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[IbizaPocholo]

Before GTA 6's Lucia and Jason arrive and potentially win our hearts, who is the current number 1 Grand Theft Auto protagonist?

From Tommy Vercetti to GTA 5's Trevor, Michael and Franklin, Grand Theft Auto is stacked with iconic characters we all remember. But which one is the best? Do you prefer Niko Bellic from GTA 4 to GTA 3's Claude? And where does CJ from GTA San Andreas sit? We put all the best Grand Theft Auto characters to the test to finally decide the ultimate ranking.

Who's the best Grand Theft Auto character of all time? Let's find out!

00:00 - Intro
00:31 - Grand Theft Auto 1 Characters
01:40 - Claude Speed - GTA 2
02:37 - Claude - GTA 3
03:59 - Tommy Vercetti - GTA Vice City
04:47 - Tony Cipriani and Victor Vance
06:58 - Johnny Klebitz - Lost and Damned
08:09 - Michael De Santa - GTA 5
08:58 - Huang Lee - GTA Chinatown Wars
09:59 - Luis Lopez - Ballad of Gay Tony
11:14 - Trevor Phillips - GTA 5
13:02 - Frankin Clinton - GTA 5
14:53 - C.J - San Andreas
16:26 - Niko Bellic - GTA 4

 

[Leviathicus]

Woozie, easily.

 

[March Climber]

I agree with most of the list, but I would switch Niko's ranking with Claude. Claude makes perfect sense as a protagonist of this series.

Same with CJ, Tommy, Huang, and Trevor.

Niko does not. While he is a cool protagonist as someone who is trying to reach his version of an American dream, his character is at odds with the twisted nature of the series itself.

The other characters I've listed above are not. They either accept, excel, or revel in what they do.

 

[NeverYouMind]

As a character I enjoyed Lance Vance most. He was voiced by Philip Michael Thomas of Miami Vice fame. Both in Vice City and Vice City Stories he brought a lot of charisma.


P.S. Too bad there was no San Andreas Stories as they could have expanded on Ceasar's backstory.

 

[Judge Magister]

V is up there with the worse GTAs. I would never replay that game, it's characters and story are as uninteresting as it gets.

I'm ok with people liking CJ more but don't say IV or Niko are not proper GTA. That's the same s* i keep hearing about Resident Evil 4.

Cousin's bowling apart, IV was awesome and Niko was a big part of it.

 

[MayauMiao]

 

[Soodanim]

I can honestly say I couldn't care less about Niko Bellic. I barely even remember anything about his character or story despite having given the game another go in the last year. No charisma, no nothing. I remember more of 3 Claude's monologues than Niko's. He's about as fun and memorable as the game's colour palette suggests.

One thing I can say about 5 is that they at least made things more fun, with MayauMiao 's post above being a great example.

But give me any character from PS2 GTA's world any day.

 

[Dazraell]

I remember more of 3 Claude's monologues than Niko's

 

[Hudo]

Woozie, easily.

My vote goes to Woozie as well.

 

[March Climber]

V is up there with the worse GTAs. I would never replay that game, it's characters and story are as uninteresting as it gets.

I'm ok with people liking CJ more but don't say IV or Niko are not proper GTA. That's the same s* i keep hearing about Resident Evil 4.

Cousin's bowling apart, IV was awesome and Niko was a big part of it.

GTA 4 is great for it's own reasons, but Niko and his story both felt like he belonged to a different, more dramatic franchise.

I could see him easily fitting into the plot of a Mafia 5, True Crime 3, Sleeping Dogs 2, or maybe even Watch Dogs 4 if they made him more tech savvy.

 

[Sephimoth]

IGN put the illegal immigrant at number 1?

Great game though, but Niko would definitely be on the lower end of my fav GTA protags (above Claude).

Tommy Vercetti would be my pick...

 

[Peroroncino]

Niko is the goat, so I agree there.

 

[TastyPastry]

they got first and second place right but putting tommy vercetti behind any of the crap characters from gta 5 is criminal. i would even put claude before fhem because i love his design and i like how he is the silent killer type.

 

[PlayStaytion]

Niko? he's comparable to Mark Hammond from The Gateway.

 

[Yamisan]

LOL OP is an idiot that reads IGN

 

[calico]

Yusuf Amir

 

[Rockondevil]

Neat, but Niko probably my least favourite.