Grand Theft Auto 3 for Playstation 2
(DMA Design/Rockstar Games)
All images copyright Gamespot/DMA Design/Rockstar Games

BACKGROUND: In Grand Theft Auto 3 you play a man who was betrayed by his girlfriend during a bank robbery and left to take the fall. On the way to jail the police van is attacked, you and your friend 8-Ball escape to the Red Light District.

OVERVIEW: The basic premise is the same as the first two Grand Theft Auto games (Jacking cars, Performing odd jobs for gangs, Causing general mayhem) except now the game has more of a story. Your first couple of missions are for the Mafia, but you eventually work for The Yakuza, The Yardies (a jamacian gang), and various other criminal organizations.

GAMEPLAY: (9/10) This game is incredible! You have alot of freedom to do almost anything you want. Want to take a bat and murder pimps on the street? You can do it. Don't feel like commiting crimes? You can do that too, by getting into a police car you can press a button and do vigilante missions or you could get a Ambulance and do "Emergency 911" type missons. One flaw would have to be that the cop AI is not very intelligent. In fact, sometimes it's hilarious when the police try to catch up with you but end up driving off the road and into the water and the officers apparently don't know how to use stairs either.

GRAPHICS: (7/10) GTA3 obviously looks far superior to the previous two games but there are a few graphical errors. When there are too many police cars on screen there is sometimes slowdown. When it rains it can be hard to see the horizon. Then there is the pop-up, usually when you are speeding down a street the horizon just comes on screen as you make it to where the object (like a street lamp or park bench) should be. Still, this doesn't detract from the gameplay too much.

OVERALL: (8/10) I would have to say this game is in contention for best PS2 game of the year behind Metal Gear Solid 2. I would definately buy this game!