Is GTA 3 Hard?
Grand Theft Auto III (2001), also referred to as GTA III and most commonly referred to as GTA 3, is one of the most influential video games of the video games industry, and one of the most important 3D open world video games. GTA 3 popularized many aspects of open world video games that are still seen this day, such as freedom of movement, NPCs, day and night cycle, collectibles and side missions. GTA 3 is often remembered and praised for its innovative gameplay and open world. Players new to the GTA video games franchise and who have not yet played GTA 3 wonder whether GTA 3 is a hard video game, and whether it is harder and more difficult than other GTA video games.
GTA 3 is not hard or difficult in general, but it is harder than subsequent GTA games, and may be challenging to players not used to video games of the early 2000s.
The Difficulty of GTA 3
Grand Theft Auto III (2001) popularized many open world video game aspects that are seen to this day in this genre of video games. At the same time, GTA 3 features action-adventure gameplay and presents challenges to players, even players that are experienced with action video games and action-adventure video games. While free roaming in GTA 3 is quite easy during the beginning of the game, some of the main story missions can be quite difficult, and will sometimes require the player to attempt multiple times in order to succeed. Unlike in subsequent GTA video games, such as Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the vehicle that is used by the player character in GTA 3 can be exploded quite quickly, a reason why some missions in which the player must fight NPCs with shotguns and other powerful weapons can be quite difficult. Moreover, free roaming in GTA 3 can also be quite difficult after some main story missions have been completed because there will be an increased presence of hostile NPCs that will shoot the player character on sight. In this sense, players who aim to do a 100% playthrough of GTA 3 may want to complete side missions and find collectibles before completing more main story missions, as these activities will become more difficult later on with the increased presence of hostile NPCs in the game world.
In GTA 3, not only are main story missions quite difficult, but it also can be quite difficult to complete side missions, such as taxi driving, if these are done after many story missions have been completed, because there will be an increased presence of hostile NPCs in the game world. Even if the player is not on a main story mission, after the player has progressed to a certain point in the game after completing some main story missions, different groups of NPCs will shoot the player character on sight even if the player is engaged in a side mission, such as taxi driving. Considering how quickly vehicles in GTA 3 can blow up, including the vehicle which the player character is driving, this increased presence of hostile NPCs in the game world make side missions much more difficult. For this reason, it is suggested to complete these side missions and free roam in the game world before completing main story missions. In general, in GTA 3, it is best to free roam, complete side missions and find collectibles as soon as a new location is unlocked, and before completing main story missions. In this way, there will be less hostile NPCs in the unlocked location of the game world.
Is GTA 3 More Difficult Than Other GTA Video Games?
Grand Theft Auto III (2001), or GTA 3, is more difficult in many aspects in comparison to subsequent GTA video games. While I also consider Grand Theft Auto: Vice City to be a difficult GTA video game, GTA 3 is harder in the sense that free roaming in the game world is more difficult to the increased presence of hostile NPCs throughout the gameplay, an aspect which is not present in GTA: Vice City. In GTA: Vice City, even after completing main story missions, the player is able to adventure in many parts of the game world without being attacked by various hostile NPCs. In the aspect of missions, I consider that both GTA 3 and GTA: Vice City have a similar difficulty, which is the standard difficulty of action-adventure video games of the early 2000s. The main story missions of GTA 3 and GTA: Vice City can be quite difficult, and will often require multiple attempts by the player in order to be completed. Side missions, such as taxi driving, are easier, although in GTA 3 they are easier in the beginning of the game than in the late game, due to the increased presence of hostile NPCs after the completion of some main story missions.
Tips for Playing GTA 3 If You Find GTA 3 To be Hard
Although Grand Theft Auto III (2001) could be considered a hard video game by many players, there are various ways to have an easier experience while playing this game and be less challenged, while the game will still be a hard game. In general, it is best to free roam, find collectibles and complete side missions of GTA 3 before completing main story missions, in order to find less hostile NPCs in the game world. Moreover, in the mission "Marked Man" of GTA 3, it is possible to obtain a bulletproof Patriot vehicle, which is quite resistant to damage from hostile NPCs, which allows for a much easier free roaming in the game world of GTA 3. If your player character is not driving a bulletfproof vehicle in the video game, avoid areas and game locations which have an increased presence of hostile NPCs, as vehicles in GTA 3 can explode quite fast with some damage. It is also important to frequently visit weapons shop in the video game in order to have ammunition and armor, which increases how much damage the player character is able to sustain. It is also important to avoid areas in which there is an increased presence of hostile NPCs. After the player has played the game for some time, the player will have more practice and knowledge of the areas with an increased presence of hostile NPCs of the video game.
Sources of Research: