Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition is on its way, and fans already have an impression of what this trio of classic games will look like in the modern era. The original games had ant iconic look, trying to be on-brand by incorporating both goofiness and realism into character designs. While they may look blocky nowadays, they certainly had charm back then.
With the series introducing an HD universe that has more realistic models through Grand Theft Auto 4 and 5, fans expected Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition to be similarly grounded. What previews have shown paints a different picture of what the world, and specifically the protagonists, will look like.
Grand Theft Auto's Protagonists
Grand Theft Auto’s first venture into 3D consisted of three distinct games that shocked audiences with their gratuitous violence. The games never took themselves completely seriously, but the characters’ appearances were grounded. The limited technology at the time prevented Rockstar from conveying its full intentions, but generally, the models were as realistic as possible for the time.
In Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition, the characters look brighter and are more stylized, drifting away from the semi-realistic look perfected by the HD universe’s titles. This might not be that jarring, but it could clash with more serious moments from the GTA Trilogy.
Claude – Grand Theft Auto 3
Claude is the 3D era’s first protagonist, the last one to be completely silent, and one of the most iconic Grand Theft Auto characters. To play around the technical limitations at the time and put emphasis on his stoicism, Claude in the original Grand Theft Auto 3 was a blank state. Because he never speaks, the developers never bothered giving him a wide range of physical expressions. Indeed, he is mostly seen with an indifferent, slightly visible smirk. It plays with the series being unwilling to have a talkative protagonist at the time and shows that Claude is capable of enduring the violence and betrayals surrounding him.
In Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition, Claude’s appearance differs from his more somber initial design. The remakes’ lighting add saturation to his clothes, and his face is more stylized. What was initially a slight smirk turns into a worrisome expression. Either Claude’s expression in the original was too uncanny when using the new model, or Rockstar decided to make him more expressive. Considering the cycle of revenge that he gets himself into, that concerned look is understandable and makes Claude more believable as a character. Grand Theft Auto Online’s GTA 3-themed cosmetics gave players a hint at what an HD version of Claude could look like, and it is not that different from what players will soon receive.
Tommy Vercetti – Vice City
This 1980s gangster who was spared from execution in Vice City certainly has the most colorful look of all the protagonists in this trilogy. His cyan, tropical-themed shirt does a great job standing out and perfectly fits with the Miami-inspired setting of Vice City.
In the original game, Tommy’s looks managed to simultaneously complement and contrast his personality. He was sharply dressed and looked ruthless, sort of like a greaser. It helps that, unlike Claude, Tommy has an identity of his own, allowing players to learn about his character without deciphering gameplay and graphics. He is intelligent but hot-tempered and prone to violence. Even with the outdated graphics, his model evokes confidence of the dangerous kind. He sometimes looks as cold as Claude, and his morality is certainly as questionable, but he is not limited by silence and can look any way the narrative needs. As Grand Theft Auto fan models show, the remasters have an opportunity to make Tommy as menacing as the original Vice City intended.
However, Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition will probably make Tommy harder to take seriously. Out of the three protagonists, he was the most affected by the transition from the originals to the newer models. Not only does Tommy apparently fatter, he also looks more cartoonish than he did in his older, more primitive model. His eyes are bigger, his five-o’clock shadow is more prominent, and his skin is less detailed. Combined with the brighter colors that definitely changed his shirt’s hue, he looks more like an action figure or a Sim version of himself than a modern Grand Theft Auto character.
Carl “CJ” Johnson – San Andreas
The last of the three protagonists to be introduced in this trilogy, San Andreas’ CJ is probably the most popular. His design, no matter how much it is retooled, remains the simplest. CJ lacks a fancy haircut like Claude and Tommy, and his default outfit consists of a tank top and jeans. The expressions found on his model tend to be more low key, unlike Claude’s stoicism and Tommy’s “tough guy” looks. Even though he is capable of violence and careless acts, CJ’s family-related motivations and casual personality makes him more sympathetic than his contemporaries.
It is no shocker that CJ looks the least changed out of the protagonists in Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition. He looks more cartoony than in the original San Andreas, but it’s a far cry from the changes to Tommy. Only his eyes have obviously changed in the transition from the originals to the remasters. Even some of the more ambitious San Andreas mods have added more changes to their own takes on CJ. He might look like the protagonist with the most serious backstory, but his tendency to spout banter and pull off ridiculous stunts might be compatible with Rockstar’s new art style.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - Definitive Edition releases November 11, 2021 on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.