Rockstar Games has built a pedigree for itself as one of the best developers in gaming. As of late, it is known as the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption machine, launching games in those series that always seems to one-up the entry before. Each game takes a half-decade to release, but the results are often undeniable. However, there was a time when Rockstar delved into various genres and released titles with regularity outside of simply the world of GTA. It's time for those to return.
In a world of remasters and ports (in which Grand Theft Auto 5 is headed to next-gen and will subsequently launch on three different generations), it's a surprise that some of Rockstar's classic games haven't been brought back to life. It would be possible to make a list of all GTA games that should come back, from China Wars and its top-down perspective to the beloved Vice City. But even with a series like GTA being so vast, the games can almost make Rockstar seem limited when only viewing it through the prism of GTA. Reminding fans of the excellence of Rockstar game design outside of GTA by remastering titles from over the past two decades would be excellent.
Bully
Bully is an action-adventure game that was released back in 2006. Over the years, the cult-classic has seen many rumors in regards to a possible sequel, but now it looks like Bully is stuck in the shadow of GTA and Red Dead Redemption. The game is open-world but within the much smaller constraints of a high school setting (compared to whole cities and states). In the game, the player pulls pranks and brakes the rules while trying to avoid getting in trouble with teachers and authority figures. While Bully is certainly not a teaching tool for how to behave in high school, it is a silly and fun experience that is worth bringing back.
Red Dead Redemption
Even with Red Dead Redemption 2 being a monumental success, 2010's Red Dead Redemption deserves its time in the sun yet again. Although the game shares a setting and characters with the newer iteration, much of the gameplay and feel of the title is very different. Whether it be spending nights playing cards in saloons, hunting in the wilderness, or being involved in shootouts on the Mexico border, Red Dead Redemption would be a welcome sight with upgraded graphics and fine-tuned gameplay.
Midnight Club 3
The Midnight Club series is one of Rockstar's abandoned series that deserve a return. Midnight Club 3 is usually regarded as the finest, but the series ended in 2009 with Midnight Club: Los Angeles. The game was street racing with an arcade-style feel, and it went toe-to-toe with the likes of Need for Speed. In many ways, the racing elements of the GTA games today have Midnight Club to thank. That being said, a return of the Midnight Club series as a whole would be wonderful, but a remaster of Midnight Club 3 would also be acceptable.
Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis
The first game to run on Rockstar's RAGE engine, Table Tennis may be a surprise on the list, but it was also a surprise when it was revealed and launched in 2006. As an early Xbox 360 title and the Nintendo Wii as well, the table tennis simulator was praised for having solid AI and very responsive gameplay. Bringing this entry back could be the easiest on the list for Rockstar as well, as the game would simply need some graphics enhancements. This is even a game that Rockstar could make available for free, with new additions and cosmetics being paid content.
Manhunt
Manhunt has seen unofficial remasters with the help of modders over the years, but a true return of the series would be interesting. Considered an insanely gory game, Manhunt drew the eyes of many, including even U.S. Representative Joe Baca, who fought for implementing a fine to anyone who would sell Adult Only rated games to children. Perhaps the horrifying kills would be too much in 4k resolution at 120 frames per second, but for fans, it would be a big change.
There are so many great Rockstar games that aren't GTA, and of course, when including the GTA games the list is even longer. Being able to play some of the games that are ten or fifteen or even twenty years old would be wonderful. Then again, Rockstar Games is doing quite well for itself by simply attempting to create a masterpiece every five or so years.