5 things to know before buying GTA Definitive Edition

Technically the latest release from Rockstar Games, the GTA Definitive Edition Trilogy was released for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch consoles back in 2021, and for Android and iOS in 2023. The Trilogy was essentially a remastered compilation of the 3D Universe Grand Theft Auto games, with quality-of-life upgrades and a graphical enhancement.

However, there's no denying that the game had a disastrous launch, which was quite surprising given Rockstar's track record. The graphics weren't as engaging as many expected them to be, there were several mistakes when it came to textures, and of course, the bugs made the games barely playable.

So, if you're planning to buy the GTA Definitive Edition Trilogy today, there are several things you should know, of which we've covered some of the most important ones below.

Note: The article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion.

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5 facts you should know about GTA Definitive Edition Trilogy before buying it

1) There are some quality-of-life upgrades

The original Grand Theft Auto Trilogy is quite old at this point, with the first game, GTA 3, being released almost 23 years ago. As such, while making the GTA Definitive Edition Trilogy, Rockstar introduced several modern-day improvements to make the gameplay smoother. Among other things, such improvements include a proper weapon and radio wheel like in Grand Theft Auto 5, a working GPS navigation in all three titles, and the ability to restart a mission immediately after failing to complete it.

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2) The graphical overhaul

Players should always keep in mind that the GTA Definitive Edition Trilogy is a remaster, and not a remake. Nevertheless, some fans expected a massive graphical enhancement, and for the visuals to be on par with titles like Grand Theft Auto 5. Meanwhile, others expected the remasters to at least look as good as popular graphics mods like SA_DirectX 3.0.

However, the Definitive Edition games look nothing like that. While they are somewhat graphically enhanced, with higher resolution textures, enhanced lighting effects, and improved reflections, they're nowhere near what fans expected the games to look like.

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3) Original atmosphere is missing

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When it came out, the GTA Definitive Edition Trilogy seemed to have removed all fog from the game map, which was especially bizarre in San Andreas. The entire map was visible from any high point in the game world, and while flying. While this was later fixed by adding back fog, there's another glaring issue.

For instance, the unique lighting and color tones that are specific to each region of San Andreas are missing. So you won't get to experience the intense orange sunsets in Los Santos or the purple nights in the desert. Although the Netflix version of the game, released on mobile devices, somewhat rectifies the issue, it only brings back the LS color tones.

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4) It's a fully-priced game

The Definitive Edition Trilogy costs $60 (Image via Rockstar Games)

Despite being a remaster, and a rather poor one at that, the GTA Definitive Edition Trilogy is fully priced. This means that you'll have to pay $59.99 for the whole bundle, which includes remastered versions of Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, and San Andreas. While this means that you get three games for the price of one, not much has been changed or added to justify this price.

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5) It's still inferior to the original experience

Playing the originals is still a better choice (Image via Rockstar Games)

Now, although Rockstar has fixed most of the major bugs that made the GTA Definitive Edition Trilogy completely unplayable, there are countless more that remain. For starters, some of the textures and details around the maps are still wrong. Originally, the remastered game used AI in many areas and messed up some details, with moving structures no longer moving. Some of these are yet to be fixed.

Additionally, minor bugs like broken lampposts instantly falling down the map, patches of grass just floating, and the traffic AI being broken are all still there. The Netflix remaster improved some of these, but not everything was rectified.