With GTA 5's imminent release on PS5 and Xbox Series X just three short months away now, fans of the franchise probably thought they wouldn't be getting news about any other Grand Theft Auto games for quite some time. However credible leaks have flooded the internet over the last week that suggest Rockstar Games is getting ready to defy these expectations. Multiple sources have now reported that a Grand Theft Auto Remastered Trilogy, which would bring together updated versions of Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, and San Andreas, could be released as soon as this year.
While nothing has been confirmed by Rockstar itself, the thought of a potential upgraded compilation of three of the most influential open-world action games of all time will no doubt get the imagination of fans racing. Every installment in the GTA franchise has had a massive impact on gaming as a medium, with the series in general having become one of the biggest in all of entertainment. Picking a specific order to tackle these legendary games, all things considered, is therefore a challenging proposition within itself. However, there does exist one particular route that offers the best possible way to experience what could be on offer.
Starting with GTA 3
Back in the fall of 2001, Grand Theft Auto 3's release shocked the world for several reasons. While the debate that the mean streets of Liberty City sparked regarding violence in video games has only started to recede in recent times, the lasting impact that the game has had on the medium as a whole is what most people rightly remember it for to this day. Rockstar Games' decision to break from the top-down mould that had previously propelled the franchise to success, by designing GTA 3 around a 3D sandbox environment, has proven to have a massive impact on gaming.
Being the oldest entry in the package also ensures that starting the the potential trip down memory lane here makes the most sense for a number of important design reasons. While plenty of modern open-world games can subsequently trace their origins back to Rockstar's pioneering hit, a lot of the mechanics that can be found within the game were refined significantly in the two later entries. With several leaks suggesting that the Grand Theft Auto Remastered Trilogy won't fundamentally alter the gameplay experience of the games, elements taken for granted like the ability to crouch will likely still be missing from GTA 3 despite the new visual upgrades.
The story of silent protagonist Claude and his quest for revenge aftter being betrayed by his girlfriend during a botched bank heist remains an enjoyable joyride to this day thanks to the effort Rockstar put into the game's narrative. Starting with GTA 3 has the added effect of reinforcing how special the two games that proceeded it are as well, with it likely being easier for fans to appreciate in real-time how the development studio behind the franchise evolved aspects like this within its famous formula.
Visiting Vice City Next
Released only one short year after GTA 3's rise to dominance, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City reinvigorated the formula once again with a host of open-world innovations. Following the original chronological release order whilst playing through the theoretical GTA Remastered Trilogy will start to make sense to players as soon as they load up into the second game. That's because the vibrant hues that have also always been a characteristic of Vice City's charm will no doubt look even better due to the visual facelift Rockstar is expected to inject into the experience. This should also ensure that the game becomes a literal breath of fresh air from the cramped and grey concrete jungle-esque streets of Liberty City.
Set during the 1980s, Vice City follows the story of Tommy Vercetti, who in many ways has remained the archetype GTA protagonist ever since his debut in 2002. Having an actual voice actor this time around, Tommy's quest is full of the crime, betrayals, gunfights, and gritty mob themed antics that fans have come to expect from the series. While Vice City is noted for filling this journey with more weapons, vehicles, activities, and complex mission types when compared to its predecessor, it's arguably the environment that the player gets to explore that's Rockstar's crowning achievement with the game. Even though it isn't technically that much bigger than GTA 3's Liberty City, it's the fact that the space feels so much more alive and realistic that makes the map all the more compelling and immersive.
Filled with an extensive catalogue of period appropriate music, Vice City is also notable in part for being the entry in the franchise that extensively incorporated licensed real-world songs to the formula. Driving down the game's Miami-inspired streets whilst listening to iconic 80s music has remained one of the more relaxing experiences in gaming after all of these years. It's for this reason that, despite being the middle point of the journey, plenty of players will likely come back to bask in the Vice City atmosphere again once they're finished with the other parts of the seemingly imminent GTA Remastered Trilogy.
Ending With San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas not only represents the final stage of the franchise's evolution during the PS2 generation, but it also perfectly embodies the very best of the series as a whole. While entries like GTA 4 and GTA 5 have raked in literal mountains of money for Rockstar thanks to their HD-realized worlds, for sections of the fanbase, the game released in 2005 still represents the highest point of the franchise to this day. From a gripping story all about betrayal and brotherhood to diverse missions, side quests, and weapons, San Andreas is arguably the most outrageous fun players will get to have should the Remastered Trilogy turn out to be real.
Featuring a map that includes three distinctly unique urban metropolises, inspired by Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas, San Andreas also remains one of the easiest sandboxes in gaming to get truly lost within despite the immense competition that's sprung up in its wake. A sense of endless indulgence was clearly infused into the experience by Rockstar, as there's more of every piece of content within the game. What's more, that achievement is backed up by an equally impressive quality standing as well, with San Andreas including some of the most memorable missions in any open-world game. Therefore, ending the pottential Grand Theft Auto Remastered Trilogy here makes the most sense, as there's a very real chance that any attempt to play the game before this point will result in the other two aforementioned games being neglected.
The Alternate GTA Trilogy Playthrough
Playing each of the games in a sequential release informed order isn't the only option on the table for players, as a viable alternative route through the trilogy exists for those who would rather experience a more conventional timeline. What makes two of the installments in the Grand Theft Auto series during the PS2/Xbox generation unique is the fact that they not only capture the atmosphere and spirit of a specific American location, but they also embody the energy of specific points in history as well. Playing the games progressively through these time periods will therefore be possible should the remastered trilogy come to fruition later this year.
For those wanting to experience the games in timeline order, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and its vibrant 80s aesthetic will be their first port of call. After this comes Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and its rap infused soundtrack, which takes place a few years later in 1992. Rounding out the trilogy in this order is Grand Theft Auto 3, ironically the first game in the set to actually hit store shelves. At the time of release the game took place in a present-day interpretation of New York City, meaning it now offers a window into what life was like back in the early 2000s.
Grand Theft Auto Remastered Trilogy is rumored to be in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.