A classic crime world trilogy is back rebuilt today with the launch of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – Final Edition, which lumps GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas into one collection with an overly long name. They look nicer and more modern (the originals were 2001, 2002 and 2004 respectively), and have less old control schemes. Unfortunately they also cut some of my favorite songs from the radio, boooo.
Grove Street Games (formerly War Drum Studios) rebuilt three games in Unreal Engine with stunning graphics like new lighting, high resolution textures, longer spans, better modeling, as well like GTA5 style controls.
It was a curious look. I think the original looks a bit cartoonish partly due to technical limitations and partly due to style. The remakes are heavily animated, expanding on what they actually look like without considering what they were trying to look like. I think? It’s jarring, especially the combination of cartoon characters with bright lights. Big “HD” mode. I don’t dig it.
Unfortunately, some of the songs on the radio stations in the original are not available here. Rockstar has removed songs with new versions before, and it’s usually supposed to be for permission issues, but it sucks. Fortunately, list of missing songs shorter than originally planned, with Rockstar confirming that the initial playlist they submitted was incorrect.
Rockstar’s original, incomplete playlist that was missing bangs included Gary Numan’s Cars and Sigue Sigue Sputnik’s F1-11 Love Rocket (yes, I locked it with Wave 103), and I was dead tired. Thankfully, they are all safe. However, songs that are actually absent include choruses like Herbie Hancock’s Rockit, Michael Jackson’s Wanna Be Startin ‘Somethin’, and Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name.
Yes, they were just songs, but I have deeper memories of reading these songs on the radio than I do performing any of the missions in any of the three games. . The GTA game is more about a location than any plot. Music is a big part of that.
I realize I’ve come to understand a lot but as someone who’s been trying to play GTA3 for the past couple of years and finds it considerably outdated, I definitely wanted to give it a go. Maybe when this is discounted in the sale.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is only available for PC from Rockstar Store, priced at £55. It’s also available on Xboxes, PlayStations and Nintendo Switch. I won’t buy for £55 because I already own the originals but for sure, I will sell them. Game Pass subscribers on Xbox currently have access to San Andreas Def Ed, and PlayStation Now subscribers will get GTA 3 Def Ed on December 7, but Game Pass For PC subscribers won’t. interest.
Disclosure: I am friends with several people who work at Rockstar. Edinburgh is a small city, you know, and Rockstar is a big company.
