Summary
Few video game companies out there are as ambitious asRockstar Games.In the last three decades, it has released many amazing video games (usually in the open world genre)that have consistently pushed the envelope, showcased impressive new technology and redefined what a digital world can truly be.
While this company is far from perfect, the massive impact it had on the entire gaming industry can’t be denied, not to mention that its developers somehow manage to surpass themselves with each subsequent release. Nevertheless, this has left fans with one burning question: What was Rockstar’s mostambitious video gameso far? Of course, this list will only take into account titles that were actually developed by the studio, and not just published by it (likeL.A. NoireorMax Payne).
Back in the early 2000s, Rockstar was being publicly scrutinized because of how violent and raunchy the 3DGrand Theft Autogames were, so it was definitely a bold move for the studioto make and release something as violent asManhuntaround that same time. After all, this stealth/horror title is still considered one of the most gruesome and controversial video games ever made.
For its time,Manhuntreally pushed the limits of how dark and graphically violent a 3D video game could be. Some people think it was groundbreaking, while others think it was trying way too hard to be edgy, but it was definitely a unique stealth experience influenced by classic slasher films that proved video games could be marketed to a more mature audience.
WhenRed Dead Redemptioncame out in 2010, many people initially dismissed it as a “CowboyGTA”(which was not even a bad thing nor entirely wrong), but Rockstar fans quickly found out that this project was much more than that.Red Dead Redemptionwas a major change of pace for the company, as it left behind its usual contemporary settings in favor of a huge open-world inspired by classic western films that was filled to the brim with flora, fauna and cowboys.
Rockstar also introduced an innovative and satisfying new gameplay mechanic called Dead Eye, which allowed the player to slow down time to target multiple enemies during intense gunfights. But what madeRed Dead Redemptionspecial was its ambitious narrative, as the story of John Marston is fascinating, intense and emotional, and it was way more interesting than anything the studio had previously written for theGrand Theft Autofranchise.
In 2001, Rockstar redefined the open-world genre when it releasedGrand Theft Auto 3, so it is no surprise that it only took it only three more years to switch up the formula it had just introduced. 2002’sGTA: Vice Cityis obviously a great title,but most fans still considerGrand Theft Auto: San Andreasto have been the next real step in the series’ natural evolution.
As impressive as it was for its time,GTA 3’s Liberty City feels dull and lifeless in retrospect, whereasSan Andreas’titular fictional setting is full of interesting locations, memorable characters and a multitude of different things for the player to do and/or discover. Curiously enough, this was all possible thanks to the same sixth-generation console technology that had spawnedGTA 3just a few years prior and yet,San Andreasfelt like the first next-generation open-world game on the market.
For many years, theGrand Theft Autoseries consisted entirely of single-player games (with a few minor exceptions, likeSan Andreas’ hidden co-op mode), but everything changed in 2013, whenRockstar finally released a game that its fans had been asking for several years:Grand Theft Auto Online. Truth be told, this was originally an optional mode forGrand Theft Auto 5, but it eventually became a beast of its own, not to mention that now it can be purchased on its own, separately from that game.
GTA Onlinejust made way too much sense for Rockstar to not make, as the premise of an always-online openGTAworld where players from all around the world can meet each other and engage in criminal activity together (or against one another) just works extremely well, even if it was completely outside the company’s usual area of expertise. Needless to say, this was a huge success for Rockstar, which has spent the last decade working on new additional content that have kept this game alive, not to mention that it also inspired the creation ofRed Dead Onlinein 2019.
The studio known as DMA Design broke new ground when it released a 2D open-world action-adventure game simply titledGrand Theft Autoin 1997. Just five years later, this team expanded, became Rockstar Games anddid the exact same thing for the 3D open-world genre when it releasedGrand Theft Auto 3. Of course, this video game may not have aged all that well, but it was incredibly impressive and revolutionary for its time.
GTA 3marked one of the first instances of a massive, open-ended 3D world that the player could explore at their own pace and do pretty much whatever they wanted in it, even though it also featured an interesting narrative that rewarded players who decided to follow it. For a PlayStation 2 game from 2001, this was an incredibly ambitious experience, and theGTAfranchise would never have become so massive if it wasn’t for this particular project.
Grand Theft Auto 4was a really solid game that showcased the impressive HD technology of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but Rockstar released that game at the beginning of the seventh-generation, so it definitely needed to take some time to get used to this technology. The final result of its efforts wasGrand Theft Auto 5, a video game so groundbreaking and impressive that it took the studio over a decade to even announce its follow-up.
GTA 5takes place in a modern version of San Andreas that’s even bigger, better, more populated and more beautiful than its original PS2 iteration. This enormous, open-ended open world feels extremely alive, since it’s brimming with things to do and even small details that have taken players literal years to find. ButGTA 5’shighlight was the fact it featured three playable characters - Michael, Trevor and Franklin - whom the player can switch to at any moment, with the press of a button. Their writing and performances were on a whole new level, and the way their stories were seamlessly interconnected was a breath of fresh air for the franchise. It was evident that Rockstar’s storytelling abilities had gotten a lot better afterRed Dead Redemption.
Rockstar fans spent eight years waiting for aRed Dead Redemptionsequel and that long wait was definitely worth it,becauseRed Dead Redemption 2came out in 2018, and it immediately became one of themost groundbreaking and impressive modern gamesin the entire industry. Once again, this is an open-world western with an incredible storyline that takes place before the events of the original game, and it’s filled to the brim with flawless writing, emotional moments and amazing performances. Roger Clark did such an excellent job as Arthur Morgan, so it’s no surprise he won Best Performance in the 2018 edition of The Game Awards.
But that’s not all, because the open world ofRed Dead Redemption 2is one of the biggest, most complex and most fascinating video game settings, and it definitely surpassed anything the studio had previously made. This map has so much stuff to do, so many brilliant Easter eggs and such an impressive attention to detail, that fans are still discovering new things about it, even seven years after the game’s release. The most surprising part is that Rockstar was able to pull all of this off without ever comprising the game’s impressive graphics and beautiful presentation.
Of course,Grand Theft Auto 6is not even out yet, but there’s a reason this is the most anticipated video game launch of all time. Based off of just one trailer, it’s evident that Rockstar is already bringing its a-game to develop what seems like its most ambitious project so far.
Fans are eager to find out more about this new version of Vice City, which already looks incredible and has the potential to be the biggest and most detailed open world any video game company has ever made. Furthermore,GTA 6is going to come out on modern consoles, like the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S, which is especially exciting, considering that theGTAseries skipped an entire console generation.
