GTA V is a massive game. So it already offers us many ways to have fun in Los Santos and the surrounding areas.
But let’s be honest:
After 10+ years of playing the game, you probably know it like the back of your hand.
Adding new cars and weapons is always a good way to spice things up. But if you’re a real expert, you need something much more dramatic.
The following mods change fundamental aspects of GTA 5 for a new experience. New missions, alternative gameplay, and extreme aesthetic makeovers are only some of the fantastic add-ons in this ranking.
The zombie apocalypse has become one of the fundamental myths of modern society.
There’s something about everyone literally eating each other that resonates with our idea of a dog-eat-dog world.
And no place on the planet is more dog-eat-dog than Los Santos.
The Simple Zombies mod will turn GTA V into a zombie survival game, complete with an item-crafting system, vehicle-repair mechanics, and – of course – very hungry undead.
You can build a camp, recruit survivors, distribute weapons… it’s quite in-depth despite the “simple” tag.
The Dead Among Us is a zombie survival-oriented map transforming part of Los Santos into a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Creator Denedwin has worked on many eerie, abandoned, and decaying makeovers for different game map areas – which you can check out in his mod catalog.
Only a few maps are “complete,” but even the prototypes add a lot to the zombie survival experience. Some of my favorites are 2 Many Years and The Islands.
I decided to avoid graphic mods that make the game look more realistic, as I don’t feel they transform the experience too much.
That said, there’s one ReShade preset that can definitely make GTA V feel like a different game.
The ComicToon ReShade will give your game an extreme makeover and turn it into a cel-shaded title with vibrant colors reminiscent of games like Killer 7, No More Heroes, or XIII.
This new comic-book look justifies doing a whole new playthrough from the very beginning. It changes the game’s tone into something a lot wilder.
If you don’t feel like making your way through the entire game again, why don’t you try out Alebal’s New Missions?
This pack of custom challenges features 100 all-new missions, some similar to the vanilla game and others completely different.
There are new characters, new game mechanics, and you’ll even get to play as different people like Lamar and Lester instead of the three main protagonists.
After the depressing disappointment that was CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077, fans of this bleak, dystopian genre need something to wash away the bitter aftertaste.
A great option is Grand Cyber Punk, a massive overhaul of GTA V that’ll turn Los Santos and its surroundings into a cyberpunk wonderland full of neon, futuristic vehicles and bad-ass cybernetically-enhanced characters.
It’s still a work in progress, but the parts that have already been reconstructed – including Legion Square, Textile City, Little Seul, and the Downtown – are a sight to behold.
Grand Theft SPACE will let you explore the final frontier by sending you on a dangerous mission to intercept and neutralize a group of dangerous extraterrestrials planning an attack on humanity.
Your adventure will have you explore three moons and eleven planets full of advanced facilities and vicious enemies in your quest to protect humanity.
New vehicles, weapons, enemies, and a surprisingly good storyline are waiting for you in GTS.
I won’t lie to you: I’m a goody-two-shoes in real life.
The sole idea of stealing a pack of gum from a 7-Eleven gives me anxiety.
That’s why I love LSPD: First Response, which allows me to enjoy the action-packed gameplay of GTA V from the perspective of those who keep the peace.
In this mod, you’ll take the role of an LSPD officer, participating in every part of police life – from high-speed pursuits and manhunts to routine patrols around town.
Many challenges to overcome and a ton of customization to discover make this one of the most complete GTA V conversions ever made.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was my first contact with the franchise. I’d spend hours just fooling around with cheat codes and enjoying the 80s appeal of Vice City.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll go wild for Vice Cry: Remastered.
This ports the entirety of Vice City to the Grand Theft Auto V engine. It’s a bit like a Vice City-themed DLC, with incredible graphics and impeccable gameplay.
Tommy Vercetti has never looked this good.
This is the ultimate way to enjoy Vice City – and the most amazing total conversion for GTA V.
Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.
