I've always wanted to play GTA games, but never really had a good enough reason to buy one. But now with the Daily Deals and GTA games being on sale, I'm looking for some advice on which game I should get as a complete noob.
What game would you suggest for a first time GTA player? I really like the Saint's Row games, and some of my favourite parts were just driving around the open world and doing side activities. I just really want a nice open world, with a lot of content and that runs well, so what does BGSF suggest for easing me in?

San Andreas. Unlike the other games, this one had a HUGE world since it was a state and not a city. It was my first too, and still wish I could play it again...

Its almost like a RPG in ways as well: Stats, player customization, mini games, etc.

Saints Row the Third.

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I knew it was the biggest, but I thought it was lacking a bit in detail and story?

If you're looking for fun with extra side activities and a game that's more like Saint's Row, get San Andreas. For a more realistic feel I'd say go for GTA IV. The "Episodes from Liberty City" are some of the best add-ons for a game I've ever played.

GTA V comes out this Spring I think.

It's less detailed in terms of graphics and the city doesn't feel as real as in GTA IV, but there is more to do than in GTA IV. You can do vigilante missions, taxi mission and ambulance missions, fly planes, build your characters strength up at the gym and buy clothes and tattoo's. The story is okay, but the game isn't really focused on it.

I didn't think people bought GTA games for the story. Liberty City on the PSP was the first one I owned and I think I did a total of 8 missions. But played well over 200 hours. I'll second San Andreas. I had fond memories of playing this at a friends and its vast sandbox-ness is why I enjoy GTA games, not for stories and "realistic driving" (ie GTA IV).

San Andreas and Vice City are the best in the series, in my opinion.

San Andreas. It was just completely amazing.

Agreed, The Ballad of Gay Tony is probably my favorite GTA yet.

This is the truth.

Looks like it's gonna be San Andreas then. Thank you all

San Andreas is probably what you're looking for but I actually recommend starting with Vice City.

That's the one I started with, and I still love it. The story, the setting, the voice acting, everything. Not to mention the soundtrack teeming with 80s songs, and tons of references to various 80s films and shows.

From there, graduate on to SA. If you were to start with SA, everything else would seem like a downgrade. A lot of people here dislike GTA 4 because it's a lot more "sober" I guess you could say, but I think it's incredible. Tons to do in IV as well.

I would wait for gta V to come out so the series can knock your socks off.

Or instead of waiting several months to pay 60 bucks on a game that may or may not be good you can pick up San Andreas, Vice City or even GTA IV for under $10 each on Steam.

Won't be on PC for quite a while though. (or it certainly seems that way)

Well I was planning on getting GTA V as well, but that will be a while. I've just got money to spare and GTA has always caught my eye.

Exactly. The goal of GTA games is to drive on the sidewalk and kill hokers

Anyway I love them all

I only wish I could still play Vice City and SA. They don't work with windows 7 unless you delete a config file and lose all your custom keybinds and whatnot. I haven't found a way to get them to work with windows 7, but I haven't looked in months either so maybe there's a fix now?

I swear I occasionally have dreams where I'm walking around Vice City like it's a real place. Not Miami, Vice City. That's part of the 80s junkie in me though.

GTA 5 I hear won't be on the PC. If that's true then I'm done with the series. GTA 4 is decent enough. It's really lacking in some areas but at least I can play it on my PC.

My own favourite is GTA III. Vice City is very good as well, and so is GTA IV (though that probably isn't the kind of game you're looking for, too realistic and gritty). I'm probably one of the only people on the internet who never liked San Andreas.

this ^^

I think this is the point where GTA became a real man's game. Prior to this it was more for the adolescent listening to too much hip hop artists. Not saying the previous were bad games. I just loved the whole feel and plot of GTA 3 so much more.

Vice City. Best one IMO.

Get San Andreas for PC and then get the Things To Do In San Andreas mod which adds cut content including bug fixes, more missions, more everything.

Assuming you're not interested trying the first two episode and their 2D graphics, let's have a look at the parts with 3D visuals:

Grand Theft Auto III: Only one I haven't really played, because it was incredible power-hungry when it was released. Even the recommended specs weren't enough to run it smoothly, so I skipped and somewhow never tried again since then.

Vice City: Wonderful trip to the 80's, probalby the most profilic GTA ever released. In a nutshell, its Miami Vice meets Scarface, supported by an exceptional OST.

San Andreas: The boys in the hood are always hard, especially with that early 90s style. Incredible variety in activities to do and places to go, but for me, it has less soul than VC.

Grand Theft Auto IV: Overall, its a way realistic experience, which fits as it is the tale of an Eastern European immigrant in the USA. Great experience with a focused storyline, but technically still a cheap console port.

Lost and Damned: Motorcylces, guns and narcotics. And "should've-been-better" gang AI, respectively. Otherwise its a quality expansion, which really shows you another side to the main storyline, and Liberty City itself.

Ballad of Gay Tony: Every gay bar owner needs a straight right-hand man who're not afraid to do dirty jobs. In exchange, enjoy high-end stuffs from the ground to the sky. Another excellent expansion, worth every cent.

Really, you can't go wrong either of them, watch a few gameplay videos on YouTube to decide whether the outdated graphics are bothering you or not. If latter (or you simply has an old PC), start with Vice City, then proceed.

Really? I have Windows 7 and bought SA a few days ago on Steam and it runs fine for me. Only bad thing is poor resolution options but other then that it never had issues starting or in gameplay.