Is the original GTA Trilogy worth playing?

Rockstar Games' recent announcement of the original GTA Trilogy returning has piqued some fans' interest.

Many were reasonably upset by how terrible the new GTA Trilogy was at its debut. Some gamers looking for that old nostalgic itch were left disappointed. Even Rockstar Games knows this, as they recently stated:

"We will be adding the classic PC versions of Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas back to the Rockstar Store shortly as a bundle."

Thus, it's worth revisiting the classic GTA Trilogy to see if it's still worth playing in 2021.

Why the original GTA Trilogy can still be worth playing today

The original three games are still popular among some gaming circles (Image via Rockstar Games)

For starters, the original three games aren't riddled with bugs to the point of being unplayable. There are some glitches, but most of them are easy to avoid (which can't be said about the new GTA Trilogy).

Performance-wise, the original three games run fine for their default settings, and their old age means that most modern computers should run it easily. Not to mention, several mods exist out there to make the game run smoother as well.

What makes the classic GTA Trilogy so good?

The three games differ in quality, but it also means that one of them is bound to appeal to a gamer (Image via Rockstar Games)

New fans checking out the old games might be surprised to hear how well-revered these three titles were. For example, GTA 3 on the PS2 had an average critic rating of 97/100, tying with GTA 5. It's worth noting that for its time, the former game was revolutionary.

At the same time, gamers are more interested to know if the titles have aged well. In some ways, they haven't. That said, there are certain intrinsic qualities about the games that make them worth checking out in the modern era.

Many old-school players remember DJ Toni's antics in GTA Vice City, as well as the good music on Flash FM (Image via Rockstar Games)

For starters, its audio is exceptional. The sound effects, voice acting, and music are all top-notch. Likewise, the characters are often memorable in all three games, which can't be said about every modern game.

Once a player gets used to the clunky controls, they will find the general gameplay quite enjoyable. Many of the activities that fans love in the newer GTA games are present in these titles (fighting pedestrians, stealing vehicles, and dealing with Wanted Levels, just to name a few).

The original GTA San Andreas had some interesting features, making it the most popular of the three games (Image via Rockstar Games)

It's worth mentioning that the classic GTA Trilogy isn't necessarily equal for all three titles. Most modern fans will likely enjoy GTA San Andreas the most, as it has the most new features (some of which still haven't returned to the series). Similarly, they will find GTA 3 the most cumbersome, as it lacks several quality-of-life features that later games have.

On the bright side, all three games have an extensive modding scene that fixes many of these problems. Even ignoring mods for a moment, one should know that the classic GTA Trilogy can still entertain players for well over a hundred hours.

What would make the original GTA Trilogy unappealing to modern gamers?

GTA 3's graphics won't impress modern gamers (Image via Rockstar Games)

As good as the original GTA Trilogy is, there will be some who find it to be ugly and outdated. No video game is ever truly beloved by every player in the world, including the original GTA Trilogy.

Its graphics and limited features (especially for the first two games) would make it feel inferior to GTA 5 and other modern games. For example, these titles lack several notable quality-of-life features, such as the ability to quick-travel through the world.

Plus, some players might not enjoy having to rely on mods to patch some of these issues.

Ultimately, the original GTA Trilogy can still be fun for everyone to play today, especially if they take advantage of what's available to them and not solely compare it to other games.

For The Biggest GTA 6 Map Leaks, Click Here.

Poll : Do you love the original GTA Trilogy?

Yes

75 votes