It’s not just a series of games spanning two decades; it’s also a phenomenon that elevated Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive to new heights, generating around 5 million USD a day. Given its rich history, GTA has experienced its fair share of ups and downs since the first version in 2D graphics. Currently, there are numerous main versions and quite a few spin-offs of GTA. Here’s a list of the 10 best Grand Theft Auto versions of all time.
Grand Theft Auto Online
New players must spend considerable time grinding for money (or purchasing it) in GTA Online to truly enjoy the activities within this version. However, in terms of game design, GTA Online has surprised many. Essentially, it’s a sandbox game filled with communities, power, factions, character skills, and countless other elements for players to explore.
Additionally, Rockstar frequently updates new content and adds DLC for GTA Online, allowing players to organize car races, boat races, and plane races; or create racing tracks with sharp turns. Players can also plan bank heists and then use the money to… invest. GTA Online is arguably Rockstar’s greatest achievement in terms of game design.
Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City
Since GTA IV wasn’t particularly outstanding, many gamers have forgotten about the existence of Episodes From Liberty City. This DLC combo includes two expansions: The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, featuring well-developed characters, something GTA IV lacked. While GTA IV revolves around Niko Bellic’s revenge story, Lost & Damned focuses on Johnny Klebitz—a character with a hard-to-understand speech but strong loyalty—perfectly fitting the main character motif of the GTA series, and its storyline is also more interesting and colorful.
Meanwhile, The Ballad of Gay Tony is a modernized variant of Vice City. It includes entirely new radio stations that are captivating to listen to; and the storyline takes players to many exciting locations, from nightclubs with neon lights to the rooftops of skyscrapers (and then parachuting down to the ground). In summary, everything players cherished from Vice City and San Andreas is encapsulated in these two DLCs.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
This is one of Rockstar’s smartest moves—recreating the cityscape of Liberty City on the PSP. Rockstar not only managed to condense the entire GTA game into a handheld version but also added many exciting features. Motorcycles roam the streets, the control and shooting mechanics were improved, and the variety of vehicles is impressive.
Additionally, this version gave Rockstar a chance to experiment with multiplayer features. Players can engage in a 6-player deathmatch (Liberty City Survivor) to shoot each other using any means necessary, crash into roadside scenery while street racing, destroy bases, drive tanks, and generally have a ton of fun. This can be considered a precursor to the multiplayer modes in GTA IV and V.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
After listening to player complaints about not being able to swim in Liberty City Stories, Rockstar added this feature to Vice City Stories along with a host of other new elements. The soundtrack in this version is catchy, but what stands out in Vice City Stories is the Empire Building mechanic. The character Vic must manage various properties, upgrade them, and assign some henchmen to guard them.
When players interact with their team, additional missions become available to upgrade properties, while they can also venture out to acquire more land to increase their income. Moreover, players will gain access to fancier outfits and weapons if they manage well. This is also one of the few times Rockstar has incorporated this mechanic into their game. It’s quite unfortunate, isn’t it?
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Chinatown Wars is Rockstar’s second attempt to bring the GTA series to a platform with limited hardware. This installment takes players back to Liberty City but with a top-down perspective and includes many minigames that enrich the game’s content and make it more vibrant. Rockstar understood that after Vice City, San Andreas, and GTA IV, returning to a traditional style was unlikely, so they designed Chinatown Wars in a “Nintendo” style.
Players can manually fill molotov cocktails, assemble sniper rifles, pick locks, and much more. Of course, this new direction turned many GTA fans away, but if players know what to expect from this version, Chinatown Wars can be a refreshing breeze, breaking the traditional mold of the GTA series.
Grand Theft Auto IV
Instead of creating a GTA game with a similar color palette to previous installments, GTA IV remade Liberty City with a grim and dreary atmosphere. Niko Bellic is a sharp character, but his attitude towards a life of crime contrasts with what players might expect. This is why this installment didn’t receive much support from gamers.
However, it must be said that this was the first GTA to use the RAGE engine, showcasing quite accurate physics effects. Combined with thrilling chases in the game, it gives players the sensation of holding a steering wheel right in front of them. Moreover, Rockstar excelled at the shooting mechanics in this installment. The only downside is that this chapter failed to create the connection with players that Rockstar had hoped for.
Grand Theft Auto V
GTA V is the “bug fix” version of GTA IV. In addition to a grand storyline and gameplay, players can also enjoy first-person mode, providing a completely novel experience for a series that has lasted over a decade. In terms of gameplay, it’s outstanding due to the ability to switch between three different main characters. Trevor, in particular, is noteworthy for his eccentric personality, especially during interrogation sequences—where players control Trevor to torture for information. This gameplay raised many questions and sparked lively discussions among fans due to its uniqueness and unnecessary violence.
Each time a new installment is released, Rockstar must find ways to please gamers. Fortunately, with this version, it can be said that Rockstar has “landed” safely, evidenced by the enormous revenue it generated, and especially that even now, a large number of players log in daily to enjoy the game.
Grand Theft Auto III
GTA III was a bold decision by Rockstar at the time. If you play it now, you’ll notice some pretty glaring drawbacks such as a clunky lock-on mechanic and a complete lack of checkpoints, but aside from these minor issues, the game is definitely worth a try. The open world in GTA III is meticulously crafted with many secrets waiting for players to uncover.
Liberty City, designed with three islands, is iconic. It not only overwhelms players but also delivers thrilling, dark moments with thick fog and flashing lights at night. To contribute to the game’s vibrancy, the characters in this installment are also intriguing and well-developed, and the radio stations are enjoyable to listen to endlessly. Overall, it’s absolutely worth experiencing.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
After GTA III, Rockstar continued to ride the wave with San Andreas. Like the third installment, San Andreas was developed in the right direction and expanded while preserving the essence of the series. San Andreas focuses more on role-playing, allowing players to choose various body types and outfits for the main character, CJ. Weapons, vehicles, and items in the game are also more diverse, and the open world is incredibly vast.
Not stopping there, San Andreas also features many forests and suburbs for players to explore undisclosed secrets that Rockstar has yet to reveal. However, the storyline in this installment is quite absurd. It’s funny and memorable, but it requires CJ to travel everywhere—from suburbs, mountain tops, to laboratories, and even casinos. With San Andreas, it feels like Rockstar tried to cram as much as possible into this game. Overall, San Andreas remains captivating, but there is another GTA that is far more polished…
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
… And no version is more renowned than Vice City. Set in Vice City (based on Miami) during the 80s, players take on the role of a thief, Tommy Vercetti, who has just been released from prison. After becoming embroiled in a smuggling operation, he decides to uncover the mastermind behind it, while simultaneously building his own empire and dethroning rival gangs in the city.
Upon its release, Vice City received numerous accolades from critics for its extremely engaging storyline, especially regarding its music and highly praised gameplay. The open-world design is filled with detail and offers a vibrant experience for players. In 2002, it was the best-selling game of the year, and to date, it has sold over 17.5 million copies. Many outlets recognized it as Game of the Year and one of the most influential games of all time.
Source: What Culture