Just when you thought they were done with the GTA Trilogy remasters, Rockstar Games goes and delivers a massive update for all three games! There's a lot packed into these, and they're available right now on Xbox One and Series X|S.
The biggest feature is "Classic Lighting", which can be toggled on via each game's menu. The idea behind this is to better represent what the original games looked like, and you can see an example of all three games down below:
There are loads of other improvements as well, including fixes to water and swimming speeds, the ability to run and shoot with things like shotguns and flamethrowers in GTA 3 and Vice City, and even upgrades to how the clouds look!
Interestingly, it appears that developer Grove Street Games has been removed from the startup credits as well.
There was obviously a lot of controversy surrounding this collection at launch, but today might be a good time to jump back into it if you're interested. Rockstar has provided patch notes, but they're limited to just "Classic Lighting" and "numerous fixes and improvements", so there's every chance you may stumble into even more cool additions as well.
Any interest in playing the GTA Trilogy in 2024? Let us know down in the comments section below.
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That's pretty significant. Among MANY flaws in this remaster changing the whole colour tone, especially in San Andreas, but also Vice City was a huge downgrade.
I haven't kept up with all the updates, what state is the rest of the game in now? Anyone got any insight?
Grove Street games fumbled these ports so bad it’s about time Rockstar stepped in and made some fixes…they even removed Grove Street from the intro credits probably to distance themselves from them even more
I might have to rebuy this now, actually looks like a good update
For reasons I cannot fathom, Grove Street Games (previously War Drum Studios) have been given multiple opportunities and fumbled every port they've ever done to consoles. Every. One.
They were the ones that ported the absolutely atrocious GTA: SA port for Xbox 360. That alone blows my MIND on how exactly they landed the job of porting the entire trilogy. They were also guilty of porting a nearly unplayable, buggy and crash-happy version of Ghostbusters The Video Game from Wii to PS2 (the one with visuals based on the cartoon.) — and that has all the exact same Wardrum/Grove Street crashes and terrible porting work like all their other disasterpieces.
They have to have blackmail on someone at Take 2. I can't fathom why else the living embodiment of incompetency could get so many high-profile jobs.
Edit: I'm glad that apparently some other studio has taken the reigns on updating this game. Should've been that way from the start.
the terrible reviews put me off this one at release... looks great with the new lighting, but waiting for people to confirm if still riddled with bugs
Vastly superior, much truer to the originals on PS2. Lesson to developers, Don’t mess with nostalgia.
To my eye classic lighting looks better🙆
@SilentBluntman Yeah that's totally right it's aged the worst out of all the GTA games post ps1 but still worth a go!
I have no nostalgia for these games, was never a fan but to me, the newer lighting looks better in all 3 cases and by a country mile in SA and VC.
You definitely notice the update on San Andreas the most. Looks so much better and the way it should be.
@FraserG the update doesn't apply to last gen consoles according to the patch notes
https://support.rockstargames.com/articles/35337378670739/Grand-Theft-Auto-The-Trilogy-The-Definitive-Edition-Title-Update-Notes-1-112-PlayStation-5-Xbox-Series-X-S-PC
@carlos82 Thanks for that - article has been updated.
@Dimey Bugs were squashed around 6 months after release, also performance mode is flawless at 60 FPS, this lightning makes the game look so much better very close to the originals.
I bought this at launch, even preordered it with MS Rewards but never completed any of them as it was so incredibly disappointing, nowadays I’ll definitely play them.
@SilentBluntman
They have all of those resources on GTA VI and online.
I'd just be happy if they brought the backwards compatible OG games to the store. That they were delisted for this is still disgusting to me. At least give gamers the option. Heck, FPS boosts and auto HDR would probably have been better than this port at launch.
@FraserG and after all that it seems today they've patched the last gen versions after all
It's like the update brought the OG games' souls back to these remasters.
@carlos82 Changed back! 😅
@IOI oh good stuff will add them to the list then!
They've removed the developer from the credits? What a scummy move. If they made the game then they should still get the credit for it.
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