Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy, or simply the GTA Trilogy, is getting a remaster with tons of improvement coming from Rockstar Games. It’s going to come out on several platforms and is coming to you very soon. What should you anticipate in this grand release? Let’s check things out.
What Is Grand Theft Auto?
Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is a series of games in the action and adventure genre developed by Rockstar Games. It features an open world where the player can explore and, well, steal motor vehicles and wreak havoc. However, conducting a “grand theft” isn’t the only thing you can or will do in this game. There are tons of other things including main missions to progress the plot and numerous side quests, too.
Gameplay-wise, the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy along with later games don’t change as much. Apart from the open world, you primarily drive in a vehicle and shoot other people to progress through the game. Moreover, there are also some stealth and role-playing tactics involved within some games — but they’re not primary.
As for the setting, the GTA Trilogy games are usually set in “fake cities” based on real ones. For example, the original GTA took place in three cities: Liberty City, San Andreas, and Vice City. These three might seem fictional but upon closer inspection, they’re loosely based on New York, San Francisco, and Miami, respectively. These locations grew and evolved as more GTA games came out.
In terms of story, each GTA game usually focuses on different protagonists with varying motives and backstories. However, each character more or less “climbs up the ladder” of the criminal underworld to achieve their objective every time.
What Is GTA Trilogy Remastered?
Having been released back in the late 90s, the GTA franchise has seen tons of growth and love over time. Old fans grew up and followed the franchise and newer, younger fans sprung out to appreciate the recent games. However, the unfortunate effect of a growing franchise also meant that the older games became underappreciated. That is until Rockstar Games officially announced the GTA Trilogy – The Definitive Edition.
At first, fans weren’t completely sure that there would be a remastered GTA Trilogy coming out. After all, it simply started as a rumor because Take-Two released announcements for mod take-downs on older GTA games. Nonetheless, after a few months of speculation, Rockstar Games officially confirmed the release around October 2021.
Along with the announcement, Rockstar Games officially released a GTA Trilogy trailer showcasing the new game. It showed side-by-side clips of the old and new graphics (remade with Unreal Engine) showing everything you can expect. Moreover, it was also revealed that the GTA Trilogy contains GTA 3, GTA Vice City, and GTA San Andreas.
Is GTA: The Trilogy remastered coming out soon? If you’re already looking for the GTA Trilogy release date, then we’ve got good news. As soon as the announcement came out, Rockstar Games also gave us a definite release date. You can expect a release as soon as November 11, 2021. However, the physical release won’t be out until December 7, 2021. Nonetheless, you can already pre-order the GTA Trilogy remaster right now on Rockstar’s website.
GTA Trilogy: Everything You Need to Know
We know that the GTA Trilogy remake is coming out with GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas. However, we’re not completely sure of what to expect apart from that. What should you stay on the lookout for when the GTA Trilogy releases? Let’s find out.
Graphics Upgrade
The first (and most obvious) change is certainly the updated graphics. Most, if not all, remakes come with updated graphics — and that’s true with the GTA Trilogy. Grove Street Games adapted each of the Trilogy games using Unreal Engine. If you’re unsure what this entails, just know that the games were sort of “rebuilt.”
As a result, you can expect incredible graphical improvements in terms of both aesthetics and playability in the GTA Trilogy. It’s certainly going to feel superior compared to when you first played it on the PS2. However, you might not necessarily comprehend the difference if you’ve never played the originals.
In addition, Rockstar Games guaranteed that the GTA Trilogy now comes with “completely rebuilt” lighting systems. Moreover, they also updated the graphics of the shadows, reflections, weather, and character/object models. There are also improvements in higher-resolution textures, increased draw distances, and smoother surfaces. Overall, you should be able to feel like it’s an entirely new game — at least visually.
Lastly, the GTA Trilogy will also be playable in 4K@60fps. Hence, you can get the highest resolution on those consoles — at least, for PS5 and Xbox Series X players. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been news on 4K gaming for the GTA Trilogy on other platforms as of yet.
Gameplay & Controls
As for the GTA Trilogy gameplay, you should expect improvements in this area as well. Rockstar Games said that they took inspiration from GTA 5 so it should play like a more modern game. This includes better targeting, aiming lock-on, and more.
Moreover, the interface has been upgraded as well with updated weapon and radio station wheels. You can even find new mini maps to help you get to destinations and find your way much better.
Furthermore, because the GTA Trilogy is releasing across multiple platforms, you can expect platform-specific add-ons as well. For example, the Nintendo Switch version will incorporate gyroscopic gaming (which is neat, provided you don’t hate motion controls). In addition, you can also use the touch display to zoom, pan, or select things using your finger within menus.
On the other hand, PC gamers can expect support for NVIDIA’s DLSS technology. Hence, you can expect much smoother gameplay and overall experience on various graphics cards. Lastly, the GTA Trilogy also includes updated achievements, trophies, and more as you play on various platforms. You can also instantly restart missions if you fail instead of going back to the NPC like in the past.
A Closer Look at All 3 Games
The GTA Trilogy has similar changes throughout each game in terms of both graphics and gameplay. However, if you want a breakdown of the subtle differences in each game based on the trailer then stick around.
In Grand Theft Auto III, the most prominent change is the difference in Liberty City. You can see that the backdrop has been improved tremendously with more details in the bridges and buildings. Moreover, the road signs, train, and especially the lighting have all been improved.
On another shot, we also get major changes to the quality of the weather animations. The rain is more realistic and so are the details in the low-poly characters across multiple scenes. However, the characters do retain their art style with their signature pointed look and edges. Nonetheless, they’re much more detailed and high-resolution compared to the past.
The same is also true for what we see in shots of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. However, the iconic street in the second game looks much brighter with more detailed foliage and buildings overall. Moreover, scenes of conversations with characters like Tommy Vercetti also receive the same sort of graphical upgrade as GTA 3.
Lastly, we see GTA: San Andreas remastered in later shots within the trailer. Iconic characters like CJ from GTA make an appearance with improved aesthetics and details. However, it seems that across all three games, the animations have stayed the same — a little stiff by today’s standards.
Nonetheless, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Vice City, and GTA 3 all look much better thanks to the new upgrades. Going through long distances within Grand Theft Auto’s original locations in the remake will certainly be a treat. That’s especially true if you want to play the original games but don’t want to deal with lower-resolution graphics.
What Consoles Can You Play It On?
The GTA Trilogy is certainly worth buying if you were already a fan of the franchise. However, one of the biggest obstacles to playing great video games is the limited platforms they usually release on. Thankfully, that isn’t the case with the new GTA Trilogy because it’s available on nearly every popular platform. Hence, you can play the GTA Trilogy on PC, PS4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
How does the GTA Trilogy work on the PS4, PC, Switch, and Xbox, you might ask? Firstly, you can download the digital copy when it comes out on November 11 through various online stores. These include the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, and Nintendo eShop for console gamers. On PC, you can download the software through the Rockstar Games Launcher. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been an announcement for the GTA Trilogy on Steam.
Alternatively, if you want the physical copy, you’re going to need a bit more patience. That’s because the physical release will come one month later for consoles. These include physical CDs and cartridges for the PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch.
In addition, the GTA Trilogy is also coming to Game Pass on the Xbox starting November 11. Moreover, GTA 3 – The Definitive Edition will also release on PlayStation Now at the same time as the physical launch.
Lastly, while it isn’t coming soon, the GTA Trilogy will come to mobile platforms in the first half of 2022. Therefore, both iOS and Android users will be able to enjoy the game before the year ends next year.
GTA Trilogy System Requirements
As you know, the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition consists of three full games in one. However, we’re still not sure whether you’re allowed to download each game separately. For now, it’s safe to say that you should at least have 45 GB of free storage space to accommodate it. That’s true whether you’re on a console or PC.
On the other hand, PC gamers might have to adhere to certain system requirements to run the game properly. These include the following, at a minimum:
- Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
- CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K or AMD FX-6300
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 2GB or AMD Radeon R9 280 3GB
- RAM: 8GB
However, if you want to play at higher settings then we recommend bumping your system up to the following:
- Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
- CPU: Intel Core i7-2700K or AMD Ryzen 5 2600
- RAM: 16GB
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 570 4GB
Does GTA Trilogy Have Online Features & Compatibility?
While we’re seeing the GTA Trilogy remaster coming to Switch, PC, and other consoles, it’s unlikely that it’ll come online. In other words, we don’t think there will be an online multiplayer version of the GTA Trilogy like GTA 5. Of course, Rockstar Games did not make an official statement regarding this issue. Nonetheless, we have grounds to believe that this will not happen.
Let’s back up a bit and examine why fans have been speculating an online multiplayer mode in the GTA Trilogy. Firstly, fans have seen the rise of GTA Online (GTA 5’s online version) since 2015. It made great waves and has seen tons of success in the past. This led many fans to believe that Rockstar wouldn’t release a new GTA game without online multiplayer.
However, the original GTA Trilogy games never incorporated online multiplayer at all. Yes, there was local multiplayer for San Andreas on the PS2 — but that’s about it. Moreover, remasters like these rarely add entirely new features to older games. Usually, remasters only introduce graphics or gameplay upgrades that suit more modern hardware.
In addition, because the GTA Trilogy introduces three games, they should release three separate multiplayer modes released all at once. That’s incredibly difficult and highly unlikely given the announcement mentions no such thing. It’s also worth noting that Rockstar Games didn’t ask too many game studios to work on the remaster. A multiplayer mode would require more hands and minds to make it work — which isn’t the case.
Of course, this is all but speculation in the end. The GTA Trilogy will come to iOS and Android by early 2022 according to Rockstar Games. Hence, we’re still going to leave this answer open-ended for now.
Should You Play the GTA Trilogy Chronologically?
If you’re going by release date, then playing GTA 3 first followed by Vice City and San Andreas makes sense. However, is this the optimal way to play the games? There are arguments to be made for both chronology and release date orders (or random orders). Let’s tackle the benefits and drawbacks of each one here.
The Case for Release Order
In this scenario, you’d play GTA 3 first, then Vice City, and then culminate the experience with San Andreas. This makes the most sense gameplay-wise as each new game improved on the last in terms of mechanics.
For example, Vice City introduced the ability to maneuver planes and helicopters — something that’s absent in GTA 3. Afterward, San Andreas took things further by adding gang warfare, swimming, and bicycles. Playing things by release order makes it less jarring to jump from one game to the other. After all, if you loved the swimming mechanic, then you’re going to feel frustrated if you play GTA 3 next.
In addition, each game builds upon the last and improves many other qualities. For instance, Vice City had much better characters and fleshed-out stories compared to GTA 3. If you play in order, it’s much less likely to disappoint you when you play the later games.
The Case for Chronology
On the other hand, you can also play the GTA Trilogy chronologically. This means playing Vice City first, followed by San Andreas, and ending with GTA 3. In this case, the first jump will be fine since the gameplay, mechanics, and story improve from Vice City to San Andreas. However, it’s the second jump that will feel disappointing and a bit jarring for some players.
Nonetheless, it’s a legitimate way to play if timeline chronology is important to you. After all, Vice City takes place in 1986 while San Andreas skips a few years to 1992. Finally, you get a more modern world in GTA 3 that’s set in Liberty City in 2001. Just make sure you’re prepared for the jarring differences in gameplay and quality.
Why Should You Play the GTA Trilogy Remastered Release?
The GTA Trilogy has a lot going for it by the looks of the trailer. It has better graphics, quality-of-life improvements in terms of gameplay, and nostalgia all working together to make it a hit. However, you might still be on the fence about playing the game even with these things in place. So, why should you try the new GTA Trilogy?
Firstly, if you were a fan of the original games, then the GTA Trilogy is sure to be fun. Riding on the nostalgia alone (with better visuals) is enough to relive the wonder. Of course, there’s fun to be had in the original games, too, especially with better gameplay and performance.
On the other hand, newer fans might get a newfound appreciation for the franchise by playing the GTA Trilogy. It can give you a good sense of where the franchise began and how it evolved.
Moreover, and this might come out of nowhere, but fans of Resident Evil 7 might also want to try it. That’s because Capcom director Koshi Nakanishi did say that GTA 3 was a source of inspiration for the game. Hence, if you want to check out Resident Evil 7’s inspiration (with better graphics), it’s worth checking out.
Lastly, subscribers of PlayStation Now and Xbox Game Pass might also want to give it a go. That’s because some of the games within the Trilogy will be available on those subscription-based platforms for free. It’s worth checking out if it’s already at your disposal. Moreover, it’s also eventually coming to mobile so it will become increasingly accessible over time.
