Rockstar has long remained one of the leading names in gaming. The company has been around for decades, and each title they produce is bound to be engaging. They are one of the rare video game development companies that can guarantee quality, each game allowing for endless hours of entertainment.
And even though Rockstar has never really released a "bad" game, some of their titles are obviously better than others. The company has released some of the greatest video games of all time, and their Metacritic scores are understandably sky high. These are the best of the best.
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad Of Gay Tony (2009) - 89
The Ballad of Gay Tony was the second expansion pack for the core Grand Theft Auto IV, released over one year later on October 29, 2009. It was the worst-reviewed entry of the wider GTA IV series, but with a Metacritic score of 89, it's very obvious that the game is still well worth playing.
The expansion includes a few gameplay elements not seen in the original Grand Theft Auto IV, including BASE jumping, underground fight tournaments, and drug wars.
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost And Damned (2009) - 90
The Lost and Damned was the first expansion pack for GTA IV, released in February 2009. Players control Johnny Klebitz, a member of a fading motorcycle gang known as The Lost MC. The game played very similarly to Grand Theft Auto IV, only with an increased emphasis on motorcycle riding and motorcycle races.
The game received incredibly strong reviews, with most critics noting the game's surprising length and depth and the strong emotional story at the heart of the game.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009) - 93
Chinatown Wars is arguably the greatest handheld entry in the Grand Theft Auto canon - at least according to Metacritic. The game was originally released for the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable before receiving mobile ports for Android and iOS.
The game was quite controversial upon its release for its drug-selling mechanic, which saw the player buying drugs from suppliers and selling them to dealers for a profit. Regardless, the game earned widespread acclaim and was quickly labeled one of the Nintendo DS's greatest titles.
Red Dead Redemption (2010) - 95
Back in 2004, Rockstar San Diego developed a video game called Red Dead Revolver. Six years later, a spiritual successor named Red Dead Redemption was released, and it was quickly labeled as one of the greatest video games ever made.
Players controlled John Marston, an ex-outlaw who is hired by the American government to hunt down his old gang members in return for leniency and freedom. The Western setting proved remarkably entertaining and unique, and the story received enormous praise for its character writing and ending.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) - 95
Released just one year after the legendary Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City took the GTA formula to Florida, and what a surprise it turned out to be. Players control Tommy Vercetti, a convict and mafia member who is sent to Vice City (Miami) to establish a drug empire.
The game contained all the great gameplay that made GTA III so revolutionary, the Vice City setting remains one of the most popular in the entire GTA canon, and Tommy (voiced by none other than Ray Liotta) proved one of the best protagonists in gaming. It's an undeniable classic.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) - 95
After taking a year off, Rockstar returned with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The year-long break was certainly understandable, as San Andreas proved far more ambitious than Vice City.
Not only was the map much bigger (containing three separate cities and the surrounding countryside), but it also contained numerous role-playing elements - including the need to eat and work out. Unsurprisingly, the game received widespread praise for all the usual reasons.
Grand Theft Auto III (2001) - 97
Serving as one of the most revolutionary video games of all time, Grand Theft Auto III changed the gaming landscape when it was released in October 2001. Never before had a world been so expertly crafted and so immersive.
The 3D open world was unlike anything seen in gaming at the time, and the level of freedom that the game afforded its players was simply unimaginable. This game singlehandedly launched the industry into the 21st century, and its reverberations are still being felt to this day.
Grand Theft Auto V (2013) - 97
The fifth entry in the Grand Theft Auto series was met with the same enthusiasm as its numerous predecessors. Grand Theft Auto V served as one of the final games released for the seventh generation of consoles, but it later found great success on the PC and eighth-generation - especially through its incredibly popular online component.
This game broke from series tradition and featured three protagonists - a unique gameplay mechanic that could have proved disastrous. This being Rockstar, it didn't.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) - 97
There was quite a lot of hype surrounding Red Dead Redemption 2, considering the legendary status of its predecessor. Luckily, this game managed to reach - and even succeed - even the wildest of expectations. Like Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar took a bit of a risk with this prequel.
John Marston is a beloved character, and this game sidelined him to supporting status in favor of newcomer Arthur Morgan. Luckily, Arthur proved a sympathetic and endlessly enjoyable protagonist, and the game was immediately deemed a worthy successor.
Grand Theft Auto IV (2008) - 98
Serving as Rockstar's highest-rated game, Grand Theft Auto IV may prove just as revolutionary and influential as Grand Theft Auto III. Released four years after San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto IV brought the legendary series into the seventh generation, complete with a massive and extraordinarily detailed Liberty City that quickly proved the greatest open-world map in gaming history.
While the gameplay may be divisive, the technical merits of Grand Theft Auto IV earn it the distinction of being the highest-rated Rockstar title on Metacritic.