Grand Theft Auto III vs The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Grand Theft Auto III drops players into a gritty, 3‑D Liberty City where every street corner teems with opportunity and danger. As a hired gun, you navigate a branching storyline filled with betrayal, heists, and relentless police pursuit. The game blends driving, shooting, and exploration in a seamless sandbox, offering endless side missions, vehicle customization, and a living city that reacts to your actions. Its groundbreaking freedom set the standard for modern open‑world titles.
Skyrim is Bethesda’s landmark open-world RPG set in a Nordic fantasy province, known for its freeform exploration, dragon-shouting Dragonborn, and an enormous modding community that keeps it alive over a decade later.
Around $39.99 for the Anniversary/Special Edition.
- Groundbreaking open‑world design
- Rich, atmospheric soundtrack
- Varied mission types and activities
- Strong narrative and memorable characters
- Enormous freedom
- Best-in-class modding
- Great atmosphere and exploration
- Tons of content
- Outdated graphics by modern standards
- Occasional frame‑rate drops on older hardware
- Limited multiplayer options (single‑player only)
- Dated combat and animations
- Bugs without mods
- Re-released many times
What reviewers say
Grand Theft Auto III Reviews
No reviews yet.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Reviews
4.0 (2)Love it
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has been my go-to lately. Great atmosphere and exploration. No real complaints. Would recommend.
Good but flawed
Picked up The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim recently. Upside: enormous freedom. Downside: bugs without mods.
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to Grand Theft Auto III
View all →
Experience the gritty streets of Liberty City in an epic open‑world crime saga
Alternatives to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
View all →A vast open-world action RPG with a acclaimed story and monster hunting.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an open-world action role-playing game developed by CD Projekt Red.
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataSkyrim is the safer modern fantasy RPG default with massive mod support and endless exploration, while GTA III is a cheaper, 2001-released classic crime sandbox with single-player action. The main trade-off is modern open-world fantasy depth versus historic 3D action nostalgia.
Key differences
- •Skyrim is a fantasy RPG with flexible skill progression and massive PC mod support, whereas GTA III is an action-adventure crime saga featuring gunfights and car chases.
- •Pricing differs: Skyrim costs around $39.99 for the Anniversary/Special Edition, while GTA III has an MSRP of $19.99.
- •Skyrim offers multi-platform availability (PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch), while GTA III's developer/publisher details and specific platforms are not specified beyond its 2001 release.
- •Skyrim features countless side quests and guilds with freeform exploration, whereas GTA III features missions like assassinations, deliveries, and street races in Liberty City.
- •GTA III has a Critic Score of 95/100, PEGI 18/ESRB M age ratings, and is single-player only, whereas Skyrim's ratings and critic scores are not specified.
Gameplay & fun factor
Skyrim offers go-anywhere freeform exploration, flexible skill progression, and countless side quests, whereas GTA III focuses on crime saga action and car chases.
Platform availability
Skyrim is available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, while GTA III's specific supported hardware platforms are not specified.
Price & value
GTA III costs $19.99 MSRP, making it cheaper than Skyrim which is around $39.99 for the Anniversary/Special Edition.
Multiplayer / co-op
Both games are single-player experiences; GTA III explicitly lists single-player only, and Skyrim's multiplayer features are not specified.
Content & replayability
Skyrim provides countless side quests, guilds, and massive mod support on PC, compared to GTA III's sprawling storyline and missions.
Difficulty & accessibility
Not specified for both games, as neither provides concrete difficulty settings or accessibility feature details in the facts.
Graphics & performance
Skyrim has dated combat and animations with bugs without mods, while GTA III features outdated graphics by modern standards and frame-rate drops.
Choose Grand Theft Auto III if…
Action-adventure gamers looking for a classic, budget-friendly 3D crime sandbox experience.
Choose The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim if…
Open-world RPG fans wanting fantasy exploration, flexible skills, and heavy mod support.
Common questions
How much do they cost?
Skyrim is around $39.99 for the Anniversary/Special Edition, while GTA III has an MSRP of $19.99.
Can I play multiplayer in either game?
GTA III is single-player only, and Skyrim's multiplayer capabilities are not specified.
What platforms can I play them on?
Skyrim is available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. GTA III's platforms are not specified.