The Hardest Rockstar Games, Ranked

Rockstar Games is undoubtedly one of the most successful game developers today. While they’ve been making games since the late 1990s, they first gained widespread recognition with the release of Grand Theft Auto 3 in 2001. Since then, they’ve consistently released critically acclaimed and hugely popular titles, many of which are considered all-time classics by both fans and critics.

Rockstar games are generally accessible and fun to start playing, but they aren’t always simple. Because many of their games are open-world, the developers constantly strive to create unique and challenging missions to keep players engaged. Sometimes, however, this pursuit of innovation results in games that are surprisingly difficult to finish, as you’ll see in the following list.

We’re only featuring games made directly by studios operating under the Rockstar name. That means the original two Grand Theft Auto games aren’t included, as they were created by DMA Design (which later became Rockstar North). We’re also excluding ports or versions of games developed by other companies, like the PS2 version of Oni.

7. Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.19 (PS3)

I’ve noticed that Rockstar’s biggest games, like GTA and Red Dead Redemption, are usually pretty easy to pick up and play. Because they’re open-world, the gameplay is generally accessible, and I rarely hit any super tough parts in the story. Some GTA games are a bit harder than others, but Red Dead and Red Dead 2 are pretty similar in terms of challenge, and honestly, I don’t think they’ll give most players too much trouble.

Undead Nightmare is a bit more challenging than the original Red Dead Redemption, but not significantly so. The expansion dramatically changes the game’s tone, transforming the realistic Western setting into a zombie-filled world – a unique blend of Western and horror. Surprisingly, Undead Nightmare is incredibly fun and could be considered one of Rockstar’s best games. While the combat is decent, it’s held back by somewhat awkward controls, which were common in Rockstar games from that time period.

6. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.19 (PS2)

GTA: San Andreas is widely considered one of the greatest video games of all time, and it really set the standard for open-world games. Although it’s easy to pick up and play, some parts can be quite difficult, mostly due to missions that aren’t always well-designed.

The game throws a lot of variety at you – one minute you might be dodging bullets while flying a biplane and taking out cars, and the next you’re trying to set a building on fire by throwing Molotov cocktails through specific windows. The game doesn’t hold your hand, so even a small error during these challenging missions can mean starting over. While not every objective is this difficult, there are some truly punishing ones designed to test your skills.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and GTA 3 are about as challenging as San Andreas, so we’ll just briefly mention them here instead of giving them their own detailed descriptions.

5. Midnight Club: Los Angeles

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.32 (Xbox 360)

As a racing fan, I always thought Midnight Club: Los Angeles was something special. It came out right before Rockstar really started focusing on Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, so it feels like they put everything they’d learned from the earlier Midnight Club games into this one. It’s a super polished, really fast-paced racer, and honestly, the graphics and how challenging it is just pull you right in. It felt like the peak of the series for me.

As you explore the expansive world of Los Angeles in the game, you’ll find many different races to compete in. These races offer significant rewards in the form of Rep points, but they’re also very difficult because the AI opponents are relentless. Before each race, you can choose a difficulty level, and while easier modes are available, the game incentivizes you to challenge yourself with higher difficulties to earn the best rewards.

4. Red Dead Revolver

Metacritic User Score: 3.53 (PS2)

Many players initially overlooked Red Dead Revolver when it launched in 2004, but it’s gained a following from fans who enjoyed Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2. While the graphics aren’t as polished as later games, Red Dead Revolver stands out for its difficulty, truly capturing the desperate life of an outlaw in the Wild West.

This game features challenging bosses, with characters like Pig Josh being especially tough and causing many players to restart. The combat is consistently difficult, whether you’re facing off in duels – where enemies are fast and accurate with their weapons – or exploring the open world, where the AI’s precise aim can quickly take you down.

3. Manhunt 2

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.57 (Nintendo Wii)

Despite the controversy surrounding its release, Manhunt 2 generally received positive reviews from critics who praised its intensely unsettling and suspenseful atmosphere. However, the game wasn’t as refined as other titles from Rockstar, leading to noticeable difficulty – and often frustrating controls. Gameplay centers around stealth, silently eliminating enemies, but getting caught can make controlling the character and fighting back incredibly challenging.

It’s now more difficult to sneak around because Hunters can see players hiding in the shadows under certain conditions, making those moments much more stressful. The maps don’t always offer great hiding places either, which forces players to be resourceful, but also adds to the challenge.

2. Max Payne 3

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.60 (PS3)

Once Remedy felt they’d taken the Max Payne series as far as they could, they passed the rights to Rockstar Games. Rockstar then created Max Payne 3, which appears to be the last game in the series. Like earlier titles, Max Payne 3 features a bullet time mechanic, letting players slow down action, jump, and slide to outmaneuver enemies. To keep the challenge high, Rockstar filled each area with enemies attacking from every direction, making even bullet time combat difficult.

Rockstar recognized the game’s challenge and added a ‘Last Stand’ feature, giving players a final opportunity to use a health item and avoid defeat when critically injured. They also introduced a cover system intended to promote more careful and strategic combat. However, Rockstar’s cover mechanics haven’t always been strong, which contributes to the overall difficulty.

1. Manhunt

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.87 (PS4)

Even among Rockstar’s often-controversial games, Manhunt stands out, and it’s also their most difficult. The game’s challenge has actually increased with time, as older controls can make it surprisingly frustrating to play today. While it has some hand-to-hand combat, Manhunt is primarily a stealth game, though not a particularly groundbreaking one. It was good for its time in 2003 and is still playable, but it doesn’t reach the level of a game like Metal Gear Solid 2.

Manhunt is famous for its shockingly violent death scenes, which still feel intense even today. Like other games from Rockstar, it gets quite challenging in certain parts, and strangely enough, becomes harder when you start using guns. The enemies are aggressive and can take you down quickly, but this mostly happens in a few specific levels, such as the well-known ‘Wrong Side of the Tracks’.

2026-01-07 17:06