Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Version launched on Steam on January 19, after a protracted 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 doable to buy the unique variations of the three video games on Steam, which implies the Definitive Version package deal is now the solely out there bundle on the shop. After some hands-on time with every title, here’s a breakdown of what you’ll be able to anticipate (or somewhat what to organize for) from the GTA Trilogy’s Steam model.
Does the GTA Trilogy work but?
Effectively, the reply is difficult. Sure, you’ll be able to largely boot up the GTA Trilogy on Steam and play every one of many video games with out that many points. Not 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 automotive drivers afterward). Glitches such because the heavy rain that made it virtually unattainable 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 throughout 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 screen 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 excited by 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, however it wasn’t one of the best first impression. When it comes to interface, all three video games share the identical construction — the choices are displayed on the left facet of the display screen, whereas the background itself is the sport’s map. You should utilize your mouse to tug it round, however it’s not till you truly choose the map button that you simply get to see the icons or place waypoints. As well as, typically 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.
When it comes to visuals… it’s difficult. Not one of the three video games defaulted to my PC’s customary decision, which is 1080p, they usually had black bars on the facet 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. Just a few different occasions, the place of NPCs or key objects — such because the bomb that goes off initially of GTA III — was clearly in a distinct place than supposed. Once more, whereas these points gained’t stop you from enjoying the GTA Trilogy per se, they add as much as turn into a continuing distraction.
Your mileage will fluctuate when it comes to the brand new total aesthetic of every sport, each because of the completely different use of lighting and the completely different mannequin designs. However even in case you don’t thoughts all people’s faces wanting like a mix of a stunned child and a squashed clay determine, some lighting results are distracting at greatest and disruptive at worst.
Floating gadgets equivalent to police stars or quest markers emit their very own gentle, and it’s extremely brilliant, to the purpose the place you’ll be able to see their reflections on fences or different close by objects. Shadows have the alternative downside, particularly throughout cutscenes, the place characters are sometimes obscured (though that is typically associated to the present in-game time of day). In different instances, it’s the reflections that may cover characters, equivalent to within the drive-through scene in San Andreas the place the group is choosing up meals. The glare in opposition to the entrance windscreen was so intense that I might solely see CJ clearly contained in the automotive.
Is the GTA Trilogy Definitive Version price enjoying?
Reality be advised, revisiting GTA III or GTA Vice Metropolis nowadays feels inevitably clunky, and many of the small additions are merely refined 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 respectable quantity of accessibility choices current in comparison with the unique releases.
There have been, nonetheless, some odd situations right here and there. For instance, typically hitting police vehicles or bikes doesn’t instantly result in having a needed star. Certain, that is useful, however off-putting nonetheless. Driving on the whole simply appears to be chaotic — in GTA III, I couldn’t go traverse for various blocks with out seeing a automotive crash or a killed pedestrian on the ground blocking a road.
In San Andreas, typically drivers will simply enrage themselves and begin hitting you, again and again, for no purpose. Throughout one specific occasion, they managed to flip my automotive round, so I bought out earlier than it exploded. However even after the deed was executed, the driving force continued to reverse slowly after which marched in opposition to the wreckage in an infinite loop.
Sadly, efficiency might be fairly arbitrary as nicely. 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 very best settings. However the framerate dropped usually throughout all three video games, typically with no particular purpose. DLSS is an possibility not less than, however total, it looks as if the video games are performing in a way more demanding means than they need to, and impacting efficiency consequently. (The followers of my PC did a wierd, 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 means of, you’re certain to come across points and glitches equivalent to those described above. If you happen to really need the GTA Trilogy on Steam, they’re the one sole possibility out there, and the presentation leaves a lot to be desired. However you probably have a PS2 laying round nonetheless, that may be your greatest wager to soak into nostalgia with out being horrified or upset each ten minutes.