthy way that makes him become chubby or a better life style with weight lifting to keep in shape and improve his fighting skills and endurance.
The depth goes into levelling CJ up, simply by using specific gun types, melee or running about the city. Even your driving approves if you continuously do it. Everything has a levelling bar, meaning CJ can progress as a character, without the player having to worry about experience points or abilities. A hint of RPG hidden into it all.
Although the map of San Andreas isn't massive in comparison to modern open world games, it at least conveyed the sense of a large scope. Travelling from the orange hued skies of you home town, to other cities with different sky colours. Speeding along massive highways to reach them or taking a small off-roader into the woods to speed across mountains to reach them, it feels like an incredibly ambitious title of it's time.
As a newcomer to the game, it feels very impressive compared to later GTA titles, as it actually does a lot of the detailed scope later titles would do, prior to their release.
Each city isn't particularly massive but they have enough buildings, bridges, highways, back alleys and amounts of roads to convey the sensation of having a comprehensive size compared to GTAIII and Vice City. Better still, it has three of them! When thinking of the map though, it's CJ's neighbourhood and home city that brings the most memorable vibe to it all, with that orange sky and feeling of a warm summer in the hood.
Shockingly, Rockstar managed to pull off a story which depicts, in its own fictional way, the massive riots of Los Angels in 1992. While Vice City had a romanticising of the 80's Miami movies, San Andreas takes on a more serious and darker setting. It manages to successfully giving players an idea of how it was to grow up in poverty and violent criminal life, while at the same time giving a small glimpse into how the city went into riots, seeing it all from ground level. Although it's crudely represented visually these days, it still brings it to life when playing through the story.
Cleverly, Rockstar also manages to weave in humour and stereotypical, but funny, characters into the mix too. A key point to lighten the mood in an otherwise serious setting. Giving way to some memorable lines like following "the damn" train and so on. There's a fair share of real life rappers and actors putting in the voice work too, giving them more authentic slang and some added dramatic effect.
The size of the map and scope of the ambition remains impressive to this day, especially considering the hardware it used to run on. It allows for the experience to somehow feel detailed compared to modern game design. There's lots of content to dig into and live a city life.
Visually, it's distinct with the orange tones of CJ's hood and green haze of fog into the distance. It's warmer, more earthy look overall, with a memorable yellow tint. Perhaps not as instantly attractive as Vice City's bright neon colours and sharp 80s vibe, although the Las Vegas look-alike city brings that vibe in, but San Andreas grows on you as spend time playing it over many hours. Plus, it's far from the gritty and depressive world of GTAIV.
With far more missions, a diverse map, weaponry, side tasks and a huge amount of vehicle types, San Andreas stands out as the one of the peaks of the whole franchise for me. Its and incredibly feature that they managed to pull this off on the same hardware as the limited GTAIII, with only three years of development between them!
It dares to sink into more depth, with everyday tasks, alongside a comprehensive story with multiple climaxes and memorable missions. Allowing it to become an immersive experience of city life, without the annoying phone call and texts from GTAIV and without the lengthy missions that have to be restarted from the beginning either. What better way to enjoy it than in the remaster!
Having finally sat down and played San Andreas by myself, I'm very impressed with how great it truly is. I now understand why it has become such a fan favourite of the franchise and it quickly reaches up to become perhaps my favourite of the whole franchise.
Package
Although it had a fair share of flaws at launch, this Definitive Edition trilogy has really grown into a solid remaster job. Definitely worth a purchase for both veterans of the series and newcomers intrigued by where the GTA pop culture fame began.
It changes the visuals significantly, yet retains some of simplicity of the 3D models from the originals. The closest comparison is last years Tomb Raider 1-3 remaster trilogy, review here, with GTA putting a lot more work into the lighting, textures and visual effects. Feeling as more substantial upgrade, with one exception; you can't change between the modern and old visuals, to some purists annoyance I could imagine.
It's nevertheless a great way for newcomers to experience these massively popular titles from a console generation that's far behind us now. Complete with better visuals, performance and improved gameplay elements. A less frustrating enjoyment value for players not familiar with the originals.
Luckily, you can purchase each title individually, they're priced higher than the Tomb Raider remaster package anyhow. As such, you can pick a favourite and only purchase that one, but as collection I've included a review score of the package.
