Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition just released recently, and it's already clear that it made some changes to the original Grand Theft Auto games it includes. This is, of course, to be expected, since the point of a remaster is to make at least a few changes. Gameplay and quality-of-life improvements are inevitable in just about any remaster, especially one in a big-name series like GTA.
The new GTA Trilogy is made up of GTA 3, GTA: Vice City, and GTA: San Andreas. The original games were released in 2001, 2002, and 2004, respectively, and the original trilogy was released as a package in 2005. There have been a lot of innovations and advancements in the world of gaming since then, so updating the games with new graphics and better frame rates was a must. There were also many gameplay features that are now outdated, and some that have been created after release, so adding and improving on them was also necessary.
But not all changes are for the better. Classic games are classic for a reason, so there's a fine line to tread when it comes to updating them. If too much of Rockstar's originals is changed, then GTA Trilogy runs the risk of losing some of the things that made the original games so great in the first place. A certain inflection in a character's voice, a beloved feature, or a harmless glitch that makes people laugh every time they see it can all be lost if a developer goes too far with a game remaster.
What Actually Changed In GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition
As is to be expected, the new trilogy updated the graphical content of all three games. Higher resolutions, better lighting, improved water effects, and longer draw distance are just some of the visual improvements. While this doesn't include ray tracing, shadow and mirror effects are greatly enhanced, and everything from cars to guns to grass has gotten more detail and better textures. Rockstar has made sure that the GTA Trilogy games look the best they can. Better lighting means that the games will be clearer than the originals, and the increased draw distance means that players can see farther.
And it's not just the visuals that have changed. The gameplay of each game has been enhanced with new features. The controller layouts have all been changed to match GTA V's, the gunplay and targeting controls have been improved, and the drive-by controls in San Andreas have been upgraded. The menus have also been changed, with updated weapon and radio selection wheels and the ability to place waypoints to a destination on the mini-map. In addition, players will now be able to restart a mission they've failed right away without going to a hospital, something which frustrated many fans while playing the original games.
There are also differences between the console versions of GTA Trilogy. PS5, Xbox Series X, and Switch each bring something different to the table. On the Nintendo Switch, for example, Gyro aiming and touch screen menus are available. The PS5 and Xbox Series X versions include 4K-resolution support with 60 FPS performance, and the PC versions have NVIDIA DLSS support. There are also new Rockstar Social Club Accomplishments that members can earn in all three games.
There's also the addition of new content. Achievements weren't introduced until after the original trilogy, so the new GTA Trilogy has added a list of achievements for each game, including some based off of classic GTA memes, the Red Dead Redemption series, and the classic San Andreas Bigfoot rumors. Rockstar has also implied that new cheat codes, which the games are partially known for, have been added. A Big Head Mode cheat for GTA Trilogy has already been discovered by fans. The new trilogy also supports far more languages than the original, which will make for an added treat for multilingual fans and households with speakers of multiple languages.
Changes For The Worse In GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition
Of course, not every change is going to be positive. Improved graphics and visuals can make the game look better, but the gap between the technology available when the original games were released and the technology available now means that some things can come out looking strange. Character models have changed drastically, and few for the better. Many look cartoonish and ill-proportioned, with some bordering on the ridiculous.
The new Trilogy's graphics have received conspicuous criticism due to the awkward redesigns of classic characters. Fans have noticed everything from GTA Trilogy characters' fingers looking like hotdogs to strange, rubbery-looking arms and cartoonish faces. So far, the graphics have been the main source of criticism for the new games. Fans have wasted no time in making scathing memes comparing the original character to the new GTA Trilogy redesigns.
Gameplay changes are also not necessarily for the better. Updated menus and controller layouts mean that fans of the original games may have a hard time adapting. New controls added on to an older title are also bound to cause some in-game issues, since they may not get tested in every circumstance to be sure they're always working optimally. Any gameplay changes, especially in a classic series like the GTA Trilogy, with games like San Andreas, has to be done delicately, and some things are better left alone. Some fans prefer more of a challenge, and changes made to the original control schemes, while modernizing these titles, seem to have generally taken some of the challenge out of them at the same time. In addition, new features can leave old ones defunct, as is the case with the ability to restart missions immediately after the players fail them, making the functionality of taxis in Vice City redundant.
There's also the matter of some of the content that GTA Trilogy has cut. It might be mostly faithful to the originals, but the keyword is mostly. A number of songs from the original soundtracks (San Andreas most notably) are missing. Rockstar may have added new cheat codes, but it also removed a number of them as well, apparently due to technical issues. GTA Trilogy also removed the Cinematic Camera angle, leaving fans of the popular feature disappointed. Cutting content tends to be one of the most controversial parts of a game remaster, and many have expressed their displeasure at Rockstar's decision not to faithfully include these features in Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition.