As of late, Rockstar Games have just become the Grand Theft Auto company. They dabble in other titles such as the Red Dead and Max Payne series, with the latter getting a remake of the first two games. But overall, they have been just focusing on their bread and butter, Grand Theft Auto. Especially now with the re-release of Grand Theft Auto V for modern consoles and the development of its sequel.
But this isn't a recent thing. Throughout the studio's existence, quite a few of their published titles, some even from the Grand Theft Auto series, haven't received the attention they deserve.
6 State Of Emergency
State of Emergency is a beat-em-up video game developed by VIS Entertainment but published by Rockstar Games. It was initially released for the PlayStation 2 in 2002, with the Xbox and PC versions seeing a release the following year. The game takes place in the year 2023. The United States is in turmoil due to an economic crisis. It eventually succumbed to a takeover by an organization, thrusting the country into a dictatorship.
There are five characters to choose from, tasked to overthrow the organization and restore the United States to its former self. State of Emergency wasn't well-received by critics, mainly due to the repetitive nature, but the game offers a good time for those just looking for a mindless beat-em-up experience.
5 The Warriors
The Warriors are another beat-em-up video game, based on the movie with the same name. It was originally released on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The PlayStation Portable, 7th, and 8th generation consoles also saw a port. The game takes place three months prior to the movie and uses some of the same actors. One example is Michael Beck reprising his role as Swan.
The game was very well received, especially for a movie tie-in which usually is regarded as shovelware. The Warriors were praised for being close to its source material and gameplay. Despite all of its praise, the game has gone to the wayside after a few years of its release.
4 Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis
As the very long name suggests, this is a table tennis game. While some gamers might find it unconventional for Rockstar Games to publish a sports game, this isn't their first foray into the genre as they have done so in the past during the PlayStation 2 era. The game was released for the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii and served as a fancy tech demo for their RAGE engine.
Despite that, it offered a robust table tennis experience. It provided players with two modes to choose from, tournament and exhibition. The game had nothing to offer other than table tennis and to show off their new engine, so it quickly became a footnote in just Rockstar's history.
3 Smuggler's Run
Smuggler's Run is a car-based game for the PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance produced by Angel Studios (now known as Rockstar San Diego). Players must roam around various maps using offroad vehicles to smuggle cargo while trying to evade authorities. The game has three playable modes, Smuggler's Mission (career), Turf War (mini-games), and Joyriding (free-roaming).
The game was successful both critically and commercially. It received two sequels. After the sixth generation of consoles, the Smuggler's Run series fell dormant. But with Grand Theft Auto Online in full swing, Rockstar decided to revive the name and do a homage to the series as a DLC.
2 Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars was released for the Nintendo DS in 2009, with the PSP and mobile devices seeing a release later. It was the first Grand Theft Auto game for Nintendo hardware since Grand Theft Auto Advance for the Game Boy Advance. The game is played from a top-down perspective, a throwback to the early days of the series.
The game followed the story of Huang Lee and was set in the same Liberty City from the HD universe. Rockstar also made some features unique to certain hardware. For example, using the Nintendo DS's microphone, a player could summon a taxi by whistling. The game was universally well-received at the time, with the Nintendo DS version getting the most accolades. Despite this, many have forgotten about the title, mainly due to the hardware it was on.
1 Midnight Club Series
Perhaps the most underrated game published by Rockstar is the Midnight Club series. Spanning seven games through two console generations, Midnight Club is a racing game where the player's goal is to be at the top of the street racing scene. The games had a wide range of locations to roam and race around. Popular cities such as Paris and Tokyo were present, while locations that don't get much attention in gaming, such as Atlanta or San Diego were also there.
All the titles have gotten a positive reception. Despite this, Rockstar has placed the series on the back burner, with the last release in 2009. With Need For Speed dominating the street racing market, it is highly unlikely Rockstar will do anything with the series for the foreseeable future, but here is hoping they will change their mind on that.