Grand Theft Auto is now an integral part of the minds and game libraries of countless gamers. Just GTA 5 has delighted millions of players for more than 10 years now. But GTA 5 is not the only installment in the series that has attained legendary status among many players. So what is the best GTA that has been released so far?
What sort of survey is this? We asked ourselves what the best GTA of all time is. Since every player has their own favorite, this question is probably best answered with a survey.
You have the chance to vote for your favorite GTA here. However, we have limited the survey to the main games and the single-player experience. This means that neither the DLC for GTA IV nor GTA Online are separately represented in the survey. If you particularly like these, you will need to vote for the respective main game.
Please also feel free to share with us why you chose a specific GTA and what you still particularly enjoy about the game.
You also have the opportunity in the comments to nominate a second or third place or discuss how you feel about the online mode of GTA 5.
Summary of all GTA installments
If you’re not sure what each GTA installment was about, we will summarize the respective story of the games for you below.
The GTA games at a glance
Grand Theft Auto (1997): The first installment of the iconic series takes place in Liberty City, San Andreas, and Vice City. You are an unnamed criminal committing various crimes on behalf of criminal organizations. The first GTA employs a top-down perspective.
GTA 2 (1999): The setting of GTA 2 does not resemble a real-life location like New York City for Liberty City and instead takes place in a fictional city. You play as the protagonist Claude Speed, who works for various criminal gangs and commits crimes. GTA 2 also employed a top-down perspective.
GTA 3 (2001): In GTA 3, you again play the criminal Claude Speed, who works for different employers in Liberty City. He was once betrayed by his partner Catalina and ended up in prison. Now he is seeking revenge. The setting Liberty City is based on the American metropolis New York City. GTA 3 was the first GTA in third-person perspective.
GTA Vice City: In GTA Vice City, you build a criminal empire as Tommy Vercetti in the city named “Vice City” after you were ambushed during a deal for the Forelli Mafia family. The city Vice City is based on Miami.
GTA San Andreas (2004): GTA San Andreas takes place in the fictional state of the same name and lets you travel through the cities of Los Santos (Los Angeles), San Fierro (San Francisco), and Las Venturas (Las Vegas). You take on the role of Carl Johnson (CJ), who returns to his hometown Los Santos after the death of his mother.
GTA Liberty City Stories (2005): In Liberty City Stories, you play as Toni Cipriani in the metropolis based on New York City. You are a mafioso working for the Leone Family and are confronted with internal power struggles and gang wars.
GTA Vice City Stories (2006): In Vice City Stories, you return to the fictional version of the sunny metropolis Miami. You play as Victor “Vic” Vance, who rises in the criminal underworld of the city through the establishment of various businesses and fighting against rival gangs. Vic also battles corrupt officials and former allies.
GTA IV (2008): In GTA IV, you are once again in Liberty City (New York City), this time playing as the immigrant Niko Bellic. He wants to build a life in the USA after losing his unit in the war due to the betrayal of a comrade. However, Niko encounters difficulties and soon works for the Russian Mafia as well as being a hired killer for various employers.
- For GTA IV, the DLCs “The Lost and Damned” and “The Ballad of Gay Tony” were also released, each featuring a new protagonist and storyline.
GTA Chinatown Wars: In Chinatown Wars, released for the Nintendo DS and PSP, you fight as Huang Lee for your family’s honor. You are the son of a murdered gang leader and face betrayal within the Triads. Chinatown Wars also takes place in Liberty City and uses a top-down perspective.
GTA V: In the currently most recent installment of the series, you embody three protagonists: Franklin, Michael, and Trevor, who you can switch between even within a mission. Together, the three commit various heists and must deal with powerful criminals and authorities. GTA V also takes place in Los Santos (Los Angeles).
Currently, all fans of the GTA series are likely waiting for the release of Grand Theft Auto 6. Since the release of the first trailer, however, it has been very quiet around the highly anticipated game – despite daily rumors. However, a former developer has now shared his assessment of the game’s development status: Former developer of GTA 6 explains what phase the game is currently in
