The Grand Theft Auto Trilogy – Definitive Edition is finally here!

Unless you have been living in the remote highlands of bonnie Scotland, on the International Space Station, or several leagues below sea level; you would have heard all about the controversies surrounding the GTA trilogy remastering.

The three games bundled within (Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto III), are all, in their own rights, iconic games with masses upon masses of hardcore fans. Consequently, when the launch was announced back in October of this year (2021, if you’re reading this in the future – I hope they have hover cars by now). the commotion was akin to The Rapture.

The Grand Theft Auto – Definitive Edition was finally unleashed on the nostalgia-hunting swarms just over a month after the October 8 announcement and was downloadable, purchasable, and probably piratable (I do not condone this) on November 11, 2021.

The Grand Theft Auto Trilogy – Definitive Addition | What you get

For sixty of your American dollars, you can buy three remasters of gaming legend. GTA 3, San Andreas, and, of course, the wonderful San Andreas. Some thought this to be way over the value, but at just $20-per-game, I’m more than happy with how my money was spent.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Set in the 1980s, Vice City is awash with eighties references, neon colors, and more importantly – great music. The game follows Tommy Vercetti as he tries to climb the ladders of the criminal underworld. Vice City’s map is far from the largest of the franchise but is still a firm favorite for many GTA fans.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Arguably the most iconic GTA game of the franchise, GTA San Andreas brings you into the ghetto and follows a gang known as ‘The Grove Street Families’ as they fight for turf, respect, and criminal notoriety. Our protagonist here is CJ. After being exiled, CJ has climbed the ranks and is making a return to Grove Street to right some wrongs and settle old scores.

Grand Theft Auto 3

After being shot and left for dead by your loving girlfriend, Catalina, during a bank robbery, you vow to have your revenge. By working closely with the many gangs of GTA 3, Claude (you) must run jobs for gang bosses to garner the respect and position needed to exact your revenge.

Disappointment and Complaints

Following the release of the esteemed trilogy, Rockstar was inundated with complaints and grievances. This backlash was born from a few bugs that presented themselves or graphical issues; mostly character models. However, it’s of my personal opinion that the way the games were received was unfair and unwarranted.

The Grand Theft Auto – Definitive Edition is still in its infancy and teething errors were always inevitable. On November 20, they announced a patch that would fix a number of bugs and known issues. Yes, this should have been done pre-launch, but at least they have acted on feedback.

Grand Theft Auto Trilogy – Definitive Addition | Graphics & Control Improvements

While there are heaps of aesthetic improvements in the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy – Definitive Edition, there’s still a lot of room for improvement. Textures are improved, corners are rounded off and the game feels, plays, and looks smoother.

There were complaints of lighting issues rendering characters unseeable due to them being shrouded in darkness. Despite having over 100-hours over the three games, I have seen no evidence of this.

One of the defining factors of the remastered trilogy is the controls. Driving controls have been switched from button braking and acceleration to the more modern and far more convenient trigger buttons (console). Furthermore, the camera angles and button mapping are vastly improved on all three games, making them handle more like the likes of Grand Theft Auto V. This is most apparent in Vice City, it’s so nice to be able to play without the abhorrent controls and camera angle as yesteryear.

Summary

As a lifelong fan of the GTA franchise, I’m delighted with the improvements made to the three iconic titles. To play all three games with improved graphics and GTA: V-style controls is a fantastic way to take a trip down Memory Lane and the perfect excuse to dive right into the timeless classics.

If you never played the original games then this isn’t likely to blow you off your feet. The graphics, while vastly improved, are still sub-par by today’s standards and it may feel like you’re still playing an old game. Whereas those that were here for the older games will undoubtedly find the Grand Theft Auto – Definitive Edition to be like an answer to their prayers.