There Are Only 31 Near-Perfect Games, According To Metacritic

It should surprise no one that Rockstar is going to be a part of any conversation involving the greatest games of all time. The Grand Theft Auto Double Pack is a bit of a cheat since it's two games, but it makes sense — smash two already great games into one and you're making magic happen.

The content in this rerelease of Grand Theft Auto 3 and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was nothing new, but the graphics were given a serious once-over to be at their absolute best for the era. Many of the reviews are no longer available, but reading the critic review quotes on Metacritic is eye opening for the joys of yesteryear. 1UP wrote that ensuring you had 480p television capabilities would make for the "prettiest GTA experience you'll get on a console." Ah, 2003.

At the time, this was the prettiest and most stable version of both these games available, and it isn't surprising that having the best versions of these two already great games rolled into one release was something to get excited about.

Gran Turismo is one of the oldest games on this list, as it was released for the original PlayStation back in the year 1998. The battle between the disc-based PlayStation and the cartridge-based Nintendo 64 was in full swing, and Gran Turismo helped showcase something that the N64 couldn't do: total realism. Gran Turismo was like a glimpse into the future, as you could seemingly design every element of your car and take it through photo realistic (for 1998) races.

IGN called it "nothing less than divine." Other reviews lauded the game's customization, attention to detail and multiple ways to race. About the only knock on the original Gran Turismo was the licensing aspect, which would task you with earning licenses by completing difficult driving tasks prior to entering higher level races. Considering how badly you'd be blown out of races if you couldn't pass these tests, it's a rather small knock.

A phrase you often hear tossed around with incredible games is that they "revolutionize the genre." A lot of games on this list could probably claim they achieved this lofty goal, but Half-Life might have the best claim to it. Many other genres have moved past their classic roots, but shooters still get compared to Valve's darling, even though it was released over two decades ago.

Half-Life follows the voiceless protagonist Gordon Freeman as he battles human and inter-dimensional enemies through the Black Mesa research facility. PCGamer called it "The Big One," IGN called it "the definitive single player game in a first person shooter" and GameSpot said it was "the closest thing to a revolutionary step the genre has ever taken." Not only do memories of Half-Life maintain its legacy, but it does so in an even more tangible way. Counter-Strike, the first major esport and still one of the biggest esports titles in the world, began as a mod of Half-Life.

One of the last major releases for the GameCube was one of its most beloved: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess also released as a launch title for the Wii, and both versions have fans who swear "their" version of the game is the superior one. Most critics tend to agree that the GameCube version is easier to wrap your brain around, as it has a more traditional control scheme.

Twilight Princess saw Link attempting to save Hyrule from becoming overtaken by another dimension called the Twilight Realm. The player could shift back and forth between the two dimensions, and Link could also transform into a powerful wolf for a host of new abilities.

The Legend of Zelda games tend to land in one of two camps: they are either experimental in many of their design choices, or they attempt to perfect elements of past games. Twilight Princess may fall into that latter category. It's lauded for its dark, engrossing story and cinematic style, and is often compared to other heavy-hitters in the franchise like Ocarina of Time. It may not have taken many big risks, but it absolutely nailed what it set out to do.

The intricacies and mechanics of every fighting game take a massive amount of skill and practice hours to crack. While games like Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Super Smash Bros. and more all have pro scenes and complex webs of mechanics to master, few major fighting franchises are as complex as Tekken, and few games are as revered in their franchises as much as Tekken 3.

Like any fighting game worth its salt, Tekken 3 had an absolutely bananas storyline involving demons, corporations and, of course, a fighting tournament that determines the fate of the world. More importantly, it has a diverse cast of balanced characters to go along with a deep and impressive combo system and move list. It also looks and feels great. Tekken 2 was a masterpiece as well, and the second and third entries are still considered the best the series ever put on offer. Absolute PlayStation wrote that, as far as consoles are concerned, Tekken 3 is "a 'better than arcade' overall game translation here that will truly stand the test of time and perhaps be the best fighter we will ever see released."

The Orange Box might just represent the greatest collection of games ever put together. This incredible collection packed in five games, and all are still held in fairly high regard. 

The original Half-Life was heralded as one of the most important games of all time, and its sequel improved upon it in almost every way. Half-Life 2 itself would have been part of this list, but its inclusion in The Orange Box made that a little redundant.

Half-Life 2: Episode One was included here as a bridge to Episode Two, which was first released as part of The Orange Box. It's probably the weakest of the five included games, though it is still pretty impressive.

Half-Life 2: Episode Two served as the big draw for many gamers with The Orange Box, seeing as this was how the episode debuted. Years and years later, fans are still clamoring for Episode Three.

Team Fortress 2 was one of Valve's biggest moneymakers, and continues to be one of the most popular shooters in the world.

Finally, Portal made it into the bundle. What seemed like a throwaway tech demo actually proved to be one of the most influential games of all time.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is one of the most surprising entries on this list -– not because it isn't an incredible game, but because it isn't typically a franchise that gets mentioned in the all-time greats. That suits the game's tone just fine. A wild adventure with a compelling multiplayer mode and plenty of opportunities to make your own carnage, Uncharted 2 is a near-perfect adventure that really showcases what the best video games can do.

Eurogamer wrote that "the attention to detail is beyond compare" and called Uncharted 2 an "essential experience." PlayStation Universe called it "quite possibly the best game to have graced the PS3, and without a doubt one of the greatest titles ever conceived." Much of the attention surrounding Among Thieves is that it just feels like an action movie. It's cinematic, but you always feel in control. It's a game that lets players live as Indiana Jones and their other favorite adventurers, and that's reason enough to put it so high on the all-time greats list.

In hindsight, BioShock seems like a surefire hit, but the game was a pretty big risk at the time. An entirely original IP with a strange art style, no multiplayer to speak of and a cerebral storyline about morality and ethics crammed into a first person shooter? It was no sure thing.

Luckily, BioShock was beautifully put together and planned, and its unique creative direction drew people in who were tired of the same old "outer space and World War 2" shooters. Nearly every aspect of BioShock was praised for pushing boundaries and perfect execution. Even if certain things seem a little standard in the modern day, BioShock helped pave the way for elements like combat customization and stealth in combat. The story was also incredible, and the big twist has become the stuff of legend. About the only knock against BioShock is the final boss battle, something that even the game's designers have said was a mistake.

The Xbox had the specs when it hit the scene in November 2001 to compete with the heavy hitters, but it needed something extra to make a mark against the vast catalog of IPs in Sony and Nintendo's stables. It had just the thing in Master Chief and Halo: Combat Evolved.

Halo was a sci-fi shooter that captured so many of the best elements of the games before it. It featured an incredible single-player campaign full of cinematic missions and an epic storyline. It had memorable characters and graphics that made it stand out as a must-see video game. On top of all that, it had near limitless gameplay due to its intense multiplayer options, giving players all sorts of ways to have late night frag sessions and white-knuckle competitive matches. It's not hyperbolic to suggest that Microsoft's console foray may not have found its footing if it weren't for Halo: Combat Evolved.

It's a shame the GameCube didn't sell better, as it housed a few absolutely incredible games during its lifespan. About a year after the console's original release, it saw one of its best ever, and a welcome return to form for a Nintendo legend: Metroid Prime.

Metroid Prime showed that the legendary Samus Aran could do a first person shooter just as well as she could do a side-scrolling platformer, and marked the first game in the series in nearly a decade. Metroid Prime didn't miss a beat though, and helped showcase just how powerful the GameCube hardware was with its impressive visuals and expansive world to explore.

Metroid Prime is praised on almost every level for its design, mechanics and storytelling. IGN's review of the game called it a "must-have masterpiece" and said it was the new "show horse that all forthcoming adventure titles will be judged by." Fans have seen other Metroid games since, but few have reached the highs the first Metroid Prime game maintained throughout its runtime.

There are a substantial number of games from The Legend of Zelda series that are considered "near perfect," and the latest is no exception. After Nintendo squandered a bit of its goodwill towards gamers with the confusing marketing approach to the Wii U, the Nintendo Switch was the company's chance to get back in the game. Luckily, there was a launch day game worthy of some hype: the absolutely breathtaking The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Wired UK called it "Zelda by way of Skyrim," and reviews praised Breath of the Wild for nailing mechanics from other open world games, but also being willing to experiment and take chances. Breath of the Wild really is unlike any other game in the franchise before it, and most of the criticisms of the game are minimal and nitpicky. Breath of the Wild is one of those games that everyone who owns a Nintendo Switch should have a go at.

Gather 'round the campfire, cowboy, and listen to the tale of Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde Gang. The release of Red Dead Redemption 2 was one of the most anticipated game releases of recent memory, and a lot of people weren't sure it could live up to the hype and high bar set by the previous title. Rockstar Games delivered far above most peoples' expectations, with one of the best examples of open world gameplay seen to date.

Like Rockstar's other big series, Grand Theft Auto, part of what makes RDR2 so incredible is how alive the world feels. Riding your horse through the wilderness, it seems like you're just a tiny part of a living, breathing universe and that you might stumble across something new at any moment. It's one of those games that is greater than the sum of its parts, and truly stands as an "experience" that everyone interested in gaming should have.

IGN praised the methodical nature of RDR2, calling its pace and world building "extraordinary." Saddle up with this one if you haven't already.

The Eurogamer review of Super Mario Galaxy 2 (which released in 2011) starts with a fascinating bit of information: "Nintendo hasn't released a straight-up sequel to a Super Mario game in almost two decades." It speaks to how frequently Nintendo tries to stretch the boundaries with its red-capped mascot, and it also shows just how imaginative the original Super Mario Galaxy was — that it contained enough new ideas to spawn a follow-up. Eurogamer also writes that the challenge in creating such a sequel is nearly impossible, but "not long into the new game, you know Nintendo's Tokyo studio has risen to it."

Super Mario Galaxy 2 isn't particularly innovative, but it's another of those "just plain fun" games where you can't really describe what makes it so good. It takes the already impressive gameplay of the previous game and makes it even better. Destructoid even calls it the best Mario game ever.

Grand Theft Auto 4 is essentially just everything that made GTA3 good, but better. Plus, you could go bowling with Roman!

All kidding aside, GTA4 could probably stake a claim as one of the most influential games of all time. Liberty City and Vice City were impressive in the previous games, but returning to Liberty City in GTA4 was, quite literally, a whole new world. It no longer had the illusion of being a true world you plopped into, but it actually was. Every NPC seemingly had an agenda, and there is such a huge variety of things to do that you could put hundreds of hours into GTA4 and still discover new things along the way. On top of all that, GTA4 also implemented several multiplayer modes that, while not quite as extensive as what's now seen in GTA Online, surely paved the way for what the series would become.

GameSpot's review of GTA4 summed it up nicely: "Grand Theft Auto IV is a game that you simply have to play." Just try your best to ignore Roman.

Metacritic's records go back over two decades, and tens of thousands of video game reviews run through its ranking system. Only one game on the entire website has a 99 rating: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The Nintendo 64 was home to several reinventions of classic franchises, but Ocarina of Time stands out as the true masterpiece of N64's library.

The hype surrounding Ocarina of Time, or "Zelda 64" as it was often referred to, was immense. And yet, somehow, it delivered and exceeded almost everything gamers were hoping for. In the IGN review for Ocarina of Time, the site wrote: "When the final version of Zelda 64 arrived in the IGN64 offices, we stopped working, locked ourselves into a room with a big-screen TV and a surround system and played 17 hours straight. After only a few hours of sleep, we were back for more and we couldn't stop until we finished the game. Then, we started over again to find all the secrets."

There is almost no fault to be found in Ocarina of Time, and it sets an incredibly high bar for the genre to this day. It's practically perfect, and thus stands alone atop the list.