GTA on iPad. Let’s get into it.
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
Good evening guys I hope it’s going well. First things first, the schedule for new blogs for now is one post every Wednesday so turn on notifications so you guys are all up to speed. Moreover, I wanted to get into a topic I alluded to in my first blog of the new year; GTA III. For those who may not know, GTA III was released in 2001 by Rockstar Games and developed by DMA Design. Although this game came out a little over two decades ago some of you may be like me and haven’t played so I will keep all gameplay events (if any) referred strictly to the early game to avoid spoilers. I will have a full story review once I finish the game. This is a cold review for me in terms of gameplay. In addition, this game was published independently by Netflix and this is also something I want to dive into as well. So without further ado, let's see how GTA III holds up 23 years later, Can Netflix be a valid game publisher?, and how well can an iPad run a AAA game?
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
Does GTA III even hold up 23 years later?
I’m gonna say a resounding yes right off the bat to this question. Like I said I’ve never played this game until now so everything’s new for me; However, I’m not unfamiliar with GTA as a franchise. My first ever actual play-through of a GTA game was GTA V on Xbox 360 and even that game I have yet to finish. Right away when you jump into this I enjoyed seeing the foundation of what made GTA and even other franchises inspired by them so great. For starters, The driving is smooth but still has that typical “bounciness” GTA has come to be known for. Missions are found throughout the map denoted by the letter of the character you’re doing the mission also synonymous with GTA. This is one of those traits while common sadly have the problem of feeling quite like a fetch quest, especially in this game where your protagonist doesn’t talk. Speaking of talking some of the first characters you encounter and do business with are filled with personality themselves you don’t interact with them outside of Quest. Shooting was the only feature that felt genuinely foreign and very outdated to me. While still in the third person your reticle size is different, it's hard to tell if and when you're hitting someone or being hit yourself, and finally the sadly very limited amount of weapons, so far. As I mentioned earlier I’m not finished with the game and this is a very early review. I'll be sure to give more details once I’ve completed the game in my next blog post.
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
Can Netflix be a valid game publisher?
This question is a little more broad and can’t be answered as confidently as the first. Netflix has been in the game scene since 2021 and actually have a pretty extension library outside of GTA. Since 2021 Netflix has…
“released 55 games, with about 40 more slated for later this year and 70 in development with our partners” -Quote from Netflix ‘About’ page
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
Some of the games currently available are Money Heist: Ultimate Choice, Before Your Eyes, and Too Hot to Handle 2 just to name a few. Money Heist has 4.9 out of 5 stars from 149 reviewers (at the time of writing), Before Your Eyes has 4.7 out of 5 stars from 540, and finally Too Hot to Handle 2 has 4.8 out of 5 stars from 11k reviews. This is a very solid showing, however, nowhere near as good as other apps or more well-known studios. Hell GTA III has a review score of 3.9 out of 5 stars from 281 reviews. And with that, I think you guys are catching on to the problem. Lack of actual engagement. Netflix buying the GTA trilogy rights from Rockstar is great and in terms of accessibility for gamers, it already left us with a sour taste because they didn’t update the games as much as they could and should, and have already overcharged on console for the trilogy, and should have just spent the resources making an actual new IP. So all in all while on the right track Netflix also has a long way to go in terms of game development. However, keep your eyes peeled because I’ll probably give the other Netflix games a stab for the next block post.
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
How good can an iPad run a triple A (AAA) game?
Unsprisingly the game as a whole runs quite well. Now keep in mind I never played the game on its original console in its original state to have much of a comparison but given how other games are allowed to be released I can live with this game not being perfect but fixing the issues it needed to. I lightly mentioned this earlier but accessibility is something that has been a big struggle in the game community for years so for these older games to even be available when a lot of people don’t even own or never did own the consoles these games were originally on. So yes an iPad can run triple-A games just as well if not better than a console. Keep in mind I’m laying on an 11-inch iPad Pro so your hardware will yield different results. For more insight on other on iPad gaming experiences check out my other blog ‘Gaming on iPad. The good, bad, and ugly.’
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
Final Thoughts
So far my experience with GTA III has been overwhelmingly positive and the fact that Netflix has given this game a third life even after already being remastered and released on consoles & PCs is great. So despite what others and even myself are saying please play and enjoy these games especially if you have not done so already. Not only for your enjoyment but to pay homage to the artists, designers, and developers who worked on this game. We truly don’t know how much longer these games will even still be available to us and with GTA 6 a year or so out in the future, this is a great time sink in the meantime. Finally, Thank you guys for taking the time to read this post pleaee like share, and follow it rrally means a lot and Ill catch you guys in the next one :).
