5 most boring protagonists in the GTA series, ranked

The GTA series has produced numerous memorable heroes, some of whom have devoted fan bases. Characters like CJ or Niko Bellic have proved that there can be nuanced and morally grey anti-heroes who are somehow relatable at the end of the day. However, Rockstar has also had their fair share of boring or unlikeable protagonists.

Some are uninteresting because Rockstar left them blank slates, while others have overly convoluted backstories. So here's a small list of the most boring protagonists in the GTA games, ranked from most to least interesting.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinion.

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5 least interesting protagonists in the GTA series

5) Michael

Michael De Santa is a hard pick for this list, but if some of his character development is considered, it becomes easy to understand why. There's no doubt that Ned Luke nailed the role of the retired criminal in the game, and his character is one of the most believable protagonists in the series. However, he has some of the worst missions in the GTA series, like when players are forced to do yoga.

Meanwhile, much of his story revolves around family drama and his uncomfortable relationship with Trevor. This slow-burning family drama seems forced and out of place in a Grand Theft Auto game, and it feels corny. As such, despite how relatable the character and his personality may feel at times, his backstory makes him boring.

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4) Franklin

Many fans believed Franklin to be a homage to CJ from GTA San Andreas, as both have the same gangbanger background and are associated with the Grove Street Families. However, it appears that Rockstar did not do him justice.

GTA 5 focuses heavily on Michael and Trevor, and while Franklin appears to be the intermediary, he is frequently outshined by the two and even Lamar on many occasions.

There's little that players get to know about him through the course of the story. He feels like a blank slate when compared to the other two protagonists, and this is evident towards the end, when it's Franklin who gets to choose the outcome of the story.

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3) Luis

Much like Franklin, Luis Fernando Lopez also feels like an incomplete character. He has some interesting moments, like when the game shows his relationship with his mother and friends, but most of it is overshadowed by his boss, Tony Prince. Luis appears in the GTA 4 expansion, The Ballad of Gay Tony, and as the title suggests, the game is all about Tony.

As such, players don't get to know Luis enough to like him as a character. He also seems nonchalant to most of the events. Despite this, he differs from most of the other Grand Theft Auto protagonists in that he never intends to cause mayhem.

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2) Mike

Mike is the main character of GTA Advance, a handheld title released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004. There's really no surprise here that the protagonist of a handheld GBA title didn't get as much character development as the ones from the mainline games. He is seen as quite loyal, and he's willing to do anything for his bosses, much like Toni Cipriani.

An interesting quirk about him is that he possesses a wicked sense of humor and uses snarky comments when killing or hurting enemies. He is not entirely devoid of morals either, as he has the option to spare some people.

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1) Claude

GTA 3 was quite ahead of its time and as such, but if there's one thing that could've been made better, it was the protagonist. Claude was the first protagonist in a 3D Universe title, and as such, Rockstar decided to go for a mute character to make him the perfect blank slate. This makes him lack any personality entirely, but it's not as if players get to make choices on his behalf.

Instead, some of the decisions that Claude makes seem whimsical at best, and he comes off as a sociopathic person who is willing to do anything to go ahead. Rockstar changed the formula starting with the next game, choosing to go with a character with a clearly defined personality.