The funny part about the thirteen years between the release of Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto VI is that if Rockstar Games had waited one more year, they could have release the latest installment on the 30th anniversary of the first Grand Theft Auto game, which hit MS-DOS(!) in 1997.
Three decades later, gamers have been seen the evolution of sandbox gameplay through this series, which has touched every iteration of Sony’s PlayStation, evolving from a top-down 2D environment to a fully-realized world so “real” that fans haven’t been able to escape GTA Online since its inception, some barely playing GTA V’s story mode.
As the series has continued, Rockstar has found new ways to offer commentary on the world we live in now. Yes, the ingenious missions still cater to our most destructive desires, but GTA has always been more self-aware, holding up a mirror to each and every fan of the game. Transforming the series into a three-dimensional playground of destruction offered commentary not only on the changing landscape of video games, but also on its players.
The question remains, though: In almost three decades, which Grand Theft Auto game is the best? There’s only one way to find out…no, not a high-speed chase across town! Here’s our ranking of the best Grand Theft Auto games.
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Grand Theft Auto 2
Year Released: 1999
Available On: PlayStation, Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, PC
Best Feature It Introduced: Side Missions
Grand Theft Auto 2 wasn’t any different from its predecessor, honestly. Sure, the sequel added some features that became integral to the series, such as side missions (cab driver, bus driver) and accepting missions from multiple gang groups. But GTA II didn’t have much going on. Still, there were some memorable moments: taking missions from a gang of mentally ill people, driving down Elvis impersonators, and luring pedestrians (or Hare Krishna gang members, depending on the port of the game played) into a bus to be turned into meat for hot dogs (“Hot Dog Homicide”). That counts for something.
Grand Theft Auto
Year Released: 1997
Available On: PlayStation, Game Boy Color, PC
Best Featured It Introduced: 2D Open World Design
The game that started it all. Here, gamers got their first taste of a series that changed the history of video games. Sure, in comparison to its successors, GTA doesn’t compare. But remember the first time driving a tanker loaded with explosives into a police precinct, and escaping just in time to see it all collapse? Or driving a bus filled with bombs that would detonate if the player didn’t maintain a speed of 50 MPH or higher (a la Speed)? Such chaos and freedom became the reasons why we love the GTA series to this day.
Grand Theft Auto IV
Year Released: 2008
Available On: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Best Feature It Introduced: Morality Choices
Following Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Rockstar Games gave the GTA series another boost by creating the “HD Universe,” which includes the latest GTA games. GTA IV kicked off this iteration of the series, combining crisp graphics and physics with a very, very immersive world. In the game, when the weight of the carnage and violence you incite becomes too much to handle, you could just pop into a bar for some bowling or darts. Or relax and see what’s on TV. Before this iteration, the GTA games always felt restrained in a way, because we could really only engage with the characters through assigned missions. IV changed that in more ways than one, while still giving players everything that made them fall in love with the series in the first place.
Grand Theft Auto III
Year Released: 2001
Available On: PlayStation 2, PC
Best Feature It Introduced: 3D Open World Design
Grand Theft Auto III ushered in a new era for the series that its successors took further and further. The game was a big deal—so real-seeming, and also so divisive that Wal-Mart actually began to check people’s IDs to make sure they were old enough to buy the game. This was an iconic moment for video games: from the game’s introduction to its missions, III was just as much a commentary on our fascination with violence than anything else. It held a mirror up to its players, offering a nihilistic playground that made us feel dirty. But let’s be honest, we couldn’t get enough of it.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Year Released: 2002
Available On: PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC
Best Feature It Introduced: Ability to Purchase Businesses
Rockstar Games has always done a great job at creating worlds that perfectly reflect tone, location, and period. Vice City is one of the best examples. The bright, neon colors and pop gems of ‘80s America, combined with that era’s underbelly of corruption, drugs, and violence, created an undeniably addictive video game. In the center of it all was Tommy Vercetti, a man who's involved in a drug deal gone wrong shortly after being released from prison. What happens after that is your choice. Purchasing businesses, completing missions—as Vercetti, players are able to become the king of Miami in a way reminiscent of Scarface’s Tony Montana. But with that come consequences, which you learn throughout the incredible journey.
Grand Theft Auto V
Year Released: 2013
Available On: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC
Best Feature It Introduced: Control Over Multiple Characters
Where III began the commentary on our fascination with violence, V kicked everything into hyperdrive—nothing was off limits. What made this installment so incredible was how fucking meta it was. There’s a certain discomfort watching Michael, Trevor, and Franklin watch something on TV and then have them make a call or pull up the Internet on their phone. And aside from the mind fuck V can provide, the gameplay was absolutely innovative. Switching between those three characters to complete a certain mission brought a level of strategy that wasn’t present in previous games. Seriously, “The Big Score?” Amazing. V redefined GTA yet again, showing attention to detail in every aspect of the game.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Year Released: 2004
Available On: PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC
Best Feature It Introduced: Character Personalization
Of course San Andreas is number one. Like Vice City, San Andreas did an incredible job creating an immersive world. The look, the sound—it’s all there. As Carl Johnson (a.k.a. CJ), you’re transported to ‘90s-era Los Angeles (Los Santos in the video game), where you’re thrown back into a life of gang violence whether you want to be or not. The way San Andreas plays out until its memorable and climactic end is what makes it so great, even now. Sneaking into “Area 69” to steal a jet pack? Helping The Truth burn his weed stash and driving to San Fierro high as fuck? San Andreas honed in on the comedic absurdity of its predecessors, offering such an entertaining experience that’s still so easy to revisit years later. Most importantly, its storytelling humor created a balance between great gameplay and an engaging plot.
