izigame.me

TL;DR

Buy it on sale. The game is challenging and fun. It's completely playable, and I haven't encountered any bugs. It keeps the essence of the OG while adding QoL features. Some graphics are a bit ugly.
⚠️ You can't Family Share this game (even though the store page says otherwise) because it forces you to use the crappy Rockstar Launcher. I hate launchers, especially this one.

Background

This was my first PS2 game as a kid. Later, I played it a lot on PC with mods.
I still prefer the OG for some minor details, but let's be honest: the OG is practically unplayable without over 15 mods.
The game is no longer a mess; Rockstar has fixed most of the release bugs and graphical issues.
So the remaster is great. It keeps the OG spirit and significantly improves the gameplay. Some improvements I've noticed include:
No loading screens between islands (you can see everything from far away!)
Fixed the controls (trust me, the OG PC controls were a nightmare)
Purple 9 bug fix (this bug would prevent you from completing certain missions)
They added a map (yeah, the OG didn't have a map)
GTA V style weapon wheel (it's useful)
Checkpoints/Autosave (a bit useless, imho, if you save often)
Things I DON'T like:
The game forces you to use the Rockstar launcher (it's a crap)
They removed the Portland gray atmosphere (everything is way too colorful now, instead of the moody, sad vibe)
They removed some minor environmental details
You can't change the controls
The map/minimap doesn't display narrow streets properly
Family Share doesn't work: THE STORE PAGE IS MISLEADING

Gameplay

The game was released in 2001, and in 2002 we got Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. As you might expect, Grand Theft Auto III served as a testing ground for what would come next in the series.
It's a pretty basic game: there are no motorbikes (in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, they explain this by saying that motorbikes are banned, so within the lore it makes sense, though it's still kind of funny). And the story is pretty simple. Plus, most of the QoL seen in later releases are missing.
Because of all this, people complain that it's an incomplete remaster, but honestly, I think it's a smart choice. It PRESERVES the essence of the OG, just with modern controls. Remember, this is a REMASTER, not a REMAKE.
Also for me, this game is even harder than San Andreas.
The gangs will punish you severely, so it's highly recommended to complete most side objectives (like hidden packages or paramedic) before progressing with the main story.
I don't know if it's just me, but it seems like this remaster has a lot more gang NPC roaming around.
Your car will explode with just a few random shots. Even water kills you! Some missions, like "Kingdom Come" or "S.A.M.", will mostly make newcomers cry or even uninstall the game.

Conclusion

I definitely recommend this game, but only if it's on sale. It's challenging and fun, with some of the most iconic NPC quotes in the whole franchise. If you enjoy tough, oldschool gameplay and memorable moments, you'll have a blast.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the game, just for the lulz:
“Somebody call a ME-dic?!” — Triad
“No money, mo' problems” — Triad
“My mother is my sister” — Man in the olive coat
“You think that's bad? I've been revived 240 times” — Guy in the blue shirt and cap
“What are you doing, giving birth?” — Man in the olive coat
“Yep, I've been drinking again” — Man in the olive coat
“It's baby fat; I haven't lost it yet” — Lady with pink hair and blue dress
“In the navy” — Construction worker

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3418070479