Grand Theft Auto III - Graphics

GTA 3's graphics are a vast improvement from previous games in the series, mainly because the game no longer features a top-down view, but is now fully rendered in 3D with a forward facing camera. Other camera options allow a top down view, as well as cinematic camera, and the player can also look to the left, right and behind themselves while in a vehicle.

The game uses the Renderware engine which allows for cartoony-looking, but 3D graphics which would go on to be used in other GTA III series games (including GTA Vice City and GTA San Andreas).

The graphics were never intended to look very realistic and much more emphasis was put on the gameplay features themselves, making GTA III one of few games where gamers didn't care about graphics because the game was so fun anyway. The beta version of the game was a little more colorful and cartoony than the final result:

Beta gameplay.