This action-adventure game from Rockstar Games is played from the perspective of a third person. Players can navigate the open world on foot or using vehicles. The game is located in Liberty City which has three islands; Portland Island, Staunton Island, and Shoreside Vale. You need to progress in the game before you can unlock the islands. The game became popular because of its amazing gameplay. In 2001, it was the best-selling video game. Players must successfully go through missions to move forward in the game. A player can be on more than one mission at the same time since a player has to wait for instructions or more events to complete a mission.

Besides the missions, players can go exploring the world. They can run, jump, or explore the open world on their vehicles. The game has body armor which absorbs gun and explosive attacks from the enemy. The auto-aim option helps players to defend themselves against enemies. The health meter keeps track of a player’s health. Health pick-ups can regenerate it. A player cannot continue to play if their health is depleted. They, however, come back to life when they reach a hospital. The respawned player loses their armor and a certain amount of their money.

A player that commits a crime in the game may be incapacitated by the police. The police will place a ‘wanted’ meter on them stating their wanted level. The maximum is a six-star level. The efforts of the police to pursue a criminal will vary pending on their level of being wanted.