IGN has published a ranked feature celebrating the best individual missions across the five main-line Grand Theft Auto games, from GTA 3 onwards, which together contain 346 story missions. The piece highlights the standout moments that showcase Rockstar Games' storytelling and design craft, from cinematic openers to elaborate heists.

Among the entries detailed are "Give Me Liberty" from GTA 3, the game's atmospheric opening mission introduced by 8-Ball, and "Museum Piece" from GTA 4, in which Niko Bellic's diamond deal at a fictional Liberty City museum turns into a shootout, notably featuring a cameo from future protagonist Johnny Klebitz. The article frames these missions as pivotal points that helped define the series' evolution from its top-down origins to a cinematic, narrative-driven format.