Let’s not beat around the bush: Rockstar is undoubtedly one of the most iconic gaming studios out there. Founded all the way back in 2003, it has changed the face of the industry with heavy hitters like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, along with its knack for amazing storytelling and cutting-edge graphics.
With a whopping 47 titles under its belt, whittling things down to the very best of the bunch is a tall order. But in the interests of celebrating the studio’s whopping twenty-five years of work, here's a rundown of the twelve best games Rockstar have ever made (subjective, of course).
The Warriors
They don’t make ‘em like The Warriors anymore – though maybe that’s for the best? One of Rockstar’s earlier games (it came out in 2005), The Warriors is a loose retelling of the 1979 thriller film of the same name. Perhaps appropriately, it's a veritable soup of styles and influences, drawing on GTA, Mortal Kombat and maybe even a touch of Manhunt (more on that one shortly). Our antiheroes in this story-heavy game are a gang from East Coney, who rise up through the ranks of New York’s baddest, only to find themselves framed for the murder of a mob boss. There’s anarchy, a lot of fighting and heaps of period-appropriate detail (from hairstyles to graffiti tags). One thing’s for certain: it’s never boring.
Manhunt
In terms of subject matter, Manhunt did Black Mirror before Black Mirror. Released in 2003, it told the rather repellent story of James Earl Cash, a Death Row escapee who strikes a chilling deal: he can earn his freedom, but only if he participates in an escalating series of snuff films, murdering goons sent to kill him on camera. Urged on by the sinister Director (aka Brian Cox, exceptionally chilling), it’s a horror story, social commentary and a brutally violent game, all wrapped up in one. It was praised upon release, but it's also exceptionally bleak stuff.
Bully
Bully got the Internet’s collective knickers in a twist when it was released in 2006. That said, it’s still one of the studio’s most intriguing offerings: the player takes on the role of teenage rebel Jimmy Hopkins, who starts a new high school and proceeds to crush the bully factions that inhabit it through a combination of violence, strategy and smarts. Made for PS2, it’s nobody’s idea of hi-fi graphics, but the interesting storyline, Jimmy’s sexual fluidity (you can kiss both boys and girls, revolutionary for 2006) and the open world of Bullworth (which changes as the seasons progress) make this a solid entry.
Grand Theft Auto 3
The game that put Rockstar on the map, GTA 3 arguably set the bar for what could be done on a PlayStation 2, delivering a world that was larger and more detailed that pretty much anything that had come before. This is also a game that fully embraces the idea of being a loud-mouthed criminal who kills people in all sorts of heinous ways on their way to the top: grenade, gun, car. It’s GTA at its most excessive and problematic, and it’s also indecently good fun.
GTA Online
GTA Online has taken on a life of its own at this point. Originally conceived as an add-on to GTA 4, this sprawling universe continues to be updated and polished by the developers at Rockstar. Log on and find a faithful rendering of San Andreas that can be explored with up to thirty others. Complete a series of ever-evolving missions, enter into shootouts with police officers or simply just roam around in an open-top car, listening to the music. It's GTA for people who couldn't get enough of the games.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
How Rockstar managed to make a game as big as GTA: San Andreas in 2004, when the PS2 reigned supreme, is anybody’s guess. Nevertheless, that’s exactly what happened: borrowing heavily from 1990s cinema, San Andreas is a near-perfect (for the time) slice of video game action. Our hero is a young Carl Johnson, who we first meet as he returns to the city after years away – as we’d expect, there’s a cracking story, but what’s remarkable is the scope of the open world (comprising three cities, separated by mountains and desert), the attention to detail (the comments from people on the street change according to Carl’s appearance) and the complexity of the characters. A worthy addition.
Max Payne 3
This is action hero Max Payne like you’ve never seen him before: weary, battle-hardened and popping pills like there’s no tomorrow. But that’s precisely what makes Max Payne 3 so compelling. Armed with a gun and a rather tacky Hawaiian shirt, this is Max at his lowest ebb – and though the game is primarily a straightforward shooter, the layers of nuance and inventiveness keep the player engaged and tells a story that touches on everything from civil rights violations in Latin America to addiction.
GTA: Vice City
Return to a world of super-pixellated heroes in the superb Vice City. Set in late Eighties Miami, we play Tony Vercetti (aka none other than Ray Liotta), a bright-shirted, slick-haired gangster who is sent over to VC to oversee a high stakes cocaine deal. Vice City is glamorous, it’s fun, it involves shooting people while driving past on your motorbike; what’s not to love? Plus, there’s an amazing soundtrack; arguably, the genesis of the iconic GTA car radio.
Red Dead Redemption
The game that proved Rockstar wasn’t just a one-trick pony, though admittedly a lot of galloping goes on here. RDR moves the action from modern-day America to the Wild West, and introduces us to John Marston, a cynical ex-outlaw whose family is taken hostage by the government in exchange for his services as a hired gun. With a fantastic open world, a killer storyline and exciting new gameplay mechanics (Dead Eye, for instance), this is Rockstar at its very biggest and boldest – especially in the case of the epilogue. Just remember to bring your hankies.
Grand Theft Auto 4
Boasting one of the GTA franchise’s best heroes, GTA is an exercise in social commentary and moving storytelling. Niko Bellic is our avatar: a man from Eastern Europe who moves to Liberty City with a sizeable criminal record and sets about rising through the organised crime ranks. Niko is a great character: conflicted, violent, but with a strong moral code that makes him a lot more nuanced than many of Rockstar’s other characters. It’s a lot more streamlined than previous games (the wacky sidequests, aka remote-control helicopter missions, have been trimmed down) but arguably it’s better for it: this is the game that brought Rockstar into the present day.
Red Dead Redemption 2
They thought it was impossible to make a game that topped Red Dead. Then RDR2 came along. A prequel of sorts, the game is set 1899, the dying days of the Wild West, and follows gunslinger Arthur Morgan as his gang of outlaws (including John Morgan) is gradually hunted out of existence. The lore is rich – how did RDR’s big bad Dutch turn to the dark side? – the dialogue is well-honed and the details involved in creating the open world boggle belief, from the guns used in the shootouts to the Honor Bar Arthur can build up by choosing to be good. Truly, does it get any better than this?
Grand Theft Auto 5
Well, it does – just about. Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the most iconic video games ever made – and the second-best selling game of all time. Fortunately, it puts its money where its mouth is: set in the crime-ridden utopia of San Andreas, our protagonists are Michael Townley, Trevor Philips, and Brad Snider: three failed gangsters on the hunt, and hoping to score big.
The storytelling is excellent, the ability to flip between three different main characters was revolutionary, and the gun battles never get old – as does the ability to hijack any car you please and take part in a high-speed police chase around the streets of the city. Open world building is something Rockstar excels in, and it’s no different here. Chef’s kiss.
