Best GTA Games: Counting Down The Grand Theft Auto Series From Worst To Best

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series is one of most well known and controversial across the gaming landscape. Known for its over-the-top violence and commentary on politics and pop culture, the series has grown and evolved over the years from a top-down 2D game to one of the biggest and most robust experiences that gaming has to offer. With Grand Theft Auto V set for release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in March 2022--following a recent delay out of 2021-- and rumors of Grand Theft Auto 6 after that, we're taking a look back at the series by highlighting the best GTA games. Below, we've ranked the Grand Theft Auto series from worst to best. Let's dig in.

10. Grand Theft Auto

The game that started it all. Grand Theft Auto, which was developed by DMA Design before Rockstar was formed, was released in 1998 for PC. The gameplay involved hijacking cars and zipping around the city, causing as much mayhem as possible and then attempting to escape the law. The game was presented in a top-down perspective, something the series would move away from in later entries. While not exactly fondly remembered by critics, it sold well and its core ideas--being a criminal in an open world with the ability to go anywhere and do anything--proved to be popular with fans.

See our GTA 1 review.

9. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

2005's Liberty City Stories is a prequel to GTA III that was originally released for PSP, and it's remembered for being the first 3D entry in the series for a portable console. Also set in Liberty City, Liberty City Stories was designed to take advantage of the PSP's hardware. And in our review at the time, we said the game succeeded in factoring in "what made the 'big' GTA games so memorable." The story follows a mobster named Tony Cipriani, who is trying to make a name for himself in the criminal underworld. The game continued the franchise's tradition of non-linear, open-ended gameplay--and of course the prime directive being to shoot first and ask questions later. Overall, we said in our review that Liberty City Stories was a technical marvel for being able to include so much of the GTA console experience into a handheld package.

See our GTA Liberty City Stories review.

9. Grand Theft Auto IV

The long-awaited follow-up to GTA: San Andreas, 2008's Grand Theft Auto IV is beloved by many upon its release for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It ushered in a new, more realistic presentation of Liberty City, which was modeled after New York City. The size and scale of the world was stunning, giving players even more freedom to explore on a bigger stage. The story followed the immigrant Nico Bellic and his troubles making his new life in America. Here at GameSpot, we scored GTA 4 a 10/10 and one of the best of 2008. In addition to its compelling campaign, GTA 4 laid the groundwork for GTA Online with its own multiplayer mode, letting players duke it out or work together in an online environment. This would go on to pay dividends with GTA Online enjoying runaway success years later. GTA 4 also introduced cover-based mechanics, another feature that Rockstar would employ again in Red Dead Redemption years later and GTA 5 after that. What's more, GTA 4 moved the franchise forward by introducing new systems like allowing players to make choices that affected the story.

And who could forget the constant phone calls to go bowling. GTA 4 is also remembered fondly for its expansion packs, The Ballad of Gay Tony and The Lost and Damned, which were much loved. They were also representative of a bygone era, as the Rockstar of today tends to put a lot of its focus in online modes like GTA Online and Red Dead Online instead of opting for traditional expansion packs, much to the chagrin of some fans of the series.

See our GTA 4 review.

7. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

2009's GTA: Chinatown Wars represented a departure of sorts for Rockstar, as the Nintendo DS and later PSP game was the first since Vice City Stories designed specifically for portable devices. And with the DS specifically, the game made use of the system's touchscreen and second screen to offer a presentation style and setup no previous game could. The game takes place once again in Liberty City, and puts you into the shoes of Huang Lee, a Triad gang member. The game also broke from tradition with its cel-shaded art style and its top-down perspective that harken back to the original days of GTA. Here at GameSpot we loved Chinatown Wars and praised it specifically for how it didn't feel like a scaled-down portable version of GTA, but instead a game that felt meaningful and worthy, pushing the franchise forward with new features.

See our GTA: Chinatown Wars review.