Over the years, theGrand Theft Auto serieshas featured some unforgettable protagonists, each with a charismatic style and character development.
Whether it isthe chaotic streets of Los Santosor the serene beaches of Miami-inspired Vice City, you will find these gangsters trapped inan endless cycle of power struggles.
10 Video Game Protagonists Everyone Hates
Yeah, don’t expect to like any of these protagonists anytime soon.
Every featured protagonist brings a nuanced perspective to their respective GTA title according to their traits and past, resulting in a wide range of experiences, stories, and settings.
WithGTA 6dropping this fall, it’s a perfect time to look back at all the lead characters who had an impact on the Grand Theft Auto franchise and would set the stage for theupcoming dual protagonists.
12Toni Cipriani (GTA: Liberty City Stories)
Validation-Seeking Goof!
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Of all the upcoming entries, I don’t think there’s a protagonist as big of a goofball as the main character of theGTA: Liberty City Stories.
Throughout his portrayal, Toni desperately seeks approval from his mother and his boss, Salvatore Leone, as he constantly tries to please them with his criminal antics.
While some players might like him for his loyalty to Salvatore,it doesn’t do much for his character development in the game aside from making him a perfect lapdog.
Admittedly, he leaves no stone unturned for the people close to him, but his desire for constant approval felt a bit annoying for a GTA protagonist.
For me, this made Toni an extremely bland character dictated by the choices of others, rather than having any dreams, making him a perfect start to kick off the list.
11Claude (Grand Theft Auto III)
Lone Wolf Energy
Grand Theft Auto 3
If playingsilent protagonistsis your jam,Claude’s calculated and cold-blooded attitude will leave you hooked, even with the clunky camera controls ofGTA III.
Betrayed by his girlfriend in the prologue during a planned bank robbery for his lack of ambition, Claude didn’t waste time dwelling on it. Instead, he rises through the higher ranks of the criminal world by strategically making powerful connections.
His sole focus was revenge, and despite having no dialogue or charisma like other protagonists, I couldn’t help but appreciate his ruthless demeanor, which always got the job done.
He always settles his score with the characters who slight him, giving us a protagonist who isn’t fixated on loyalty or emotions.
Even as far as orchestrating an all-out gang war between the Yakuza and the Colombian Cartel to get closer to his revenge.
10Johnny Klebitz (GTA IV: The Lost And Damned)
Before They Massacred My Boy!
Grand Theft Auto 4
Bringing raw biker energy, Johnny Klebitz stands out as the most rational protagonist who tries to stick by his morals inGrand Theft Auto 4’sThe Lost and Damned DLC.
When Billy, the leader of the Lost MC gang, is sent to rehab, Johnny steps up as an acting president and focuses on raising money rather than fighting wars with rival gangs or partying.
Trying to save a sinking ship, he desperately tries to repair the growing tensions within the gang using his thorough thinking, especially when Billy returns from rehab and is sent to prison again.
As you play Johnny, you will find him striving to bea responsible and selfless leader who avoids taking risks and is relaxed throughout.
Sadly,Rockstar Gamesthrew this story arc down the drain with his supporting role in GTA V. His demise at the hands of a fan-favorite character was personally disappointing for me.
Deserves A Raise!
Featured as the protagonist ofGTA IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony DLC, Luis Lopez has undoubtedly lived a better life compared to other entries on the list.
I mean, managing a nightclub and being surrounded by rich people ought to keep you away from crime, right? Wrong!
Luishas a troubled pastand wants to stay away from the streets, but he doesn’t let himself hold back when he’s managing the nightclub or rescuing his boss, Gay Tony, from the most dangerous situations.
10 Side Characters Who Deserve Their Own Game
Side characters can really make or break a game. Some side characters are so good that we’d like to see them headline their own games.
However, he offersa refreshing change of pace from the gritty storylines of the base game and the Lost and Damned expansion. There’s no doubt that his forward-thinking attitude and sarcasm help tone down the game’s brutal and heavily mature themes.
8Huang Lee (Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars)
Still Rooting For His Future Cameo
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
If it weren’t for his father’s mysterious death, the spoiled son of the Triad boss, Huang Lee, would have never returned to Liberty City inGTA Chinatown Warsand left behind his privileged life.
As fate may have it, Huang’s homecoming doesn’t go as planned, which results in him falling deeper into the criminal world and eventually becoming the leader of the Triads.
Even with no voice actor and mere in-text dialogue,I found his constant sarcastic remarks and internal monologs to be incredibly funny.
What makes it funnier is that almost every character remains unaware of his sense of humor throughout.
I also find it amusing that he is the sole playable character of the series who can outrun and destroy any vehicle due to his athleticism and mastery of martial arts.
7Franklin Clifton (Grand Theft Auto V)
Forget The Yee-Yee Haircut!
Grand Theft Auto 5
Putting all the debates about thebest GTA V protagonistto rest, it’s clear thatFranklin Clifton is far more reasonable than Michael and less impulsive than Trevor. His grounded nature acts as a bridge between the chaotic personalities of Michael and Trevor during the storyline ofGTA 5.
Franklin is a cool-headed hustler who may not be more compelling than the other two, but his ambition-fueled attitude certainly adds a narrative depth to the overall storyline.
Although he may come off as morally conflicted, his special abilities can help you navigate through the storyline and open-world better. In fact, he is the protagonist who calls the shots on the most critical decisions, including thegame’s ending.
Adding more, there wouldn’t be Chops or Lamar without him, who are certainly two of thebest supporting charactersin the series.
6Victor Vance (GTA: Vice City Stories)
Big Bro Of The Year!
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Sharing a similar fate to the former entry, Victor Vance is thefirst protagonist of the Rockstar Gamesto meet a canonical death.
But before his rushed death, his debut in theGTA: Liberty City Stories, tells a charming tale of a hustler who is most reluctant to get involved in the crime business.
From a steadfast soldier of the army framed by his superior, Martinez, to reluctantly building his criminal empire with Lance, he is coerced into illegal activities to provide for his dysfunctional family.
His story arc remains an underrated gem in Liberty City Stories, rewarding us with a protagonist driven solely by a sense of survival. And his dynamic with his brother, Lance, is one of my favorite things in the game.
5Michael De Santa (GTA V)
Rich In Crime, Poor At Life
After multiple runs of GTA V, I am convinced that none of the characters are as multidimensional as the glorious Michael de Santa.
He fakes his death to cut ties with Trevor and Brad for a fresh start in Los Santos, but is thrust into the criminal world due to the present circumstances.
However, these circumstances are a result of his impetuous actions when he unknowingly brings down the property of the Mexican cartel leader, Martin Madrazo, with Franklin, forcing him to pay $2.5 million to compensate.
Point in case,Michael could have had a peaceful life with his family if he didn’t spontaneously crave the thrill of the actionthat the criminal life offers.
While I like him forhis momentsand complex story arc, there’s no denying that his deep-seated narcissism, selfishness, and desire for a better lifestyle create most of the problems in the game.
4Trevor Philips (GTA V)
Unbothered, Moisturized, Probably Not Happy!
Voiced bySteven Ogg, Trevor Philips is a co-protagonist of GTA V who’s infamous for his deranged, violent, and unhinged rampages across the gaming world.
When he learns that Michael is alive after nine years of believing otherwise, he desperately finds his whereabouts and bursts into his house to confront him.
Funnily enough, as soon as he learns that Michael’s daughter is about to be humiliated at the audition for a dancing show, his first response is to save her from the embarrassment.
This is simply one of the instances wherehe surprises you with his unpredictable actions and skewed perspective, cementing his position as one of thebest characters with untamed chaos.
He isn’t the smartest out of the lot, but you can’t ignore his loyalty, honesty, and caring nature towards the people close to him, giving him more credit.
3Tommy Vercetti (Grand Theft Auto: Vice City)
Keeping It To Business
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Tommy Vercetti’s ascension into the crime business inGTA: Vice Cityremains one of the greatest storylines for me.
Starting from scratch after serving a 15-year life sentence, Tommy willingly returns to the criminal life in Vice City by running errands for his past associates who might have set him up.
When he is tipped by Cortez that Diaz might be responsible for an ambushed drug deal, he doesn’t jump the gun immediately, despite Lance instigating him later on.
After eventually taking over Diaz’s crime empire, Tommy expands it exponentially as he builds and invests in multiple new ventures.
I feel that his biggest strength is thathe relies only on himself to set plans in motion despite having a gang and people who run errands for him.
Given his personality, I believe it makes perfect sense that he is voiced by the late actor Ray Liotta and inspired by Tony Montana from Scarface.
