For almost as long as video games have been around, there have been critics to guide players towards the ones worth their time and money. Thanks to reviewing aggregator Metacritic, players can instantly see the general critic reaction to any given game. Many developers would love to see any of their games score above a 90 on the website.
So when certain game developers consistently score high on Metacritic, it is truly a sign of a developer who works hard to bring high-quality content to players. While some may be surprising, these developers have brought decades worth of great games - and hopefully decades more.
10 EA Sports
EA Sports isn't exactly the first developer players think of when considering consistently great developers. However, within the early 2000s, EA Sports was putting out some of the most acclaimed sports titles on Metacritic.
Their highest-rated game is currently Madden NFL 2003, scoring a 95 from 25 critics. Other games from EA Sports in the top 200 include Madden NFL 2002, Madden NFL 2004, NCAA Football 2004, and NHL 2002.
9 Neversoft
The developers of the popular Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series have had great success with critics. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 remains the second-highest rated game of all time, scoring a 98 from 19 critics.
Across just three titles (also including Pro Skater 3 and 4), Neversoft has actually made Metacricic's top 200 a total of 6 times. Pro Skater 3 appears twice, and Pro Skater 2 appears 3 times.
8 Visual Concepts
Similar to EA Sports, Visual Concepts has enjoyed a great deal of acclaim for its sports titles, ranging from Football to Hockey games. NFL 2K1 remains the highest-rated, currently holding a 97 from 22 critics.
NFL 2K3 appears on the top 200 list twice, scoring a 93. Other titles on the top 200 include NBA 2K1, NBA 2K2, and NHL 2002.
7 Naughty Dog
From the worldwide adventures of Uncharted to the post-apocalyptic nightmare The Last of Us, Naughty Dog is certainly no stranger to strong critic reviews. Nathan Drake steals their top slot for the acclaimed sequel Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, currently at a 96 from 105 critics.
Naughty Dog also sees the second-highest rated from 2020 for The Last of Us Part II, rated at 93 from 120 critics. The Last of Us, The Last of Us Remastered, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception also make the top 200.
6 BioWare
Combining creative world-building with intricate role-playing, BioWare has developed a number of acclaimed games on Metacritic. With a 96 from 98 critics, Mass Effect 2 remains their most acclaimed title, which actually appears 3 times on the list.
Both Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect 3 also appear twice. Baldur's Gate: Shadows of Amn places close to Mass Effect 2, with a 95 from 30 critics.
5 Valve
Throughout the years, Valve has consistently brought amazing titles and has a total of 8 games on Metacritic's top 200 to prove it. Half-Life 2 is considered their crowning achievement on the site, scoring 96 from 81 critics.
The compilation The Orange Box, which features Half-Life 2 alongside Team Fortress 2 and Portal, appears twice on the list. The original Half-Life and the recent Half-Life: Alyx both make the top 200, with Portal 2 making it 3 times total.
4 Capcom
Across multiple franchises, Capcom has proven to be one of gaming's most creative and talented developers. The classic horror title Resident Evil 4 for the GameCube is the most acclaimed on Metacritic, holding a 96 from 82 critics.
Resident Evil 4 for the PS2 also appears on the list, as does Street Fighter IV twice, Street Fighter Alpha 3, and Viewtiful Joe. The 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2 curiously makes the top 200, while the 1999 original doesn't.
3 Konami
Konami largely has Hideo Kojima to thank for their abundant critical success but also has other titles to boast. The sequel Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is their highest-ranking game, with a 96 from 42 critics. The Metal Gear Solid franchise makes up a bulk of Konami's titles here, including Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, and 2 versions of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
The horror title Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and the sports titles World Soccer Winning Eleven 6 International and World Soccer Winning Eleven 7 International also make the list.
2 Rockstar
A total of 9 different games from Rockstar make it on Metacritic's top 200, 21 if you count duplicates. Grand Theft Auto IV is still the third-highest rated video game of all time, holding a 98 from 64 critics. The game appears twice alongside Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Red Dead Redemption.
Both Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Red Dead Redemption 2 appear 3 times, while Grand Theft Auto V appears a total of 5 times. Grand Theft Auto Double Pack and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars also make the list.
1 Nintendo
It should come as no surprise that the developers who own the two most iconic franchises in video gaming make their way to the top. 20 individual games hold slots on the top 200 list. Taking into account duplicates, that number goes up to 22. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is to this day the most critically acclaimed video game of all time, holding a rare 99 from 22 critics. It appears twice alongside The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Other games from the Nintendo roster include Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Metroid Prime, Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, The Legend of Zelda Collector's Edition, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario 64, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Mario 3D World, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Paper Mario, and Flipnote Studio.