I have a deep, dark secret to reveal: up until now, I played GTA V without mods. The vanilla version of the game is fantastic, and the thought never crossed my mind to see how mods would change the way I play one of the best-selling games of all time. With GTA VI on the horizon, I decided to give GTA V mods a try, and boy, have I been missing out.

GTA V is still receiving updates to this day, more than a decade after launch. But what's keeping the game alive are the myriad of incredible mods. Here's a list of the ones that significantly changed the way I cruised the streets of Los Santos.

1 Simple Zombies

Your mission is simple: survive.

GTA V's Los Santos seems like the perfect open world to survive a zombie apocalypse in. With the Simple Zombies mod, you can bring this fantasy to life. Run around the city with your friends (and enemies), scavenge for weapons, craft ammunition, and do your best to survive the zombie horde that's overrun Los Santos. With zombie games seemingly making a return in 2025, now might be the perfect time to download this mod.

The Simple Zombies Mod Includes:

• Unique zombie AI.
• Crafting and survival mechanics.
• Fortification system.
• Day and night cycles that impact zombies' behavior.

2 Iron Man Mark V Armor

You'll be bringing the party to them.

Let's be honest: even if you're not a fan of superhero movies (especially not any of the recent ones), you've probably imagined what it would be like to run around in an Iron Man suit. The Iron Man Mark V Armor is that very mod.

There are some games that replicate the feeling of playing as the titular superhero, such as the Iron Man VR game, Crystal Dynamics' Marvel Avengers, and even Bioware's now dead live-service shooter, Anthem. But the cool thing about this mod is that it lets you play out this fantasy in an actual city.

Suit up, soar through the sky, and tank missile your enemies as the billionaire superhero.

The Iron Man Mark V Armor Mod Includes:

• Repulsor beams and tank missiles (our favorite).
• Unique flight mechanics.
• Customizable armor colors.
• Custom Iron Man-style HUD.

3 VisualV

Lost Santos has never looked so squeaky.

A big part of what makes GTA games so fun is immersion. 2008's GTA 4 cemented the element of immersion into the series, and GTA V continued this trend. However, the game is over a decade old, and while the art direction has allowed the game to age very gracefully, the finer details, such as textures and lighting, do look a bit out of date.

Installing VisualV is like giving GTA V a day at the spa. The game looks like it came out this year with ultra-realistic textures, realistic weather effects, more defined shaders, and tons more. It may still play like GTA V, but it looks like a completely different game. Highly recommended for anyone looking to make GTA V extra immersive.

The VisualV Mod Includes:

• Enhanced lighting and weather effects.
• Ultra-realistic textures and shaders.
• Better draw distance and improved level of detail.
• Realistic reflections (when it rains with this mod installed, the reflections are absolutely incredible).

4 Menyoo 2.0

The power is completely in your hands.

GTA V gives a lot of freedom to the player. That's been one of the key tenets on which the series has been built. But ever feel like you can and should do more? Then Menyoo 2.0 is just the mod for you. This mod allows you to tailor the GTA experience to your exact preferences. Don't feel like driving to a faraway location? Just teleport there. Don't want to steal a car? Spawn one in. You want it to snow in California? You can have it (you monster).

Play GTA V the way you want with the Menyoo 2.0 mod.

The Menyoo 2.0 Mod Includes:

• Initiate dynamic world events.
• Teleport to any part of the map.
• Spawn objects, NPCs, and vehicles.
• Play with weather and physics options (you can even turn down the gravity).

5 Realistic Dispatch Mod

Feel the true might and tenacity of the LSPD.

If the vanilla AI and dispatch system don't scratch that police chase itch, then this mod is a must-install. We all know how the police system functions in GTA V. You start without any notoriety and the more crimes you commit, the more police are sent after you.

This system has worked quite well throughout the franchise, but some fans believe it can be more realistic, varied, and difficult. The Realistic Dispatch Mod makes it, so police spawn at a more realistic distance, but there's more of them, they're far more aggressive, and a lot more dedicated to taking you down. Additionally, police cars will chase you in the train formation, like they do on those cop shows.

The Realistic Dispatch Mod Includes:

• More realistic response times.
• Less police despawning.
• Police car chase formation.
• Longer-lasting police wanted level.

6 GTA 5 Redux

It feels like an entirely different game.

GTA V Redux is another one of those mods that makes the game look completely different. The best part about GTA V Redux, is that it's not just a simple mod, but an entire package. It comes with all manner of changes, additions, and improvements that change Los Santos completely.

Here's a (long) list of all the features this beast of a mod contains:

• Improved lighting and shaders.
• 4K textures.
• Immersive visual effects.
• More realistic vehicle handling.
• Reworked police system.
• Weapon recoil, reload animations, and firing distance.
• Random events throughout the city.
• New ragdoll physics.
• And tons more.

If you don't feel like downloading a ton of mods and want an everything-in-one package, GTA V Redux is the real deal.

7 NaturalVision Evolved

Another fantastic visual mod with tons of visual details.

Though the NaturalVision Evolved mod may still be a work in progress, it already looks incredible. VisualV is also a great mod for immersive visuals, but NaturalVision Evolved takes things to a whole new level.

This mod is more focused on high-definition, ultra-realistic textures. With this mod installed, the nature surrounding Los Santos looks as good, even better than a lot of modern open-world titles. I especially enjoyed pairing NaturalVision Evolved with a realistic driving mod, going out into the countryside, and doing some off-roading.

The NaturalVision Evolved Mod Includes:

• Ray tracing and advanced lighting effects.
• Ultra-realistic high-definition textures.
• New objects around Los Santos.
• Greater visual detail.

8 Map Editor

Los Santos is your sandbox to build sandcastles in.

Vanilla GTA V comes with an incredible sandbox that players have been tinkering with for over a decade. You have a lot of options for creating unique game modes with their own unique maps.

Now, if GTA Online already has a built-in map editor, why download this mod? Firstly, this mod also works in singleplayer, allowing you to tailor the map to your liking while playing through the campaign. Also, the Map Editor mod is a lot less restrictive. GTA Online's world builder has a lot of guidelines that you must follow. The Map Editor mod gives you a lot more freedom to build and change the map to your exact preferences.

More freedom is always great for games like GTA V, making the Map Editor mod an excellent addition.

The Map Editor Mod Includes:

• Spawn objects, structures, and items onto the map.
• Freeroaming camera.
• Full control over placement.
• Spawned objects are interactive like permanent features.

9 Vehicle Cannon

It's literally a vehicle cannon.

Do you hate the world so much that you want to pelt it with multi-ton metal machinery? Download the Vehicle Cannon mod and have yourself a blast.

The Vehicle Cannon is an oddly specific mod, yet one that we are very thankful to have. The joy of venting your anger by hurling cars at the poor citizens of Los Santos (and real players, of course) is unmatched. And that's really all there is to it. Not much else to say, besides: vehicle cannon.

The Vehicle Cannon Mod Includes:

• A cannon that shoots vehicles.
• The weapon that throws cars
• A firearm that fires automobiles.
• A handheld cannon that hurls horseless carriages.

10 Real California Architecture

GTA V is now even more California-y.

One of our favorite parts of GTA 4 was the spoof versions of real-world NYC locations. GTA V has no shortage of these, with the likes of the Vinewood (Hollywood) sign, Vespucci (Venice) Beach, and the Galileo (Griffith) Observatory.

But what if you wanted the real thing? What if California is so sacred to you that these spoofs are just not to your liking? Then simply install the Real California Architecture mod and replace all the spoofs with their real-life counterparts. Every landmark and popular destination is rendered to match the one in the real Los (Angeles) Santos and the surrounding areas. Though the changes are only visual, Real California Architecture goes quite well with other immersive mods.

The Real California Architecture Mod Includes:

• Replaces buildings with real-life counterparts.
• Fully rendered buildings that stay true to real architecture.
• Real stores and real brands.
• Immersive billboards.

Plenty More Mods to Check Out

This list only grazes the very surface of what GTA V mods are capable of. Be sure to check out the countless other mods available for GTA V and experience this classic in a whole new light.