Rockstar Games is best known for its open-world sandbox games thanks to franchises like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption. However, the company has also dabbled in linear, level-based stories by publishing Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne and developing Max Payne 3. The developers' witty writing and world-building have created iconic and unforgettable protagonists and characters in the process, enabling them to dive deep into creating lived-in worlds for players to explore.
Over the years, Rockstar Games have developed some of the most unforgettable stories in gaming, thanks to their talents. These games have forever shaped the landscape of storytelling in the video game medium and continue to live on as some of the most iconic moments in gaming to date.
6 Grand Theft Auto 5
Grand Theft Auto 5 is an ambitious game in terms of both story and scope. It introduced the interlocking story mechanic through its three protagonists: Franklin Clinton, Michael De Santa, and Trevor Philips. There are many stories to cover between them, but Rockstar Games introduced players to these brand new GTA characters by giving them a deep enough lore to know their pasts while focusing on the overarching narrative.
As has been the case for other games in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, the side quests in Grand Theft Auto 5 are just as interesting and integral to the story. In this case, though, they're unique to each character. Players can only experience certain side quests by playing as specific characters, which progress as the story unfolds. This adds more insight into their personalities and individual lives, which is very advantageous for a game in which the characters are introduced for the first time. Again, it's a testament to the writing and skill of the Rockstar team that this works so well.
5 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Following the Scarface-inspired story of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas turned a completely different page by focusing on gang warfare in Los Angeles. This game pioneered Rockstar Games' ability to create an immersive open-world sandbox, incorporating the city's inner workings and the surrounding landscapes.
With that as the foundation, the story of Carl "CJ" Johnson and his friends, lovers, and acquaintances brought the land of San Andreas to life. The deep lore and familiar sights of Los Santos, Las Venturas, and San Fierro left no stone unturned regarding what players could do in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, whether that was part of the main story or the many optional side quests.
4 Red Dead Redemption
Set during the early 1900s in the American Wild West, Red Dead Redemption follows former outlaw John Marston, who is forced on a path of vengeance after the government takes his wife and son hostage. The game only briefly touches upon Marston's past (which is explored in much greater detail in Red Dead Redemption 2), adding a sense of mystery and intrigue into what exactly led Marston into this situation. His past is revealed in the present by talking to the people he meets along the way and through the interactions with the former gang members he's ordered to kill.
By expanding on Rockstar's first foray into Westerns with Red Dead Revolver, Red Dead Redemption fleshes out the world of the crumbling American frontier with a compelling story through John Marston – one that has added value now that Red Dead Redemption 2 has given his past tragic context.
3 Grand Theft Auto 4
Grand Theft Auto 4 reintroduces Liberty City with a bang, this time with a character new to its ways: Niko Bellic. Niko is one of the most fleshed-out characters in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, dealing with PTSD from his time in Eastern European wars and human trafficking. While he travels to America to start a better life and have a second chance, his past experience as a criminal quickly comes to the forefront.
Although he doesn't explicitly reveal everything about his backstory, there's enough to go on to understand why Niko does the things he does. Rockstar Games doesn't hide his morality within Grand Theft Auto 4's story, which makes him easier to connect with as an anti-hero. On top of that, Liberty City itself feels like a living, breathing character in this game, thanks to the addition of two DLCs: The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony.
2 Max Payne 3
Taking over from Remedy Entertainment, Rockstar reinvented the Max Payne franchise with Max Payne 3. The essence of the two previous games is there, but the gritty neo-noir setting of New York has been replaced with the bright lights of Sao Paulo. Max Payne tries to settle into his new life as a bodyguard, but his past still haunts him to the point where he's drinking himself to death. As those he protects die around him though, Max begins to realize that he needs to change and make a clean slate.
That's the central theme of Max Payne 3: change. The first game was grief, the second was rebirth, and now Max is in a headspace where he wants to live for himself with nothing to lose. The beauty of Max Payne 3 is that it ties up all of the loose ends of Max's personal journey and literally leaves him walking off into the sunset.
1 Red Dead Redemption 2
As a prequel to Red Dead Redemption, players would expect Red Dead Redemption 2 to focus solely on John Marston. However, Rockstar introduces Arthur Morgan as the main playable character. It's a testament to the studio's writing in how emotionally invested players become with Morgan, particularly since his lore has only just begun in this game. His story is heartbreaking, making the player feel even more connected to John as players experience his tragic past.
Aside from the main storyline and Arthur's interpersonal relationships with Dutch van der Linde, John, and the other members of the Van der Lind gang, Red Dead Redemption 2 also has memorable side quests that leave an imprint on both Arthur (via the good and bad honor system) and the player. They link together nicely with the overarching story and aid in world-building.