Grand Theft Auto III

"Don't let the hype fool you, this game is GREAT!"

Well one day I’m in the mall and guess what I come across. Yup, Grand Theft Auto III for PC. This is two years after the original came out PS2. I played small bits and pieces before, but not a lot (I can only remember playing the Turismo mission at a friend’s house). This game has been hyped like no other. So the hype got to me, and I decided to buy it. Little did I know what I was in store for.

Gameplay: 9.5/10
Make no mistake, Grand Theft Auto III has probably the most diverse gameplay ever found in any game. There is just so much to do. Three huge sprawling cities and many many many missions to complete. The missions are quite addictive, and one will not stop till they have completed them. You can carjack any car at any time for any reason. Also the missions are never the same. One time you’ll have to blow up three cars under a time limit. The other time you have to murder some Gang members. Help some Mafia members rob a bank. Trust me, it won’t get boring. Then there are taxi and police cop missions that you can do for extra money. Not to mention the wide variety of weapons as well. Setbacks are few: the targeting system for the weapons is very hard to pick up and sniping can be quite difficult at times.

Graphics: 8.5/10
The graphics in this game are great. Buildings and cars are very well detailed. Weapons look incredibly realistic. Lighting effects are fantastic. Just watching the sunrise is magnificent in its own right. The only reason i’m giving it an 8.5 is because the character models definitely leave something to be desired of. Some look very crude (Asuka, anyone). But overall, the graphics are well done, and they don’t hinder the gameplay at all.

Plot/Story: 10/10
At first I thought the plot would be chessy (being a criminal and doing missions). I didn’t think it would be like watching a classic Mafioso movie. Grand Theft Auto III is tale of murder, lust, betrayal, and loyalty (sometimes). The characters are awesome. You’ll get caught up in the world of Liberty City, and you might just never want to leave.

Sound: 10/10
Amazing. Pure Genius. Sound is very abundant in this game, and that’s a good thing. Voice acting is impeccable, characters portray feelings like anger and happiness with such grace. Music is fine as well. There are ten radio stations and you can add your MP3’s to a folder in the game’s directory, creating your own station to listen to. And back to the voice acting, just listen to Salvatore Leone. He sounds like a TRUE Mafia gangster.

Fun Factor: 9.5/10
This game is FUN. Its very fun. There’s so much to do and so much to see that you won’t get tired for awhile. As I mentioned, missions are addictive, but incredibly fun. And what other games can you whack people on the street with a baseball bat or throw grenades at them. I’d give it a 10, but some missions are so frustrating that you may want to pull your hair out and hand it to your dog.

Rent or Buy:
Buy my friend, Buy. You CANNOT beat this game in a rental. I think it would be impossible (unless you go without any sleep , then you MIGHT have a chance). Its just to good a game to pass up. Don’t miss out on the experience that is Grand Theft Auto III. And if you didn’t buy this game because it was too hyped, then do yourself a favor and ignore the hype and check it out. You’ll be doing yourself a favor, I know I did.

Recap:
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Graphics: 8.5/10
Plot/Story: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Fun Factor: 9.5/10

Overall: 9.6, but I’ll give it a 10 because it is Excellent. Not Perfect (no game is), but its close.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/30/03