Recently got the definitive edition. I did well at GTA3 and Vice City as a teenager, though got stuck on Dildo Dodo, which interestingly I breezed in my 30s recently. San Andreas passed me by in my youth but I completed the story for the first time in the definitive edition.
Stats:
GTA3 - 81% complete
Vice City - 74% complete
San Andreas - 73% complete
I refuse to watch walkthroughs and be told where hidden packages are etc. Never used cheats. My percentages aren’t impressive here but for a non regular gamer like myself I’m reasonably happy.
GTA3;
Pros: dark, moody, gritty, one of a kind atmosphere. Great vibe. Also has an everlasting aura due to how groundbreaking it was in 2001. This was THE game.
Cons: lacks the later additions… bikes, helicopters, malls, businesses to own.
Fav radio station: head radio
Best mission(s): Ray & Donald Love
Worst mission(s): Paramedic is horrendous. The sniper with 8 ball, though feels euphoric when you beat it and open up Staunton Island. Rampages are too difficult. Can’t do patriot playground.
GTA Vice City;
Pros: pretty on the eye, summery, Miami 80s vibes, neon, nice surroundings. Love the bike and helicopter additions. Love north point mall ambiance and feel. Best part is the property/business ownerships and storylines. Perfect way to expand the great work GTA 3 started. The missions are a bit more complex and I’d actually say the best missions of all the 3 games.
Cons: can’t swim I guess. Not much else. It’s so good all round. Could’ve been more to do in Downtown, like a better north point mall.
Fav radio stations: The Spanish one
Best mission(s): rampages are fun and easier than 3. I like the smashing up mall mission (I really love north point mall don’t I), and taking over the mansion. The taxi firm missions are fun. Paramedic in downtown was a lot easier than in 3.
Worst mission(s): Didn’t think pizza delivery gave enough time. Don’t like the RC Copter mission in Little Haiti very much. The hotring race is very difficult with them all going out of their way to attack me.
GTA San Andreas:
Pros: Countryside between the cities is the best addition imo. Deserts, countryside, and sleepy towns. Though I wish those settlements had more individual appeal to them like their own clubs/bars/side missions. Ability to swim, climb, sneak up with the knife, sneak around. Gym and clothing are good additions. Having been to LA, SF and LV, I really loved the replicas.
Cons: I actually think the main story is too easy. There are far more missions but they’re all very easy. There are a couple of hard ones like the train one early on and some of the final ones, which I had to try multiple times. I was stunned that it was such a breeze to complete (the main story, as you can see from my percentages I’m not great at the other stuff and finding things!)
Fav radio station: K Rose. Had some fun times riding around on motorbike getting bike stats up waiting for the plane learning school to generate revenue, all with K Rose blaring out at night in the desert <3.
Fav mission(s): I liked the Catalina ones in the countryside, fun vibe.
Least fav mission(s): didn’t like using a fire extinguisher too much on some of those ones. I found the flying school ok but got stuck on one of the reverse swivel driving school ones. But my worst has to be ALL YOU HAD TO DO, WAS FOLLOW THE DAMN TRAIN CJ. Guess I was biking too close to the train.
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Very difficult to split the 3 in terms of favourites.
Fav atmosphere - 3
Most well rounded from a complexity POV - Vice City
Best for free roaming - San Andreas
What do you guys think? And anyone who wants to fill in these for themselves is ofc welcome :-)