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, Anderson highlighted how GTA 2 was pivotal in shaping the series’ future by focusing on experimentation rather than perfection.
1/ 🎉 Here's to 25 Years of GTA 2! 🎮 Many see it as a misstep, but as a member of the original creative team, I consider #GTA2 pivotal in shaping #GrandTheftAuto's future. Here's a short thread on why I think GTA 2 is the unsung hero of the franchise 🧵 pic.twitter.com/luvUxqg54B
— Colin Anderson (@denkicolin) October 22, 2024
Released on October 22, 1999, GTA 2 introduced several innovative features, such as a 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.
