Rockstar just launched GTA The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition on mobile devices. And, surprisingly, a lot of people think it’s better than the version that came out on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. So, let’s dive in and compare them closely.
Let’s start with GTA: San Andreas. The PC version has better reflections, textures, shadows, and resolution. It looks sharper with more details. The only good thing about the mobile version is its color-grading effect. Yes, that orange color filter is amazing. And I agree. Rockstar should add it to the PC/console version via a future update. However, that’s the only good thing about the mobile version. Everything else looks worse. So, calling this “the remaster we should have gotten” is a bit of a hyperbole.
Things are even worse when you compare Grand Theft Auto 3. In this game, the PC/console version is superior in every way. From reflections and shadows, to the game’s textures, everything looks better on PC. There is no debate here. The PC remaster of GTA 3 is just better.
Unlike San Andreas, Vice City has better color grading on PC compared to mobile. You can see this in the above video, but check out this other comparison video between the smartphone and PC versions. You’ll see that Vice City Remastered on PC has a better art style. The PC version has a more “Vice City” color grading effect. Yet it somehow looks worse than the mobile version? Come on.
Ironically, many folks didn’t like the color grading in the remastered version of Vice City when it was released. Most of them were saying that the game was now “too cartoony.” Surprisingly, these same people seem to prefer the color grading in San Andreas. If Vice City on PC looks cartoonish, then so does San Andreas on Mobile. So, what’s the deal with the double standards?
All in all, no. The mobile version of GTA The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is not miles ahead of the PC/console version. So, stop overreacting. Unless of course you love the color grading on San Andreas but hate it on Vice City. Oh, how convenient.
John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
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