What's the best/worst of each GTA game?
That's a thinker. Here's what I have so far.
GTA III:
Best - its gritty city atmosphere. Liberty City is unapologetically grimmy, gray and desolate. Really sets the mood that you're in the Worst City of America. The peds, radio, missions and lore supplement that dark criminal underworld quite well. Play it on a PS2 or Xbox, the atmosphere is unmatched.
Worst - no minimap in pause screen. I was going to say the aiming/camera system as a close second because of the inverted sniper rifle. But no map on the pause screen is unacceptable if you want to learn the city layout or to find an optimal route to pass a mission.
GTA: Vice City:
Best - the soundtrack. No question, the curated soundtrack of various 80s songs from multiple genres brings the city to life. I Ran, Magic Wand, I Wanna Rock, Owner of a Lonely Heart, the song that plays in the hotel safehouse, wonderful through and through when driving a fast car.
Worst - the asset mission system. Vice City does not explicitly tell you that you'd need to buy assets to progress with the storyline. I give them props for the open ended mission design. Its execution is poor since two assets involves driving a ice cream truck with a persistent wanted level and just being idle while watching a stripper animation.
GTA: San Andreas:
Best - improved aiming. I was thinking its customization, but the menu system for it is cumbersome. GTA: SA has the best aiming system in the 3D era yet. You can lock on or free aim with the weapons. Not as sticky as III or Vice City, which makes combat easier compared to before.
Worst - the map design. Once you progress, you can open up the map to the other two cities: Las Venturas and San Fierro. The dead space in between the various systems makes it hard to navigate through by vehicle. The map in the pause screen isn't laid out properly to account for winding or bending streets. I get lost trying to navigate through the woods or desert, which makes progression a slog.