GTA 1 - Review (MS-DOS, 1997)
4Can you believe that already 27 years has passed since the first installment of the infamous Grand Theft Auto series was released in 1997. First released on the MS-DOS and Windows platforms, and eventually ported to PlayStation console, GTA 1 introduced a revolutionary gameplay concept.
An open-world environment where players had the freedom to engage in criminal activities or simply explore the city. It stood out with its top-down perspective, dark humor, and sandbox gameplay that encouraged exploration and experimentation, setting the stage for an iconic franchise.
So basically you didn’t even have to do the missions if you found another way to make money. You could just create chaos, make things explode and kill people, or you could just steal cars.
If following the main story of the game, players assume the role of a criminal rising through the ranks by completing missions assigned by various crime bosses. Missions involve tasks like carjacking, bank heists, and escaping police chases across three cities modeled after real American cities: Liberty City (New York), Vice City (Miami), and San Andreas (San Francisco).
GTA 1 introduced several groundbreaking concepts that later became series hallmarks, including:
• Open-World Environment: GTA 1 was among the first games to provide players with an open world where they could roam freely, exploring the city, evading police, and discovering unique locations.
• Mission-Based Structure: The game's missions were critical to progressing, yet players could also ignore missions to simply explore, cause chaos, or gain points.
• Wanted System: The police would increase their aggression toward players based on their actions, an early version of the now-famous "wanted level" mechanic in future GTA games.
• Vehicle Variety: Players could steal and drive a variety of vehicles, each with its own speed and handling characteristics, adding depth to the gameplay.
And players loved it! Although not without controversy due to its violent themes, GTA 1 was praised for its originality and freedom. Critics and players alike appreciated its dark humor, open-ended gameplay, and the novelty of playing a game from the perspective of an anti-hero.
Liberty City is the starting point for players and is characterized by the rough, unforgiving world of New York City’s criminal underground.
Players are given mission by the Vercotti Crime Family - The gang based in Liberty City and suspected to be lead by Robert Seragliano also known as "Bubby". Their main rivals are the Sonetti Crime Family from New Guernsey.
San Andreas offers a change of scenery with its hilly streets and counter-culture vibe but still pulses with gang rivalries and criminal enterprises. The city’s structure presents unique tactical challenges, with many missions centered on smuggling operations, navigating difficult terrain.
In the first chapter, you will be given missions by Uncle Fu's Crime Syndicate. Missions mostly evolve around the affairs of the family, including bank robberies, collecting protection money from the restaurant owners, and fighting off the police while doing business.
In the second chapter, you will be given missions by El Burro - a bisexual Mexican gang boss living in the southwest Atlantic Heights area of San Andreas and is in a long feud with Uncle Fu. However, he and Uncle Fu are in a ceasefire since both do not attack each other during their respective missions.
Vice City is the final and most dangerous city players encounter. Known for its lavish lifestyle and high-stakes crime scene, Vice City’s underworld is largely controlled by powerful drug cartels, making it a hotspot for smuggling, racketeering, and gang warfare.
In the first chapter, you will be given missions by Samuel Deever - a deeply disturbed police officer currently under investigation. Cannibalism, narcotics, sexual harassment, kidnapping and more.
Deever will constantly insult and threaten the protagonist, even when the objectives are achieved. Most of his tasks are to weaken the Brethren by extreme means or to get rid of people that intend to deliver evidence against him, but will also include some issues with his family, paying other corrupt cops off, and even murdering El Burro.
In the second chapter, you will be given missions by Brother Marcus - the leader of the Brotherhood of Jah Army of Love (a.k.a. the Rastas).
Most of his tasks are to help the members of the Brethren get rid of the "minions of Babylon", which is a term the Jamaican gang uses for the police, government agents, politicians and judges.
After the protagonist helps their gang wage war against the corrupt agents, Brother Marcus calls them one last time asking them to meet him in Greek Heights to collect their retirement pay.
Grand Theft Auto 1 was a trailblazer, a quirky game with surprisingly complex mechanics for its time, marking the beginning of one of the most successful video game franchises in history.