Every GTA Protagonist Ranked

The GTA series has given us no shortage of memorable protagonists over the years, from iconic mainline leads to lesser-known characters introduced through its many side stories. Everyone has their favorites, but some protagonists are far more appreciated than others. With GTA 6 on the horizon, I thought it was time to look back at the series’ playable leads from GTA III onwards and rank them from worst to best, based on their characterization, development, and just how memorable they are.

12 – Claude

Claude, not to be confused with Claude Speed from GTA 2, is the first proper 3D protagonist introduced in a GTA title. The reason I’m putting him at the bottom of the list is pretty simple. Despite his excellent design and generally cold-hearted demeanor throughout GTA 3, Claude has no voice or lines of dialogue.

He’s a silent protagonist to whom the player is supposed to feel connected through a classic robbery-and-betrayal plot, but I don’t think it works particularly well. The supporting cast does most of the heavy lifting in terms of story and world-building, while Claude mostly serves as a stand-in for the player. He’s a well-dressed and well-styled stand-in, but that’s about it.

If the series hadn’t evolved beyond silent protagonists immediately after, I probably would’ve placed Claude a bit higher based on his design alone. But when compared to the much more developed protagonists that followed him, there’s simply not enough character here to justify placing him anywhere else.

Newsletter Free

The Vice Gazette

GTA 6 news, leaks and rumours — rounded up and sent to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

• Release-date and trailer news the moment it lands
• Leaks and rumours, with our credibility rating attached
• Map, character and vehicle deep-dives from the wiki

You’re on the list.

The next edition of The Vice Gazette will land in your inbox.

Get the full GTA 6 Bible experience

Daily game streaks, comments, and your rumour votes saved across devices.

Create a free account

Email address

Subscribe Subscribing…

By subscribing you agree to receive The Vice Gazette by email. Unsubscribe any time. See our Privacy Policy.

11 – Toni Cipriani

Possibly one of the most ruthless characters in the entire series, Toni Cipriani from GTA: Liberty City Stories is a hardened mob figure who sadly doesn’t have much going on beyond the traditional Italian mobster archetype. He’s loyal to Salvatore Leone to a fault, even when he’s constantly undermined throughout the campaign, and follows orders, no matter how gruesome, without question. He’s either angry at someone or saying nothing at all, making his callousness throughout Liberty City Stories feel even more despicable and, more importantly, one-dimensional.

Sure, none of the characters on this list are saints, and some, like Trevor, might be more psychopathic than Toni. But there’s simply not much to Toni when it comes to character development. He feels like a side character who somehow ended up being the protagonist, which makes him incredibly boring to follow. And there’s nothing worse than a boring lead.

At least Claude had a cool design.

10 – Huang Lee

Huang Lee from GTA: Chinatown Wars is a fine enough character who always has a sarcastic remark ready for every dialogue encounter, even if that means taking a punch to the face in the process. He’s cocky, blunt, and often delivers memorable lines that make him stand out, but he’s mostly a cookie-cutter crime protagonist with not a lot going on in terms of actual character development.

That doesn’t mean he’s not fun to play as, but that’s largely because Chinatown Wars is a fun game in its own right. Huang is perfectly serviceable, with enough personality to keep things entertaining without doing much to elevate the story. He’s the kind of protagonist who doesn’t worsen the experience, but also doesn’t do much to make it better.

9 – Victor Vance

Victor Vance sits at the opposite end of the spectrum in the Stories side series and feels like an actual character with thoughts and ambitions, unlike Toni. Vic is loyal to his brother Lance and has a genuine moral compass, questioning the methods and means through which he makes a living after being discharged from the Army after being framed by a superior.

He’s dragged into the criminal life to survive while still trying to do right by the people important to him, and that internal conflict makes him far more interesting than some of the protagonists covered so far. He’s not exactly a good guy, but there’s a clear difference between Vic and someone like Toni, who embraces the criminal life without much hesitation.

It’s a bit ironic how much he hates drugs only to become a key player in the same business, but that contradiction gives him a little more depth, and his eventual fate makes his story all the more tragic. Vic isn’t the most memorable protagonist in the series, but he’s certainly one of the better-written ones, and there’s enough here to make him feel like a character rather than just another criminal trying to make it big in Liberty City or Vice City.

8 – Johnny Klebitz

Keeping in line with the serious tone of GTA IV, Johnny Klebitz from The Lost and Damned is another tragic favorite. After a series of run-ins with The Lost MC’s former leader, Billy Grey, Johnny eventually ends up in the big seat himself. He’s fiercely loyal and committed to the club, working hard to find business opportunities and keep things together while dealing with the consequences of the increasingly reckless decisions of his former leader.

Johnny’s sense of responsibility is ultimately what gets him into more trouble, particularly when it comes to his troubled ex-girlfriend, Ashley. Despite repeatedly trying to distance himself from her and her drug problems, Johnny keeps getting dragged back into her life, and that decision eventually has devastating consequences. The Lost and Damned does give Johnny something resembling a hopeful ending, with Billy dead, the old clubhouse burned down, and the remaining members seemingly ready to leave their old lives behind.

Unfortunately, Rockstar had other plans. GTA 5 reveals that Johnny and the remaining Lost members have moved to Blaine County, where Johnny has fallen back into drug addiction and reunited with Ashley. Trevor brutally kills him early in the game after discovering the two together, bringing an incredibly sudden and undignified end to a character who had just spent an entire game trying to put his life and club back together. It’s a harsh fate for one of GTA’s more grounded protagonists, and while his downfall can be interpreted as a consequence of his own choices, it still feels deliberately cruel.

7 – Franklin Clinton

For me, Franklin has always been the heart of GTA 5. He’s tired of the regularity and mundaneness of his life and is genuinely ambitious beyond what his neighborhood’s petty crimes can offer. He’s self-aware about his situation and goals, grounded in reality, and doesn’t hesitate to call a spade a spade.

Compared to Michael and Trevor, who represent two very different sides of the criminal life, Franklin is able to sit somewhere in the middle. He knows when to take risks, but he’s not reckless, and despite being surrounded by people who constantly look out for themselves, he doesn’t betray the trust of those close to him without good reason. That makes him one of the more grounded protagonists in the series.

His desire to build a better life is a consistent motivator throughout the story, even as he gets dragged deeper into chaos by Michael and Trevor, who both manipulate him for their own selfish needs. Franklin isn’t perfect, but he arguably has the clearest idea of what he wants from life, and unlike Michael and Trevor, he’s still young enough to decide what kind of person he wants to become.

6 – Michael De Santa

Michael De Santa is an interesting one. For me, he has all the qualities of a solid protagonist. He’s smart, witty, has actual human problems that most people can relate to, is extremely skilled at what he does, and has a past that has a habit of catching up to him. Michael is also narcissistic and selfish, striking a secret deal early on with corrupt FIB agent Dave Norton to fake his death and enter witness protection, all to save his own skin and protect his family.

He’s rewarded with the life of luxury he always wanted, but it’s a life he can never truly settle into. His frustrations with modern society, his dysfunctional family, and his own midlife crisis eventually pull him back into the criminal life he supposedly left behind. His past eventually catches up with him when Trevor re-enters his life, forcing Michael to confront the betrayal that allowed him to escape his old life in the first place.

Above all, Michael is deeply flawed, and that’s what makes him so interesting to follow. He’s selfish, manipulative, and often a terrible husband, a bad friend and father, but he’s also charismatic, and intelligent. You can understand why Michael makes many of the choices he does without necessarily agreeing with them, and that makes him one of the more compelling protagonists in the series.

5 – Tommy Vercetti

Tommy is the first fully voiced and substantially fleshed-out protagonist in the series, played by none other than Ray Liotta himself. Beyond that, he’s the main character of one of the most popular entries in the series, and Liotta’s memorable performance makes Tommy instantly likable. He fits perfectly into Vice City’s Miami-inspired crime scene and has a fun story where he rises to the top thanks to his charisma, ruthlessness, street smarts, and unrelenting ambition.

He’s a bit one-dimensional when all is said and done, especially compared to some of the protagonists higher up this list, but Tommy makes up for it by simply being a fun guy to spend time with. He’s confident, entertaining, and rarely feels out of place in the larger-than-life world Rockstar created for Vice City. He might not have the deepest character arc in the series, but he doesn’t really need one to be memorable.

And let’s be real, he has the best outfit in the entire series.

4 – Trevor Philips

I know this is a controversial position, but love him or hate him, there’s no character in the entire series quite like Trevor. He’s an amalgamation of every absurd character in Rockstar’s history and a reprehensible representation of what’s possible in a truly psychopathic protagonist. He’s also extremely funny at times, charismatic beyond the digital stench of his filthy clothes and unwashed face, and somehow capable of being genuinely endearing when the situation calls for it.

The entire arc with Patricia Madrazo is hilarious and strangely heartwarming in the worst way imaginable. It’s moments like these that make Trevor more than just a walking collection of violent and disgusting tendencies. There’s a bizarre humanity underneath all the chaos, even if it rarely stays buried for long.

Steven Ogg put his all into the performance, managing to play a character you can hate, feel utterly disgusted by, and somehow still feel for at the same time. Trevor is an absolutely horrible person, but he’s also one of the most entertaining and memorable characters Rockstar has ever created, and that’s why I have no problem putting him this high.

3 – Luis Fernando Lopez

We’re finally in the top three, and I have to give this spot to none other than Luis Fernando Lopez from The Ballad of Gay Tony. Unlike Johnny, who doesn’t entirely have a handle on his life, Luis knows what he wants. He’s a playboy with an unwavering loyalty to Tony and, unlike most protagonists, he’s a fairly normal guy with believable ambitions and goals. His reactions to every ridiculous situation he’s put in are often hilarious, and his frustration with the people around him making one mistake after another annoys him to no end.

Luis is an experienced criminal with a clear focus, but he’s also surprisingly grounded. He’s trying to look after his mother, keep Tony’s increasingly chaotic life from falling apart, and maintain his relationships with the people around him while constantly getting dragged into situations that are far beyond his control. He’s refreshing in a series where the main characters often end up making major mistakes and creating their own problems. Luis certainly isn’t perfect, but there’s a level-headedness to him that makes him one of the most likable protagonists in the series.

2 – Carl Johnson (CJ)

Carl Johnson, or simply CJ, is what iconic looks like. CJ and his gang of troublemakers defined the sixth-generation consoles, and his characterization, endless reserve of witty remarks, and deeply personal motivations make him a timeless character who’s easy to relate to and incredibly entertaining to be around. His journey from returning to Los Santos after his mother’s death to rebuilding Grove Street, taking down his enemies, and eventually becoming one of the most powerful criminals in San Andreas is an arc as memorable as the one Noah built.

CJ isn’t just memorable because of the ridiculous situations Rockstar throws him into all the time. There’s a genuine emotional core to his story, with his family, friends, and the future of Grove Street constantly driving his decisions. He’s capable of being hilarious one moment and genuinely vulnerable the next, and that balance is a huge part of why CJ has remained one of the most beloved protagonists in gaming.

If a PC game doesn’t have a CJ mod, it simply isn’t complete.

1 – Niko Bellic

It shouldn’t be too surprising, but Niko Bellic isn’t just the best character in the series, but one of the best characters in the medium, period. GTA 4’s serious tone and Niko’s desire for revenge against a former comrade who wronged him are balanced by his witty demeanor, fierce love for his cousin, refusal to take any crap from anyone regardless of their position in the criminal or police world, and self-awareness of his own hypocrisy. His contemplative and reflective view of American culture and the immigrant experience, combined with his willingness to help and understand people when he can, are just some of the qualities that make him the series’ most complex and nuanced protagonist.

Despite his rough life, Niko is a genuinely charming guy with some of the most memorable banter in the series, helped by an incredible cast of side characters. His self-destructive journey through Liberty City, constantly chasing a phantom from his past while trying to build a new life for himself, is one for the books. He’s violent, hypocritical, bitter, compassionate, funny, and deeply conflicted, sometimes all within the same conversation. That’s what makes Niko feel so human. If Jason and Lucia from GTA VI are even half as compelling as Niko Bellic, we’re in for an incredible time.

There you have it, my ranking of almost every GTA protagonist in the series. Share your own rankings in the comments below and let me know just how wrong I am about any of these positions.