10 Biggest Graphical Leaps Between Video Game Sequels

10. Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999) To Grand Theft Auto III (2001)

Speaking of Rockstar - and we’ll be doing so plenty in this article – Grand Theft Auto has been a ground-breaker since its very first iteration, allowing gamers to carry out their cops-and-robbers fantasy, massacring people without a care in the world. This, of course, doesn’t do the series justice because in so many different ways Rockstar have been able to innovate. We can use the incredibly short leap of two years between Grand Theft Auto 2 and III as our first example, moving from a 2D small-scale world to a 3D open-world with varying missions and activities.

Bear in mind that it didn’t feature flyable vehicles, followers or switchable characters, but going from the 2D, arguably lacklustre sequel in Grand Theft Auto 2, which was seen as more of the same, Grand Theft Auto III kicked the series back into the mainstream. It wasn’t the first game to feature a 3D world, by any means. What did make it stick out, though, was that it offered players things to do in that world, instead of simply being big for the sake of it. From the new driving mechanics, with a variety of vehicles, sprawling missions with interesting characters and most importantly, combat where you could now aim precisely, as opposed to spraying in front of your character.