GTA Games - Full List

The Grand Theft Auto series has been going strong since 1997, and shows no signs of slowing down. Living the life of crime on the streets of cities growing from instalment to instalment has never been not-fun. With five main games and plenty of spin-offs, the GTA series is undoubtedly one of the most famous video games out there, be it on PC, PS4, or Xbox. Let’s take a look at each main entry to see where GTA5 came from.

GTA Games to Buy & Download

Grand Theft Auto

Launched in 1997, Grand Theft Auto was a top-down 2D game taking place across three cities: Liberty City, Vice City, and Los Santos, all of which would return in future entries. There were eight character to choose from and give a name to, but it didn’t affect your driving around the city, causing havoc, completing jobs for criminal syndicates, all for the purpose of accruing points necessary to complete the given level. It was a fine start for a great series. GTA2 was very similar, although with better graphics, save system, and it took place in just one city’s different districts.

Grand Theft Auto III

The first game in the 3D era. Featuring a large city, you get to explore from the third-person perspective as Claude, a criminal of no importance who finds work with the mafia on some profitable, and high-risk jobs. GTA3 was the first glimpse of the formula the series would improve game after game. The Liberty City became full of new activities, not only criminal, but also benign, like firefighting, or working as a taxi driver.

GTA: Vice City

Vice City technically isn’t a part of the main series, but it deserves being mentioned. It takes the action to a Miami-like Vice City of the 1980s, complete with cool shirts, stylish suits, a ton of great music, and a great protagonist in the form on Tommy Vercetti. Vice City is a classic, and even years later the setting feels lively. Side activities come back in force, the story is exciting and full of twists and turns, and, once again, the music is awesome.

GTA: San Andreas

Another un-numbered entry, but still a very important one. San Andreas made the world more immersive with new activities, and even a chance to make the player character, Carl “CJ” Johnson fat, slim, or muscular depending on how much you make him eat or exercise. There was a larger stable of vehicles, including a jetpack, and plenty of activities reinforcing the gang-based storyline, so there are gang wars, and you can put tags throughout the city.

Grand Theft Auto IV

The beginning of the HD era of the series, GTA IV is a story of Nico Bellic, a veteran who came to USA in search of a better life and a healthy dose of vengeance. Things quickly go south, and Nico gets involved in people who successfully prevent him from abandoning the life of violence. The story takes place in Liberty City, which had grown since GTA3. A big addition was a multiplayer mode for up to 32 players, which laid foundations for GTA Online. The story of Nico, his cousin Roman, and people they cross along the way is great, engaging, and has a branching ending.

Grant Theft Auto V

The latest, so far, entry in the series. GTA5 takes place in the sunny, sprawling Los Santos and the neighbouring regions, and tells the tale of three criminals: Michael, a retired thief, Trevor, a gun-smuggler and Michael’s former accomplice, and Franklin, a young repo man. They get connected by circumstance, and it’s on you to see where it takes them.

You can switch between the three of them freely, and the game often shows them doing something interesting or funny. Each has a different skill set and a useful special ability. Together they’ll go on a few high-stakes, exciting heists, come into conflict, and iron out their issues.

There’s also a great Online segment, where up 30 players can complete, roleplay, and do much of what’s possible in the solo gameplay experience. They can even create their own activities.

In summary, the GTA games, all of them, are various degrees of criminally good open world adventures, with stunning immersion possible in the more modern entries.