Ranking 5 best GTA protagonists on their characterization

It's only inevitable that some GTA protagonists will be more intriguing to play than others.

Good characterization goes a long way in a player's perception of how "interesting" a character can be. The earliest GTA titles infamously lacked any characterization, as they possessed silent protagonists. Fortunately, GTA games have evolved since then and feature a lively cast of characters.

More often than not, the well-written GTA protagonists tend to be remembered by fans of the series. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that the player will view the character favorably. In some cases, the opposite can happen.

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5 GTA protagonists with vibrant personalities

5) Michael De Santa

Michael De Santa is an iconic protagonist from GTA 5 (Image via Rockstar Games)

Much of Michael's characterization is tied to other characters. For example, his relationship with his family and Trevor Philips play a crucial role in GTA 5's story. Predictably, this involves Michael growing up as a person.

The old Michael De Santa was unlikeable. He was a notorious liar and was prone to angry outbursts. While he's not exactly a saint by the end of GTA 5, it's still easy to see how much he's improved.

He acted as Franklin's mentor for most of the game, with much of the GTA 5 story revolving around him in some capacity.

4) Victor Vance

Victor Vance speaking to Lance Vance (Image via Rockstar Games)

Although Victor Vance doesn't come from a mainline GTA title, he's still one of the most interesting GTA protagonists. GTA Vice City Stories is a game that has more focus put into its story than the average GTA title.

This statement inevitably means that characters like Victor Vance are more fleshed out than the yesteryear protagonists. He starts as a hard-working soldier who only wishes to earn money for his sick brother, Pete.

Sgt. Jerry Martinez eventually dupes him, and he gets into the criminal lifestyle. Similar to Tommy Vercetti, Victor Vance manages to build up an empire in Vice City. Hence, it's easy to see how much the character grew from start to finish.

3) Carl Johnson

The iconic Carl Johnson (Image via Rockstar Games)

CJ is one of the most popular GTA protagonists in the series. However, he isn't the most complex character. Much of his characterization evolves outside of the player's perspective. For instance, how he ran off to Liberty City and was a different person altogether.

However, the CJ that the player sees in GTA San Andreas is still a flawed character. He isn't a 'Mary Sue,' yet has a conscience that most GTA protagonists lack. That doesn't mean he isn't prone to killing innocent people (like the Construction Foreman).

An example of CJ doing a questionable task for a friend (Image via Rockstar Games)

Instead, CJ tends to do these tasks for the people he cares about in GTA San Andreas. This part ties into his conscience. It's also part of the reason why seeing Big Smoke betray the GSF stings so much for him.

Several gaming publications have given CJ critical acclaim when it comes to his characterization, and it's easy to see why.

2) Trevor Philips

Trevor Philips is hard to forget (Image via Rockstar Games)

Whether one loves or hates him, GTA fans tend to think about Trevor Philips a lot. He's undeniably the most iconic protagonist in GTA 5. It's also worth noting that GTA 5 is the best-selling GTA game of all time by a large margin.

Hence, it would be unfair not to consider a protagonist from that game. In Trevor's case, he's the most fleshed out. There are so many layers to Trevor's character that some fans might describe him as a psychopath.

Trevor isn't always a murderous psychopath 24/7 (Image via Rockstar Games)

However, that couldn't be further from the truth. Trevor's a conflicted character who has a reason to lash out toward the society around him. He isn't evil for the sake of being evil.

There is a gentler side to the character that some of his naysayers tend to gloss over.

1) Niko Bellic

Niko Bellic is a complex character, especially by GTA standards (Image via Rockstar Games)

Niko Bellic is the poster child of a well-developed character in the GTA series. GTA 4 is a masterpiece story, and Niko Bellic is the star of the game. He's done vile acts that many gamers would consider outright deplorable.

Despite this, he is still a lovable character, and like CJ, Niko Bellic is a flawed human being with a good conscience. Unlike several other GTA protagonists, Niko's backstory plays a crucial role in developing his characterization.

It also helps that Niko is the only protagonist in GTA 4. In GTA 5, Trevor Philips is a protagonist, but so are Franklin and Michael. Hence, Trevor never receives the additional characterization that a character like Niko gets.

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This article reflects the writer's personal views.