Rockstar has managed to create something magical with Grand Theft Auto 5, a game that keeps bringing players back, time after time, for almost 10 years now. And no doubt they’ll manage to do so again with Grand Theft Auto VI. However, we PC players can’t help ourselves when it comes to modding. From the bizarre to the game-changing, in this article, we’re running you through the best GTA 5 mods that you need to completely upgrade your gaming experience.
Without further ado, let’s get modding!
The Redux mod is a total overhaul mod designed to fix graphical problems and upgrade lighting, graphics, weather, and almost every aspect of the game. And whilst GTA V is often beautiful in its own right, Redux takes it to an entirely different level. Redux has added 4k textures, improved sun rays, and has even overhauled the handling of the game itself; a little taste of that next-gen raytracing beauty! Now, with Redux you can expect vehicles to handle far better, with a more realistic feel to them. Additionally, you’ll notice that NPCs are not as mindless as they appear in the base game.
Lastly, Redux provides some minor fixes to police behavior, making them act far more realistically. Therefore, Redux is the perfect mod for those looking for a clean overhaul, without the need for putting mods together and spending hours trying to perfect your load order. If you’re wanting just one mod, that will work straight from installation, this is the perfect one for you.
Grand Theft Auto V is 10 years old by now, so the following criticism isn’t meant to be too scathing. But, I know I was disappointed by the sheer lack of enterable buildings around the world of Grand Theft Auto V. Worse yet, the buildings you could enter were not dynamic (except shops), but rather separate servers you have to load into. Games like Red Dead Redemption have moved in the right direction, with several buildings being openly enterable. But still, most Rockstar games lack this feature.
Not anymore! With the installation of Open All Interiors V2, you can (if it wasn’t obvious) enter a huge number of buildings across the map that were previously inaccessible. This completely changes the GTA V experience, realistically providing hours and hours of fun in the form of exploration. No longer will police chases be contained to the streets, as you’ll be able to hide in a plethora of open buildings.
Modded GTA 5 single-player can get a little boring after a while, even after installing all of the best mods on this list. That’s where FiveM comes in. FiveM is a client modification that allows players to participate in modded Grand Theft Auto Online. Something that is otherwise completely impossible.
Installing FiveM will give you access to a plethora of RP servers that have been created, which range in theme; some servers are dedicated to crime and police, while others are centred around jobs. There is something for everyone, making this one of the best mods for GTA 5.
Now, this wouldn’t be a GTA V mod list without including at least one native trainer. But, we’ll do you one better, as the GU trainer is perhaps one of the most advanced trainers currently available freely. Trainers often have a plethora of options, that all you to manipulate the game to your liking, whether that means spawning in items and vehicles, flying, or throwing cars around like you’re the Hulk.
However, the GU Mod allows players to do almost anything they could think of doing in GTA 5. You’ll completely control the weather time, gravity, and all other physics dictating the world of San Andreas. This mod is truly for those that want to feel like the God of their miniature world.
Rockstar create some amazing games, packed full of detail, they truly do. But, they often miss-the-mark in some serious areas when it comes to player activities. Think back to Red Dead Redemption Online, for example. Unfortunately, in the base game we can not rob Banks or ATMs. Which is a major feature not to have, especially once you have completed the story, leaving you with little to do.
Thanks to ATM Robberies & Bank Heists, you can now participate in many heists and many robberies. You can rob all 47 ATMs, and all 10 Banks across the entirety of GTA 5’s map.
NaturalVision Remastered is a cutting-edge visual overhaul of Grand Theft Auto 5, whilst it is still a ‘work in progress’, it is already exceptionally impressive. Hundreds of real-life photos have been collated by the author of this mod in the hopes of creating an almost photo-realistic Los Santos, based on Southern California.
With over 4000 man-hours spent on this mod, we can guarantee it is one of the best mods to install in 2023, even just to get a glimpse at graphics close to those of Grand Theft Auto 6.
Similar to the classic Gangs and Turf mod, LS life adds an entirely new element of roleplaying to the story mode of GTA 5. Instead of switching between three protagonists always getting into high-intensity situations, in LS Life you sit back and experience the life of a drug dealer. You’ll be in charge of operations, to grow your business and fight off rival gangs stepping on your turf.
This mod is great for those that have finished the storyline of the original base game. As once this is done, it becomes extremely hard to find objectives to do. Whereas, with LS Life you’ll be preoccupied trying to grow your very own drug empire.
If you’ve ever spent your weekend building a monster-modded Skyrim build, you’ll understand the need for interface mods like SkyUI. This modded GTA 5 Launcher is very much like that, giving players greater control over how Grand Theft Auto V launches. Whereas, GTA is usually launched straight from the Rockstar Launcher, or Steam, with no control over if it runs installed mods or not.
This is often troublesome for modders, regardless of what type of mod you have installed, Rockstar can ban you for having any unofficial files present in the game directory if you load into GTA Online. The GTA 5 Launcher allows you to launch either with mods or without for Online play, meaning you don’t have to remove your mods every time you want to play with friends.
I remember the first time I ever play through Grand Theft Auto V, that very first prologue mission set in the North Yankton town of Ludendorff. I’d made the mistake of believing that this was going to be a location you could freely return to, because “Hey it’s an open-world game, right?” Well, as we all know that didn’t happen.
North Yankton only appears twice throughout the entirety of Grand Theft Auto V, the prologue mission and the mission “Berry the Hatchet”. Outside of this, it is left unexplored, and you can’t explore it when there either as the map is only half generated. However, thanks to the insanely amazing mod community, you can now experience the glory of this forgotten location.
The North Yankton Unofficial DLC has added the entirety of the North Yankton area, which you can access by heading to the Los Santos Airport, which will take you straight to North Yankton. They’ve not merely made this location available but built it from the ground up. Meaning that there are tons of accessible buildings and things to do, in this completely player-made version of North Yankton.
Ever watched War of the Worlds and thought “Yeah that looks fun”? Yeah me neither. But, if fighting off an all-out Alien invasion of San Andreas sounds like a great way to spend your afternoon, this is the mod for you.
Aliens are an important part of Grand Theft Auto V, appearing in many aspects of the game. Such as UFO easter-eggs, and a host of actors dressed in ugly-green Alien suits. And of course, it is impossible to forget the numerous Alien weaponry players now have access to in GTA Online. However, the Alien Invasion Mod takes it to a whole new level, with Los Santos being gripped by a non-stop war between Aliens and the military and FIB.
This alone causes a lot of random events you’d otherwise never see. But, the mod also adds plenty of fresh content, such as Weapons, armor, vehicles, and new NPC units. Therefore, this is a great mod for those who love a bit of SCI-FI.
Now, this mod might not be flashy, but it is perhaps the only one on this list you NEED. Like SKSE for Skyrim, it is impossible to imagine attempting to heavily mod Grand Theft Auto V without Script Hook V. Whilst you may be able to afford to miss this one if you’re only planning on getting a couple of simple mods if you’re a serious modder its a must.
Grand Theft Auto V is not at the top of the list for the industry’s most mod-friendly games. Therefore, Script Hook V expands upon the base code of GTA 5, to allow for more complex mod scripts to run smoothly on GTA 5‘s dated engine. As mods advance, their scripts become far harder for the 10-year-old game to handle, thus making Script Hook V essential.
One of the biggest Grand Theft Auto VI leaked features, is the supposed detailed and complex Police AI and mechanics. The Police in GTA 5 are, unfortunately, dated and repetitive. However, if you’re wanting a more next-gen experience, this is the mod to download.
The most notably features of this mod, is that it completely overhauls the civilian response to crime and how you become wanted. Civilians will now need to witness and call the police before you get a wanted level. Silencers will also conceal crimes effectively, and police shootouts have been re-worked to make them more interesting.
Grand Theft Auto 5 is packed full of content, however, it can get quite boring and repetitive after-while lacking a lot of variety. So why not install the variety pack, and breath new life into the game!
There are 30 new features added as part of the World of Variety mod. For example, it adds all the content from GTA Online to single player, such as DLC vehicles and weapons. Additionally, it adds a variety of unique vehicles and props, as well as NPCS. Lastly, it adds new animations, scenarios, interiors, patrols, and concealed carry permits.
Always been a fan of the Eurotruck simulator? Bored of the non-stop violence of San Andreas? Perhaps, it is time to put down the guns and pick up that trucker cap, with the help of this amazing mod. Being an update to the original Trucking Missions mod, this mod turns GTA 5 into a Eurotruck simulator, just with the added benefit of greater graphics and far more gameplay options.
However, this mod successfully integrates Contracts into the trucker gameplay, meaning that you will need to pick up, safely transport, and deliver cargo from one place to another. This is a great mod to get you traveling all over Los Santos County and Blaine County, seeing things you may have never truly even seen before in GTA 5.
Why not end on a high note, with a mod that brings us back to one of Rockstar’s most classic additions to the Grand Theft Auto series? GTA Vice City is an iconic and often nostalgic game for many. But many players just can’t bring themselves to go back to such a dated and old game, with poor graphics and mechanics.
However, this mod doesn’t just re-create Vice City in GTA 5, it completely remasters Vice City, whilst retaining the iconic style. Therefore, for the players who have always wanted to play Vice City remastered, this is the perfect chance. On top of this, the mod has also been fleshed out with working in-game mechanics, and even missions for people to play from the original game.
