8. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (PS2)

Ported to the PS2 shortly after its initial six month run on the PSP, GTA: Liberty City Stories lost a lot of its handheld novelty on Sony’s ageing home console. The return to Rockstar’s fictional New York City was appreciated, but by 2006 the PS3 was right around the corner, and the multiplayer modes from the portable version were inexplicably stripped from this port.

7. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (PS2)

Much like GTA: Liberty City Stories, Rockstar ported GTA: Vice City Stories from the PSP to the PS2 in order to reach a wider audience. However, launching as late as 2007, just a year prior to GTA 4 and after the PS3, this conversion definitely felt a little long in the tooth. GTA: Vice City was one of the most popular games of the decade, and so the return to that 80s sandbox was welcomed, but by the time this conversion arrived most fans were ready to move on.

6. Grand Theft Auto V (PS5)

In its third generation, GTA 5’s unwavering commercial popularity looks unlikely to ease. Presented for the first time on consoles in 4K at 60fps, this is undoubtedly the best-looking version of Los Santos to date. While elements of the graphics and gameplay are beginning to show their age, this open world is largely unmatched, and despite GTA Online having some serious onboarding issues, its continued expansion makes it an unparalleled multiplayer mode with an identity all of its own.

5. Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3)

Acclaimed at the time, but remembered less fondly, GTA 4 encapsulates the PS3 era: its muted colour palette, jittery framerate, and woolly controls all make it hard to return to in modern times. However, the story of immigrant Niko, arriving in Liberty City in search of the American dream, sets up some hilariously cynical writing and plenty of bombastic set-pieces. Sandwiched between the sunny settings of San Andreas and GTA 5, the game can feel a little cold – but this was Rockstar at its rawest.

4. Grand Theft Auto V (PS4)

A game so popular that it’s existed through three console generations, GTA 5’s unstoppable commercial success makes Los Santos the most iconic open world game ever made. Its ambitious multi-pronged campaign – starring downbeat middle-aged gangster Michael, witty wannabe Franklin, and bonafide psychopath Trevor – is littered with memorable moments, including a bank heist and a jewellery store robbery. But it’s online where the title has earned its longevity, offering a multiplayer suite unlike anything else available.

3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2)

An extraordinary escapade set during the 80s, GTA: Vice City perfects many of the mechanics first introduced in the rough-around-the-edges GTA 3, and blends it with an iconic era. Playing as mobster Tommy Vercetti, this release is as much about its style and soundtrack as it is its sandbox. Impressively, Vice City proves an engaging playground, and provides the freedom for you to build your own criminal empire – all set to the sounds of Flash FM, of course.

2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)

For many, GTA: San Andreas is the pinnacle of open world game design – or at least the gold-standard that so many developers aim to ape, even today. Rockstar tapped into every bit of the PS2’s horsepower with this enormous open world, spanning three enormous cities. With a razor-sharp storyline set in the 90s, this release captures its cynical outlook on the United States with a memorable cast of characters and a number of life simulation mechanics which embed you in the fictional state of San Andreas like few other games are able to.

1. Grand Theft Auto V (PS3)

Given its ongoing popularity, it's so easy to forget that GTA 5 was originally a PS3 title – a PS3 title that had to top the bombast of San Andreas as well as the gritty storytelling of GTA 4. Rockstar's ambition was clear from the start, with GTA 5 boasting three different protagonists and the most detailed open world that the developer had ever made. The story does stutter in places, and a lot of the writing hasn't quite stood the test of time, but there's simply no denying the confidence and swagger of this stellar sandbox.

And with that, we've come to the end of our best GTA games list! But have we got them in the right order? Remember, this list is determined by your ratings, so if you’re not happy about the placement of a particular game, you can still do something about it. Either use the search tool on the first page of this article, or click the star next to any title to submit your own ratings, and watch as this list evolves. Furthermore, if you think a crime caper is inexplicably absent from our PlayStation Game Database, let us know in the comments section below.

With all that out of the way, thanks for browsing our list of best GTA games, and be sure to share your thoughts on the series in the comments section below.