Grand Theft Auto III

Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition Game Cover

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Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition is a single player open world action adventure game with violence and erotic themes. It was developed by Rockstar Games and was released on January 18, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Experience the epic open world adventure that started it all updated for a new generation with across-the-board enhancements including brilliant new lighting and environmental upgrades, with high-resolution textures, increased draw distance, Grand Theft Auto V-style controls and targeting, and much more, bringing these beloved worlds to life with all new levels of detail. It all starts in Liberty …

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Single-Player

Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition screenshot

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67%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,352 reviews

story123 positive mentions

optimization51 negative mentions

Iconic and groundbreaking open-world design that shaped the modern GTA series.
Definitive Edition offers improved graphics, updated lighting, and a better aiming/control system making it more accessible and playable on modern systems.
Liberty City atmosphere and the classic radio stations retain nostalgia and charm, providing an engaging and lively world to explore.

Many missions are frustratingly difficult with unforgiving timers and poorly balanced AI behavior, especially aggressive gangs and police that hinder gameplay.
The Definitive Edition has numerous bugs including black screen cutscenes, crashes, awkward NPC and vehicle physics, and visual inconsistencies such as cartoonish character models that detract from the original gritty tone.
Lack of proper checkpoints during missions, poor vehicle durability causing frequent frustrating failures, and missing original music tracks reduce the overall experience quality; many players advise waiting for sales or sticking to the original game with mods.

story
1,155 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
79%
10%
The story in GTA 3 is generally seen as simple, serving mainly as a framework for mission-based gameplay rather than a deeply engaging narrative, with a silent protagonist and straightforward crime-revenge themes. While some find it nostalgic and fitting its era, many criticize the plot as bland, disjointed, and lacking emotional depth or memorable characters. The mission design and pacing, combined with dated mechanics and an unforgiving difficulty, often overshadow the story, making progression frustrating, especially for completionists who must manage mission order carefully to avoid missing content.
- “The game offers heaps of main and side missions, dripping with signature humor and a gripping gangland storyline full of twists.”
- “The story is a simple but compelling tale of revenge and rising through the criminal underworld. Memorable missions and characters, even if dated in its storytelling.”
- “The story of Claude’s silent vengeance is as compelling as ever, and the iconic missions from the infamous car chases to the thrilling heists are still as fun and exciting.”
- “The game gave me a black screen around five times during the story, has hundreds of bugs, an almost non-existent and extremely weak narrative, and a main character who feels like a complete npc—he doesn’t speak, shows no emotions, and behaves more like a slave or a mafia lapdog than an actual character.”
- “Gameplay is repetitive as hell, plot makes no sense (Claude casually betrays every gang in the game, constantly kills people he worked for just a mission ago, and the main objective in game, which is to get revenge on Catalina, feels boring and not-so-important. Bots are incredibly stupid, and I'm not sure if it's even the remaster's fault. Every mission feels the same: go there, kill him, run away, and there are 50 missions like that just to beat the game. It's boring and by the end of the game it felt like a chore, not pleasure. I can't say I hate the game because it still gave me some fun, but not enough to make it worth replaying. Due to bots' stupidity, I lost a lot of time I wouldn't if they acted like intended.”
- “The missions are mostly disconnected faction jobs with little narrative cohesion. There's not much to it, and while several recognizable actors voice some of the NPCs, the story is ultimately one of the weakest elements of the game.”
graphics
467 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
72%
8%
The graphics in the definitive edition of GTA III offer a noticeable upgrade with improved lighting, sharper textures, and modern effects that make Liberty City visually cleaner and more vibrant. However, many users feel the new art style is too cartoonish and loses the original’s gritty, atmospheric aesthetic, with some models looking plasticky or off-putting. While the remaster fixes some bugs and adds polish, performance issues and graphical glitches, along with a departure from the classic visual tone, leave the updated graphics as a mixed bag rather than a clear enhancement.
- “The definitive edition's reworking of the game's controls and graphics, though controversial, have improved over a few iterative patches and the game looks good and plays good.”
- “The updated graphics genuinely enhance the experience for me.”
- “The revamped graphics, updated character models, and enhanced environments breathe new life into familiar locations, evoking a sense of nostalgia that will resonate with longtime fans.”
- “In GTA 3 Definitive Edition, there's a clear loss of the gritty aesthetic that the original had.”
- “And I just cannot enjoy it, the visuals are just far from the original vision and feel of the original game, the grittiness and blue filmic colors are gone... I got to play 8 minutes and gave up, I will stick to the PS2 original or emulator.”
- “The graphics strip the game of much of its identity.”
gameplay
315 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
70%
13%
The gameplay of GTA III is widely acknowledged as dated, clunky, and frustrating by modern standards, with many mechanics feeling unforgiving and lacking refinement. While the definitive edition introduces quality-of-life improvements like autosave, weapon wheel, and updated controls, core gameplay largely remains unchanged and retains its old-school, sometimes awkward feel. Despite these issues, the game's foundational open-world design, mission structure, and atmosphere still hold nostalgic value and historical significance, though it may not appeal to players seeking modern gameplay polish or innovation.
- “The core gameplay, missions, atmosphere, and unforgettable radio stations still hold up incredibly well.”
- “The definitive version of GTA 3 is honestly a decent quality of life update, with new mechanics that help a ton with gameplay and make things at least a bit less tedious.”
- “The addition of modern controls and improved camera mechanics make navigating the sprawling city streets feel smoother and more intuitive, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.”
- “The gameplay feels clunky, frustrating, and outdated, especially on PC.”
- “To preface, it's not that this is a bad game per se, it's the first 3D GTA game and it innovated the franchise to what we know now; the problem is that unlike some other games' leap to 3D, this has aged like milk on a hot sidewalk, not just in terms of graphics, but in terms of gameplay. There's no aim mechanic for throwing projectiles, cars get flung every which way if you so much as bump them, and the open world is rather barren. If you want to see where 3D GTA got its start, this is it and it's worth playing for the historical value and time capsule that it is, but if you're looking for just another open world game for your library, it might be worth taking the time to consider other options.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive as hell. The plot makes no sense: Claude casually betrays every gang in the game, constantly kills people he worked for just a mission ago, and the main objective to get revenge on Catalina feels boring and not important. Bots are incredibly stupid, and I'm not sure if it's even the remaster's fault. Every mission feels the same—go there, kill him, run away—and there are 50 missions like that just to beat the game. It's boring and by the end of the game, it felt like a chore rather than a pleasure. I can't say I hate the game because it still gave me some fun, but not enough to make it worth replaying. Due to bots' stupidity, I lost a lot of time that I wouldn't if they acted as intended. For example, in one of the last missions where you have to drive around the third island to lure three enemy cars into Yakuza traps (Yakuza that you just a few missions before killed the leader of), it was awful.”
optimization
153 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
54%
33%
The remaster of GTA 3 suffers from poor optimization, with many users reporting severe performance issues, stuttering, and bugs at launch and even after patches; while some have found workarounds like using DirectX 12 or lowering settings, overall the game struggles to run smoothly, especially on lower-end hardware. Despite improvements over time, performance remains inconsistent and below expectations for a modern release, detracting noticeably from the experience.
- “Better textures, effects, main character models, while preserving the original spirit, plus UI improvements and optimizations.”
- “The definitive edition modernizes the visuals and performance, smoothing over some of the rough edges while keeping the original style intact.”
- “Performance-wise, the game runs flawlessly on both PC and the Steam Deck, making it a joy to play on modern hardware.”
- “It is very badly optimized and seems rather a direct import from console to PC.”
- “I'm just speechless, the performance on even an RTX 3060 is unbearable; it is a legendary level of incompetence for turning a well-functioning legend of a game into a poor performance mess on modern systems after 20+ years of its original release.”
- “Launching with a host of bugs, performance issues, and visual oddities, the game faced widespread backlash upon release.”
stability
141 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
2%
92%
The GTA III Definitive Edition is widely criticized for numerous bugs, glitches, and stability issues, including frequent mission-breaking bugs, crashes, and graphical problems that detract from the experience. Although many problems have been patched since launch, the game still suffers from inconsistent performance, softlocks, and occasional immersion-breaking visual and physics glitches. Despite these issues, some players find it playable and enjoyable, especially compared to the original, but the overall stability remains a significant concern.
- “I have been able to experience this game virtually bug free and with a beautiful upgrade in the graphics department.”
- “Overall, my experience was smooth, game breaking bug free, and allowed me to appreciate these games for all their goofy arcadey glory.”
- “I had no glitches, and I didn't lose any frame rate on max graphics.”
- “The amount of times I had to repeat missions because of bugs is insane; I’d say at least a third of my total playtime was spent redoing missions due to glitches or softlocks.”
- “Final thoughts: the definitive edition is buggy and glitchy as hell — and while patches fixed some issues, many remain.”
- “Aside from that, the game is: buggy beyond belief; features car controls that make you feel like you're driving a reliant robin; has a plane that can’t fly but a tank that somehow does; suffers from depressingly repetitive radio stations due to removed licenses; includes a gang system that essentially breaks the game once you progress far enough into the story; and, to top it all off, its main selling point—60fps playability—still runs poorly unless you cap it at 30fps (something a single modder fixed years ago for the original GTA 3).”
music
129 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
70%
6%
The music in GTA III’s Definitive Edition is a mixed bag: the iconic radio stations and soundtrack still capture the early-2000s vibe and provide atmospheric driving experiences, but many original tracks have been removed due to licensing issues, leading to a more repetitive and limited selection. Fans often rely on mods to restore the missing songs, and while the soundtrack is nostalgic, it lacks the breadth and impact of later games in the series. Despite these drawbacks, the music and radio segments remain a key part of the game’s charm and nostalgia.
- “The soundtrack and radio dialogue remain iconic, blending satire, dark humor, and cultural commentary that still holds up today.”
- “The iconic radio stations and soundtrack are preserved, adding to the nostalgic appeal.”
- “The stations feature music tracks from a variety of genres as well as satirical comedy sketches.”
- “Several songs are missing from the radio stations. Look for the mod to restore missing music.”
- “There aren't that many songs in general either so expect everything to get rather repetitive listening to the same stuff over and over again.”
- “The game also lost part of its original charm — some iconic music is gone, and the cutscenes feel shorter and less impactful.”
atmosphere
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
69%
9%
Reviews of the game's atmosphere reflect a mix of appreciation and disappointment: while the original gritty, dark, and moody Liberty City vibe is praised and considered iconic, many feel the Definitive Edition's brighter, cleaner visuals and altered lighting diminish the classic grimy, foggy tone that defined the original. However, updates like the classic lighting mode restore some of the original feel, and overall the game retains its immersive city life, soundtrack, and raw freedom, even if some nostalgic atmosphere is lost or replaced with a somewhat cartoonish aesthetic.
- “In 2026, with the classic lighting mode and the updated textures, the 'dark and gritty' atmosphere finally looks the way it did in my head back in the early 2000s.”
- “The gloomy, gritty, atmospheric city, unforgettable radio stations, and chaotic mayhem are all present, now with a fresh coat of paint that makes the game feel more modern while still holding on to the iconic retro vibe.”
- “Starting with the visuals, the definitive edition has polished up Liberty City without losing the gritty atmosphere that made it so iconic.”
- “The atmosphere of the original is completely lost.”
- “Definitive Edition loses the foggy, gloomy atmosphere of the original game.”
- “The graphics are the main selling point of the Definitive Edition, and the game does look much better with new textures, lighting, and weather effects; however, that often comes at the cost of physics, atmosphere, terrible character models, and hilarious animations.”
humor
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in GTA III is widely praised for its irreverent, dark, and satirical style, highlighted by memorable radio shows, quirky NPC behavior, and iconic cultural commentary that still feels fresh despite some dated elements. While the original game's humor is often seen as a standout feature, the remastered edition's visual glitches, awkward animations, and character models are frequently described as unintentionally hilarious, adding a layer of quirky charm but also frustration for some players. Overall, the game's humor contributes significantly to its charm and lasting appeal, blending chaos with comedic moments that resonate with longtime fans.
- “Driving in GTA III is so memorable because of the amazing music and the irreverent humor.”
- “The radio stations remain some of the funniest in gaming, the missions balance chaos with dark humor, and Liberty City still feels like the template for every modern open-world crime game.”
- “The game’s dark humor and memorable cast of characters like Joey Leone and Asuka Kasen are still top-tier, and the radio stations remain absolute classics.”
grinding
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
22%
68%
Grinding in the game is widely described as tedious and frustrating, with many missions feeling repetitive, overly difficult, or lacking creativity. Side content and achieving 100% completion require significant time investment, often diminishing overall enjoyment despite some quality-of-life improvements in the remaster. Players frequently note that the grind disrupts pacing and can be exacerbated by technical issues and unforgiving AI.
- “Other than that a great game to pick up on a deal and good for getting achievements, since they're not too tedious to get.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The game quickly devolves into an incredibly tedious experience, largely due to its mission design which offers neither creativity nor player freedom.”
- “The emergency missions (medic, police, fire) were long and grindy.”
- “I ended up spending a hell of a lot of time doing the side missions and collectible farming, which definitely hindered my enjoyment a lot.”
replayability
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The definitive edition of GTA 3 offers improved playability with modern quality-of-life enhancements and additional mini-games, providing moderate replayability primarily appealing to completionists. While it is more stable and accessible than the original, some feel it lacks the lasting engagement of newer GTA titles or the original's nostalgic charm. Overall, it's a more user-friendly but less compelling experience for replay value.
- “Aside from achievements, this game has decent replayability through mini-games like taxi driver and firefighting.”
- “Now patched up with swapped models and a classic lighting option, this edition of GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas is finally playable without feeling like you've been abused, though still not the same as the originals.”
- “The added quality of life changes (mission restarts, modern controls) make this game more playable than ever.”
- “Some of the missions got easier compared to the original game, which makes the game more playable but these are unnecessary changes.”
- “It is very unfortunate that the old version of this game is more playable; I had fewer cutscene bugs in the old game than the definitive edition.”
- “Optimistically, you could say this is representative of the older style of games where length and replayability was artificially increased by forcing you to do the same mission over and over until you succeed (often a matter of luck), but with every GTA since this one having a far more engaging world, there's little reason to play this unless you're a diehard completionist.”
monetization
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of this remastered trilogy is widely viewed as a blatant cash grab, with many criticizing the removal of original games and DLCs, lack of meaningful improvements, and ongoing unresolved issues. Players feel this release prioritized profit over quality or respect for the original masterpieces.
- “If a remaster has to lose what made the original stand out, it is just a thoughtless cash grab, which is exactly what this 'definitive edition' trilogy is.”
- “They removed the original games along with the DLCs from storefronts, absolutely lazy and just shows how much of a cash grab these definitive editions were.”
- “This is a poor and scummy cash grab from Rockstar/Take-Two with absolutely nothing fixed or patched in the last 8 months; the only saving grace is now the game is playable from start to finish without requiring mods immediately.”
emotional
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
93%
7%
The emotional impact of the game is largely minimal, with a silent protagonist and a straightforward, often nonsensical plot that lacks depth or player investment. While some players feel nostalgic or curious, many find the experience boring, emotionally flat, and fraught with frustrating gameplay issues that diminish engagement.
- “Some were easy, some were hard, which got a little emotional.”
- “If you are here for nostalgia or curiosity, it is worth touching.”
- “But when I first tried the third installment, it was the one that truly made me feel like a 'Grand Theft Auto' player for the first time.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Users generally criticize the character development, particularly highlighting that the character design in the definitive edition is poor despite improvements in other visual aspects like environment, scenery, and effects.
- “For the Definitive Edition, the environment has a huge improvement, the gameplay reminds me of GTA V, making it more adapted. The bad part for this Definitive Edition is the character design, which is kind of awful.”

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21h Median play time

22h Average play time

14h Main story

37h Completionist

5-30h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition is a open world action adventure game with violence and erotic themes.

Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Windows, Cloud and others.

The main story can be completed in around 14 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 37 hours to finish. On average players spend around 22 hours playing Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition.

Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition was released on January 18, 2023.

Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition was developed by Rockstar Games.

Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its optimization.

Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition is a single player game.

Similar games include Grand Theft Auto III, GTA Vice City 1001% Real No Fake No Virus [For qzeq], Saints Row The Third Remastered, Mafia, Mafia 3 and others.

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