Grand Theft Auto was initially nothing more than a violence and drug-fuelled anonymous romp through the life of a criminal, shot from a top-down perspective which seemed to favour high-speed police chases above everything else. By the time the third entry was released on PS2 in 2001 however, the rules had changed, and the possibilities started to become endless. Sure, 'Claude' - the mute protagonist of GTA III - wasn't going to win any character design awards, but the foundations were in place for the titanic GTA: Vice City, where the (admittedly rather stereotypical) story of 1980's hedonism was told brilliantly, bringing in elements from movies such as The Godfather and Scarface for gamers to enjoy. GTA has become a titan of gaming, and rightfully so, even those who have never picked up a controller know what it is. For better or for worse, Grand Theft Auto is a pop-culture phenomenon, each new release being gobbled up like it's the only game that matters. Credit where credit is due, Rockstar - the company who develop each title - know what their audience enjoys. Story-telling and strong characters are at the heart of the GTA experience nowadays, and boy have they ever created some absolute stormers. This article focuses on 10 of those characters, exploring why they're so alluring as people and exactly how Rockstar managed to create such intrigue around them.
