Support NeoGAF

[IbizaPocholo]

Yes, GTA 6 may still be a while away, but that gives us plenty of time to go back and replay all of those Rockstar games we've loved from the past, or even check out some that we may have missed. But which parts of the famed Grand Theft Auto developers' library should you prioritise first?

Well, we've gone ahead and ranked our favourite Rockstar games. From Bully's school-yard antics to tragic tales on the American frontier in Red Dead Redemption 2, here are the 10 best Rockstar games.

00:00 - Intro
00:36 - Manhunt
01:57 - Grand Theft Auto 3
03:28 - Bully
05:08 - Where is L.A. Noire?
06:22 - Grand Theft Auto 4
07:47 - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
09:13 - Max Payne 3
10:43 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
12:16 -Where are the GTA Handheld Games?
13:20 -Red Dead Redemption
15:02 - Grand Theft Auto 5
16:47 - Red Dead Redemption 2

 

[HRK69]

I'd argue GTA IV should at least outrank San Andreas and Vice City. While those games were iconic for their era they lean heavily on nostalgia

GTA IV brought a technical and narrative leap that still holds up

 

[CLW]

 

[vodka-bull]

I won't watch it, as long as RDR2 is on #1 I'd agree.

 

[Thanati]

As long as Warriors is number 1, I'll be happy.

 

[adamsapple]

As long as Warriors is number 1, I'll be happy.

It's not even on the list lol

 

[Chuck Berry]

Of course all of the new generation at IGN don't know The Warriors. 1979 is too old I guess and the movie caused a slight ruckus at the time ie it's offensive as fuck.

It's one of my favorite movies of all time and the next best film based game next to….maybe Spiderman 2 on PS2? I know I'm missing a few. Riddick Butcher Bay is up there if that counts.

Good job for IbizaPocholo for making a thread worth checking out for once

 

[Thanati]

It's not even on the list lol

Well, that's just dumb.

 

[falconhoof]

No Table Tennis?? No The Warriors??

Haven't played Vice City in a good few years, but I'm willing to bet that Bully holds up more.

 

[Joe Cool]

I wouldn't listen to IGN if they ranked the numbers 1 through 10.

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

RDR1 is their best game imo and I say that as someone who was there when the PS2 GTAs were first coming out, but RDR1 hits the perfect balance of sandbox map, gameplay (everyone seems to forget how wonky the shooting in the PS2 games originally was), story and graphics.

 

[Codes 208]

I still prefer rdr1 but i dont hate this list

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

Bully and the Warriors

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Rockstar made 10 games?

 

[Anchovie123]

As someone who just recently played through all the GTA games I think San Andreas has aged rather poorly.

Vice City and IV are clearly superior. SA felt bloated with too many systems and too much jank. 3 is too dated especially the cutscenes/story. VC has a real fine wine classic feeling to it.

VC > 5 > 4 > SA > 3

 

[rkofan87]

to me is vc is to low

 

[rkofan87]

I'd argue GTA IV should at least outrank San Andreas and Vice City. While those games were iconic for their era they lean heavily on nostalgia

GTA IV brought a technical and narrative leap that still holds up

what hurts 4 for me is the driving is too realistic to be fun

 

[bad guy]

Who cares about such lists?
It's all a matter of personal taste.

 

[Gaiff]

I'd argue GTA IV should at least outrank San Andreas and Vice City. While those games were iconic for their era they lean heavily on nostalgia

GTA IV brought a technical and narrative leap that still holds up

IV is a step backwards from SA. Way less fun and gutted all the cool stuff. No planes, dirt bikes, buggies, or jetpacks. Boring and repetitive landscapes, no fighting styles, even more scripted, and less freedom to tackle missions.

 

[rkofan87]

IV is a step backwards from SA. Way less fun and gutted all the cool stuff. No planes, dirt bikes, buggies, or jetpacks. Boring and repetitive landscapes, no fighting styles, even more scripted, and less freedom to tackle missions.

so much to this Vice City and San Andreas are arcade while 4 is a simulation
if I wanted to play a simulation to where I was a criminal I play Thief instead

 

[Baemono]

My biggest regret is to have absolutely zero interest in westerns so I do not care at all for RDR/RDR2

 

[HRK69]

IV is a step backwards from SA. Way less fun and gutted all the cool stuff. No planes, dirt bikes, buggies, or jetpacks. Boring and repetitive landscapes, no fighting styles, even more scripted, and less freedom to tackle missions.

I hear you, San Andreas had all the toys. That sandbox chaos was peak PS2 era. SAs sprawl was dope but clunky, IV's Liberty City is so alive it's still better than most open worlds today

And IV was the logical next step after San Andreas everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach

But I like it more because GTA IV went full cinematic. It traded jetpacks for realism and set the stage for RDR and GTA V's polish

 

[clarky]

I found IV boring. The expansions were much better.

 

[Shockwave_Fox]

Vice City was awesome, I played the intro about 50 times on someone else's PS2 without a memory card to save when I first got it.

Manhunt was ridiculous as well, I always tried to get the red kills every time and I was only 10. Super hard as well so was pretty proud I actually finished that.

Red Dead 1 has to be top for me though, absolutely sucked me into that world and remember playing it at 6am in the summer in my flat before work at 8.

Always wanted to try bully but never got round to it.

 

[Laptop1991]

San Andreas still the best for me, gameplay wise it was brilliant, then Vice City, i guess the list wont get that much bigger anyway, now its 1 game every 13 years

 

[Hudo]

Don't know about their list, but this is my list:

1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
3. Bully
4. Grand Theft Auto 2
5. The Warriors
6. Midnight Club 2
7. Max Payne 3 (Max Payne 2 is still the better game, though. But that's made by Remedy)
8. Grand Theft Auto IV (with Ballad of Gay Tony)
9. Grand Theft Auto V
10. Red Dead Redemption (with Undead Nightmare)

 

[Foxt3r]

The only good ones

1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
3. Manhaut
4. Bully
5. Max Payne 3

 

[GymWolf]

Gta3 so down on that list is a joke.

 

[yamaci17]

1. san andreas
2. red dead redemption 2
3. gta 4
4. gta vice city
5. red dead redemption
6. gta eflc
7. gta 3
8. gta 5
9. gta liberty city stories
10. gta vice city stories