Grand Theft Auto III
Featuring a fully 3-D living city, a combination of narrative driven and non-linear gameplay and a completely open environment, Grand Theft Auto III represents a huge leap forward in interactive entertainment. For the first time, players are put at the heart of their very own gangster movie, and let loose in a fully-realised 3 dimensional city, in which anything can happen and probably will. With a cast of hundreds, 50 plus vehicles, ranging from sports cars to ice cream trucks and from boats to buses, 3 hours of music, including opera, reggae, house, drum and bass, pop and disco, a huge array of street ready weapons and some of the seediest characters in video game history, Grand Theft Auto 3 is a sprawling epic which will show you that sometimes, crime can pay and sometimes it can pay you back. Available now for PlayStation2, Xbox, PC and Macintosh.
What it feels like
A darkly comic storyline with satire of urban crime, characters, and culture defines the emotional register. Despite serious crime themes, the ability to cause chaos and experiment freely invites mischievous experimentation. Seedy characters and violent crime create a harsh, unpolished tone beneath the dark humor.
What it's about
Organized crime, the criminal underworld, and gangster narratives form the thematic core and setting. Set in a modern-day fictional city (Liberty City) based on contemporary urban environments. The game parodies urban culture, crime stereotypes, and consumer excess through darkly comic missions and characters.
How it plays
Driving and controlling 50+ vehicles of all types is a core pillar of gameplay alongside on-foot exploration. A huge array of street weapons and combat against enemies are central to the action and mission design. Managing health, armor, and limited ammunition during missions creates resource pressure.
How it looks and sounds
3 hours of licensed music spanning opera, reggae, house, drum and bass, pop, and disco across multiple radio stations. Camera follows the protagonist from behind or above, the standard perspective for driving and on-foot exploration in the game. Stellar voice acting brings hundreds of characters and missions to life throughout the experience.
How it's structured
The game is built around a fully 3D living city with non-linear gameplay and a completely open environment, defining the open-world genre for a generation. Players are let loose in a realized 3D city where anything can happen; core gameplay is player-directed with optional missions. Designed as a single-player experience where the player controls the protagonist through the open city.
Kindred games
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Both lean into Open World, Crime & Underworld, Vehicular Control, Sandbox.
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