The evolution of a long-standing game series like Grand Theft Auto can very well be compared to the journey of video games themselves from the late 90s until today. The first title came out in 1997 to great acclaim from Rockstar North (formerly DMA Design), but with its acclaim swiftly came the controversy which plagues (or decorates?) the series still today.
The second game wasn't a far cry from the first, but it did come with enhanced graphics and various gangs, which we'll see later on as well. GTA 3 turned the tables by 90 degrees by adding the third dimension, leaving behind the top-down perspective for a now more familiar third person camera. Generally considered a breakthrough of the series, several other titles came out in the same general style with different settings in both time and space, as well as completely different protagonists.
A new engine and 7 years after GTA 3 we've got the first title coming out on the current generation of consoles, we have GTA IV (why do they keep changing the numbering system?), touting very similar gameplay, but a much more realistic style to it.
Finally we'll be getting the latest title on September 17th of this year.
Reddit user Rhymes_with_relevant has done an awesome job of creating a topical retrospective into how the series has evolved in both looks and gameplay. It's a nice way to see the evolution of gaming in general through time. Without further ado, I present to you GTA to GTA V.
