The game that catapulted the Grand Theft Auto series into the stratosphere, Grand Theft Auto III for the PlayStation 2, now a downloadable PC title, came out initially in 2001 and was a revolution for video games. Already the world’s hottest console, the PlayStation 2 then became the must-have console for huge swaths of gamers as Rockstar’s legendary title from DMA Designs hit shelves.
Pioneering open-world gaming before that was really a thing on the home console, Grand Theft Auto III put players in the shoes of Claude who is the latest resident of Liberty City, the video game world’s own Manhattan Island. As Claude, you will navigate the undercurrents of the underworld and hop from corrupt job to rotted-out organization all while trying to survive as a reformed criminal.
How to Download Grand Theft Auto III
You can download the game from Steam. To proceed, click on the Download button at the end of the review. If you like the series be sure to also download and check out Grand Theft Auto IV, Vice City or San Andreas.
The Game Review
Presented entirely from a third-person perspective, Grand Theft Auto III’s graphics may look primitive by modern standards but were impressive for their ability to render a believable Liberty City back in the day. Dense and packed with stuff going on, there is an inescapable charm to this title that many other games of its generation lack.
One thing is one showcase from the beginning and that is Rockstar’s now well-established way of telling a compelling story. Using a style reminiscent of the Godfather films and more concurrently HBO’s The Sopranos, this open-world game is worth a playthrough even now for its advanced narrative and mature approach to a variety of subjects. Players often complained about the latest iteration, GTA V, having a story that lacked and, when taken in comparison with some of the older games, it is easy to see where they are coming from in this regard.
Players unfamiliar with the Grand Theft Auto franchise would be somewhat betrayed by the title as stealing cars, while a huge portion of the game, is not the focus of these titles. Instead, there is a general criminal milieu that one can engage in with everything from robbing people on the street to engaging in bank heists on the table. Cars are important, but so are tanks, helicopters, motorcycles, and guns.
Speaking of which, though it is a crude system that produces more frustration than totally necessary, the gun mechanic in GTA III is nonetheless a fun part of everything. Combat is never easy but can be made easier with the addition of improved armament or, in a real throwback to the glory days of console gaming, using a cheat code to get you special stuff.
All of the things that make up the modern GTA experience are present and accounted for in Grand Theft Auto III. A stellar soundtrack, an amazing story, and a convincingly real world all combine for an experience that is still one of the best in all of gaming. No longer confined to the top-down world of its past, the game truly revels in its 3D glory and helps inaugurate the modern era of open-world gaming that dominates now. If you want to see the start of the modern series, pick up GTA III ASAP.
