The Best GTA Games, All 12 Ranked

Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto franchise is without doubt one of the hottest and most worthwhile online game sequence within the 12 months, and for good motive. They’re enjoyable, they’re an actual energy fantasy, they usually’re additionally the embodiment of the sandbox recreation that permits you to do something. Right here’s our rating of all 12 GTA video games, from worst to greatest.

12. Grand Theft Auto

Let’s make one factor clear, not one of the video games on this record are unhealthy. They not solely helped to crate an entire new manner of taking part in, however they’ve been influential in every part from design to tone. The sport that began it off could also be ‘final’ on this record, however that’s solely as a result of every of the video games that adopted it up have been so unimaginable.

The highest down view might have been a bit tough to get used to at first however as soon as you bought a maintain of the liberty provided it grew to become clear that this was a really particular recreation. After all, it will be only a glimpse of the madness that gamers would expertise within the sequence’ future. The cities current in GTA (Liberty Metropolis, San Andreas, and Vice Metropolis) would turn into well-known sooner or later as gaming developed into one thing a lot larger.

11. Grand Theft Auto 2

GTA 2 adopted the mantra of “don’t repair it if it ain’t broke.” The sport performed virtually identically to the primary launch, with its concentrate on thievery and extra violent felonies as a way to rack up factors and progress within the recreation. As a substitute of happening in a recreated metropolis of the actual world although, it as a substitute takes place in Wherever, USA, a considerably futuristic metropolis the place apparently crime remains to be excessive.

One new facet added to this GTA was the gang system. Doing missions for one gang may doubtlessly upset one other inflicting critical issues for you and your constituents. It added a enjoyable dynamic that took the sport from simply straight chaos, to having to really take into consideration what you probably did subsequent. 

10. Grand Theft Auto: London 1969

GTA: London 1969 is technically an growth to the unique recreation (and in addition the primary growth to ever seem on the PS1). However, like with each successive entry, London 1969 manages to toss something into the combination that exhibits off the dev’s need to maintain bettering.

The 30 autos and 39 missions have been greater than sufficient, however altering all of the language to match the setting of the brand new location, including some cameos, and having the disk double as an audio CD made this recreation superb. It confirmed that the staff was extra focused on creating one thing new than simply rehashing the identical outdated factor.

9. Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis Tales

Liberty Metropolis Tales tried to do the identical factor that its predecessor Liberty Metropolis Tales did by creating a singular story set on this planet of the critically acclaimed Vice Metropolis. The story is superb, there’s no denying that. Vic Vance is out for blood after tying to stay an upstanding life and being backed right into a nook by a shady superior. It hits all the precise narrative notes, however when it got here to the supply of the sport, there have been points.

The sport had some hassle operating on the PSP. It was nice that Rockstar was extra formidable this time round, however efficiency is essential. The PS2 port fastened a few of these points, however was one more virtually utterly direct port. Although just a few actions have been added, the improve to PS2 may have accomplished a lot extra apart from simply fixing some loading points. As a substitute it introduced you the exact same recreation just a few months later and proved to be a missed alternative.

8. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty Metropolis Tales

Liberty Metropolis Tales was Rockstar’s first direct stab at making an unique GTA for a handheld gadget. This one took gamers again to good outdated Liberty Metropolis and gave you management of a brand new protagonist, Toni Cipriani. It did far more than simply gave you a brand new face although.

Liberty Metropolis Tales additionally introduced in plenty of the developments from video games that adopted GTA III equivalent to bikes, extra interiors, and the power to vary clothes. It was a recreation that constructed upon the brand new base and was a strong entry on the PSP. Sadly, the PS2 model didn’t change something and as a substitute simply ported the sport over making it appear lazy as compared. Liberty Metropolis Tales was strong on the PSP however didn’t do something particular on console and that just about held the sport again from pushing previous a few of its fellow GTA entries.

 7. Grand Theft Auto IV

Grand Theft Auto IV was the primary ‘subsequent gen’ entry into the sequence after an especially giant run on each the PS2 and PSP. It introduced gamers again to Liberty Metropolis as soon as once more, town that ushered the sequence into the third dimension on consoles, and it launched plenty of new mechanics…perhaps too many.

The brand new graphics, lovable protagonist (Niko Bellic), and wealthy open world helped reestablish simply why this sequence is so beloved. Everybody aside from Niko, although? They for some motive felt the necessity to consistently hound you at each single flip to go bowling, or another trivial act. The social facet added to characters was nice, however very overdone. The sport additionally took a step again by way of customization and actually shifting up on this planet, most certainly to refocus.

All in all, GTA IV arrange a strong basis that will be capitalized on a bit later, however its preliminary outing was spectacular to say the least.

6. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Nintendo wished in on the GTA motion, and who may blame them? The sequence was scorching, and its take no prisoners fashion whereas delivering the very best in motion gameplay was applauded with every launch. However who may’ve anticipated that it will be so rattling good?

Chinatown Wars was a stunning return to the highest down days of the previous, solely this time you possibly can rotate the digicam to get a greater angle of the motion. A deeper story set in GTA IV’s model of Liberty Metropolis, a brand new protagonist, and a comic book guide look made this entry fairly distinctive, which isn’t simple at the moment. Plus the DS was used magnificently. The contact display screen dealt with your bombs, radio, PDA, and map, when you took care of enterprise on the highest display screen. The PSP model in fact needed to change issues round attributable to lack of a contact display screen, however nonetheless managed to make it work and keep satisfying.

As a substitute of dumbing issues down for the smaller techniques, the sport was allowed to evolve by leveraging the totally different tech. It was not solely an ideal GTA for handheld however a really nice GTA, interval.

5. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

San Andreas is commonly missed when discussing the very best GTA video games on the market, and its largely as a result of strong presence that one other entry within the sequence had on the identical platform. There’s additionally all the consideration it received for the entire ‘Sizzling Espresso’ scenario, and that appeared to characterize the sport greater than the precise recreation itself. San Andreas introduced gamers right into a world the place low-riders and Chuck Taylors have been badges of standing, hip-hop managed the streets, and you possibly can go from a no one to a mansion on the hills with only a little bit of exhausting work…and plenty of bullets.

San Andreas launched plenty of RPG components equivalent to talent upgrades, character customization that impacts how NPCs work together with you, the power to study totally different types of fight, buying property, and even sustaining your well being. It was rather a lot too chew on, and for some the sport was a bit too formidable but it surely gave the sport a robust sense of its personal id.

Gang wars, automobile mods, new forms of crime, and even the power to enter debt made the world appear extra alive. It could have been a bit too formidable for the PS2 platform, but it surely was the primary view at what Rockstar was engaged on for the long run. 

4. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty Metropolis

GTA IV arrange a strong basis, but it surely was admittedly missing in some departments. Though Niko was likable and straightforward to narrate to (proper right down to the annoying household), the sport itself felt prefer it actually restricted gamers of their private development in contrast to earlier entries. The Ballad of Homosexual Tony and Misplaced and Damned took the world and injected new persona, motion, actions, and standalone tales that have been powerful to place down,

Misplaced and Homosexual Tony’s respective protagonists, Johnny and Luis, have been two very distinctive people caught up in their very own troubles because the occasions of the primary recreation are happening. Luis particularly is result in a brand new life after being current throughout Niko’s financial institution theft with Patrick, setting off a series of occasions full of pricey automobiles, a superb nightlife, and plenty of loss of life.

Every of the expansions additionally introduced again plenty of components that have been in previous video games however didn’t make the minimize for Niko’s journey equivalent to gang wars, combat golf equipment, a number of totally different employment alternatives, and a wider vary of weapons and autos. Episodes From Liberty Metropolis turned GTA IV into the excessive journey everybody anticipated when the sport first launched, and confirmed us that characters rule by letting every protagonist really feel model new despite the fact that every part came about in the identical world.

3. Grand Theft Auto III

In case you’re a fan of the sequence, there is no such thing as a manner you may hear the identify of this title and never have your coronary heart swell because the nostalgia washes over you. Whereas the high down video games launched the franchise to the plenty, it was GTA III that outlined the sequence going ahead. From the second you first set eyes on the 3D Claude (so that’s his identify) you already know that that is going to be one thing you’ve by no means skilled.

It’s the recreation that introduced mayhem and helped to outline an open world to 3D gaming and be copied to no finish for a few years to come back (it’s nonetheless occurring). It put the sequence on the map and turned it right into a mainstream sequence with followers clamoring for sequels. The mission construction, the best way characters got here into your life, the sense of 1 huge mission as a substitute of a number of ranges, and the liberty to do as you please grew to become mainstays within the franchise. GTA III took the top-down motion packed method and turned it on its head by inserting you in a metropolis you possibly can consider. It modified recreation growth perpetually, and stays top-of-the-line video games ever made. 

2. Grand Theft Auto V

With every part that has gone on inside the sequence, there was no telling what GTA V would do when it was launched. Every recreation since III constructed on the sandbox that it made so well-known and tried its greatest so as to add in one thing by which it will be remembered. Whether or not it was a brand new mini-game, a particular type of music, sure weapons, or its setting. What this entry did was take every part that perhaps didn’t work to nicely earlier than and perfected it whereas additionally introducing us all to the way forward for the sequence.

San Andreas’ RPG components have been mixed with GTA IV’s social connections, a revamped on-line part, jaw dropping visuals in a really open world, and three characters so that you can stay as all in a world that continues to stay even if you’re away. This was all mixed to make a recreation that begins to indicate Rockstar’s overarching imaginative and prescient for his or her grand franchise as gamers are thrust right into a world completely in sync with the trendy age. The place its celebrities are our personal, and it effortlessly factors out our flaws because it forces us to ridicule them.

If IV was the sequence setting itself up for a brand new age, GTA V was it lastly taking full benefit of every part it had discovered and eventually nailing ever single facet.

1. Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis

Vice Metropolis was unimaginable for plenty of causes. It maintained the identical gameplay many had already fallen in love with in GTA III, together with bettering upon it with additions like bikes, helicopters, smarter legislation enforcement, and higher weapons (minigun, anybody?). That alone would have been sufficient for followers, however Rockstar didn’t cease there.

Beautiful music pulled straight from the ’80s? Verify. Slick trend to match? Verify. Scarface’s mansion, an exhilarating story about betrayal and vengeance, tons of cash and status, in addition to a lot of crime and motion? Verify to all of that. Vice Metropolis added life to GTA in a manner that three didn’t do, and it did so utilizing shade and music. The pastels donned by you and your buddies have been one factor, however as soon as the night time hit and town was lit up with Neon as you made your solution to your subsequent mission, all of it simply clicked.

Vice Metropolis mixed the motion with a dream, one which we noticed in these films we weren’t allowed to observe as youngsters. Whereas the entries to the sequence that adopted Vice Metropolis added new mechanics and options, none may match the primary time you bought a sports activities automobile and bumped Africa by Toto as loud as you probably may whereas pulling off a drive-by in your competitors. Rattling, Vice Metropolis was good.

There’s a motive why GTA 6 is taking us again to Vice City and the state of Leonida in spite of everything, and we are able to’t wait to see what Rockstar does with it.

All GTA Video games in Chronological Order

After all, in the event you ever wished to embark on the journey of taking part in all of the Grand Theft Auto video games in chronological order, right here’s the record:

1. Grand Theft Auto (1997)
2. Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999)
3. Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 (1999)
4. Grand Theft Auto 3 (2001)
5. Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis (2002)
6. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
7. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty Metropolis Tales (2005)
8. Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis Tales (2006)
9. Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
10. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009)
11. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty Metropolis (2009)
12. Grand Theft Auto V (2013)

What’s your favourite GTA recreation? Tell us within the feedback beneath.