GTA III - 15 years old today

PostGTA III - 15 years old today by **Lotus** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 10:36 am

GTA III was released 15 years ago today in Europe. Surely one of the most iconic, impactful and revolutionary games, and one that I have very fond memories about. Ever since playing the original GTA, I'd dreamt about what it could be like in 3D, and while other games - namely Driver - gave a hint of what could be, it always felt quite far away. Then, with relatively little fanfare (at least that I was aware of) it was released. I was stunned the first time I saw it in motion; so often games try something that the technology just can't match, but GTA III nailed it, and then some. Cue many hours of exploring, marvelling at the open world, driving around to a glorious soundtrack, and causing all kinds of mayhem and destruction.

What are your memories of it? And feel free to share any thoughts on its impact and legacy. Some bits to bring back some memories:

Map:

Screenshots:

Radio Stations:

This was the last open world game where I was able to memorise the map and navigate entirely from memory.

PostRe: GTA III - 15 years old today by **BID0** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 10:54 am

I guess I was the only person a little disappointed initially :shifty:

but it soon wore off after a few minutes. I remember it feeling like the longest day at school ever.

I came to GTA3 late (I went with a Gamecube, then bought an Xbox late in the generation) and I couldn't get into it at all. The story seemed really dull, and the whole thing seemed a bit clunky. I never even played Vice City which was also included in the double-pack, and didn't bother with San Andreas. Years later I bought GTA IV and really enjoyed it, go figure.

PostRe: GTA III - 15 years old today by **Preezy** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:09 am

So good

GTA3 was amazing, bettered only by Vice City in the entire series. (GTAV is obviously immense, but you just can't beat the 80s setting and music)

more heat than light wrote:I came to GTA3 late (I went with a Gamecube, then bought an Xbox late in the generation) and I couldn't get into it at all. The story seemed really dull, and the whole thing seemed a bit clunky. I never even played Vice City which was also included in the double-pack, and didn't bother with San Andreas. Years later I bought GTA IV and really enjoyed it, go figure.

Vice City was way better than III, and for me personally Vice City was the best of the PS2 games, way better than San Andreas to me. I could never get on with all that managing your muscle/body fat/weight crap they added into San Andreas.

PostRe: GTA III - 15 years old today by **Pedz** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:48 am

I remember playing it for a bit and then getting really bored, seems to happen to me with all GTA games, they're just not that fun.

PostRe: GTA III - 15 years old today by **Lotus** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:56 am

Brerlappin wrote:
Lagamorph wrote:This was the last open world game where I was able to memorise the map and navigate entirely from memory.

I thought that was jsut me. I knew Liberty City inside out. Never had a clue where i was going in any open world games now. I think theyre just too big nowadays.

I had this to an extent with III, but definitely did with Vice City. In that if there was a mission starting in, I don't know, the docks or something, I could just go there without looking at the map or anything. Was an odd feeling, but I haven't 'known' a game's city like that before or since.

Great game. Still get the feels when I hear the opening music...

:wub:

Lips 106 was my jam on the radio, always had that going. Brilliant city, brilliant characters, loved it all. The problem with today's open world games is that, probably as a result of their size, they just don't feel as intimate an experience as GTA 3 did, back in the day. It's now very difficult to learn to traverse their worlds off by heart; the GPS feature in particular ruined that for me. But more than that, I just don't feel "close" to the world like I did back then.

PostRe: GTA III - 15 years old today by **Wedgie** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 12:12 pm

One of my top 10 games on the PS2, ever.

And I've been goddamn tempted to buy the PS4 version ever since it went up since then. :lol:

PostRe: GTA III - 15 years old today by **Errkal** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 12:13 pm

I never came close to finishing it as always got stuck, but really enjoyed starting over again and again and again

I loved the PC version having an MP3 player radio station for your own music as well.

Lagamorph wrote:I loved the PC version having an MP3 player radio station for your own music as well.

A feature sorely missing from open world (and racing) games today.

This was a landmark title no doubt but I feel it became needlessly difficult toward the end, that mission on the dam which I think was the last mission really stands out in that respect as it was strawberry floating solid.

PostRe: GTA III - 15 years old today by **BID0** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 1:22 pm

IAmTheSaladMan wrote:This was a landmark title no doubt but I feel it became needlessly difficult toward the end, that mission on the dam which I think was the last mission really stands out in that respect as it was strawberry floating solid.

And with no checkpoints

PostRe: GTA III - 15 years old today by **Errkal** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 1:27 pm

Lagamorph wrote:I loved the PC version having an MP3 player radio station for your own music as well.

Lived that feature in games on the original Xbox, I'm surprised games don't get hook ins to Spotify and things now.

7256930752

How is GTA 3 only 5 years older than Tomb Raider?

Amazing game, VC was definitely the best of the PS2 trilogy but GTA3 is up there with Mario 64 as one of gamings 'holy strawberry float' moments.

3 blew me away. The Jump from 2D to 3D was amazing. I pretty much played it non stop until VC came out.

The setting, freedom and scale of it all impressed me. Driving around 3 with the fog is really atmospheric.

Recently I've taken the plunge and decided to 100% and platinum 3,VC,SA,4 and 5 before 6 comes out. I 100% and platinum'ed 3 a few weekends ago.

PostRe: GTA III - 15 years old today by **Godzilla** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 3:59 pm

I got it all with a WWF game. I never got into at first and actually traded it in. At the time on Sky there was a tv channel which showed games reviews and loads of random games footage. I remember watching it and wishing I was still playing it. So I got back into it and went for all the hidden packages and amazing weapons.

I prefer Vice City as the setting is brilliant and I'd argue that these days Saints Row has more enjoyable gameplay but GTA 3 was just amazing and like Mario 64, Goldeneye, MGS and other classics it changed things for the better.

PostRe: GTA III - 15 years old today by **KingK** » Wed Oct 26, 2016 4:27 pm

Lagamorph wrote:
more heat than light wrote:I came to GTA3 late (I went with a Gamecube, then bought an Xbox late in the generation) and I couldn't get into it at all. The story seemed really dull, and the whole thing seemed a bit clunky. I never even played Vice City which was also included in the double-pack, and didn't bother with San Andreas. Years later I bought GTA IV and really enjoyed it, go figure.

Vice City was way better than III, and for me personally Vice City was the best of the PS2 games, way better than San Andreas to me. I could never get on with all that managing your muscle/body fat/weight crap they added into San Andreas.

Are you me? My thoughts exactly (plus the romancing bit in SA annoyed me immensely too)
GTA:VC remains one of my all time favourite games. But GTA 3 was a trailblazing game that blew me away. I bought a ps2 and GTA3 all on the back of a guy I worked with back in 2001 who bought it Day 1 and spent all of the next working day telling us about what he'd seen and done in it the previous night.

Good times

GTA III - 15 years old today

Who is online

Affiliates