UPDATE: This review, originally written as a sample on Google Docs, is being modernized with details from the most-current update, Version 1.0.6. NOTE: As I'm reviewing the Switch version as well, this makes the game fall within the "recent" window.
By: Bryan Applegate Reviewed on: Xbox One and Nintendo Switch
Available On: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Steam, PS4, PS5, and NIntendo Switch
INTRO
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition is a compilation that has been… very interesting for all manner of reasons to put it lightly. To say that this trilogy disappointed a LOT of people would be the understatement of the century. Despite all of the issues this trilogy has (prior to the most recent and upcoming future patches), did Rockstar (R*) and Grove Street Games create a product that can be somehow salvaged somewhere down the line? Let’s find out! Now, Just as a general note, I’ll be breaking this down into sections, one overall per game in this trilogy. That equals 3 sections. Let’s start with the Definitive Edition of Grand Theft Auto III (2001), then work our way to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), and then conclude with the classic Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
GRAND THEFT AUTO III OVERVIEW - A Polished, But Messy, Classic
Grand Theft Auto III: Definitive Edition brings you in control of a silent criminal protagonist named Claude, kinda like the first two Top-down games Grand Theft Auto, and Grand Theft Auto II. There is initial joy and wonder in discovering - or rediscovering, in my case - Liberty City and its’ three areas. That wonder is briefly escalated into amazement as you can drive around and visit some parts of Liberty City before doing the first mission. The controls felt more simpler and less clunky than in the original Grand Theft Auto III. This is due to all 3 games in the Definitive Edition of the Trilogy taking their control cues from Grand Theft Auto V. They also share an upgraded Checkpoint system, and an automatic restart option upon failing a mission. On Nintendo Switch, the game includes gyro aiming and touchscreen support. Some assets, such as Trees and whatnot, also got the GTA V treatment.
I’m personally ok with the designs of the main “protagonists” across all 3 games. Claude doesn’t look too bad, even in this close-up of Claude with a bat. The driving works like it does in Grand Theft Auto V. Turning and steering are still kinda awkward, especially on the regular bike in San Andreas (more on that later). Auto-targeting is also present in III, Vice City, and San Andreas. Combat across all three games is consistent, I guess, in that it’s irritating and unforgivingly brutal at times. Operating at an unsteady (eventually smoothed out) 30fps doesn’t help matters either. Also, unlike the original games, all of the games’ protagonists can swim. As a result, GTA III is still very fun to mess around in between missions and before missions, and being able to upgrade your weapons between missions is fun and adds some strategy into your purchases during the game. UPDATE: As of Update 1.0.6 (according to Nintendo Switch), This remaster, along with the other games in this bundle, has improved framerate, and provides a smoother experience in general. Some particle effects are fixed as well. Glitches and audio problems, however, are STILL prevalent.
GRAND THEFT AUTO: VICE CITY - A Visceral Good Time, Plagued by Issues
As much of the changes (and corresponding issues and glitches, more on that later) from GTA III Definitive Edition carry over to the other 2 games, it’d be redundant to state them again and again ad nauseum. Anyways, Across all three games, If the player commits crimes while playing, the game's law enforcement agencies may respond as indicated by a "wanted" meter in the head-up display (HUD), which increases as the player commits more crimes. On the meter, the displayed stars indicate the current wanted level, and the higher the level, the greater the response for law enforcement (for example, at the maximum six-star level, police helicopters and military swarm to lethally dispatch players).
During the story, protagonist Tommy meets characters from various gangs. As the player completes missions for different gangs, fellow gang members will often defend the player, while rival gang members will recognise the player and subsequently shoot on sight. While free roaming the game world, the player may engage in activities such as a vigilante minigame, a fire fighting activity, a paramedic service and a taxi cab service. Completion of these activities grants the player with context-specific rewards.
As Tommy builds his criminal empire, the player may purchase a number of properties distributed across the city, some of which act as additional hideouts where weapons can be collected and vehicles can be stored. There are also a variety of businesses which can be purchased, including a pornographic film studio, a taxi company, and several entertainment clubs. Each commercial property has a number of missions attached to it, such as eliminating competition or stealing equipment; once all missions are complete, the property begins to generate an ongoing income available for the player.
Thanks to the graphical updates. Vice City - which critics deemed as more beautiful than the already-amazing Liberty City of III - is even more beautiful now than it was already.
Sadly, the issues mentioned and to be discussed later in this review haven't been fixed and will likely NEVER be fixed due to poor fan feedback and a shift in focus to GTA VI.
GRAND THEFT AUTO: SAN ANDREAS - A Criminal Good Time, Wasted by Bugs
The player can partake in a variety of optional side missions that can boost their character's attributes or provide other sources of income. The traditional side missions of past Grand Theft Auto games are included, such as dropping off taxi cab passengers, putting out fires, driving injured people to the hospital, and fighting crime as a vigilante. New additions include burglary missions, pimping missions, truck and train driving missions requiring the player to make deliveries on time, and driving/flying/boating/biking schools, which help the player learn skills and techniques to use in their corresponding vehicles.
Not all locations are open to the player at the start of the game. Some locales, such as mod garages, restaurants, gyms, and shops, become available only after completing specific missions. Likewise, for the first portion of the game, only Los Santos and its immediate suburbs are available for exploration; unlocking the other cities and rural areas again requires the completion of specific missions. If the player travels to locked locations early in the game, they will attract the attention of SWAT teams, police, and police-controlled Hydras if in an aircraft.
Unlike Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City, which needed loading screens when the player moved between different districts of the city, San Andreas has no load times when the player is in transit. The only loading screens in the game are for cut-scenes and interiors. Other differences between San Andreas and its predecessors include the switch from single-player to multiplayer Rampage missions (albeit not in the PC version), and the replacement of the "hidden packages" with spray paint tags, hidden camera shots, horseshoes, and oysters to discover.
For the first time in the series, players can swim and climb walls. The ability to swim and dive underwater has a great effect on the player as well since water is no longer an impassable barrier that kills the player outright (although it is possible to drown). For greater firepower, the player can also dual-wield firearms or perform a drive-by shooting with multiple gang members who can be recruited to follow the player. Due to the size of San Andreas, a waypoint reticule on the HUD map can be set, aiding the player in reaching a destination.
Rockstar has emphasized the personalisation of the main protagonist by adding role-playing video game (RPG) elements. Clothing, accessories, haircuts, jewelery, and tattoos are available for purchase by the player, and have more of an effect on non-player characters' reactions than the clothing in Vice City. CJ's level of respect among his fellow recruits and street friends varies according to his appearance and actions, as do his relationships with his girlfriends. The player must ensure that CJ eats to stay healthy and exercises adequately. The balance of food and physical activity affects his appearance and physical attributes.
San Andreas tracks acquired skills in areas such as driving, firearms handling, stamina, and lung capacity, which improve through use in the game. CJ may learn three different styles of hand-to-hand combat (boxing, kickboxing, and kung fu) at the gyms in each of the game's three cities. CJ can speak with some pedestrians in the game, responding either negatively or positively. According to Rockstar, there are about 4,200 lines of spoken dialogue for CJ when the cutscenes are excluded.
As a neat nod to the other two games that preceded San Andreas, at various points in the storyline, CJ works with Cesar's criminal cousin Catalina (Cynthia Farrell), and mob boss Salvatore Leone (Frank Vincent), both previously featured in Grand Theft Auto III. Claude, the silent protagonist of Grand Theft Auto III, also makes a cameo appearance in the game, while Grand Theft Auto: Vice City's protagonist Tommy Vercetti is mentioned at a point in the story.
Again, technical, audio mixing, and graphical and glitch issues all abound here as well. The iconic line CJ says at the end of the introductory cutscene is started prematurely as the cops start driving off, causing the Cops' dialogue to be interrupted mid-sentence.
GLITCHES - Loads of Glitches!!
This game has been panned to Hell and Back due to the various glitches this Trilogy compilation has within it.
That’s putting the scenario lightly.. The screenshot above speaks for itself. There's also some audio cut-ins and interruptions where a character like CJ in San Andreas will say his iconic meme line before the cops finish speaking, completely interrupting them.
That's just one of the MANY glitches ad issues found in Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition. It speaks for itself in a thousand words. Other glitches include teleporting cars that move through the seafloor into a tunnel at random, characters like CJ spinning along the ground, etc. My favorite glitch is seeing a bunch of NPCs running panicked and/or in rioting mode throughout San Andreas, even though they’re not being run over by a vehicle.
FINAL VERDICT - A MESSY Remastered Trilogy That FAILS its' Predecessors
Overall, while Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition is a significant mess of a remaster that performs even worse (though it has improved as of February 2022) on Nintendo Switch than it already does on other platforms. Rockstar and Grove Street Games have said that they’ll fix this remaster. The damage, however, is done.
I was initially excited to play these games via PS+, PS Now and Xcloud as a part of Xbox Game Pass. To be fair, I spent about an hour or two mucking around while playing San Andreas: The Definitive Edition, and during my time playing, I didn’t notice any insane glitches during my Xcloud session with the game. Should I consider myself lucky in that regard? However, no amount of upscaling, improved controls, and added swimming mechanics can save this “remaster” from being a disastrous trainwreck with all the glitches, missing soundtracks, and missing cheat codes.
I know that at this point-in-time, some of these issues were fixed. I don’t care. I’m judging this game in the state it was released in. The state I got to play it in wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but it definitely could’ve been much better. If you’re gonna get this game for the Switch, or Xbox One or whatever, Wait for a 66%+ off sale or something. At that price point, it’s actually kinda worth it. Now, initially, when I reviewed it on Xbox One via Xcloud and Game Pass, It worked well enough to warrant a 7.5 out of 10. However, in light of all the glitches, the lingering audio issues, and the continued lack of polish compared to Rockstar's usual potential. and care... in addition to to 1.0.6 being the LAST patch as of now, This game gets a lowered FINAL SCORE. I don't expect this one to change anytime soon. Again, approach this with major caution and education.
FINAL SCORE: 6.5/10 - A WASTED remaster of a legendary trilogy of PS2 Games!
PROS: CONS: - Good Graphics - So easy to die. - Smooth Gameplay - LOTS of glitches and audio issues. - Free Roam between missions - Easy to get Lost
- Glossy Art & Character models
- Loads of Technical Problems - Loss of material from OG games.
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