The PlayStation 2 era is, undoubtedly, one of the best in gaming. The console played host to not just some of the greatest games of all time, but also numerous titles that pushed the industry forward in a truly transformative way, thus establishing foundations for future genres and developers to build upon. It cemented Sony as a true competitor within the gaming scene, positioned its collection of extremely talented developers at the forefront of innovation, and paved the way for future console generations to flourish.

Amazingly, many of the best PS2 games are turning 25 this year, something that feels almost unimaginable for those of us who grew up on the console. Among these titles is a game that was not only one of the best on the console, but remains one of the highest-rated games of all time, even after all of these years. This game established the tropes and trademarks of an entire genre, helped popularize what is now one of the most successful series of all time, and made the PS2 a must-have console at the time.

This PS2 Classic Is Still One Of Gaming’s Highest-Rated Masterpieces

Released in 2001, Grand Theft Auto 3 was one of the many must-play PS2 games that everyone seemed to own. Of course, with it being the third installment of a fairly popular open-world series, and the jump to 3D helping to make it one of the most realistic (for the time) and expansive games in the genre, it makes sense that it was both immensely popular and incredibly successful. GTA 3 quickly garnered countless glowing reviews when it launched and eventually became the fifth best-selling PS2 game of all time, bested only by its successors, which it largely helped popularize.

To this day, Grand Theft Auto 3 remains one of the highest-rated games on Metacritic, scoring 97, the same score as GTA 5 and two points higher than Red Dead Redemption. It achieved that rating through its then-revolutionary innovations and improvements on the open-world formula, its impressive glow-up that saw it go from a rather pixelated 2D isometric experience to a full-blown 3D open-world sandbox filled to the brim with the kind of immersive details that Rockstar is now famous for.

One can easily understand how reviewers and fans alike would be blown away by the level of freedom afforded by Grand Theft Auto 3’s genre-defining mechanical innovations, especially as, 25 years later, this PS2 classic continues to impress. Sure, it does rank among some of the worst-aged PS2 games of all time, but that’s only because what has come since has further improved upon the formula established by GTA 3 in equally drastic ways. However, back in 2001, GTA 3’s shortcomings were either not seen as such or easily overlooked in favor of its radical contributions to the open-world genre.

GTA 3 Is Still Mostly Fun To Play In 2026

Of course, were Grand Theft Auto 3 to be released today, albeit with flashier next-gen visuals, it would not score anywhere near 97. Playing it today is fun, but it lacks a lot of the improvements later entries added and fundamental inclusions that should be in any game, including PS2 titles. Its silent protagonist, empty-feeling world, and numerous other frustratingly missing features all contribute to a game that feels like it is well past its prime, even if it was a masterpiece when it first launched.

However, for its time, that score was absolutely justified, and its many aforementioned contributions to the gaming industry cannot be overlooked. Grand Theft Auto 3 was a phenomenal PlayStation 2 classic, a game that scored highly not simply because it was great fun to play back in 2001 (which, to be absolutely clear, it very much was), but also because it was clear just how ahead of the curve Rockstar was and just how much GTA 3 would do for the open-world genre as a whole.

The vast majority of the highest-rated games ever made frequently fall into a similar category as GTA 3. Not all of them are quite as polished or shiny as they first appeared to be, but what they offered at the time was so revolutionary that it felt like playing something from the future.

That is the case with Grand Theft Auto 3, as its successors like San Andreas, GTA 4, and GTA 5 would later go on to fully realize the dream it promised, just with the handful of features it was missing. In many ways, GTA 3 felt like a prophetic PS2 title, and that is, at least in my opinion, the reason it resonated with so many players and ended up becoming one of gaming’s greats.

Systems

Released

October 23, 2001

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence

Engine

RenderWare