Grand Theft Auto III is influential, there's no disagreement there. The game is one of the best selling games of all time and is absolutely what made 3D open-world games explode in popularity in the West.
At this point, I've only played Grand Theft Auto 1, 2, and now 3 as well, so the biggest change is obviously the change from 2D to 3D. The best way I can describe Grand Theft Auto III is that it really feels like the first Grand Theft Auto, just in 3D, which in of itself is pretty exciting to finally experience! It's really cool to drive around and actually feel surrounded by the city, the buildings now properly towering over you. The game feels great with controls (minus any aiming with a weapon you have to do... good luck getting the right target), and the AI is really impressive for the time, too. It weirdly impressed both me and my friend watching the cars and how they knew when to stop from something being put in front of them, but also still slamming into it if placed in front of them too quickly (like a truck suddenly stopping in front of a moving car). My friend, who's only played GTA V, said that in the newest game, the cars just always know to stop and don't react naturally to disruptions in traffic. I don't know how 100% accurate that statement is though, as again, I've only played GTA1-3, and he was extremely baked while talking about it lmao.
While Grand Theft Auto III is a very fun and impressive change from 2D to 3D, once you get over that excitement, I couldn't help but notice how empty the entire area felt, it was a bit eerie. The fun of the game finally being in 3D and allowing you to mess around becomes a lot less fun when you realize there's not much to mess around with except for the missions shown as available to you. I think it's why the game reminded me more of the original GTA than GTA2. Everywhere you walk in Grand Theft Auto 2 there's something happening, or about to happen, but I can understand that being difficult for a game switching to 3D graphics for the first time. The things they did focus on were very fun to have though, such as the added jobs of being a taxi or ambulance driver. On the other hand, missions feel really repetitive compared to GTA2, and often involved doing the same tasks just for different people, very similar to the mission mechanic in the first game. It's a bummer, as I was excited to see what new missions they could think up in the new 3D environment, but found it being almost the exact same missions from 5 years earlier. I didn't do every mission though, so I could be missing some very cool, unique gems later on in the game.
A lot of the complaints I see are about car controls and how quickly they get destroyed, which in my experience wasn't bad at all. The cars controlled and lasted longer than the cars do in Simpsons Hit & Run, at least, and that came out 2 years later (and somehow has a higher score on here??) LOL - which is the closest thing to a 3D Grand Theft Auto game I can personally compare it to. Sure, there was challenge with making sure your car doesn't get completely totaled, but that's what makes the game fun, and what fun is a game that doesn't challenge you a little?
The absolute most insane thing over all about GTAIII is the radio. The music is the best it's ever been, and so detailed in every aspect it absolutely blew my mind, it's crazy how much like actually flipping through different radio stations it felt like. I legit started actually listening to the talk show hosts while driving around the map in circles, because I got so caught up in what they were talking about. Unfortunately, because I have the original PS2 version of the game, I could not connect my own personal music to the radio, but the fact that eventually became an option is so, so cool.
Well, after all this, I can't help but also wonder myself, what is my overall opinion on Grand Theft Auto III? I do like it! Even outside of it's crazy influence, and new awesome art style. I especially loved playing it as a silly thing between me and my friend at 1 in the morning, trading off the controller to take turns completing different missions, and jokingly blaming the other when failing. I enjoyed it significantly less playing it alone, not because the game is unplayable or bad, but because I was finding myself getting more easily bored, even though I was enjoying it. I just kept finding myself always off doing something else within an hour of booting up the game. With friends, I feel I would rate the game a 3.5/5, and by myself a 3/5, so that's the rating I will go with!
If my coworker who saw me writing this and disagreed with my take reads this, I hope with both our powers we eventually can complete that GOD DAMN ambulance mission.
Peace & Love
3/5
At this point, I've only played Grand Theft Auto 1, 2, and now 3 as well, so the biggest change is obviously the change from 2D to 3D. The best way I can describe Grand Theft Auto III is that it really feels like the first Grand Theft Auto, just in 3D, which in of itself is pretty exciting to finally experience! It's really cool to drive around and actually feel surrounded by the city, the buildings now properly towering over you. The game feels great with controls (minus any aiming with a weapon you have to do... good luck getting the right target), and the AI is really impressive for the time, too. It weirdly impressed both me and my friend watching the cars and how they knew when to stop from something being put in front of them, but also still slamming into it if placed in front of them too quickly (like a truck suddenly stopping in front of a moving car). My friend, who's only played GTA V, said that in the newest game, the cars just always know to stop and don't react naturally to disruptions in traffic. I don't know how 100% accurate that statement is though, as again, I've only played GTA1-3, and he was extremely baked while talking about it lmao.
While Grand Theft Auto III is a very fun and impressive change from 2D to 3D, once you get over that excitement, I couldn't help but notice how empty the entire area felt, it was a bit eerie. The fun of the game finally being in 3D and allowing you to mess around becomes a lot less fun when you realize there's not much to mess around with except for the missions shown as available to you. I think it's why the game reminded me more of the original GTA than GTA2. Everywhere you walk in Grand Theft Auto 2 there's something happening, or about to happen, but I can understand that being difficult for a game switching to 3D graphics for the first time. The things they did focus on were very fun to have though, such as the added jobs of being a taxi or ambulance driver. On the other hand, missions feel really repetitive compared to GTA2, and often involved doing the same tasks just for different people, very similar to the mission mechanic in the first game. It's a bummer, as I was excited to see what new missions they could think up in the new 3D environment, but found it being almost the exact same missions from 5 years earlier. I didn't do every mission though, so I could be missing some very cool, unique gems later on in the game.
A lot of the complaints I see are about car controls and how quickly they get destroyed, which in my experience wasn't bad at all. The cars controlled and lasted longer than the cars do in Simpsons Hit & Run, at least, and that came out 2 years later (and somehow has a higher score on here??) LOL - which is the closest thing to a 3D Grand Theft Auto game I can personally compare it to. Sure, there was challenge with making sure your car doesn't get completely totaled, but that's what makes the game fun, and what fun is a game that doesn't challenge you a little?
The absolute most insane thing over all about GTAIII is the radio. The music is the best it's ever been, and so detailed in every aspect it absolutely blew my mind, it's crazy how much like actually flipping through different radio stations it felt like. I legit started actually listening to the talk show hosts while driving around the map in circles, because I got so caught up in what they were talking about. Unfortunately, because I have the original PS2 version of the game, I could not connect my own personal music to the radio, but the fact that eventually became an option is so, so cool.
Well, after all this, I can't help but also wonder myself, what is my overall opinion on Grand Theft Auto III? I do like it! Even outside of it's crazy influence, and new awesome art style. I especially loved playing it as a silly thing between me and my friend at 1 in the morning, trading off the controller to take turns completing different missions, and jokingly blaming the other when failing. I enjoyed it significantly less playing it alone, not because the game is unplayable or bad, but because I was finding myself getting more easily bored, even though I was enjoying it. I just kept finding myself always off doing something else within an hour of booting up the game. With friends, I feel I would rate the game a 3.5/5, and by myself a 3/5, so that's the rating I will go with!
If my coworker who saw me writing this and disagreed with my take reads this, I hope with both our powers we eventually can complete that GOD DAMN ambulance mission.
Peace & Love
3/5
2 Comments
Thank you! @cowboyjosh
cowboyjosh
6 months ago
I actually found putting my own MP3s in the game to be kind of disturbing, in the end. When it’s the game music and chatter it meshes with the over the top world you’re in. But when it’s MY music from MY iTunes then it’s the same stuff I listen to driving my car and… it’s hard to describe but it like intrudes on the fantasy somehow? Like running people over didn’t feel as fun when I’m listening to ani difranco or whatever. Maybe I just picked bad music haha. Anyway great piece keep ‘em coming!