It's hard to argue that Rockstar isn't currently one of, if not the biggest game developers within the industry today. Though they've been putting out games since the late 90s, it was with the release of Grand Theft Auto 3 in 2001 that the developers really started to reach mainstream popularity. Ever since, they've been putting out plenty of smash-hit titles, some of which are considered to be among the best games of all time by many fans and critics.

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Though the majority of Rockstar's games are easy to pick up and play, this isn't to suggest they're all easy. Because they often dabble in the open-world genre, it means the developers always need to go above and beyond with their missions and scenarios to help the game stand out. On some occasions though, this has also ended up making the game difficult to fully complete, which is especially the case with the titles listed below.

7 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.03

GTA: San Andreas is often touted as being one of the best video games ever made, and a true pioneer when it comes to setting out the blueprint for the open-world genre. While the game is very accessible and easy to jump into, there are still a few sections that can provide quite a challenge for players to overcome, primarily because of the rather clunky mission designs.

For example, one moment, the player will be tasked with destroying multiple high-speed vehicles while piloting a red baron, and the next, they'll be tasked with lobbing molotov cocktails through a set of specific windows to burn down a building. The unforgiving checkpoint system means a simple mistake in these missions can prove to be fatal, and though not all the objectives are like this, there are definitely a few brutal ones thrown in there for good measure.

6 Grand Theft Auto 4

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.07

Though Rockstar decided to tone down the overall difficulty of the missions for Grand Theft Auto 4, the game can still be a little tricky to fully complete because of some of the design aspects. The biggest one most players take issue with is driving, which can feel quite unresponsive at the best of times, making it all too easy to accidentally crash into a civilian and start a never-ending chase with the police.

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Alongside the main missions which always present at least somewhat of a challenge, a lot of the side quests in GTA 4 can also be quite a handful, especially the street races and Vigilante missions. This was also the first GTA game that allowed players to enter cover, and it definitely shows as it can feel pretty clunky and hard to get used to. Overall though, GTA 4 never borders on being too brutal in its difficulty, but it's still far from a walk in the park.

5 The Warriors

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.09

Based on the 1979 movie of the same name, The Warriors is Rockstar's attempt at a beat ''em-up game, and in all honesty, it turned out to be decent for what it was. The core combat itself is easy enough to get to grips with, but what makes a lot of the fights difficult is the fact they almost always come with a unique gimmick, making it hard to prepare for each one.

Some fights will pit the player in a horde-like scenario where they'll need to hold out for a certain amount of time, but there are also missions where players must wreck a shop while also being hounded by swarms of enemies, for example. Needless to say, the game is very unpredictable, and while this does make for a fun experience that never becomes boring, it also means players will need to be on their A-game to finish each level in one piece.

4 Midnight Club: Los Angeles

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.31

• Release Date: October 2008
• Developer: Rockstar San Diego
• Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PSP

Midnight Club: Los Angeles is the last and latest release in Rockstar's longrunning Midnight Club racing series before they began to direct their attention more towards Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption in the early 2010s. As a result, the game feels like the culmination of everything the previous titles had been leading up to, offering players a highly polished fast-paced racing simulator that feels incredibly immersive thanks to its visuals, and its challenge.

When traveling across the vast open world of LA, players will be able to take part in a plethora of different races, most of which offer a ton of Rep points, but are also incredibly challenging due to the merciless AI racers. Additionally, players will be given a choice of difficulty at the start of each race, but considering more rewards can be earned on the higher ones, the game essentially encourages the players to push themselves to the limit as much as possible.

3 Manhunt 2

Height: 3.32

Although Manhunt 2 became embroiled in controversy upon its release, it was still received fairly well among gaming critics for its unnerving atmosphere which makes players feel on edge the whole way through. With that being said though, it's clear the game wasn't nearly as polished as most of Rockstar's games, and as a result, it ended up being quite difficult, perhaps unintentionally, because of these issues. The core gameplay revolves around players sneaking through different environments and taking out enemies from behind with an execution, but if players accidentally get caught, it can be a real challenge trying to control Daniel, let alone attack his pursuers.

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Speaking of being caught, Hunters are now able to spot players in the shadows in certain scenarios, which makes sneaking around a lot harder and far more intense than it was before. The lackluster level design also means there aren't always good spots to hide, and while this does push players to get creative, it also makes things much harder in the process.

2 Red Dead Revolver

Metacritic User Score: 3.53

Although Red Dead Revolver was skipped over by a lot of people when it was first released in 2004, a lot of fans have gone back to this hidden gem after enjoying the two Red Dead Redemption games that came after it. Of course, the visuals aren't quite as spectacular as future entries, but another stark difference is just how much harder Red Dead Revolver is in comparison, nailing the feeling of being an outlaw on the run in the dangerous Wild West.

The bosses in this game can be particularly difficult to take down, especially the likes of Pig Josh who has been the cause of more than a few Game Over screens. Then there are the duels, which are always a risk to take part in because of how quick and lethal the enemies are with their guns, and this goes for the open-world combat too, where it's incredibly easy to get shot down due to the AI's pinpoint accuracy.

1 Max Payne 3

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.59

After Remedy felt that they had achieved everything that they could with the Max Payne series, they handed the IP over to Rockstar, who would go on to create the third and seemingly final installment in the series; Max Payne 3. Just like with previous games, players are able to use a bullet time mechanic when in combat which allows them to leap and slide their way around enemies to get the drop on them. However, to make sure things don't become too easy, Rockstar ensured that every room is packed full of enemies coming from all different angles, so even with this ability, it's never easy to clear out an area.

Rockstar seemed to have acknowledged the difficulty of the game because they also introduced a Last Stand mechanic where players are given a final chance to use a recovery item to avoid dying when on their last legs. The new cover feature encourages players to be more strategic and patient when in combat, but as has been mentioned before, Rockstar isn't exactly known for having the best cover system in the world, which also adds to the difficulty.

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