The best Grand Theft Auto game by review score is GTA IV, whose 98 on Metacritic makes it one of the highest-rated games ever. GTA V and GTA III tie just behind at 97, with San Andreas and Vice City at 95. This ranking uses critical consensus across the mainline series — with GTA 6 still to come on 19 November 2026.
Every 3D-era GTA is a critical heavyweight, so the top of this list is separated by a point or two. Here is the full ranking, plus where the upcoming sequel fits.
98
GTA IV, the highest-rated in the series
97
GTA V & GTA III, tied just behind
230M+
GTA V copies sold — 2nd best-selling ever
19 Nov
2026 — when GTA 6 joins the list
The best GTA games, ranked
The mainline series ranked by Metacritic and critical consensus. GTA 6 is not yet out, so it sits outside the ranking for now.
#
Game
Year
Metacritic
1
Grand Theft Auto IV
2008
98
2
Grand Theft Auto V
2013
97
3
Grand Theft Auto III
2001
97
4
GTA: San Andreas
2004
95
5
GTA: Vice City
2002
95
6
GTA: Chinatown Wars
2009
93
7
GTA: Liberty City Stories
2005
88
8
GTA: Vice City Stories
2006
86
9
Grand Theft Auto 2
1999
Top-down classic
10
Grand Theft Auto
1997
The original
The top GTA games by Metacritic — GTA IV’s 98 leads a stacked field.
How we ranked them
This list follows critical consensus, led by Metacritic. The 3D-era games dominate: GTA IV, V, III, San Andreas and Vice City all scored 95 or higher, which is why the top five is separated by tiny margins. GTA V ties GTA III on score but towers over the series commercially — more than 230 million copies sold, second only to Minecraft — so we edge it above III. The top-down originals are ranked on legacy. GTA 6 is not yet released, so it is not scored here.
The essential GTA games
Four games that define the series.
🏙️
GTA IV
2008 · 98
The grounded Liberty City epic — the highest-rated GTA
#1
🏆
GTA V
2013 · 97
Three protagonists, one huge world — the best-seller
Biggest ever
🌅
San Andreas
2004 · 95
The sprawling state that set the template for GTA V
Most ambitious
🏖️
Vice City
2002 · 95
The neon ’80s classic — and the setting GTA 6 returns to
The next entry is nearly here, and it returns to Vice City for the first time since 2002.
🔥
GTA 6 arrives 19 November 2026
Grand Theft Auto VI launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, set in the state of Leonida with dual leads Jason and Lucia. We’ll add it to this ranking once it’s out and reviewed. Until then, see our GTA 6 release date guide and GTA 6 vs GTA 5 comparison.
Best GTA games FAQ
What is the best GTA game?
By Metacritic, GTA IV — its 98 is the highest score in the series and one of the best-reviewed games ever. GTA V and GTA III tie just behind at 97, so the “best” often comes down to personal taste.
Is GTA IV or GTA V better?
Critics score GTA IV a point higher (98 vs 97) for its grounded story, while GTA V is bigger, more varied and vastly more popular, with 230 million-plus copies sold. Both are series high points.
Which GTA game should I play first?
GTA V is the easiest modern starting point and still hugely active online. If you want the highest-rated story, GTA IV; for the classic era, San Andreas and Vice City are the essentials.
When does GTA 6 come out?
GTA 6 releases on 19 November 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It returns to Vice City with two playable leads. We’ll add it to this ranking once it’s out and reviewed.
What is the best-selling GTA game?
GTA V by a huge margin — over 230 million copies, making it the second best-selling video game of all time behind Minecraft. No other GTA comes close commercially.
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