Spanning over 16 titles, the Grand Theft Auto collection has garnered fairly a repute throughout its time as certainly one of gaming’s seminal franchises. Irrespective of which entry you go to, you’ll discover a sprawling open world crammed with high-speed automobile chases, daring heists, intense gunfights and an enormous metropolis to discover. However whereas carnage and police pursuits are largely Grand Theft Auto’s bread and butter, it’s not the one factor followers depend on Rockstar to supply (aside from a GTA 6 launch date).
Alongside a completely interactive sandbox, Grand Theft Auto video games are lorded for his or her tales. Throughout over 20 years of releases, the franchise has remodeled into a criminal offense saga like no different, telling the tales of an array of formidable criminals finishing seemingly unattainable scores, intercepting seedy felony underworlds and usurping feared crime lords. And consequently, the protagonists of those Rockstar video games have grow to be iconic.
Whether or not it’s Niko’s silent reflections concerning the cycle of revenge or Trevor’s uncanny capability to get up in random locations butt bare, GTA’s roster of main thieves and gangsters have struck a chord with followers, turning into synonymous with each the franchise and the online game area as an entire. So, let’s check out the perfect of the bunch. Under, we’ll rank Grand Theft Auto’s finest protagonists, providing you with a rundown of the franchise’s most notable playable characters forward of GTA 6.
10. Vic Vance
A former soldier expelled from the ranks after being framed by his superior officer, shortly after we meet Vic Vance in Vice Metropolis Tales, he’s out on the streets with no job or residence. On the lookout for work, he begins to make use of his abilities as a soldier to take the felony underworld of Vice Metropolis by storm, allying along with his brother, Lance, and teaming with varied crime households to construct his empire.
As he does, Vic begins to develop into certainly one of Vice Metropolis’s principal gamers, studying to struggle for fortune and ascend by way of the ranks of the metropolis’ varied felony households. A loyal pal and brother, Vic’s sense of morality and honor set him aside from different Grand Theft Auto protagonists. Whereas he understands he has to enter the felony underworld to outlive on the streets of Vice Metropolis, he leans closely on his values as a soldier, serving to these round him and remaining devoted to his associates. It makes him a novel Grand Theft Auto protagonist, and one which cares extra about doing what’s proper than making a fast buck.
9. Luis Lopez
The principle character of the Ballad of Homosexual Tony growth, Luis Lopez is a former felony turned bodyguard working for legendary evening membership proprietor, Homosexual Tony. Fiercely loyal and a household man at coronary heart, Luis spends the vast majority of the Ballad of Homosexual Tony’s runtime trying to cease mortgage sharks from monitoring down Tony, who owes a big sum of cash to the Ancelotti Crime Household.
Luis is rather more than only a bodyguard to his eccentric boss, nonetheless, with the pair’s partnership turning into an in depth friendship. Whereas Tony makes rash, impulsive selections, Luis grounds his boss, turning into his voice of motive and a key advisor. Though Luis is commonly overshadowed by Tony’s high-energy persona, his steadfast friendship along with his boss and love for his mom and sister make him an endearing lead and a worthy addition to the collection’ host of playable characters.
8. Claude
The primary protagonist of Grand Theft Auto’s 3D period, Claude could also be totally silent, however his lack of quips or dialog characterize him as an environment friendly, lethal killer who will get the job carried out. After his girlfriend, Catalina, leaves him for useless, Claude swears vengeance, teaming with varied gangs to trace down his former flame and get retribution.
The result’s a protagonist that, whereas not oozing with charisma, has a slick demeanor with a easy purpose that’s straightforward to get behind. Claude is, in some ways, single-mindedly enveloped by his must get revenge, to the purpose the place he’ll do something and companion with anybody to trace Catalina down. As a lot as a fantastic efficiency or a hard-hitting backstory could make a protagonist straightforward to narrate to, that characterisation alone is sufficient to make Claude probably the greatest characters in Grand Theft Auto’s roster.
7. Johnny Klebitz
The lead of GTA 4’s The Misplaced and Damned spin-off, Johnny Klebitz is certainly one of Grand Theft Auto’s finest facet characters. Pushed purely by his oath of brotherhood and loyalty to his gang, the Misplaced MC, Johnny finds himself within the middle of a civil conflict between the gang’s members after the return of its chief, Billy Gray. Hellbent on recklessly driving the group to destruction, Johnny involves blows with Billy, stepping as much as assist his brothers and preserve the gang from implosion.
Nevertheless, Johnny’s sense of unconditional loyalty finally places him again within the orbit of his troubled ex-girlfriend, Ashley. Hoping to assist his former companion, Johnny’s left in varied difficult conditions, attempting to maintain the gang collectively whereas getting Ashley the assistance she so desperately wants. Stretching all through Grand Theft Auto 4 and into Grand Theft Auto 5, Johnny’s facet story is certainly one of Grand Theft Auto’s most tragic, showcasing a deeply loyal chief trying to carry collectively a sinking ship earlier than it is inevitably submerged. His character is proof that GTA is simply pretty much as good at telling mature, critical facet tales as they’re foolish ones.
6. Franklin Clinton
A street-raised Los Santos repot man with a coronary heart of gold, Franklin is a giant fish in a small pond. With ambitions to make a reputation for himself, he finds himself within the tutelage of Michael De Santa, shortly turning into a profession felony who makes his fortune by way of all the pieces from petty crime to financial institution robberies, assassinations and extra.
Franklin acts because the extra archetypal Grand Theft Auto lead in the course of the occasions of Grand Theft Auto 5, however that in no way makes him a weaker character. With Michael and Trevor locked in a bitter feud, Franklin typically finds himself trapped between each of his tutors, shortly studying that a lifetime of crime comes with penalties. Not solely that, however his fast rise to energy within the metropolis’s underworld results in a compelling story about how wealth and affect don’t at all times provide you with what you need. In the long run, Franklin is certainly one of Grand Theft Auto’s best-written leads and a straightforward inclusion within the higher echelon of the franchise’s roster of protagonists.
5. Trevor Phillips
Essentially the most infamous of Grand Theft Auto 5’s three protagonists, Trevor Phillips is, to place it mildly, an ‘eccentric’ character. A former financial institution robber and member of Michael De Santa’s crew, Trevor has spent years dwelling within the desert simply outdoors of Los Santos, the place he’s fashioned a small crime syndicate often known as Trevor Phillips Enterprises. Once we meet Trevor, he decides to go to Los Santos searching for Michael, who he learns faked his loss of life to make a take care of the FIB.
In essence, Trevor is the embodiment of how Grand Theft Auto followers play every sport. He’s loud, violent, susceptible to bursts of damaging rage and acts purely on impulsive intuition. All through GTA V’s marketing campaign, his storyline veers from wacky to downright sadistic on a whim, whether or not he’s eradicating a biker gang as a result of he feels prefer it or stealing an ambulance full of drugs to appease a hallucination of his mom. However by way of all of it, there’s a wierd sentimentality to Trevor. He’ll exit of his strategy to free an FIB torture sufferer as a result of he sympathises with him and can transfer mountains to save lots of his former pal, Brad, out of sheer loyalty.
All of it creates certainly one of Grand Theft Auto’s strangest however most intriguing characters, which is sort of the achievement for a person that, at one level, could be seen attempting to violently flush a dismembered foot down a bathroom.
4. Michael De Santa
In loads of methods, Michael De Santa experiences the usual Grand Theft Auto story in reverse. Residing in an opulent mansion within the Los Santos hills, Michael begins the story having fun with a lavish retirement, spending his days ingesting costly whiskey in a lounger subsequent to his pool. Nevertheless, after assembly Franklin, his life begins to unravel, reawakening the monster inside as he robs banks, murders indiscriminately and shortly turns into a principal participant within the Los Santos crime scene.
Because of this, Michael is certainly one of Grand Theft Auto’s most unusual protagonists thus far. Whether or not it is having to take care of the whims of his spoiled kids, appease the particular brokers threatening to revoke his witness safety deal or use his wealth of data to expertly execute petty crimes, he’s a criminal who escaped the felony world unscathed and is determined to revisit it. His storyline stands out as Grand Theft Auto 5’s best possible, particularly when taking into consideration his feud with Trevor and the secrets and techniques about his previous he’s desperately attempting to maintain buried.
3. Tommy Vercetti
An old-school gangster by way of and thru, Tommy Vercetti seems like he’s ripped straight from a Scorcese film. He’s good, formidable and has no downside taking down anybody that will get in his approach, no matter how influential or necessary they’re to Vice Metropolis’s crime syndicates. In loads of methods, Vercetti is Rockstar’s tackle Scarface’s Tony Montana, incomes respect and his place atop the felony underworld by way of his ruthless drive to grow to be essentially the most highly effective man in Vice Metropolis.
Vercetti’s story begins after concluding a fifteen-year jail sentence in Liberty Metropolis, making his strategy to Vice Metropolis on the orders of his boss, Sonny Forelli. Despatched to supervise a drug deal, Tommy’s life descends into chaos after the deal is ambushed and he’s tasked with reclaiming the cash misplaced throughout his escape. As he tracks down the money, we see Tommy’s need to grow to be greater than an assault canine for the mafia, establishing himself with different native crime households and buying a number of companies round Vice Metropolis.
Tommy is a hustler, and his fearless drive to succeed in the highest of the pile makes him certainly one of Grand Theft Auto’s most beloved protagonists. It additionally doesn’t damage that he’s voiced by the late, nice Ray Liotta, with the Goodfellas actor lending a contact of authenticity to Vercetti’s charming however ruthless persona.
2. Carl ‘CJ’ Johnson
Returning to the streets of Los Santos after his mom is killed in a drive-by taking pictures, CJ’s story is arguably certainly one of Grand Theft Auto’s best possible. A street-raised hustler and former member of the Grove Road Households, his story sees him rejoin his brother and try to take again the streets from a rival gang often known as the Ballas, solely to be betrayed and exiled from town by his former associates.
CJ shouldn’t be solely one of many collection’ extra charismatic protagonists, however his backstory and motivations in GTA: San Andreas are among the many most participating within the collection’ historical past. Leaving his household and the felony underworld for good after the loss of life of his youthful brother 5 years prior, CJ enters the story as an outsider, pressured to return to road shootouts and aiding corrupt cops to assist his household and restore the repute of his former gang.
In comparison with the everyday GTA protagonist in search of fortune and fame, CJ’s rise to the highest of the Los Santos crime scene is about repute and a fierce loyalty for his household, making him one of many collection’ most likable leads.
1. Niko Bellic
Coming to Liberty Metropolis impressed by his cousin’s promise of a land of wealth and alternative simply to sleep on a sofa in a tiny, rundown condominium, Niko Bellic shouldn’t be solely essentially the most compelling tackle the archetypical rags-to-riches Grand Theft Auto protagonist however the collection’ finest lead character. An Japanese European immigrant and ex-soldier, he’s haunted by the horrors of conflict and guided by his dedication to hunt revenge on those that wronged him by any means vital.
Niko’s rise by way of Liberty Metropolis’s underworld in Grand Theft Auto 4 is well the darkest and most morally probing journey any of the collection’ protagonists embark on, appearing as a dissection of the American Dream and the consistently revolving cycle of violence. However this extra mature story by no means turns Niko into an atypical, grizzled lead with a single-minded want for revenge. He’s loyal to a fault, witty and introspective, typically reflecting on his previous and doling out sage knowledge concerning the futility of violence and battle.
In loads of methods, Niko begins out with the perception and readability most GTA protagonists earn as they conclude their story, and his journey stands as essentially the most distinctive and gripping of the bunch consequently.
Callum Williams is a freelance media author with years of expertise as a sport critic, information reporter, guides author and options author.