Does GTA IV have the best protagonists?

[kingsongome]

I recently replayed GTA IV and The Epsiodes From Liberty City and I feel like the characters all have a sense of respect and dignity whilst every other GTA seems to just have stereotype gangster. I mean in GTA 3 all you did was end up killing all the people you work for and in Vice City its roughly the same. Not saying I dislike the other games or characters I just think GTA IV's have so much more to them then just killing for money. I mean the instances where Niko, Luis, and Johnny do anything it just seems like they're motivations are different. The characters feel more relatable because instead of just going for money they want something else they just seem more compassionate for the people they work with other than just turning on them immediately because someone else says too.
I would love to hear opinions and thoughts on these protagonists or any others. Weather you agree or disagree it would be nice to know!!

 

[Zloth]

You mean in just the GTA games?

 

[jpishgar]

Niko was relatable, though I felt focused on revenge and perhaps a stereotypical perception of living the "American Dream" as a component of his character.

Weirdly enough, I think I related the most with GTA 5's protagonists. Trevor was clearly the subject of a botched upbringing and conscious, unhinged chaos (less relatable) and a fairly continuous cry for help, Franklin's directives were immediate and pragmatic - to get out of the hood and make something of himself, and Michael's were to self-actualize in the middle of a mid-life crisis. Intensely flawed characters, each of them, with tiny, almost microscopic shreds of redeemable qualities to each.

 

[spvtnik1]

I found the characters in GTA IV (and the two episodes of Liberty City) to be the most believable. GTA V just seemed over the top at times - nothing wrong with that - but it felt more like I had finished a good story at the end of GTA IV.

Video game cast of the decade? Maybe, I never played Witcher III yet so, I don't have much ground to stand on and make that claim.