You are put into the center of your own gangster film, and let loose in a fully-realized three-dimensional city with hundreds of characters, many vehicle choices ranging from sports cars to ice cream trucks and boats to buses, hours of music of all kinds, and a wide range of street-ready weapons.

Grand Theft Auto III is a Rockstar Games action-adventure game that was released in 2001. It was developed by DMA Design and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third main installment in the Grand Theft Auto series, following Grand Theft Auto 2 from 1999, and the fifth overall.

Grand Theft Auto III is an action-adventure game in which you take on the role of a third-person character. To continue through the plot, you must accomplish linear missions with specific objectives. Because certain missions need you to wait for more instructions or events, it is possible to have many missions active at the same time.

You can freely travel the game's open environment outside of missions, and you can complete optional side missions. Portland, Staunton Island, and Shoreside Vale are the three districts that make up Liberty City; the latter two are unlocked as the story continues.

To get around the game's world, you can run, jump, or employ vehicles. Auto-aim can be utilized to help you fight enemies in combat. Your health meter may be fully replenished by using health pick-ups if you receive damage. Body armor may be used to protect against gunfire and explosives, but it depletes with time.

When your health is completely drained, the game ends and you must respawn at the local hospital, where you will lose your armor, weapons, and money.

If you break laws while playing, police agencies from the game will investigate, as shown by a "wanted" meter in the head-up display. The displayed stars on the meter reflect the current wanted level; for example, at the highest six-star level, law enforcement efforts to apprehend you become highly aggressive. 

When you are hidden from the officers' line of sight, the wanted meter goes into a cool-down mode and ultimately fades away.

To combat enemies, you employ physical assaults, guns, and explosives. Guns such as the Micro Uzi, an M16 rifle, and a flamethrower are among the weapons included in the game. When aiming with the sniper rifle, rocket launcher, and M16 rifle, the game's three-dimensional environment provides for a first-person view.

Furthermore, the game's gameplay has been updated to allow you to perform drive-by shootings while in a car by looking sideways. The game offers a broad range of weapon options, which may be purchased from local gun shops, acquired on the ground, collected from dead enemies, or discovered across the city.

You play as Claude, a mute criminal. Claude encounters a number of new gang members during the story. As you complete missions for various gangs and criminal organizations, you will frequently be defended by fellow gang members, while opposing gang members will recognize you and shoot on sight.

You can play a vigilante minigame, a firefighter activity, a medical service, or a taxi cab service while freely exploring the game environment. Completing these actions unlocks context-specific benefits.