Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy The Definitive Edition collects three classic action-adventure games from the Grand Theft Auto series into a single package for PS4 and PS5. Players experience the open-world stories of Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas through updated visuals and controls while retaining the core structure of each original title.
Gameplay
Each game places players in a large open world where they complete story missions, explore freely, and handle side activities such as vehicle thefts and optional objectives. The remaster introduces Grand Theft Auto V-style controls across all three entries, including a weapon wheel for quick selection and an updated targeting system that supports lock-on aiming. Players can now run and shoot simultaneously in every title, a change that streamlines combat compared to the originals. Navigation benefits from an enhanced mini-map that supports waypoint setting, while mission failures now include checkpoints that allow immediate restarts without full reloads. Driving and shooting mechanics feel more responsive due to the revised input layout, though the underlying physics and mission design remain faithful to the source material. Environmental upgrades include rebuilt lighting, higher-resolution textures, greater draw distances, and improved shadows and reflections that alter how the cities appear during day and night cycles.
Game Modes
The collection operates entirely in single-player format. Each of the three games functions as its own campaign with linear story missions that advance the narrative for its respective protagonist. Between missions, players enter free-roam mode to explore the respective cities, collect items, or engage in unstructured activities such as driving around or completing optional challenges. No cooperative or competitive multiplayer modes are present. Radio stations provide background audio during gameplay, and players switch tracks via a dedicated selection wheel. Cheats remain accessible in the traditional manner for each title, though some original tracks and codes were adjusted during the remaster process.
Visual and Technical Updates
The Definitive Edition applies consistent upgrades to all three games. Character and vehicle models received detail increases, while lighting and environmental effects create a more modern presentation. Performance options on PS5 include a fidelity mode that prioritizes resolution and a performance mode aimed at higher frame rates, though both can exhibit occasional inconsistencies depending on the scene. Automatic saving occurs more frequently, reducing progress loss during extended sessions. These changes apply uniformly across the PS4 and PS5 versions, with the latter benefiting from faster load times in most cases.
Is It Worth Playing?
Players who enjoyed the original releases and want modernized controls and visuals on current hardware will find the most value here. The updated aiming, weapon selection, and checkpoint systems make the campaigns more accessible for newcomers while preserving the open-world freedom that defined the series. Reception has been mixed, with praise for the quality-of-life improvements offset by ongoing technical inconsistencies that patches have partially addressed over time. On PlayStation platforms the collection maintains steady player ratings in the mid-range. Those seeking a polished modern experience or expecting extensive new content may prefer to wait for further updates or consider alternatives. Fans of story-driven open-world action-adventure games who already own the originals on older systems gain the most from the control refinements and visual polish available on PS4 and PS5.