Grand Theft Auto III, with its fully-realised 3D open-world and violent shooting set the tone for an entire generation of video games. With a third-person structure never before seen in the medium, Rockstar's transitional release truly solidified the developer as one of the industry's best, all the while cementing the franchise itself as a household name across the western world. However, while the technical achievements of the title should never be understated, the ambitious scale of Grand Theft Auto III pales in comparison to some of the open-worlds gamers have been treated to over the past few years. Without the detail of Sleeping Dogs or the scale of GTA V, going back to play Rockstar's sequel today just simply can't feel that special. Unfortunately, like many early 3D experiments, Grand Theft Auto III was part of a larger evolution - a milestone in video game development at the time but also also a product of its time. Without the sophistication of later PS2 GTAs like San Andreas or even Vice City, this defining title simply can't compete against its tighter and more complete bigger brothers. What game do you feel its impossible for newer players to fully appreciate? Let us know in the comments!
Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.
