Release date: October 2001
Format: Sony Playstation 2

Changes from GTA2

- Change from 2D to 3D

- It now has a story that the player must play through

- Added new vehicles: boats, helicopters, airplanes

- Kept almost all of the gameplay elements from GTA2 - player can still go anywhere, it's completely open, you can do everything you did before - only now in 3D!

City - Liberty City

Game takes place in Liberty City, which consists of three districts - Industrial, Commercial, and Suburban - which also serve as your 3 levels of gameplay. As the player progresses through the game, each of the districts open up. Liberty City is loosely based on New York City - with its Boroughs - the 3 areas are connected by bridges, tunnels, water, etc.

Gameplay:

- Non-linear gameplay aspect (still there) The Player always has choices. Odd jobs, taxi jobs, cars to scrap dealer, etc. Earn money on the side - loads of side missions on top of the plot missions.

- Added Time of Day. Some missions have to be performed at exact times during the day.

- Weather and Handling Changes - thunder, lightning, for, rain - makes road slippery, affects car handling, and also visibility.

- Streets are populated with workers and businessmen during the day and people dressed for the clubs, drunks, criminal seedy types at night. Streets are obviously more dangerous at night.

- Players work their way through gang hierarchies

- Wanted Levels 1- 6 - cops, swat teams, FBI, the army

- Drive-By Shootings

Vehicles:

- Physics (roll, etc) handbrake turns, ramps