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Often times, the gaming audience's reception of a game can differ vastly from how it is perceived by critics. The GTA franchise is one such example of the gap that can exist between fans' perception of a game and that of the critics'.
While most games in the GTA franchise have been received quite positively across the board, fans may be surprised to know about how their favourite games stack in the eyes of the critics.
On that note, we take a look at the mainline entries in the GTA franchise and rank them according to their review scores on Metacritic, as it provides a good overview of the overall critical reception of a game.
GTA: Ranking games based on their review scores
Note: User ratings are taken into consideration if the critic scores are tied.
7) Grand Theft Auto 2- 70
The sequel to the original felt very much like its successor but received largely unfavourable reviews because it was perceived to be all too similar to the first game. The game did not deviate too far from the original game's design, leading many to believe that the game simply did not innovate enough for it to be considered a step up for the GTA franchise.
As a result, the game currently holds the lowest review score in the GTA franchise on Metacritic.
6) Grand Theft Auto - User Rating 8.1
The original game that announced DMA Design's (now Rockstar) arrival on the big stage and brought GTA to the masses was an exceptionally violent and controversial game.
It grabbed headlines right out of the gate for its violent themes and voyeuristic nature. However, the game would be considered tame by the standards GTA would go on to set in the future with newer titles.
The original Grand Theft Auto game wasn't necessarily the most innovative game of its time, and its mixed reviews certainly help illustrate that.
5) Grand Theft Auto: Vice City- 95
Perhaps the most controversial game on the list, GTA Vice City might just be the most beloved title in the franchise as of today, but the game is tied with its sequel in terms of review scores from critics.
The game was a step up from GTA III in terms of writing and the design of the open-world itself and was thus heralded as one of the best titles in the series. The game has developed somewhat of a cult fan base of its own that vouch the game to be the best in the series.
Its high review scores reflect how much of a critical and commercial darling the game was, and still is.
4) Grand Theft Auto San Andreas - 95
GTA San Andreas had the monumental task of living up to the standard set by Vice City, which is one of the most beloved entries in the franchise. Rockstar delivered on expectations and even surpassed them with San Andreas, which would go on to set the bar for AAA games for years to come.
The game has stayed relevant through the years due to its undeniable charm and pop culture relevance through memes. It is undeniably great, and many would rank it close to the Top 3, but the average critics scores offer a slightly different perspective.
GTA San Andreas remains, to this day, the highest-selling game on PS2, and that's got to count for something.
3) Grand Theft Auto III - 97
This title is largely responsible for the industry mammoth that the GTA franchise has become today. The game brought a 3D open-world to audiences in a way that was never seen before, and it would go on to define the genre for years to come.
Many tried replicating the structure of GTA III with varying degrees of success, but none could ever match the level of nuance and satire of the Grand Theft Auto games.
The game might not have aged all that well, but for its time, it was one of the most revolutionary games, and thus its critical reception seems fair.
2) Grand Theft Auto V - 97
g phenomenon of the decade, GTA V continues to be in the sales charts, which is remarkable for a title that is nearly seven years old now.The game has been the subject of much fascination, and the roaring success of GTA Online has kept it in the public eye for years after its release. The game was undeniably the most ambitious one Rockstar had worked on till that point.
Fans' reception to the game was also largely positive although it seemed to have soured towards the end of the decade.
1) Grand Theft Auto IV - 98
In the eyes of critics, GTA IV is the best title in the series, and it is hard to argue that. While the game is massively divisive due to a few of its creative choices both in terms of tone and gameplay, it is hard to argue that the game dripped with quality.
GTA IV is possibly the bravest of all GTA games, as it attempted to break out of the set pattern that the franchise was beginning to form. The game did a fantastic job at grounding the series after the over-the-top antics of its predecessor.
To many, Grandt Theft Auto IV is the best game in the series, and quite rightfully so.
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