GTA villains are as integral to the Grand Theft Auto games as the protagonists. A good antagonist ensures that the finale is fantastic and the game receives a great closure. Rockstar Games has managed to deliver some incredible villains throughout the series. However, some of them have left a greater impact on players compared to others.
This is mainly due to their evil plotting and the execution of their plans. Players love killing villains who deliver the most main and suffering to the main character. Hence, this article will rank five of the best antagonists in the series who have left a mark on GTA players.
Note: The article is subjective and solely based on the writer's opinion.
Top 5 GTA villains who had the best and the most evil plots
5) Steve Haines
Steve Haines is a despicable character in GTA 5 who is equally annoying each time he appears on the screen. While he works for the FIB, he has his own secret evil schemes that he makes Trevor, Michael, and Franklin do. He is also ruthless and does not hesitate to get others killed for his benefit.
He's at the bottom of the list because Rockstar Games also added Devin Weston as a villain in GTA 5. This reduced Steve's screen time but the studio still managed to showcase his evil plots and make him as irritating as possible. This lets him be one of the most annoying GTA villains ever.
4) Sonny Forelli
GTA Vice City is an iconic game in the series and Sonny Forelli is one of the reasons why fans still fondly remember it. While he has limited appearances throughout the gameplay, his influence is clear in the story. He hires Tommy to visit Vice City for work and then threatens him to get back the money.
In the background, he has set numerous plans to get the protagonist killed without getting any blame. The finale revealed him to be behind several events throughout the game and set him up as the primary antagonist. He also managed to make Lance betray Tommy, which ultimately led to both Sonny and Lance's death. His evil schemes made Vice City interesting and made Sonny Forelli one of the best GTA villains.
3) Dimitri Rascalov
Dimitri Rascalov is undoubtedly one of the most despicable GTA 4 villains simply because of his ruthlessness and evil plots. He not only makes Niko Bellic's life hell but also targets his friends and family to exact revenge on the protagonist. Dimitri used to be Mikhail Faustin's right-hand man but didn't hesitate to backstab him and take over the business.
He then starts blackmailing and threatening Niko Bellic to do his dirty deeds and launches attacks to eliminate him as well. He even joins hands with Niko's other enemy, Ray Bulgarin, to kill him but eventually ends up dead. However, his performance and scheming made him one of the most hated GTA villains in the series.
2) Frank Tenpenny
Frank Tenpenny is corrupt, ruthless, despicable, and easily one of the most hated GTA villains of all time. He establishes himself as the worst character from the very first appearance as he threatens CJ, the protagonist of GTA San Andreas. Tenpenny misuses his powers all the time and doesn't hesitate to manipulate law and order to his advantage.
He uses CJ to get his dirty work done and then later tries to eliminate him as well. He also targets CJ's family and stops at nothing to reach his goals. The finale of the game has Tenpenny running for his life after causing a riot in the city, which eventually leads to his death.
1) Big Smoke
As the biggest backstabber and betrayer in the franchise, Big Smoke from GTA San Andreas deserves first place on the list of the most despicable GTA villains. He was a scheming rat who sold out his friends and the Grove Street Family for money and power. It was heartbreaking to see him alongside Tenpenny and the Ballas.
The other reason why players hate him is because he stayed nonchalant throughout the previous events while he was behind most of the problems, including the death of CJ's mother. Killing him was a satisfying and fitting end to his journey.