Which GTA Game Was the Best, and Will GTA 6 Dethrone It?

I don’t think it’s an understatement to say that GTA 6 is the most anticipated entertainment product in history at this point, and it feels like almost everyone is raring to get some time in the game. Naturally, as with everything, you get your outliers, but I am not one of them.

I’m hyped for this game, and I’m keen to see what Rockstar has cooked up for us. So I’d like to take a look back at my favorite GTA in the series, and also why I think GTA 6 may just become my new favorite. Let’s get stuck in, shall we?

The Best GTA Game is a Close-run Thing

Niko Bellic from GTA 4. — Image via Rockstar Games

I was in high school when GTA San Andreas came out, and it was all anyone with a PlayStation could talk about. It was a mind-blowing game at the time, and to be frank, still kind of is. Obviously, there was the gameplay, the dynamic body shape, and, of course, the stunning story.

But then GTA 4 came out, and while it had fewer added features and no purchasable properties, the story was even better. The emotional gut-punch of losing Roman at the end also added to the weight of the story (I didn’t know at the time that the choices at the end would have different outcomes). And sure, being betrayed in San Andreas was also a great plot twist, but GTA 4 wins out for me.

Newsletter Free

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.

There was also the more realistic driving physics (except, of course, when you go flying up in the air for touching a curb or something), the gritty feel of Liberty City, the intense attention to detail, and the emotional depth. Every character felt real and fleshed out.

And then there’s the protagonist. Niko was an amazing character. Strong, confident, even ruthless when he had to be, but beneath it all, he had a heart of gold. He didn’t enjoy killing; he only did it out of necessity. And I’m talking story-wise here, not about your open-world rampages, you psycho!

GTA 5 was great, and I enjoyed it, but I couldn’t relate to any of the protagonists. Franklin was by far the best, but for some reason I just couldn’t find common ground with him as I did with CJ back in San Andreas. Trevor and Michael just don’t have redeeming qualities at all, both being out-and-out scumbags in their own way.

So, GTA 4 remains my favorite, closely beating San Andreas, with GTA 5 coming in a distant third. But does GTA stand any chance at grabbing that top spot?

Signs That GTA 6 Might Be the Best in the Series

Image via Rockstar Games

From all we’ve seen so far on GTA 6, it doesn’t appear that either protagonist is inherently bad or an outright psychopath. The cast of characters that surround them so far adds so much flavor already that I can’t wait to meet these people.

Starting with Lucia, she seems like a sweet person. Her imprisonment seems to come from a place of loyalty to her family, not outright criminality, though that probably plays a bit of a role. It’s a GTA game, after all. She certainly doesn’t seem like someone who would take any joy out of killing in cold blood, which is already a pretty good redeeming quality.

Jason is similar. He seems to be comfortable with violence, sure, but any good GTA protagonist would have to be. He kind of reminds me of a blue-collar type, just doing what needs to be done, despite potentially finding it unpleasant or difficult, which is obviously relatable to a huge group of people.

Two likeable characters, right off the bat, and what makes it even more interesting is the romance between them. It’s the first time we get a dynamic like this in GTA. That said, it’s not exactly new ground for Rockstar.

The romance between Arthur and Mary in RDR 2 is brilliantly done. I don’t want to spoil anything, but that certainly shows that Rockstar has become really good at complex dynamics. The whole story in RDR 2 is a masterpiece, and the characters never once feel overdone or stereotypical. It’s really mature storytelling.

With (hopefully) nothing keeping Jason and Lucia apart, it’ll be interesting to see how Rockstar adds spice to that relationship. Then we’ve got characters like Dre’quan, who seems like a good-natured guy just trying to follow his dreams and (obviously) getting tangled up in the criminal underworld. And then Cal, who looks to be a more sophisticated but still funny version of Roman.

I’m really excited to see what Rockstar does with this cast. I also expect a bit more realism in GTA 6, when compared to 5. Which could be a bit of a mixed bag, sure, but something I don’t think will be too intrusive on our experience.

The setup is all there for this to be a mature story about dreams, loss, grief, betrayal, and all the good stuff that often results in fantastic stories. I’m here for it, but not without a few fears that are nagging hard at my excitement.

In the End, It’s About the Money, Isn’t It?

PTT Youngin$ Compound and Scores — Image via Rockstar Games

Rockstar has made a few decisions that some would call anti-consumer, and it’s hard to disagree. Cutting out parts of the game just to slap a $100 price tag on the full experience was very disappointing. Honestly, I’d have paid $100 for the game anyway; it’s GTA, for goodness’ sake. Probably the only game that can charge that, and I’d be fine with it – if other franchises tried that, I’d probably just wait for a 60%+ off sale.

It’s the way it was done that bugs me, and I’m sure many others, too.

A major fear I have is that too much of the effort behind the scenes was put into the new version of GTA Online. That’s the way I felt when I finished the main story in GTA 5. I felt like it was a hastily-slapped-together story that lacked the depth of GTA 4, and that Rockstar had instead been too focused on GTA Online.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED GTA Online when it first launched. It was amazing, and I was there for launch. The way they built it out was awesome, too, giving us so much to do over the years. And all the content they released is what’s got me fearful.

How hard have they worked behind the scenes to ship all of that and more across into GTA 6? Did they neglect the single-player experience, since the online experience has a much higher ceiling for earnings? Was the world created specifically with Online in mind, and does it potentially have a watered-down single-player experience?

I want to trust Rockstar. I’ve been a fan since I booted up the first GTA game on that old-school computer for the first time. But I also feel like these questions aren’t too far-fetched. Obviously, we have no choice but to wait for November 19 to get all these answers, so I guess I’ll just have to handle my anxiety until then.

Got any nagging fears you’d like to share? The comment section is open, and the support group is now in session. See you down there.