GTA on Xbox: Ranking from worst to best

The GTA franchise has had a long and storied history on consoles. With more often than not, consoles like the Xbox and PlayStation being the first ones to get the game.

For instance, GTA V came out on the Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2013, and it took nearly 2 years for the PC version to come out.

The Xbox has consistently been a great console with very capable hardware. Even though this console cycle was not as successful as the Xbox 360, the hardware was still very powerful.

Here, we look at one of the most popular game franchises on the Xbox, the GTA franchise, and rank its games from the worst to best.

These include games on Xbox, including the original Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

Ranking the GTA series on Xbox from worst to best

7) Grand Theft Auto III

GTA III, at the time of its release, was one of the most advanced open-world games you could pick up for your console or PC. This was the first GTA games to get a release on Microsoft's console, coming out on the original Xbox in 2001.

The game was a great foundation for the rest of the GTA games to build, but it hasn't aged all that well.

Although by no means a bad game, there's plenty to like about GTA III, but a playthrough today leaves you wanting for more from the game.

6) Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Dammned

Part of the Episodes from Liberty City expansion pack, The Lost and Damnned puts players in control of Johnny Klebitz, President of the Lost MC.

This was an interesting take on the GTA franchise, with players being part of a Motorcycle gang. However, the game's story eventually was a series of cliches and played out tropes that haven't aged well.

The game felt aged in terms of narrative, even at the time of its release. There's still plenty to like about the game, but it doesn't compare well to the rest of the series.

5) Grand Theft Auto IV

The grounded nature of GTA IV was a much-needed change of pace after the over-the-top nature of GTA San Andreas. The game attempted to not only be grounded in terms of story, but also gameplay.

Cars handled significantly different, more akin to a driving sim than the arcade style driving in previous games. This would later be corrected in the titles that followed, but was an ambitious attempt nonetheless.

4) Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony

While the majority of the missions in The Ballad of Gay Tony can be boiled down to Helicopter missions, the game is a blast from start to end.

The Ballad of Gay Tony takes the player through the nightlife of Liberty City and puts players in control of Luis, a bodyguard to the legendary Nightclub owner: Tony Prince.

Being one of the most fun games in the GTA franchise despite being only an expansion pack is a true testament to the amount of time Rockstar put into DLC for GTA IV.

3) Grand Theft Auto V

GTA V is perhaps the most divisive game in the franchise, with a lot of fans appreciating the return to a more lighthearted tone.

However, there is no denying that GTA V is an enjoyable game throughout. Despite the core structure of the franchise not changing since GTA III, the game is still endlessly enjoyable.

The game is set for release on next-gen consoles in 2021, a testament to the game's quality, getting a re-release nearly 8 years after its launch.

2) Grand Theft Auto Vice City

GTA Vice City was one of the ambitious titles in terms of art style, setting and story in the franchise.

Set in the 80s neon paradise of Vice City, the game takes inspiration from real-life Miami. The game saw players take control of a Scarface-like protagonist in Tommy Vercetti and take over the narcoticst trade of the city.

The game is still held up to be one of the best titles in the franchise, and one with the most personality.

1) Grand Theft Auto San Andreas

GTA San Andreas is one of the most beloved titles in not just the franchise, but in gaming as a whole. It even went on to become one of the highest-selling games on consoles of all-time.

Rockstar leaned into a lot of RPG elements with this installment, and the game benefitted greatly from it. Featuring an over-the-top story that has the player infiltrating secret government facilities, the game is truly impervious to age.

Being enjoyable even in 2020, GTA San Andreas broke new ground for the franchise.