5 great video games by Rockstar other than GTA you should try

Rockstar Games is a famous publishing company that has released several video games since the late 90s. However, their crowing achievement has always been the GTA series, which was their first game since Grand Theft Auto was released in 1997 when Rockstar was still known as DMA designs.

Since then, Rockstar has successfully created a couple of new video game series and many standalone titles that have been well received. Did you know that Rockstar has a racing game series of its own? Probably not.

While the hype for GTA 6 is currently at its highest, don’t let that cloud your vision from all the other great Rockstart games you can get into. This list will dive into five great Rockstart titles other than GTA that you should explore.

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Explore these Rockstar Games that aren’t GTA

1) Red Dead Redemption

If you’re a fan of games by Rockstar, then you’ve probably heard or even played the Red Dead Redemption series. While these might be starkly different in tone from the GTA games, RDR has its charm, specifically in its morally ambiguous protagonists who manage to steal the show every time.

John Marston and Arthur Morgan are the two main characters in RDR and RDR2, respectively, and their performances (Rob Wiethoff & Roger Clarke) are some of the best in video game history. The themes of honor and find salvation for oneself are not unique to this series, but the execution is top-notch.

If you’re a fan of rich open worlds, you wouldn't want to miss out on the series, especially RDR2, which is as close to emulating the real world as any game has. Take on the role of an honor-bound gunslinger or be a remorseless bandit; the choice is left to you as you enter this lawless virtual world.

2) L.A. Noire

Aside from the Red Dead Redemption series, L.A. Noire is probably the other most well-known game by Rockstar that is not GTA. It came out in May 2011 and featured a period piece drama set in 1947. It was the first video game to be honored as a selection at the Tribecca Film Festival.

L.A. Noire is a detective action-adventure game that saw protagonist Cole Phelps investigate various criminal cases and rise amongst the ranks of the LAPD. The game employed state-of-the-art face motion capture technology to render character faces and expressions essential to identifying important clues and suspects.

Protagonist Cole Phelps was also an interesting character, as his past as a World War II veteran affects much of his character and why he does what he does. The game also includes various nods to events happening around the time, in the larger world, to fully immerse the player in the 1947 era.

3) Bully

It’s a shame that Rockstar could not pursue a sequel to Bully, as it would possibly have been quite a hit. As such, we’ll have to do with replaying the original for now. Bully is a game much like GTA, only dialed down in all regards for a more school-ground friendly environment.

It featured a boarding school, which Jimmy Hopkins (the protagonist) is sent to at the beginning of the game. Like GTA, the school is divided into stereotypical groups, such as jocks, nerds, greasers, and preppies. The map also includes a nearby town that is fully explorable.

Aside from the main story, players can participate in several side activities, such as attending classes, going go-karting, and doing paper delivery to make money. Full of humor and satire, the game is a bit more relaxing than its more adult counterpart.

4) Manhunt

An arguably underrated game from Rockstar, Manhunt is a series that started life in 2003 with the first game. The second game, titled Manhunt 2, came out in 2007 and served as the end-point of the series. Played from a third-person perspective, this was a stealth game series, which makes it distinct from other titles from the developer.

Both games offered up a similar premise of having to escape from a secure facility and go on the run. Similar to the GTA games, the Manhunt series was also an anthology tale, meaning that the two games remained unrelated, aside from the identical plot that tied them together.

Players had to use lethal means to stay off enemies' radar and resort to stealth executions to remain undetected. At certain points, they were offered guns, although staying silent was rewarded more often than not. At the end of each level, players were graded based on their performance.

5) Midnight Club: Los Angeles

If you ever thought that driving in the later GTA titles was quite well carried out, that’s because Rockstar was in the habit of putting out racing games once upon a time. Midnight Club was a racing game series from Rockstart that ran from 2000 to 2008.

The most recent game in the series is Midnight Club: Los Angeles, which sets the stage in modern-day Hollywood. This was the fourth installment in the Midnight Club series, which features up to 58 cars to choose from, along with four motorcycles. Players can choose to roam freely about the open world or participate in various races to progress through the story.

A new addition to the series includes certain special abilities that can be used to gain an advantage in the race. Police also play a key role in the open world, much like NFS Most Wanted (three years prior). The game also came with online play, which could support 16 players simultaneously.

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