GTA III is the hardest GTA game, facts.

[Castrophe]

I can vouch for the time related missions being difficult late game, especially that one mission where you've got to destroy the drug vendors in a certain amount of time all over the map. 

[Max Payne]

I guess at first it can be difficult but Asuka mentions you’ll have your time limited as soon as you destroy one, right? Does she also mention the amount?

[Bartleby]

11 hours ago, Payne said:

I guess at first it can be difficult but Asuka mentions you’ll have your time limited as soon as you destroy one, right? Does she also mention the amount?

It's not mentioned how many stalls there are, and you could drive around and find them all before destroying the first which triggers the timer.

 

Of course, that's not intuitive at all the first time most people play it.

[Fake Lilina]

On 12/31/2020 at 4:17 AM, Castrophe said:

especially that one mission where you've got to destroy the drug vendors in a certain amount of time all over the map. 

Espresso 2 Go?

[BLADE233]

 

Então GTA 3 é relativamente difícil em comparação com GTA 5, por exemplo, onde você pode simplesmente pular depois de perder muitas vezes e ainda ter checkpoints durante as missões, então sim, os jogos antigos em geral são mais difíceis, mas basta se acostumar com parece ainda mais fácil para você dei para tentar que você estava jogando no PS4 onde os controles não são muito bons, mas depois você se acostuma ....

Edited January 3, 2021 by BLADE233

[MarshDanni]

Looking at it as objectively as possible I am certain that to a new player or maybe even a GTA series expert GTA III may be the most difficult GTA in the 3D Universe.

 

Several factors are in play here:

 

• Since it's 2021 and the game is 20 years old this year I can say without a doubt that the controls are severely outdated
• (Controller) Camera is by far the worst here since you have little to no control and the game does little to help you, they updated it in VC, altough now by much
• (Controller) Auto lock on is absolutely AWFUL in this one, connecting to the camera issues
• No bikes in game makes it that you can't shoot straight in a vehicle shootout
• No helicopters and one badly deformed plane which is really hard to fly with makes you pretty 'grounded' in the regards of vehicles
• No ability to crouch like in later games, giving out a disadvantage in cover
• Some of the missions are notoriously bad (Bomb Da Base: Act II, Espresso-2-Go, Grand Theft Auto)
• No armor or health upgrades (You can however get to 125 HP if you use a prostitute, but no fixed upgrades like in later games)
• This is a popular argument, but basically by the end of the game the whole city hates you, and driving slowly is basically a death wish (especially in the Leone's territory)
• No swimming (same thing could be said for VC and LCS tho)
• There is no Map in the main menu, there are no icons for the shops on the Minimap (this mainly affects the new players)
• The Police are overtuned in comparison to later games, basically those hell bois will pound you, and those FBI guys with the AK's are something else

 

I am currently in a middle of playthrough of GTA III on the Playstation 4 (trying to achieve the Platinum Trophy) and whilst the game is a breeze, because I played it so god damn much, I do see a lot of issues regarding the difficulty. Maybe the best example of this is that I have a certain way of approaching it. The last thing I did in Portland are the main missions, because I knew that I should get everything else out of the way so I don't have to deal with it later when there are mobs and mobs of gangs attacking me.

 

Currently in Stauton, just finished the last rampage on the island as I'm writing this post. Only thing left are the hidden packages and then I'm off to the main missions. First of them being 'Sayonara Salvatore'. This wasn't done on accident hehe

Edited January 7, 2021 by MarshDanni

[TimMiller]

Haha M16 go brrrrrrrrrr

[1funeral2many]

any rampage mission that involves the rocket launcher can suck a dick, youll be trying to blow up all the cars or people or whatever but the second you get a wanted level and a cop gets in your ass about it there's nothing you can do to make him f*ck off so you just have to pray that he doesnt kill you/make you run out of time before you can complete the objective

[Mythdon]

I've been playing GTA III and this one mission ("Bomb Da Base: Act II") was so hard, I ended up looking up how to beat the mission.

 

I normally don't look up game hints and people will get on my ass for "cheating", but I got so tired of doing that mission twenty something times and I just wanted to be done with that mission, because it wasn't even a fun mission anyway.

 

"Sayonara Salvatore" is also pretty hard. Took me almost ten times to beat it and I had to keep figuring out different ways to try and beat it.

 

GTA III can be pretty damn hard, sometimes to the point of feeling completely stuck and not knowing what the hell to do.

Edited January 28, 2021 by Mythdon

[MrMemer]

I know it’s so f*cking hard

[PsyWarVeteran]

The assault rifles are like miniguns and shotguns destroy anything, car or man, so yeah, I agree.

[Adrian J.]

III became a breeze to me, when I got my hands on it in 2002 I struggled a bit sure, but back then games were tougher.

Honestly overall my struggles were greater in San Andreas with catch the train CJ where you're in the mercy of Big Smoke, at least in III you can build a routine and predict.

With this game I do the first mission and then explore like the game suggests, I borrow a cab, do like 25 rides, get 30 packages, collect hidden weapons like the flame thrower and AK, ambulance, vigilante, f*ck a ho.

All decked out it's like a knife through butter, repeat after unlocking next two areas.

Also the knowledge of the game makes things even easier.

[BoneBoyYT]

Really? This is my first time playing through it entirely (I've usually only gotten to Toni's missions before giving up entirely and then restarting my playthrough a few months later), finally unlocked Shoreside Vale and so far it's been pretty easy. I'm playing on controller but using mouse and keyboard for shooting (cause using a controller to aim in this game is actually a challenge, I'll give you that). Of course a few missions have given me some trouble, such as the King Courtney missions and some of the Donald Love missions can be a pain, but so far it's pretty easy. Bomb Da Base Act II and timed missions are stressful, but quickly get easier once you know what you're doing.

 

Maybe if I just stick to a controller and avoid using my mouse and keyboard it'll be a lot harder? Maybe the game will become a hell of a lot harder later on? I don't know /shrug

 

But f*ck the mobile version, that sh*ts a challenge and a half, and the people who can 100% the game on the mobile port are video game gods

[Americana]

When I was a kid I couldn't complete the game because of the mission Grand Theft Auto. Also, getting to Staunton Island took me months. But... I was just a kid.

[Fake Lilina]

On 2/19/2021 at 10:00 AM, Adrian J. said:

catch the train CJ where you're in the mercy of Big Smoke

I honestly thought that mission was way too easy.

 

Although, clearing on the first attempt isn't really that easy. I nearly failed that mission, because a car came out of nowhere and knocked me off the Motorcycle.

[Adrian J.]

On 2/28/2021 at 12:02 AM, Fake Lilina said:

I honestly thought that mission was way too easy.

 

Although, clearing on the first attempt isn't really that easy. I nearly failed that mission, because a car came out of nowhere and knocked me off the Motorcycle.

You lucky then, that mission gives me the finger no matter if it's PS2, Android or PS4.

[LeatherJacketSoldier]

Many people here complain about nothing. Without any discussion, the hardest 3D Era GTA is GTA VCS. And is followed by GTA III. Boy, you can't even imagine how hard it was for me to play it without cheats. I've tried with a bat so many times to complete The Pick-Up, but always got beaten to death (only one time I could kill a Triad with the bat). I got tired, and started looking for firearms, and that way I could pass the mission. On a later replay (in which I achieved 100%), the first thing I did after the first Luigi's mission was to collect all packages (by exploiting the girder in Callahan Bridge, and then using the other safehouses). For the last one I had to learn how to fly the Dodo, and it took me a long time before I managed to get on the bridge connecting SSV and SI. And then fly the Dodo away to get out alive, so I could keep my record of not getting wasted or busted. After that, I made mince meat of the Triads in The Pick-Up with the shotgun.

[Adrian J.]

20 hours ago, LeatherJacketSoldier said:

Many people here complain about nothing. Without any discussion, the hardest 3D Era GTA is GTA VCS. And is followed by GTA III. Boy, you can't even imagine how hard it was for me to play it without cheats. I've tried with a bat so many times to complete The Pick-Up, but always got beaten to death (only one time I could kill a Triad with the bat). I got tired, and started looking for firearms, and that way I could pass the mission. On a later replay (in which I achieved 100%), the first thing I did after the first Luigi's mission was to collect all packages (by exploiting the girder in Callahan Bridge, and then using the other safehouses). For the last one I had to learn how to fly the Dodo, and it took me a long time before I managed to get on the bridge connecting SSV and SI. And then fly the Dodo away to get out alive, so I could keep my record of not getting wasted or busted. After that, I made mince meat of the Triads in The Pick-Up with the shotgun.

There's a shotgun behind the housing projects in Hepburn Heights and one above that Moonbeam in Saint Marks, also a flamethrower on the rooftop of HeadRadio.

[LeatherJacketSoldier]

15 hours ago, Adrian J. said:

There's a shotgun behind the housing projects in Hepburn Heights and one above that Moonbeam in Saint Marks, also a flamethrower on the rooftop of HeadRadio.

I knew only about the flamethrower (not the shotguns), but it was too difficult for me to get up there. And let me tell you something: since GTA III doesn't have a map in the menu, it was almost impossible for me at first to find my way through the city. This changed when I used maps to find all the packages, and after that when doing taxi driver missions as the game suggests to know your way around. You can't even imagine how proud I was when I knew Liberty City by heart long before going on to play Liberty City Stories XD

[Sam2150AD]

Agreed, I have the original version of GTA III. When R* North was 'DMA Design' on PS2. I am aware that for newer versions, R* have made some missions slightly easier.

Espress-2-Go! where the Columbian Cartel have shotguns that destroy your vehicle in 2 shots was always a nightmare until I realised you're supposed to use the bulletproof Patriot you get a few missions previously.

For me personally, I could NEVER do S.A.M. For years, I tried shooting the Dodo from the boat, it never occurred to me to go onto the runway and shoot the plane from there but, we all learn eventually.

[LeatherJacketSoldier]

15 hours ago, Sam2150AD said:

shotguns

Really? I went so fast I didn't notice them.

 

15 hours ago, Sam2150AD said:

you're supposed to use the bulletproof Patriot you get a few missions previously.

You get it in Marked Man, as a gift from Ray. Nah, I just used any fast car I could find (mostly the Yakuza Stinger), got a safe distance away from the stands, and blowed them up with a fresh rocket launcher from my hideout. The only difficult part of the mission is knowing the city like you were born in all three islands at once.

 

15 hours ago, Sam2150AD said:

I could NEVER do S.A.M.

Now I realize this stands for "Sea to Air Missiles", it hints you that the Dodo should be destroyed while in the Reefer. Personally, the sniper rifle was my biggest friend in this mission. I used it to kill all of the columbians, and then I got to the middle of the runway. I pulled out the rocket launcher, waited for the Dodo to get straight in front of me as it got ready to take the runway and land, and shot it 6 to 8 times (I think it needed 2 or 3 rockets to blow up, but I didn't notice the plane was way below my rocket when they were at the same distance from me). Then I hurried to one Cartel Cruiser, and speeded (not sure if that word even exists) back to SSV hideout, where 6 police bribes were waiting for me (I love to do all submissions as soon as I can save the game in a hideout for the first time).

 

15 hours ago, Sam2150AD said:

I tried shooting the Dodo from the boat

It's almost impossible. You can't track the Dodo's movements at all. Guess someone at R* trolled us with the mission's title XD

[_ROM30_]

I have to admit it was one of the hardest GTA games of the 3D universe. Not so much the main story itself, thats pretty passable but all the side missions and activities are pretty damn hard.

 

The amount of time I just barley passed a mission within the time limit, literally finish some of the checkpoint missions on the final second as well as fire and ambulance missions.

 

however if you do all side missions, rampages and hidden packages before killing Salvatore Leone the rest of the game is a breeze.

 

[Sonny1]

III has always been a pain to beat. It's damn near impossible to escape the Leones if you dare go to Portland,for whatever reason. The cops weren't that bad at least.

[LeatherJacketSoldier]

On 3/16/2021 at 8:21 PM, _ROM30_ said:

but all the side missions and activities are pretty damn hard.

Indeed. I hated so much checkpoint missions.

 

5 hours ago, Sonny1 said:

The cops weren't that bad at least.

I agree. The most exciting part of III cop system was to get a Rhino in SSV. Well, at least to me it was exciting, I skined it to be a T-80 Soviet tank. What I did was to cause enough chaos to achieve 6 stars, then hide by the entrance of some industrial yard on west SSV, then a Rhino approached (I was using an M16 from my safehouse to dispatch any enemy force) and after killing the soldiers in it I got in and drove all the way back to SSV hideout, where 4 bribes were waiting for me. I went around for a while to give time for the bribes to respawn, lost my wanted level, and saved the Rhino in SSV garage.
After that I stole the same way another one, but I drove it to SI garage, because I planned to use it on Marked Man the second time I passed the mission. Man, you can't even imagine the laughter my brother and I burst in, when we saw the M16 guys in the SI-SSV bridge couldn't harm my Rhino at all. I definitely encourage you to try that mission this way. Still, I used the same amount of time than going through Porter Tunnel. Maybe it was because I used a sports car to do the mission the first time?

[LeatherJacketSoldier]

6 minutes ago, LeatherJacketSoldier said:

and saved the Rhino in SSV garage.

Then I used it to do the last string of vigilante missions.

[Jamasen]

Enemies in the last 25% of the game are pretty hard until you realise you can just pick them off with a sniper first.

[_ROM30_]

I completed the car mission "a ride in the park" for the first time in 20 years of playing this game. It was so difficult at first but now that Ive passed it, its actually so easy.

 

Also completed all 20 rampages for the first time and for sure the camera angles play a part in it being difficult . San andreas introduced the ability to turn the camera with the analog stick which this game badly needs.

 

 

[Guest]

I agree,  I have been replaying it on PC and I never realised how hard this game was.

 

It is also brutal at the end with all the gangs after Claude's head. 

[MelodramaticGuy]

I really don't think the main story is hard at all. There's plenty of missions that have some kind of exploit that can enable to you cheese it and win. A good example is the mission where you need to use a sniper rifle to protect 8-ball. There's a slow down pill you can use that practically makes the mission impossible to lose. It's almost like it was put where it was intentionally.

[LeatherJacketSoldier]

3 hours ago, MelodramaticGuy said:

slow down pill

They're called Adrenaline Pills, and they're also in Vice City (most known one is in front of Chez Tommy's stairway, in some bushes). But I've never seen an Adrenaline Pill while attempting "Bomb Da Base: Act II", Where is it, exactly?