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, it just has to be done. 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.
Many players, myself included, were a little disappointed with the initial realization that Grand Theft Auto V wasn’t going to be like the San Andreas we all knew. The traditional gang-land mechanics in the previous San Andreas game was a major hit and worked great for the time, it added a great dynamic to Grand Theft Auto.
But worry not, if you’re dying to get back to those classic gang wars over turf, the Gang and Turf mod is perfect for you. It overhauls GTA 5 to include the classic San Andreas gang mechanics, simple as that.
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.
Zombie overhaul mods aren’t exactly that original, if it’s an open world it’s bound to have a zombie mod. However, out of all the zombie mods that GTA V this is perhaps one of the far better ones. The Zombie Outbreak Simulator does what it says on the tin, it transforms the world of San Andreas into a post-apocalyptic hellscape, full of once friendly NPCs now bent on eating your brains.
Fight your way through hoards of brain-eating zombies, and fend off rival survivors to protect your supplies, in this amazing apocalyptic overhaul mod.
It has been 10 years since the release of Grand Theft Auto V, and save for updates and re-releases, the game is still the same at its core. So, you couldn’t be judged for getting a little bored from time to time, and wishing for something unique to happen. Well, this is where Chaos Mod V comes in!
Chaos Mod V adds 290 unique scenarios, at random, to the world of Grand Theft Auto. Meaning your experience is unique every time you play. These scenarios are often extremely bizarre, and can often make it far harder to complete normal in-game objectives. Therefore, this is a great mod for those wanting to not only spice up their gameplay but finally make the game a real challenge.
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, as 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.
Wish you could suit up like Tony Stark and fly around in an unbelievably powerful weaponized suit of armor. Never going to happen, but you can get as close as humanly possible through this amazing mod! For years GTA 5 modders have been attempting to perfect mods that incorporate functioning superheroes into the world of San Andreas. The Ironman Armor MK III is one such mod that does it fantastically.
With this mod, you can expect an incredibly high-resolution recreation of Ironman’s MKIII armor. But it doesn’t stop there, you can also expect to do exactly the things Tony Stark does in the movies. You’ll be able to fly around the map with ease, and completely obliterate your enemies using rockets and repulse blasters. With this mod, you’ll be unstoppable!
Grand Theft Auto 5 does vehicles well, with a great variety of vehicle types, whether two-wheeled or four-wheeled. However, maybe you’re getting a little sick of driving around like a normal person, in a normal car. And, instead, you’re in the mood to hit the streets of Los Santos in a bathtub perhaps?
Well, the Funny Vehicles Pack has you covered! From Heisenberg’s famous RV to a literal sofa, you can drive just about any manner of vehicle imaginable. Other than a ridiculous number of bizarre vehicles, one of the most interesting additions is the inclusion of a functioning surfboard. This is something completely missing from GTA 5, so a great addition for those that love surfing.
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.
