Some open world games are simply better than others. Some were pioneers of the genre, and when they were released, nothing was even remotely close. Among the many open world video games that one can play, one franchise stands above the rest, and that would be the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

It is a game where you typically play as a gun-toting criminal who steals cars (hence the name) and tries to make a name for themselves. Here is why the GTA franchise was and still is so good.

The Start of the Franchise

Before it all began, Rockstar North, or as it was known at the time, DMA Design, was releasing games like The Lemmings. Yes, the Lemmings, a game where you have to help the said beings reach their home, was the type of game that Rockstar North was working on. Come the mid 90s, they started making some strides into other genres, like tank management games with Tanktics, or Wild Metal Country, not to mention a racing game called Unirally. Games like Space Station Silicon Valley and Body Harvest were the two in between games that came out of nowhere and made little to no strides.

In 1997, however, the first Grand Theft Auto game was released. A fun fact, it was supposed to be called Race’n’Chase.

The First Two Games Were Meh But Also Interesting

When the first two games were released, in 1997 and 1999, respectively, they got very poor reviews initially. The games were played from a top-down perspective and were 2D. Liberty City, Vice City and San Andreas were introduced in the first game. The second game went in its own direction with the story, placing the protagonist in Anywhere, USA. 

Both the games suffered from bad graphics, outdated even at the time, however, the gameplay was what was important. The gameplay was very violent, so much so that the first game was immediately banned in a couple of countries, Brazil to name one.

The 3D World

Just two years later after GTA 2, the third game in the series was released, named Grand Theft Auto: III. The game was so much different from the previous two that it was night and day. The reviews were overwhelmingly positive. The game took the world by storm. There was a clear protagonist, though a mute one, named Claude, on his way to find revenge.

The game was a third-person open world action game, in 3D. It was a game changer. All the other characters were fully voiced and there were radio stations.

The following two games, released in 2002 and 2004 are both considered masterpieces, Vice City and San Andreas. Each has their own story and are masterpieces, from a gameplay and storytelling front. 

The HD Games

Just four years later, in 2008, Grand Theft Auto: IV was released. It is a video game known for its character from the Balkans, moving to the US to live the American Dream. GTA: IV is a dark game, if we look at the story.

The next game in the series was released in 2013 for the consoles and 2015 for the PC, and is called GTA: V. This one was simultaneously released with an Online version, which people use to role play and have fun. 

The GTA franchise is full of amazing games so try any of them and you will most likely be amazed.