7. Grand Theft Auto
This is where one of the biggest entertainment franchises in the world got its start, and it looks nothing like the game we know and love today.
Rather than the third-person action and deep cinematic cutscenes we’re used to, the originalGTAfeatured a top-down view and simple text for missions.
Despite all that, the core ofGTAis there: mayhem, murder, crime, and all that good stuff make appearances in the originalGTA.
6. Grand Theft Auto 2
Grand Theft Auto 2builds upon the foundation laid down by the original, but it makes some big improvements that make it a little better. It has better weapons, improved physics, and plenty of other small tweaks that make it more fun to play.
If you want a nice throwback to whereGTAgot started, this is definitely the one to play.
5. Grand Theft Auto III
This is the game that changed everything forGrand Theft Auto. Rockstar Games decided to completely change the game for the franchise, and for video games as a whole, with this release.
Instead of a top-down camera angle, the developers switched to a third-person view. This brought players close to the action and allowed players to explore an open world in a way we never imagined.
Nothing will live up to the feeling of exploring Liberty City for the first time inGTA III, and while the later 3D games in the franchise expanded on the concept and were ultimately better, this one built the foundation.
4. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
How could Rockstar possibly follow up on the masterpiece that wasGrand Theft Auto III? Apparently, it wouldn’t be too hard, asVice Citycame along and took the incredible base built by III and improved every aspect of it.
Basically, you get to live out a Vice City fantasy as you explore the titular city, committing every top of atrocity you can fathom. Even in 2020,Vice Cityis still totally playable, which is no small feat when you consider that the game came out in 2002.
3. Grand Theft Auto V
When it comes to legs,Grand Theft Auto Vmost certainly has stuck around the longest thanks to its deep online mode. It changed up the formula in the single-player mode by having the player switch between three different main characters.
Each character brought something interesting to the table, though it did make it harder to get the same level of attachment to them as you did in previous games with single protagonists as we did with Niko Bellic and Carl “CJ” Johnson.
2. Grand Theft Auto IV
WhileGrand Theft Auto IIIcompletely reinvented the franchise with the move to 3D,GTA IVcompletely reinvented the look and feel of a 3DGrand Theft Auto.
The density ofIV’sLiberty City was like nothing we’d ever seen in video games. It’s as close to driving around in a real city as any video game had achieved at the time.
Add that with the interesting story of Niko and his struggle to make it in a new country, and you have an absolute masterpiece of a video game.
1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Choosing the bestGrand Theft Autogame feels like a bit like a parent being forced to choose their favorite child. I would love to just make them all number one, but that’s not an option.
So when it comes down to it, I have to go withSan Andreas. It’s such an ambitious game that it’s actually hard to believe that it was originally released for the PlayStation 2.
You’ll be exploring three metropolitan cities as you kill and maim anyone who gets in your way.
Related:How to play PS2 games without a PS2 console
