The "magic" of GTA III

[WhistleBlower]

GTA III has this certain charm to it that separates itself from the other games in the franchise. What I like most about GTA III is that it has an open-world setting which is loosely based on New York City. That is to say that Liberty City feels unique. Combine that notion with the fact that the game retains a dark and gritty atmosphere (in October of 2001) with some Hollywood-esque mayhem and you've got yourself one very interesting sandbox title.

 

Now the "magic" of GTA III isn't really that easy to explain without me posting every little detail to try and explain to you how the immersion works the way it does. The sounds and sights of everyday things like the train as it passes through Portland, the newspapers moving through the air, the way Claude animates as he slowly moves through the streets, how some of the buildings don't just look like pieces of cardboard, and how Liberty City doesn't feel so isolated because Shoreside Vale is connected to something much greater; Upstate not even having been mapped out but you can still feel that it's there regardless.

 

Compared to games nowadays, sure, it's all dated. The visuals, the story, the gameplay. Red Dead Redemption was the only sandbox game afterwards that gave me the same mindblown effect that GTA III did when it first came out. But that's a testament to Rockstar's love of creating a unique world to explore. GTA III just so happens to fit into that "small but complex" genre of sandbox titles nicely.

Edited May 1, 2011 by WhistleBlower

[Node]

GTA III has this certain charm to it that separates itself from the other games in the franchise. What I like most about GTA III is that it has an open-world setting which is loosely based on New York City. That is to say that Liberty City feels unique. Combine that notion with the fact that the game retains a dark and gritty atmosphere (in October of 2001) with some Hollywood-esque mayhem and you've got yourself one very interesting sandbox title.

 

Now the "magic" of GTA III isn't really that easy to explain without me posting every little detail to try and explain to you how the immersion works the way it does. The sounds and sights of everyday things like the train as it passes through Portland, the newspapers moving through the air, the way Claude animates as he slowly moves through the streets, how some of the buildings don't just look like pieces of cardboard, and how Liberty City doesn't feel so isolated because Shoreside Vale is connected to something much greater; Upstate not even having been mapped out but you can still feel that it's there regardless.

 

Compared to games nowadays, sure, it's all dated. The visuals, the story, the gameplay. Red Dead Redemption was the only sandbox game afterwards that gave me the same mindblown effect that GTA III did when it first came out. But that's a testament to Rockstar's love of creating a unique world to explore. GTA III just so happens to fit into that "small but complex" genre of sandbox titles nicely.

Well i totally agree with you man thumbs up.. well said.

[_Rob_]

Here here! Couldn't agree more.

[Filip]

Man, that's f*cking right. GTA IV sucks in comparison with GTA III in that thing.

[JKidd]

I think it's mostly nostalgia

[_Rob_]

I disagree JKidd, the moment I first put the disc in my PS2 I fell in love.

[Liberty rage]

Yeah but R* won't remake GTA3.

[Filip]

Playing GTA 3 just reminds me of old good game makers

[cidamelo]

I agree with your post!! GTA III has some magic, and I don't think it's related to nostalgia, because I felt it the first time I played it! The whole atmosphere is great, that's why I think GTA III is the best GTA ever!!

[Raptomex]

It does have a certain charm. I still play it, and the other games in the trilogy, to this day.

[Secro]

It does have a certain nostalgia that I enjoy.

[Arsen Vitiuk]

I totally agree with everything that was being said here.

 

GTA:III was one of a kind. No other game after it had things GTA:III had.

The city itself, gloomy, dakr and mysterious, has something extraordinary it, even LCS lost it. The atmosphere, those sunny and gloomy days, fogs and rains - this all makes the game almost real.

 

Of course, VC, SA and all following games tried to bring the game as close to reality as possible but they let that Liberty City's charm slip away.

 

I loved San Andreas and Vice City until I bought GTA:III. From the first time I played the game I fell in love with the city, with its weather, with its mystery, with all those sounds coming from everywhere, with all those peds saying hillarious and strange phrases - in short, GTA:III's Liberty City made me love it very much, I even didn't feel such attraction to VC or SA, or even LCS's Liberty City after that. GTA:III made me its eternal fan.

[Node]

I totally agree with everything that was being said here.

 

GTA:III was one of a kind. No other game after it had things GTA:III had.

The city itself, gloomy, dakr and mysterious, has something extraordinary it, even LCS lost it. The atmosphere, those sunny and gloomy days, fogs and rains - this all makes the game almost real.

 

Of course, VC, SA and all following games tried to bring the game as close to reality as possible but they let that Liberty City's charm slip away.

 

I loved San Andreas and Vice City until I bought GTA:III. From the first time I played the game I fell in love with the city, with its weather, with its mystery, with all those sounds coming from everywhere, with all those peds saying hillarious and strange phrases - in short, GTA:III's Liberty City made me love it very much, I even didn't feel such attraction to VC or SA, or even LCS's Liberty City after that. GTA:III made me its eternal fan.

Agreed, i cannot say more. Well said everyone.

[Mak]

These days games are about realism and how much the location in them looks exactly like real ,you understand i am referring to IV cause its a fact,III is a master piece no matter when you play it it never gets old thats the magic of III ,GTA III shows us that a no matter what is enhanced in graphics but the true feel of it cannot be brought back ,as many of us want a remake of III i totally disagree with you it is because that will finish the uniqueness of III and to say it it will make the game lose its real MAGIC which is that a game no matter when made can never get old

[spaceeinstein]

I agree with JKidd, I think some of you are stuck in nostalgia. If every game were to be just like GTA III, GTA III would lose its uniqueness. You wouldn't have the same feeling if the gaming industry lacks innovation and just copies GTA III. I'm glad R* moved on, because being stuck on one idea means lack of creativity. Favoring GTA III is like favoring floppy disks. Today, they are only good for looking back at the accomplishments they had done, but without updates they have few practical applications.

 

 

These days games are about realism

There's Minecraft, but no one talks about that...

Edited May 3, 2011 by spaceeinstein

[KilnerLUFC]

 

 

These days games are about realism

There's Minecraft, but no one talks about that...

Apart from the fact it's one of the most popular topics on this forum?

 

I agree, GTAIII has always been the best GTA in terms of atmosphere and whatnot. For some reason, it always felt creepy whilst walking through each island, especially on Portland. One of the main reasons am guessing is how bad the memory was on the game, so there was only ever afew peds and cars on screen at once, making it feel like a ghost town at times.

[Filip]

Of course minecraft is there, I'm playing this masterpiece, but we are talking about mainstream games which gta series definately is.

[JustRob]

I dunno, I liked both VC and GTA SA better then GTAIII. Sure GTAIII was impressive, but Vice City improved on that. The warm feeling of Miami really hit home. And also a big plus was a protagonist who was actually a character. Claude is an okay guy, but we know nothing of him. No history, no future, what his traits are. Tommy Vercetti and Carl Johnson were a lot more interesting in my opinion, but that doesn't have a lot to do with the setting.

 

Anyway, Vice City for me was impressive but San Andreas really blew my mind. The map is so freaking huge. No matter how immersive GTAIII is, a map with three cities, each with their own atmosphere, plus a countryside and a desert top that easily in my opinion. Now I have to say I'm not such a big fan of San Fierro and Las Venturas. I feel Rockstar put the most effort in Los Santos, where the majority of the story is also focused on.

 

So yeah. GTAIII was good, but not better then its followers.

[Filip]

So yeah. GTAIII was good, but not better then its followers.

 

I think it was better, but only in some ways.

[WhistleBlower]

So yeah. GTAIII was good, but not better then its followers.

 

I think it was better, but only in some ways.

Man, I'll tell you, the only thing GTA III is missing is the ability to take down a fighter jet with another fighter jet. I have the strange habit of watching them fall from the sky before they finally crash and burn. Can you imagine doing that in Liberty City's gloomy atmosphere? Maybe if Rockstar makes the game open-source or whatever...

[Scharkey]

Each game had it's own flavor that made it'self great. I'll admit, GTAIII was my favorite game but I love each and every one of GTA's atmosphere's.

 

and nothing can beat the dodo ;P

[Claude Speed.]

Each game had it's own flavor that made it'self great. I'll admit, GTAIII was my favorite game but I love each and every one of GTA's atmosphere's.

This. However, III has my favorite protagonist and atmosphere.

[WhistleBlower]

I like the other games too (except for GTA IV)... just not as much as GTA III.

[Algonquin Assassin]

I never looked back to GTA III once VC came out. GTA III is still a great game, but VC is what established my love for GTA.

[Funktipus]

GTA III has this certain charm to it that separates itself from the other games in the franchise. What I like most about GTA III is that it has an open-world setting which is loosely based on New York City. That is to say that Liberty City feels unique. Combine that notion with the fact that the game retains a dark and gritty atmosphere (in October of 2001) with some Hollywood-esque mayhem and you've got yourself one very interesting sandbox title.

 

And even though GTAIV LC more closely resembles my hometown, I like GTA III LC better. It hard to explain - I just like the 'feel' of it, especially on a gray day driving through Portland. It's an incredible map, and I hope one day Rockstar gives it(along with SA & VC) the 'PS3 treatment'.

[guib]

It is just your own taste of wich atmosphere of wich game you like the best, GTA vice city has also his great atmosphere, GTA VCS has the same atmosphere.

 

Gta Sa has also his atmosphere, but in my opinion it isn't that good, however it is in my opinion the only GTA with multiple atmospheres.

 

But GTA III has his own atmosphere, no other game has the same Gray atmosphere in my opinium, even GTA LCS don't have that.

 

And like you said in the first post, you have the feeling that you are really connected with other states and city's.

 

They should just make a game with all the atmosphere of GTA III, and the gameplay (planes, bikes ect.) of GTA SA, and make it in Liberty City of Gta III.

If they do this, one of my game dreams would come true!

[Mein]

Out of every GTA, I have the most memories from III. So much fun with my old buddies, and it was just different than how games are today. III didn't have half of the stuff IV had and other games today have but despite that it was arguably better in my opinion. SOMETIMES simpler is better and I think developers forget that in games these days.

[guib]

SOMETIMES simpler is better and I think developers forget that in games these days.

I agree

 

I couldn't have said it better

[Iain2001]

Couldn't agree with you more, GTA3 is a totally awsome game, I've loved the game ever since I first started playing it back in November 2001. Ten years later, it's still a brilliant game.

[xspudx]

The game always had this magic atmosphere that cannot be touched, just like Max Payne. I just tested out Manhunt and it has the same type of feeling. A grittyness that other GTA's don't have. Playing III on VC and SA engines are just not the same. It lacks something, it's too polished, it may simply just be the weather but the game doesn't have that feeling of III.