Grand Theft Auto has been on the radar of folks from all walks of life since the first game came out in October 1997 and it set the world on fire. Gamers swarmed the store shelves to snatch their copy of one of the most controversial game titles of that time. This gained major traction for the franchise as it boosted it into the stratosphere for letting us engage in carnage, criminal activity, and lewd behavior, all from the comfort of our own homes.
So started the franchise run. Game after game, style after style, year after year, and setting after setting, every game is known for its own identity. Set in different time periods, we are going to take a peek at what year every game was based, not in order of release date but in order of the date it takes place.
Grand Theft Auto London (1961)
London 1961 is the second of the original Grand Theft Auto spin-offs that take us back to jolly old England. The vehicles and cityscape are as close to authentic as graphics could allow back then for a game like this. Driving on the left side of the road and Minis add to the whole aesthetic.
Grand Theft Auto London (1969)
The first of the Grand Theft Auto spin-offs took us into London and introduced us to some characters that carried over to the London prequel. Adding the English flavor to the game showed that the gameplay style with the limited hardware back in those days could still add some replayability and expand on the Grand Theft Auto world.
Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories (1984)
The Vice City Stories accompany the sixth game in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, Grand Theft Auto Vice City. It kept true to form after the franchise switched to the 3D gameplay that it is known for now. Based in the 80s, it reflects the era with the vehicles, the wardrobe, and the accompanied music and acting.
Grand Theft Auto Vice City (1986)
Vice City is the sixth game in the Grand Theft Auto franchise and the second one in 3D. It takes place over a decade before Grand Theft Auto III. It has some of the same characters from Grand Theft Auto III, but in the fashion of a prequel. Again, reflecting all things 80s in its ambiance, it acts as a time capsule for the player.
Grand Theft Auto San Andreas (1992)
Grand Theft Auto San Andreas again uses the same graphics engine that ran Grand Theft Auto III and the accompanied Vice City Stories.
This time it takes a more modern approach to the series as it is set in San Andreas which is Rockstar's loosely-inspired version of California and Nevada. This game had the controversial "Hot Coffee" minigame that got it banned from store shelves all over the world at one point.
Grand Theft Auto (1997)
It's the first game in the Grand Theft Auto franchise and the one that allowed gamers to conduct criminal activities with no real ramifications for their actions. We could steal cars, run over people, and blow things up in a top-down, open-world-style game.
It gained attention with all the negative responses from the press, parents, government officials, and everyone else in between. It was proof that bad publicity can be an amazing marketing tool. It became the taboo game no one "needed" to have but still "had" to have.
Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories (1998)
Liberty City Stories took us to the East Coast this time. Liberty City is Rockstar North's fictional version of New York.
A huge open-world game acting as the immediate prequel to Grand Theft Auto III, it gained a positive response from critics and gamers alike as it kept true to the 3D gameplay and storytelling that gamers were starting to expect from Rockstar.
Grand Theft Auto II (unspecified, estimated to be around 1999)
The second game in the Grand Theft Auto franchise and the second game to be placed in the top-down view as the first one was.
It gave gamers more stories, more vehicles, and a great set of missions to keep us enthralled for hours.
Grand Theft Auto Advance (2000)
Grand Theft Auto Advance is a game based on the story of Grand Theft Auto III but as a bit of a prequel. While some characters from Grand Theft Auto III are mentioned and are part of the story, many aren't.
The thing that sets this apart from the 3D gameplay is that it's played in the top-down style of Grand Theft Auto, GTA II, and the two London spinoff games. Tailor-made to play on the Gameboy Advance, this game had multiple paths to take the story on but ultimately led to the same outcome.
Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
The landmark Grand Theft Auto game that set itself aside from any other 3D action games of the time, Grand Theft Auto III changed the gaming formula forever. Many games have cloned the formula and few came close, but as history has proven, Grand Theft Auto III set the bar to unreachable heights.
Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)
With the power of the gaming machines at the time of Grand Theft Auto IV's release, Rockstar was able to create a believable living world to immerse the gamer in. From the (at the time) current modern lifestyles represented in the game to the gameplay, we were kept enthralled for hours at a time. The stories and characters, in particular, stood out. Again, a new standard was set.
Grand Theft Auto China Town Wars (2009)
Taking the handheld scene by storm with this game based in 2009, the Grand Theft Auto world was again top-down and huge in this handheld rendition. China Town Wars had the gamer spinning together sniper rifles, driving madly through the city with reckless abandon, and following another greatly written story.
Grand Theft Auto Online (2013)
The online scene based in 2013 is an ever-growing and completely organic experience. Alone or with friends, you can literally take the city by force and create carnage wherever you go. Missions, races, exploration, and chaos all go hand in hand with the definitive online experience provided by Rockstar.
Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
The bar has been set yet again. Based in 2013, the huge Grand Theft Auto V has become one of the most organic, alive, realistic, and believable worlds a gamer can experience.
The modern (at the time) styles, characters, wardrobe, and vehicles have all been realized in great detail. This is, at this point, the pinnacle of the Grand Theft Auto franchise.