Does Grand Theft Auto III Withstand The Test Of Time?
Grand Theft Auto IIIOkay, first of all, the news that's getting a ton of attention this weekend is old. We knew the ESRB had rated Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for the PlayStation 3 back in January.
Anyway, assuming that those PS2 classics are coming to the PSN in downloadable format, the question is simple: Do those titles withstand the test of time, or do they really show their age? Well, considering that I can't seem to go a month without fooling around in Vice City (sorry, I just love the setting), I think I've got some recent insights into the issue. I did play GTAIII recently as well, and there is some difference between the two games in question but...not too much.
One of the things we may notice immediately is that the control isn't fantastic. It almost seems sluggish, clunky, and unreliable when compared to the more fluid, responsive control mechanics of today. That being said, driving is always a breeze; there isn't anything realistic about it but up until GTAIV, there wasn't a single solitary element in the franchise that was even remotely authentic. And yeah, that was part of the fun. So in some ways, the sheer over-the-top fun factor should endure. The only problem is that given the dated look of the visuals (and it's plain as day) and the relatively clunky controls, younger players might just turn up their noses.
And that leads me to wonder whether or not all these PS2 and PS1 classics are almost entirely for those who played them way back when and want to take a trip down memory lane. GTAIII and Vice City were groundbreaking in their day and I could still play both without a problem, but the 20-year-old who probably thinks GTAIV is dated...? Unlikely.
Related Game(s): Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Tags: rockstar, grand theft auto iii, gtaiii, grand theft auto vice city, gta vice city
6/24/2012 9:00:51 PM Ben Dutka
Put this on your webpage or blog:
Email this to a friend
Follow PSX Extreme on Twitter
Comments (32 posts)
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 10:30:48 PM
6 up, 2 down
bebestorm
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 10:20:23 PM
Reply
5 up, 1 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 10:23:49 PM
2 up, 1 down
bebestorm
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 10:59:44 PM
6 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 11:08:31 PM
1 up, 0 down
CanadianGuy420
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 10:21:53 PM
Reply
and as far as i'm concerned all 3 of them are just as fun to play as anything out there today. (GTA III is my all time favorite btw xD)
2 up, 3 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 10:26:06 PM
Reply
And bring back the "perfect driving" code and car jumping codes for gosh sakes.
5 up, 3 down
Superdynamite
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 10:53:27 PM
Reply
Vice City 7.2
San Andreas 10.0
GTAIV 9.5
1 up, 15 down
LimitedVertigo
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 11:20:07 PM
10 up, 0 down
Geobaldi
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 11:47:21 PM
4 up, 1 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 11:53:30 PM
Those must be awfully subjective ratings.
3 up, 0 down
ZenChichiri
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 12:11:11 AM
I also gotta say, I like the radio shows in GTA3 the best too. Chatterbox was absolutely hilarious, and I was a big electro junky then so I would often put on Rise FM. Vice City had some really funny commercials too though ("You're married now! To America!" "I'll cry when I'm done killing!"), but I still dig GTA3 a bit more.
Last edited by ZenChichiri on 6/25/2012 12:11:39 AM
0 up, 0 down
Sir Shak
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 1:20:51 AM
0 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 1:30:45 AM
1 up, 1 down
AcHiLLiA
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 9:00:15 AM
1 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 9:52:27 AM
1 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 10:58:21 AM
0 up, 0 down
LimitedVertigo
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 11:19:31 PM
Reply
1 up, 0 down
ZenChichiri
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 12:05:55 AM
Reply
I for one welcome an HD uplift and a rerelease of these games. For some reason these days I'm getting more excited for rereleases than I am for some of the major releases coming up. Right now I'm having a tonne of fun with the Devil May Cry HD collection.
Last edited by ZenChichiri on 6/25/2012 12:06:19 AM
1 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 1:32:13 AM
2 up, 1 down
ZenChichiri
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 1:46:25 AM
0 up, 0 down
Beamboom
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 3:50:14 AM
If you got a buddy to play with, do the campaigns in those games (SR2+3) exclusively with him/her. You'll never have laughed as hard in any game before. Just the things you two will be able to come up with alone is worth the admission fee of owning those games.
0 up, 0 down
Beamboom
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 12:54:11 AM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 1:37:28 AM
Reply
3 up, 1 down
Ultimadesires
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 2:39:51 AM
Reply
I think what gives Vice City & San Andreas the edge over GTA III is that they're set in specific time periods which gives the player more to connect with. GTA III just felt modern at the time, so now it feels dated, where as the other games set in the past you can sort of over look it.
I still find all 3 games fun to play though. Sure it may seem a little unrealistic in comparison to GTA IV. But they're far more fun to play. Of course as I played them upon release I will have fond memories, playing GTA III for the first time was an experience. It's sandbox world was far beyond anything else at the time. I have spend countless hours just driving around and admiring the environment.
I have noticed modern players seem to be complaining about the controls of the PS2 age. With the MGS HD Collection. Many reviewers noted the 'dated' controls for MGS2 & 3... I simply do not see this. I think MGS2 is possibly one of the most accessible games I have with controls, there is so much to do and it's easy to pull off. Sure it does not have the 'essential' over the shoulder view which has been in every third person game since. But it doesn't need it in my eye.
2 up, 0 down
dmiitrie
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 3:55:56 AM
Reply
However, I also noticed that, to me at least, the entire GTA franchise hasn't aged well. Unlike most people, I greatly enjoyed the more serious and gritty nature of GTA4. The over-the-topness that so many people like just doesn't appeal to me like it did when I was 19, so I was very glad that it had been abandoned. But the gameplay still felt very dated and that caused me to quit on GTA4 as well.
0 up, 0 down
___________
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 5:03:07 AM
Reply
sorry, but there is NO 2 games out there that need to come to the PSN than those 2!
yea they show their age, quite considerably actually ive been playing VC off steam the past week, and GTAIII on my phone.
but just because they show their age, does not mean they should not be brought to the store!
i would MUCH rather see a HD collection, which really should not be that hard considering R* has already touched up GTAIII for phones, and said that if there was enough demand they would consider a HD remake for 3, VC, and san andreas.
all i can say is people better get screaming because there is no franchise out there that deserves a HD remake than GTA!
shame no one has tried to port san andreas over to some modern engine like they have done with crash and duke nukem 3D.
so many classics these days ported over to new engines to look like they just came out!
wish someone would do that with 3, vice city and san andreas.
exactly like the ps2 versions in every single way, just looking like GTAV!
now THATS gaming heaven!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
its pretty sad that its remakes that get the most excitement these days, no?
just goes to show how far the industry has fallen!
0 up, 0 down
Nerull
Monday, June 25, 2012 @ 11:32:02 AM
Reply
Seriously though, I got started with GTA 2.
Loved it so much that I bought GTA1, but it was ridiculously hard and not as fun, never mind the expansion in radio stations #2 had going for it.
I still have the theme songs from both, short change is still awesome.
Last edited by Nerull on 6/25/2012 11:37:46 AM
0 up, 0 down
jugheadjones
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 @ 11:48:12 AM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
PAKINIPS
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 @ 4:00:02 PM
Reply
I still play it although i have problems with the controls. If they could redo it on a newer engine that would be amazing!
Fly cheat and tank with the turret facing backwards was the ultimate way to travel
0 up, 0 down
CaptRon
Reply
Sunday, June 24, 2012 @ 9:51:42 PM