There is no denying that Grand Theft Auto is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, gaming franchises in the world. The amount of copies, merchandise, celebrity cameos, and sales Rockstar has made from this game alone is unrivalled in the gaming space. Many developers have tried to replicate the third-person RPG, with Mafia probably being a noticeable comparison, but none of them compare to the sheer scale of a GTA game. And today, we’ll be bringing you all GTA games in order so you can play through the stories of Rockstar’s protagonists the way it was intended.
Grand Theft Auto takes years to make, which adds to its beauty. Rockstar isn’t trying to shove these games out like many other AAA developers have done with their IP. Grand Theft Auto is the holy grail when it comes to gaming. You can’t rush this game, as the money they could lose is unfathomable. While Rockstar Games isn’t in financial trouble, the success of GTA sets them up for the next decade and beyond. Think of GTA 5, that game lasted for over a decade, and is still one of the most popular games around, despite going through multiple generations of consoles.
And now, let’s look at the GTA games in chronological order.
As mentioned above, one of the beautiful aspects of Grand Theft Auto is that they are not released yearly. This is what the developers stake their reputation on, and rightfully so. Rockstar Games has reportedly made figures in the billions, which is unrivalled by any game on the planet. So you’d best bet they are going to take care with a game that is going to set them up for the next decade or two.
Image Source: Rockstar
The first of the GTA games in order was the original Grand Theft Auto. The game that would eventually earn Rockstar Games billions. Well, technically, it didn’t at the time, but this was the game that would start a multi-billion-dollar franchise. Grand Theft Auto was an instant success. But did you know that not every GTA game was the third-person shooter we have become accustomed to over the years?
The game was a 2D top-down game, which wasn’t bad by any means, but it hasn’t really aged well. And for a top-down game, it was great, with an open world aspect that was a welcome addition to the gaming space at the time. The game also brought in iconic locations that are still being used in this game, such as San Andreas, which featured in GTA 5, and Vice City, the main location for the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6.
Image Source: Rockstar
Although the original Grand Theft Auto game was a commercial success, it could have taken a turn for the worse with Grand Theft Auto 2. The game is a sequel, but set in a futuristic location known as Anywhere City. The game doesn’t really give you any indication of what time period you are in, unlike the other GTA titles. Leaving the players wondering about the game rather than focusing on the missions. There isn’t much character development in the game either; it’s more just doing jobs for syndicates, and it follows a similar gameplay pattern to the original GTA game.
Image Credit: Rockstar
If GTA 2 was a let-down, Grand Theft Auto III was where the franchise started to take it up a gear. Grand Theft Auto 3 became the first game in the history of the franchise at that point to be 3D, moving to a more generic third-person shooter model that Rockstar Games would continue to use and adapt over the years. The game was delayed following the September 11 attacks, forcing Rockstar to make some necessary changes to the game, such as removing any inappropriate references that could be harmful. When the game was released, it was a smash hit, becoming the best-selling game in 2001, which is quite an achievement.
Image Source: Rockstar
After the success of GTA 3, Vice City was next on the horizon, and it was a glorious game for its time. I was jealous of the gamers who got to live this game during its prime years. The theming of Vice City was impeccable, with the story being set in Vice City (GTA’s equivalent of Miami). And the songs on the radio were banger after banger. This game gave you that colourful Miami vibe, delivering one of the most iconic characters in the franchise, Tommy Vercetti.
Image Source: Rockstar
Every game in this series is iconic in its own way, but it was San Andreas that really catapulted the series to the next level. With the PlayStation 3 and HD games on the horizon, this was the final Grand Theft Auto game to be released on the older gen consoles. San Andreas delivered some of the best missions and stories from the franchise. From tagging up the neighbourhood in green to grabbing a burger, the world of San Andreas was your oyster.
And who can forget the most hated mission in GTA history, ‘Wrong Side of the Tracks’. It was the little things about San Andreas that would be synonymous with GTA games. The minor details like going to get your haircut, eating so your hunger and strength go up, and more. Along with that, you can have a girlfriend, do social activities like playing pool, and taking your driver’s licence test. It was a game ahead of its time.
Image Credit: Rockstar
GTA 4 went back to Liberty City in full HD with a dark, gritty, and encapsulating story with some very advanced vehicle physics. The game introduced us to Niko Bellic, the Eastern European protagonist. From better interactive AI to accessing public areas like hospitals, police stations, and the metro, this game focused a lot on the realistic aspect of GTA. The game really took strides in its gameplay, replacing the cartoon-style movement with something that was more fluent, a movement that would be refined even further for the next Grand Theft Auto title.
While additional content appeared in some older titles, or more so, spinoffs, Grand Theft Auto 4 introduced two wonderful DLC campaigns, the Ballad of Gay Tony, and the Lost and Damned. Both adding hours of content and additional lore, some of which would follow into Grand Theft Auto 5.
Image Credit: Rockstar
GTA 5 was so iconic that it has spanned three generations of consoles. It was released on the Xbox 360, then again on the Xbox One, and then again on the Xbox Series X. The same goes for the PS3, PS4, and PS5 versions.
This was by far the most ambitious GTA title, and Rockstar got it right. The campaign was fantastic, bringing in a new dynamic as you followed the lives of three characters that are bound together to make branching and connected storylines. As mentioned, your actions in the game had consequences, including the ending, where you had to kill off one of the two main characters or save them all.
The game tested the limits of the open world sandbox, with changing terrains, improved weather, and a large number of new vehicles and weapons to try. You weren’t stuck with the same weapons throughout the whole game, you had complete customisation over how you wanted to play. And in a later update, you could completely play the game in first person! This was a big addition to the new generation version of GTA 5, it’ll be interesting to see how Rockstar improves on this for GTA 6.
After over a decade of waiting, GTA players are going to get another Grand Theft Auto title; the newest of the GTA games in order. The wait is almost over as we finally have a release date for GTA 6. Hold on to your butts because this one may just become the defining game of the decade!
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