the reviews that quickly throw out "it's dated" without saying much else are pretty disappointing, because all the guff that plagues the proceeding games in the series shows just how perfect this one is.

not a moment is wasted in GTA 3. you have a city that's actually fun to explore and drive around in, the missions are truly open ended and challenging, and there's none of that Rockstar Games-brand mediocre prestige TV wannabe writing to bog down the experience. the story is only a vehicle for you to take on more bonkers vehicle challenges peppered with occasional gunfights, while current GTAs seemingly focus on the opposite. the atmosphere is top notch; there really is nothing else that compares with blazing through Liberty at night while listening to a classic Moving Shadow drum 'n bass set.

it's a classic game with a perfect formula that only got more and more muddled as the series went on. I don't understand why this gets overlooked so frequently these days, especially when its more popular follow up Vice City is far less exciting (unless grinding asset missions while circling around two flat islands really gets your rocks off).