Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Version launched on Steam on January 19, after an extended interval of exclusivity within the Rockstar Video games retailer for PC gamers. That includes remastered variations of Grand Theft Auto 3, Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the bundle launched again in late 2021 in not-so-ideal form. A number of efficiency and visible points plagued every entry, and whereas Rockstar has launched some patches since, this re-release calls for warning.
For the time being, it’s not attainable to buy the unique variations of the three video games on Steam, which implies the Definitive Version package deal is now the solely accessible bundle on the shop. After some hands-on time with every title, here’s a breakdown of what you possibly can anticipate (or fairly what to organize for) from the GTA Trilogy’s Steam model.
Picture: Rockstar by way of Polygon
Does the GTA Trilogy work but?
Nicely, the reply is sophisticated. Sure, you possibly can largely boot up the GTA Trilogy on Steam and play every one of many video games with out that many points. No less than from my expertise, I didn’t encounter any specific bug that prevented me from going to level A to B with out that many points (I’ll let you know extra concerning the hostile automobile drivers in a while). Glitches such because the heavy rain that made it nearly unimaginable to see are now not current.
That mentioned, Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Version is basically from being in an optimum state. In all three instances, the video games get caught loading through the first boot-up. After the Rockstar Video games launcher opens — which, sure, continues to run within the background even with the Steam model — I get a black display and the sport’s course of doesn’t reply. So every time I’ve to open up the duty supervisor, finish the method, and open the sport once more. All video games additionally requested for firewall permission, too, in case you’re focused on realizing.
Presentation-wise, the video games are a blended bag. I went with GTA Vice Metropolis’s Steam model first, and to my shock, the highest proper nook of the UI was current all through the entire beginning cutscene. This didn’t repeat itself afterward, but it surely wasn’t one of the best first impression. By way of interface, all three video games share the identical construction — the choices are displayed on the left aspect of the display, whereas the background itself is the sport’s map. You need to use your mouse to pull it round, but it surely’s not till you really choose the map button that you simply get to see the icons or place waypoints. As well as, generally hovering over this menu with the mouse chosen the button above the place my mouse cursor was pointing in the direction of. Whereas not a deal breaker, the presentation as a complete feels unpolished.
By way of visuals… it’s sophisticated. Not one of the three video games defaulted to my PC’s customary decision, which is 1080p, they usually had black bars on the aspect till I modified the setting and restarted them. In-game, some cutscenes showcased characters with clean or outright clipped eyes, and some fashions seemed blurry when seen up shut. A number of different instances, the place of NPCs or key objects — such because the bomb that goes off firstly of GTA III — was clearly in a distinct place than supposed. Once more, whereas these points gained’t forestall you from enjoying the GTA Trilogy per se, they add as much as change into a relentless distraction.
Your mileage will range when it comes to the brand new general aesthetic of every sport, each as a result of completely different use of lighting and the completely different mannequin designs. However even in case you don’t thoughts everyone’s faces wanting like a mix of a shocked child and a squashed clay determine, some lighting results are distracting at greatest and disruptive at worst.
Floating objects similar to police stars or quest markers emit their very own mild, and it’s extremely vibrant, to the purpose the place you possibly can see their reflections on fences or different close by objects. Shadows have the other drawback, particularly throughout cutscenes, the place characters are sometimes obscured (though that is generally associated to the present in-game time of day). In different instances, it’s the reflections that may conceal characters, similar to within the drive-through scene in San Andreas the place the group is selecting up meals. The glare towards the entrance windscreen was so intense that I might solely see CJ clearly contained in the automobile.
Picture: Rockstar by way of Polygon
Is the GTA Trilogy Definitive Version price enjoying?
Fact be informed, revisiting GTA III or GTA Vice Metropolis this present day feels inevitably clunky, and many of the small additions are merely delicate modifications, such because the radio channel wheel from Grand Theft Auto 5 now current in all three video games. It’s additionally price mentioning that there’s a first rate quantity of accessibility choices current in comparison with the unique releases.
There have been, nonetheless, some odd situations right here and there. For instance, generally hitting police vehicles or bikes doesn’t instantly result in having a needed star. Positive, that is useful, however off-putting nonetheless. Driving generally simply appears to be chaotic — in GTA III, I couldn’t go traverse for quite a lot of blocks with out seeing a automobile crash or a killed pedestrian on the ground blocking a avenue.
In San Andreas, generally drivers will simply enrage themselves and begin hitting you, again and again, for no purpose. Throughout one specific occasion, they managed to flip my automobile round, so I received out earlier than it exploded. However even after the deed was accomplished, the driving force continued to reverse slowly after which marched towards the wreckage in an countless loop.
Sadly, efficiency might be fairly arbitrary as effectively. Utilizing an RTX 2060, i7 8700k, and 16 GB of RAM, I used to be on the 60 FPS mark more often than not working the best settings. However the framerate dropped usually throughout all three video games, generally and not using a particular purpose. DLSS is an possibility no less than, however general, it looks like the video games are appearing in a way more demanding manner than they need to, and impacting efficiency consequently. (The followers of my PC did an odd, steady noise whereas enjoying them, which I had by no means heard earlier than.)
All in all, in case you’re planning to see all three video games by way of, you’re certain to come across points and glitches similar to those described above. In case you actually need the GTA Trilogy on Steam, they’re the one sole possibility accessible, and the presentation leaves a lot to be desired. However when you’ve got a PS2 laying round nonetheless, that is perhaps your greatest guess to soak into nostalgia with out being horrified or upset each ten minutes.
