TheGrand Theft Autoseries is one of the most important franchises in the history of video games. For the entirety of the 2000s and a portion of the 2010s, Rockstar embodied innovative sandbox designs and controversial content thanks to the success of these games, particularly the trilogy of mainline games in the3D universe.
Grand Theft Auto 3introduced the formula,Vice Citynormalized the use of licensed soundtracks and told a more developed story starring villainous protagonists, andSan Andreasadded nuance to the storytelling with an arguably more noble protagonist and expanded the series’ environmental potential. These games were innovative and important. To this day, they are sometimes considered Rockstar’s most beloved games. Celebrating them is a logical decision, but at first glance, it is hard to tell ifGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Editionis worth the purchase even after updates and patches.
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The Controversy of GTA Definitive Edition
Unfortunately,Rockstar’s decision to remake these gamesproved to be sloppy.Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Editionwas the source of rumors, and its existence was eventually confirmed. However, the confirmation only occurred a month before the remasters’ official release. Considering that the compilation was meant to celebrateGrand Theft Auto 3’s 20th anniversary, and as a result, the series becoming the juggernaut it is now, this marketing tactic felt rushed. The abrupt and considerably late announcement, alongside the confirmation that Rockstar outsourced the development of the remasters, left severalGrand Theft Autofans skeptical.
The fact that the original versions ofGrand Theft Auto 3,Vice City, andSan Andreas, were announced to be pulled out of digital stores following the remasters’ release worsened expectations. People’s suspicions were validated whenGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Editioncame out. The new visuals, especiallyTommy’s design, have already proven to be divisive in the community, but the revelations of glitches, technical issues, and programming shortcuts were piling up. Rockstar has been tainting its reputation to some people ever since the seemingly endlessGrand Theft Auto 5ports have been released.
The company’s decision to focus almost entirely on that game andGrand Theft Auto Online,Red Dead Redemption 2notwithstanding, has made several Rockstar fans bitter. When the flaws ofGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Editionbecame apparent, all the pent-up frustration was released, leading to communities imploding and demanding refunds from Rockstar. While Rockstar has yet to provide a set of refunds for those that want their money back, it has attempted to make up for its mistake by promising tobring back the original versions of theGTAtrilogyon its own platform.
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Issues and Fixes to GTA Definitive Edition
The stories and general gameplay inGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Editionare nearly identical when compared to the originals, but there are some changes, like the addition of the weapon selection circle andcontrols fromGrand Theft Auto 5, as well as white outlines on targeted enemies. In theory, these games are modernized versions of gaming classics. What hindered the remasters when they first came out was mostly technical, but it was enough to make fans dismiss them. The character models either look nearly exactly like their original counterparts, outdated polygons and all.
The modernization of background elements was streamlined, leading to mistakes like a nut on aSan Andreasstore sign becoming as round as the donut it accompanies. Everything regardingthe rain and its effectswas choppy, a plethora of minor glitches was being exposed in all three games, and some of them were valued by players due to being entertaining, while others made certain missions more challenging than they needed to be. Some of the glitches could be found in the original games, and others were brand new. After countless social media posts criticizing and mocking its treatment of its most iconic games, Rockstar revealed a long list of things that were fixed across all games inGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition.
Whether the contemporary versions of these games remain worthwhile, even after Rockstar took the time to fix a lot of issues, is debatable. The patch mostly aims to fix bugs that range from inconsistencies in the aesthetics to polishing the mechanics in certain missions. Other notorious flaws, like the rain effects, were also taken care of. However, the core ofGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Editionremains the same. It’s an outsourced remastering of what cemented Rockstar as a pioneer in the industry. The overall tone and aesthetics are not what players would expect out of a modernGrand Theft Autogame, and the trilogy’s direction regarding bringing these settings back in modern gaming culture is still aimless. Even then, there are stillgame-breaking glitches. Whether the trilogy is worth picking up after the updates depends on one’s priorities and dedication toGrand Theft Auto.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Editionis available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
