Every GTA Game Ranked – IGN

14. Grand Theft Auto: London 1969

An growth pack for the unique GTA, Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 is notable for going down in the actual metropolis of London versus a fictional amalgam like Los Santos (Los Angeles) or Liberty Metropolis (New York Metropolis). Like a lot of the early GTA video games, it’s hardly recognizable immediately and is extra of a enjoyable retro relic of the previous. Nevertheless, London stays one of the crucial fan-requested places for the collection to revisit.

13. Grand Theft Auto 2

Launched two years after the primary Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar returned with an improved sequel. Set in an virtually cyberpunk-ish retro futuristic metropolis, it boasted higher graphics and tuned-up gameplay. However this early on within the collection, Grand Theft Auto was nonetheless largely about stealing and destroying vehicles and scoring probably the most factors. One notable factor about GTA 2 was an eight-minute lengthy brief film created by Rockstar that was used because the intro cutscene for the sport, hinting on the cinematic route the collection would take afterward within the collection.

12. Grand Theft Auto 1

The sport that began all of it, Grand Theft Auto 1 appears virtually unrecognizable from the sport collection it’s immediately. A high-down, mission-based mostly expertise the place gamers steal vehicles to succeed in the tip of a degree, Grand Theft Auto 1 was largely about working over individuals and evading cops. Whereas GTA began as an trustworthy-to-goodness automobile-stealing sport, the wanton destruction and irreverent humorousness was a part of the collection’ DNA from the very starting, and these traits would stick with it all through because the collection made the leap to 3D.

11. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars delves into the world of the Triads, one of many many felony factions which have appeared on the sidelines all through the collection. It was launched through the collection’ reputation surge of the PS2 3D period, however opted to resurrect the unique high-down design, albeit bolstered by a placing visible design impressed by GTA’s iconic field artwork. Sticking to custom, it’s one more story of a small-time con making it huge within the felony underworld, however the principle attraction is Chinatown Warfare’s novel use of contact controls.

Whereas Chinatown Wars has since been ported to a number of handheld consoles together with PSP and iOS gadgets, many agree that the unique DS model is the most effective expertise because of the enjoyable and distinctive methods Chinatown Wars utilized Nintendo’s contact display. Not many different video games on Nintendo’s twin-screened system will allow you to use the display to hotwire a automobile.

10. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty Metropolis Tales

The primary moveable 3D GTA sport, Liberty Metropolis Tales match Grand Theft Auto 3’s entire open world right into a handheld package deal, with out the necessity to sacrifice ambition and return to the collection’ high-down roots. Increasing the world of GTA 3, it options a number of recurring characters together with Salvatore Leone, the Mafia Don who’s a major fixture of Liberty Metropolis throughout quite a few video games.

9. Grand Theft Auto: The Misplaced and Damned

The primary growth for Grand Theft Auto 4, The Misplaced and the Damned stars biker gang member Johnny and takes place through the occasions of the bottom sport. Whereas the story isn’t probably the most memorable, The Misplaced and the Damned provides extra weapons and automobiles to GTA 4, making the big sport really feel even larger. Together with The Ballad of Homosexual Tony, The Misplaced and the Damned was an essential exploration into episodic storytelling for Rockstar, one thing that might be recontextualised with its frequent GTA On-line updates.

8. Grand Theft Auto 3

Grand Theft Auto 3 took the GTA collection into the third dimension, taking the previously high-down, degree-based mostly sport, and turning it into the third-particular person, open-world collection we all know immediately.

Telling the story of two-bit felony Claude and his rise within the felony world of Liberty Metropolis, GTA 3 was the muse upon which all future GTA video games could be constructed on. Riffing on the likes of The Sopranos and Goodfellas, it established the cinematic ambitions that might gas Rockstar for the following 20 years. Grand Theft Auto 3 hasn’t aged in addition to a few of the studio’s different early video games, nevertheless it stays a foundational textual content for the way forward for the collection.

7. Grand Theft Auto Vice Metropolis Tales

The second handheld GTA sport for the PSP, Vice Metropolis Tales returns to Rockstar’s model of Miami for a prequel to the Eighties-set PS2 hit. Enjoying as Vic, the brother of Vice Metropolis’s Lance Vance, you construct up a felony empire by wresting management of institutions and organizations from rival felony gangs. Together with large technical enhancements over the primary PSP sport, Liberty Metropolis Tales, the principle downside in 2006 was with the ability to play a totally-fledged, 3D GTA sport on the go, full with a recent new Eighties soundtrack and Phil Collins in-sport cameo.

6. Grand Theft Auto On-line

The true purpose why we doubtless haven’t obtained GTA 6 sooner, GTA On-line was initially a multiplayer facet part to GTA 5 earlier than taking up a lifetime of its personal. Whereas on the floor it’s a free-for-all sandbox set in Los Sanos, GTA On-line is successfully a reincarnation of Second Life solely with extra automobile races and explosions.

Gamers can be a part of up along with mates to participate within the addictingly enjoyable heists, however simply as simply screw around the globe, flying round in jetpacks, or crashing airplanes into one another. GTA On-line has additionally developed a sturdy position-taking part in neighborhood the place gamers can dwell out the most effective (or worst) variations of themselves in a self-contained on-line world.

5. Grand Theft Auto 4: The Ballad of Homosexual Tony

The second DLC growth for Grand Theft Auto 4, The Ballad of Homosexual Tony takes place alongside the occasions of the principle sport however expands upon the gameplay in key methods. Enjoying as former drug supplier Luis, who Niko crossed paths with in the principle marketing campaign, you’re capable of handle “Homosexual” Tony Prince’s evening golf equipment, an exercise that may return in Grand Theft Auto On-line afterward. Largely thought-about probably the greatest DLCs of its period, its plot tied up all of the unfastened threads of the GTA 4 story in a satisfying manner.

4. Grand Theft Auto 4

As the primary excessive-definition Grand Theft Auto sport, GTA 4 was a large leap for Rockstar when it comes to its technical prowess. Nevertheless, the largest development in GTA 4 was its cinematic storytelling model. The story of Japanese European immigrant Niko Bellic, certainly one of GTA’s greatest protagonists, is a surprisingly darkish and slicing satire of the American dream.. In our unique evaluate, we referred to as it an “Oscar-caliber drama” and the film high quality storytelling would solely change into higher within the sequel, GTA 5. In fact, Niko’s adventures in Liberty Metropolis are greatest remembered for all of the instances he went bowling along with his disastrous cousin, Roman – the results of a dynamic social system wherein mates and allies would name you up maybe a bit bit too usually.

3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis

San Andreas and GTA 5 could have overshadowed Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis when it comes to scale, however Rockstar’s sendup to Miami Vice and Scarface stays one of the crucial trendy entries within the collection. Set within the fictionalized model of Miami, Vice Metropolis stars Tommy Vercetti’s profession felony, voiced by the long-lasting Ray Liotta, as he units out to make a reputation for himself after getting launched from jail. The colourful storytelling and setting of Vice Metropolis confirmed Rockstar was extra than simply the makers of extraordinarily violent video games, they had been makers of extraordinarily violent video games that had been additionally cool as hell.

2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was a turning level for the collection, including lots of the deep customization choices and wealthy techniques the collection has since change into recognized for. Starring gang member Carl “CJ” Johnson, San Andreas follows his return to Los Santos after spending 5 years in Liberty Metropolis, and the way he finally ends up getting dragged right into a broader gang battle over the numerous territories round San Andreas.

On the time, IGN referred to as it “the only greatest PlayStation 2 title” we ever performed with manufacturing values that had been “second to none.” Together with taking the collection to the west coast for the primary time with a map that sprawled over no fewer than three cities, San Andreas featured the most effective GTA story to-date, a wealthy customization system for CJ, an expanded cash system with dozens of retailers to spend it in, quite a few minigames, and a dynamic gang wars system, all of which mixed into one of the crucial absolutely-featured GTA video games ever.

1. Grand Theft Auto 5

Over the many years Rockstar has constantly improved its storytelling ambitions and open-world complexity, and all of it led to Grand Theft Auto 5. Though it was first launched in 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, GTA 5 has since been re-launched for every successive PlayStation and Xbox system, in addition to PC; every time subtly enhanced and every time promoting thousands and thousands of extra copies.

Primarily a narrative of a felony crew comprising Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips, and Franklin Clinton, the explanation for GTA 5’s continued reputation is the sheer scale of its central setting, Los Santos, the place gamers can freely discover the huge open world to their hearts needs. In IGN’s excellent 10 evaluate, we praised the “extraordinary scope” of GTA 5 and fell in love with its “dwelling world the place something can occur.” It’s the present pinnacle of all the pieces Rockstar got down to obtain with the collection, that includes one of many largest, most detailed open-world maps in gaming, boundless actions — from skydiving to road racing — and an engrossing, cinematic story.

That is our rating of the most effective Grand Theft Auto video games of all time. Tell us within the feedback which of them had been your favorites, and you should definitely try our full protection of Grand Theft Auto 6 together with 99 particulars you will have missed from the primary trailer.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN’s Senior Options Editor. You’ll be able to attain him @lawoftd.