Topic: Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition - out now

Okay, so I've played just over 2 hours of GTA 3 in docked mode. The framerate is terrible, which shows during both cutscenes and gameplay. It can be so choppy that cars can feel very fidgety with even the slightest turn; making high speed chases feel like a chore. However, the driving and on-foot controls feel great. Having played every mobile port, it's clear their quality of life improvements have been ported into this remaster. However, your mileage may vary on this as it brings a number of other changes. Like the mobile versions, the difficulty has been decreased in some missions and interfaces have slight changes too. Similarly, the graphics will also be a matter of personal preference. I find they look great on Switch and the lightning really helps with the mood. Only downside is that the added shadows can make things a bit dark sometimes.
Only buy this if you know you'll enjoy it. I'm really having fun so far, warts and all.

Apparently even the PS5 and PC versions are having framerate issues based on what I've heard. Presumably they rushed it out to meet the holiday season. Makes me glad I was gonna wait to get this regardless.

Anybody try the gyro aiming yet? I'm curious to hear how that plays in.

@Slowdive thanks for sharing!

I haven't played on the TV yet, but in handheld it looks good, runs well enough (not perfect but, pretty decent).

San Andreas definitely looks the best though. That game is a cut above the rest.

@duddy
I have. It works great but you need to notch the sensitivity down a few ticks.

Also, in handheld it doesn't swap roll and yaw, similar to Monster Hunter Rise, so it still uses a "pointer" like rotation for left and right aiming with Gyro instead of tilting the window you're viewing through. It still works, just a little different.

I played 3 and Vice City for about 30 min each last night docked. Both played well for me. I did not have any issues with framerate. I have the OLED id that makes a difference. Don't think it does but very pleased with it after reading all the terrible reviews.

I think I’ll give it a shot. It seems like people who just wanted a playable version of these games (I’m mainly interested in Vice City) get that in handheld.

What’s holding me back are the missing tracks. That hurts. But VC is was a clunky mess when it came out. If it’s version I can actually play today, it’ll probably be enough for me.

TBH, kinda feel justified not getting this one now. May reconsider if they patch out these issues, unbundle it or significantly reduce the cost. Only really interested in revisiting Vice City. For now I'll probably just download Vice City on Steam again..... I've had it on there for years which is a good thing for me because they've removed that version from Steam in the last couple of weeks

Do you, who have the game, see the game as 4/10?

I have only played Vice City so far. It plays very much like I remember. The lack of shadows at night is a miss, but things like pop in and cars appearing was an issue on the original. Some of the music tracks that were said to be missing are actually present (Animotion’s Obsession, ABC’s Poison Arrow, Gary Newman’s Cars are present)
The frame rate does need addressing, but I didn’t find it to be so bad it was unplayable.
Note: I have never played GTA 4&5

Nah. Maybe 6 or 7 out of 10. It serves its purpose for me. The thing is, I tried playing the trilogy again on PS2 a few months back and found them borderline unplayable in their original form on PS2 (particularly 3 and Vice City). These aren't amazing remasters, but I don't mind the updated visuals and I really appreciate the modern controls. I was never one to play these games for the soundtracks either, so a few missing tracks doesn't bother me.

Thing to remember is, these were never 10/10 games in the first place. The mechanics were no more than 6/10, with janky character movement, shooting and driving. What elevated them was the open world freedom they gave to pull people put of their cars before running them over with their own cars, stealing their cash and then hooning off until you trashed the car or some old granny gave you some lip, prompting you to ditch the car and beat her to a pulp with your baseball bat, before engaging in an epic 5-star cop chase, taking down helicopters etc. Sandbox anarchy is fun, that's what made the IP what it is. Not the core game.

That was GTA4's problem - it had better graphics and controls, but the game itself got exposed as being a bit tedious and samey. And had a ****ing annoying cousin.

So take those 6/10 mechanics and mission structure, then give everyone the impression you're going to remaster and polish them but charge a hefty fee... Let's face it, they'd have had to have done a stellar job just to earn an 8/10 score.

But 4/10 does seem overboard. I think if you look at PJ's Twitter feed, you might get a sense that they were angling for the attention-seeking hyperbole all along.

@gcunit I think your assessment is spot on. Remasters, ports and remakes are always a difficult thing to get right and some games are just easier to remaster.

I think it's the audacity to charge £50 for these that is part of the problem.

@gcunit I agree with what you said! (You did forget to mention driving aound listening to the radiostations was fun. Probably GTA's stand out feature I reckon - sure as heck wasn't the gameplay lol)

@GrailUK I might have dabbled with a bit of that, but I never enjoyed the driving unless trying to go as fast as possible for a spectacular jump or something, so the radio stations are not something I have as fond memories of as other people. I can remember they were well put together, but I don't think I went out of my way just to listen to them. Just driving for the sake of it doesn't appeal to me, I need it to be a race or a chase.

@gcunit I can relate

Once again the issue people need to remember is how the internet always responds to anything. Toxicity through and through which picks up pace and nastiness as it evolves. The gaming media also loves to jump on bandwagons hence the so many articles often nothing more than random screenshots of glitches that most won’t encounter. They do the same with highly praised games too.

Social media is always a tiny bubble that thinks itself the mainstream customers of gaming. It’s why when they cry to boycott it never works. The general public won’t be too concerned when buying the games unless it’s Cyberpunk unplayable.

Showed Vice City and San Andreas to my eldest brother and he’s definitely impressed as well as my mum. He’s more in touch with gaming news than most but still, most people won’t worry too much and they recognise patches will be rolled out.

What really annoys me is when the internet goes after anyone who dares say they are enjoying a game, like you can not possibly have fun when everyone else hates it. That’s where we are with this trilogy. And again websites love this. It’s the easiest journalism they could hope for. Even easier than news articles based on Twitter posts.

@FragRed There is a time and a place for fun, Mr Fragred. And it's certainly not in this lifetime. Reported!

That sounds like a "you" problem. Why would you care if anyone of the internet "flames" you for liking a game? Just ignore the buzzing. If you can't you can always turn of the social networks.

I am more annoyed with "toxic positivity" than with real toxicity.