Colin Anderson, the audio manager and co-composer for Grand Theft Auto II at DMA Design, recently paid tribute to the game, calling it the “unsung hero” of the franchise. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, many see GTA 2 as a misstep, but Anderson believes that it was pivotal in shaping Grand Theft Auto’s future.
GTA 2 introduced several innovative features such as the gang reputation system and fictionalized radio commercials. It also moved the setting to “Anywhere USA,” a retrofuturistic metropolis inspired by films and comics like Terry Gilliam’s Brazil and Frank Miller’s Hard Boiled. These elements made it one of the more experimental entries in the series.
Anderson highlighted that GTA 2 was key for experimentation over perfection, making it a critical step in the franchise’s evolution. The game moved away from simple point-and-click mechanics and towards creating a meaningful immersive world.
Do you agree that GTA 2 is an unsung hero of the franchise?
I had a lot of fun with it back then. I don’t think I ever beat it though.
It’s pretty interesting looking back on it and seeing how many of the gameplay mechanics went on to be in GTA 3.