Mighty Grand Theft Auto 5 quickly cemented its place as one of the most successful games in history. I remember all the excitement of its release and then the absurd popularity Grand Theft Auto Online this meant players couldn't even load into the opening cutscene. However, more than a decade later, it's still the biggest thing Rockstar has ever done Grand Theft Auto 6 looms on the horizon and will surely break sales records on its own. However, these games are so big that we can stop focusing on Rockstar games, which are maybe just as good in their own way.
10 PS2 games from Rockstar that will last in 2026, ranked
Which Rockstar classics are actually playable today? From San Andreas to Oni, here are the Rockstar PS2 games that will hold up in 2026.
From the western adventures of Arthur Morgan and John Marston to the previous walk through Los Santos, here are some other Rockstar releases celebrated for their action, storytelling and the company's renowned attention to detail.
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5
Red Dead Redemption 2
A ridiculously popular prequel
Really, Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are the ultimate duo of Rockstar titles, a company working at the peak of their powers to deliver something extraordinary. At the time of writing, we have yet to see the impact that the launch of GTA 6 and the range of review ratings will have on the landscape, so while it will certainly be seismic, they won't trump those two things just yet.
Red Dead Redemption 2 it currently ranks fourth on OpenCritic's list of the best games of all time, with a score of 95 surpassed only by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Baldur's Gate 3both aged 96, and Super Mario Odyssey at the top of the heap at 97. It's a bit of a surprise, too, because that's still the open-world experience that impresses me the most. His legendary attention to detail means that small touches, such as when the barrels are emptied after being hit by a shot, are still seen today. The narrative, zoomed out into the bigger picture, strikes extremely emotional chords. It's not just a backdrop for a shootout, but a raw, emotional story about loyalty, trust and finding your place in a world that's changing dramatically.
While it's not perfect (the controls are a bit wonky and the game is known for pushing realism too far in places), this second ride with the Van Der Linde gang is an absolute masterpiece. There is no doubt that this title changed the game.
4
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
“Ah… here we go again”
If there's one thing fans of the series enjoy, it's debating the best entries. To this day, it's hard to say Grand Theft Auto 5 it's not the most comprehensive and ambitious record available, but what about beyond that? 2004 GTA San Andreas and 2008 GTA 4 both are excellent posts with their own unique merits. First, we have San Andreas.
It may be over two decades old, but even then it exuded Rockstar's penchant for small details. The character of the iconic Carl Johnson can change depending on the activities you participate in and the food you consume, and each of the gangs that are central to the game's narrative have distinct identifying factors and behaviors that set them apart. These are the little things that the player might not even notice if they weren't present, but that create a richer and more alive world to inhabit.
I marathoned all the main Grand Theft Auto games before GTA 6 and here is my official ranking
After completing the main Grand Theft Auto series for the first time, here is my official rating of the series before GTA 6.
There is also an awful lot of it. According to How Long To Beat, the main story is about 30 hours long, but you'll need about 71 hours for everything. The game's vast open world spans three different cities, so it's no wonder it's full of side quests. What I like best about them is that they aren't just busywork, and you get unique bonuses for sticking with them. For example, completing all twelve firefighter side quests will net you both a healthy amount of money and immunity to gunfire. Your relationship with different girlfriends will even translate into separate game bonuses.
A wide, diverse open world and plenty of rewarding side content wouldn't make up for the missing main story in my eyes, and San Andreas doesn't disappoint there either. Johnson's attempts to revive his and GSF's fortunes after the tragic death of his mother kept me very invested throughout. Actually more than I expected, but Young Maylay's performance really sold me on the character.
3
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Perhaps Payne's finest hour
original Max Payne was a hugely influential shooter that mixed fantastical comic book stylings with iconic bullet time action. When the sequel came out two years later, it was all about keeping the things that made the original so unique, but taking it even further. It was challenging, but Remedy Entertainment (and producer Rockstar) understood this crucial task.
This second outing revolves around the Purifiers, and it's an even more personal tragedy for Payne when he discovers who sent the killers after him and the true nature of Mona's mission. I think it's a more engaging story than the story of the first game, but I liked that it picked up so soon after the events of the original. This title ended with Payne being captured by the NYPD, and I was eager to see how that unfolded without the whole thing becoming a bit of a cliché. Fortunately, the multifaceted story of The Fall of Max Payne had some surprising twists.
Just as importantly, this sequel had to further enhance the beloved bullet time action of the first game. The mechanic was kind of expanded upon, rewarding players for successful use by constantly boosting them as they battled through encounters. This reminds me of the mechanics of concentration Ghost of Yoteithough less flamboyant. During Atsu's adventure, I loved creating builds based around focus, expansion, and conservation, and the Bullet Time changes for this game had a similar feel. The Fall of Max Payneit's the best of the series for me and a great example of how to get a sequel right. There were some great moments Max Payne 3 too, like the iconic airport shootout, but as far as I'm concerned, this one isn't superior.
2
Red Dead Redemption
John Marston's Last Ride
Red Dead Redemption 2 was the culmination of more than two decades of work, beginning Red Dead Revolver in 2004. It's hard to see the team building on the former, and for many fans even harder to separate Red Dead Redemption and its prequel. Due to their interconnected stories, they often play back-to-back, and both are an absolute treat for fans of the action.
I'm a player who is sometimes guilty of skipping dialogue and hidden lore notes, but v GDRI absolutely drank in every detail I could. I was in it for the story as well as the action, mostly because I played the prequel first and was desperate to know what happened next. When I was introduced to the Van Der Linde gang in 2, I found there was something deeply affecting about the central idea of teaming up with the government against them in this game. The authorities, who have the Marston family at their mercy, have kept the stakes of each mission extremely high, for both the protagonist and his former allies.
The 10 Greatest Open World Masterpieces of All Time, Ranked
Let's take a walk through the hall of fame of open world games and appreciate the greatest masterpieces of the genre of all time.
The two games definitely have a different feel to them, RDR 2 slows down a bit and feels a lot less arcadey than the first, but Rockstar has handled both styles of play with aplomb. John Marston's Adventure may not be as committed to realism as the title that followed, but there's still plenty of depth to it. The vast expanse of West Elizabeth, New Austin and Nuevo Paraiso was absolutely stunning to me in 2010 and I hold this game responsible for its very high standards for open world titles. It was probably the first time I really got lost in the world and its wide variety of side quests. A true open world masterpiece.
1
Grand Theft Auto 4
The large expanse of Liberty City
Due to somewhat confusing naming conventions, Grand Theft Auto 4 there was no further entry in the series after that Grand Theft Auto 3. After the game that took the first bold step into 3D, it was the next numbered entry in the main line. Vice City and San Andreas were among the items launched in the meantime, but they were GTA 4 will it even surpass the latter? That depends on who you ask.
I would personally choose San Andreasfor Carl Johnson's story and the varied and rewarding side quests available outside of it. GTA 4 it was slightly less “over the top” in some ways and offered a more realistic take on key features such as vehicle controls and a dark, cinematic tone to the story. It's not exactly the difference between a Crazy taxi aa Gran Turismobut Rockstar definitely tried something tonally different here. I feel like I'm replaying a movie with that title, experiencing Nik's predicament as he works for various criminal enterprises, crosses others, escapes their wrath, and the cycle continues.
I think many of those who know the series best for the multiplayer carnage GTA Online may not appreciate the nuances GTA plot can offer. This title has one of the deepest series, less focus on parody and silly jokes. There are always tragic twists and turns for the main characters, but this title has all the more impact on the major decisions it forces upon the player. The game really emphasizes the consequences and impact of the violent action players take in these titles, while the Euphoria engine makes the combat perhaps the best it's ever been.
Rockstar's 7 Hardest Games, Ranked
Many of Rockstar's games are easy to pick up and play, but not all of them are a walk in the park when it comes to overall challenge.
