15 Highest-Rated Games on Metacritic: The Best Games of All Time
Discover 15 of the highest-rated games on Metacritic, from Ocarina of Time and SoulCalibur to Red Dead Redemption 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3, with story summaries and what makes each game memorable.
While countless video games come and go, the highest-rated games on Metacritic are the rare few that manage to leave a lasting impression long after the credits roll. Some redefine an entire genre, others introduce mechanics that become industry standards, while a few simply manage to create an experience that still feels special decades later.
One of the most commonly referenced measurements of critical reception is Metacritic’s Metascore, which combines professional game reviews into a score from 0 to 100. Looking at the highest-scoring games on Metacritic reveals something interesting: there is no single formula for creating a great game. The list includes platformers, open-world adventures, fighting games, shooters, racing titles and massive role-playing experiences.
Below are 15 games that sit among the highest-rated titles in Metacritic’s all-time rankings, along with a short look at their stories and why they remain important.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time — 99
Few games have had the cultural impact of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998, it currently holds a 99 Metascore, making it the highest-rated game on Metacritic’s all-time list.
The story follows Link, a young boy from Kokiri Forest who becomes involved in Ganondorf’s attempt to obtain the Triforce. After the villain transforms Hyrule, Link must travel between childhood and adulthood, awaken the Seven Sages and ultimately confront Ganondorf.
What makes Ocarina of Time particularly fascinating today is how naturally it combines exploration, dungeon design, puzzles, combat and storytelling. Its time-travel mechanic isn’t just a plot device; it becomes part of the game’s identity and progression.
2. SoulCalibur — 98
SoulCalibur arrived on the Sega Dreamcast in 1999 and earned a remarkable 98 Metascore. Metacritic’s all-time list places it among the highest-rated games ever reviewed.
The game revolves around a collection of warriors searching for or fighting over the legendary weapons Soul Edge and Soul Calibur. Each character has a personal reason for entering the conflict, giving the fighting game a surprisingly elaborate narrative backdrop.
But SoulCalibur’s biggest achievement was in its moment-to-moment combat. Characters felt distinct, movement was fluid and the weapon-based fighting system gave every match its own rhythm. It remains an important chapter in fighting-game history.
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 — 98
Super Mario Galaxy 2 is another game sitting at 98 on Metacritic. Nintendo took the foundation of the first Galaxy and expanded it with new galaxies, mechanics, power-ups and Yoshi-based gameplay.
Mario once again heads into space after Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach and grows to an enormous size. With the help of Yoshi and various allies, Mario travels between bizarre planets and galaxies to rescue her.
The game doesn’t need a complicated story to work. Its real strength is the constant stream of inventive ideas. Gravity, perspective and level design are repeatedly rearranged, making each stage feel like a new experiment.
4. Grand Theft Auto IV — 98
Grand Theft Auto IV earned a 98 Metascore, making it one of the most highly rated open-world games ever released.
Players take control of Niko Bellic, an immigrant arriving in Liberty City hoping to escape his past and build a new life. His cousin Roman promises opportunities and wealth, but Niko soon finds himself surrounded by criminals, debts, betrayals and dangerous relationships.
GTA IV stands apart from some other entries in the series because of its darker tone. Liberty City feels less like a playground and more like a place where Niko is constantly struggling to find purpose. The result is a story built around ambition, loyalty and the uncomfortable reality behind the so-called American Dream.
5. Super Mario Galaxy — 97
The original Super Mario Galaxy earned a 97 Metascore and became one of Nintendo’s most celebrated 3D platformers.
After Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach and escapes into space, Mario follows him into a universe filled with strange planets and unusual gravitational environments.
The story is simple, but the gameplay is anything but. Mario can run around tiny planetoids, jump across massive structures and use gravity to navigate environments that would have been impossible in a traditional platformer. The game’s creativity is its defining characteristic.
6. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — 97
Breath of the Wild brought The Legend of Zelda into a radically more open-ended world and received a 97 Metascore.
Link awakens after a century of sleep with little memory of what happened to Hyrule. The kingdom has been devastated by Calamity Ganon, and Link must recover his memories, explore the ruined land and prepare for the final confrontation.
The game’s story deliberately gives players room to discover the past rather than presenting everything immediately. You can climb mountains, experiment with physics, hunt for resources and approach objectives in almost any order. That freedom became one of the defining characteristics of modern open-world design.
7. Red Dead Redemption 2 — 97
Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 sits at 97 on Metacritic.
Set in 1899, the game follows Arthur Morgan, a senior member of the Van der Linde gang. After a robbery in Blackwater goes wrong, the gang is forced to flee while law enforcement closes in.
Arthur’s story gradually becomes more personal as the gang begins to fracture. Loyalty, survival and the changing American frontier all collide as the old outlaw lifestyle becomes increasingly difficult to maintain.
What makes Red Dead Redemption 2 memorable is its patience. It allows characters, locations and relationships to develop slowly, creating a world that often feels like it continues even when Arthur isn’t directly involved.
8. Grand Theft Auto V — 97
Grand Theft Auto V also earned a 97 Metascore.
The game follows three protagonists: Michael, a retired criminal struggling with his family life; Franklin, a young hustler looking for a way out of the street; and Trevor, an unpredictable criminal with a history connected to Michael.
Their stories eventually collide through a series of increasingly ambitious heists. The ability to switch between the three protagonists gives the campaign a different rhythm from earlier GTA games.
Los Santos itself is just as important as the characters. The city is packed with side activities, strange encounters and satirical details that turn the open world into more than a backdrop.
9. Metroid Prime — 97
Metroid Prime transformed the classic Metroid formula into a first-person adventure while maintaining its emphasis on exploration. It currently carries a 97 Metascore.
Bounty hunter Samus Aran travels to Tallon IV after discovering evidence of Space Pirate activity. As she explores the planet, she uncovers the effects of a dangerous substance known as Phazon and the secrets hidden within the planet’s ruins.
Rather than relying purely on shooting, Metroid Prime encourages players to observe their surroundings, scan objects, solve environmental puzzles and gradually unlock new abilities.
The result is a game where exploration feels like detective work. Every new ability can turn previously inaccessible locations into potential discoveries.
10. Perfect Dark — 97
Rare’s Perfect Dark earned a 97 Metascore on Nintendo 64.
Players control Joanna Dark, an agent working for the Carrington Institute. Her investigation into the powerful dataDyne corporation eventually leads her into a much larger conspiracy involving advanced technology and extraterrestrial forces.
Perfect Dark built upon ideas introduced by GoldenEye 007 while expanding the formula with more weapons, gadgets, objectives and multiplayer options.
Its futuristic spy-thriller atmosphere helped distinguish it from more straightforward military shooters, giving the Nintendo 64 another memorable first-person adventure.
11. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 — 97
Not every critically acclaimed game needs an enormous story. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 earned a 97 Metascore, showing that exceptional gameplay can stand on its own.
The game places players in the role of professional skateboarders competing across different locations while completing objectives and building increasingly elaborate combos.
There isn’t a traditional cinematic narrative to summarize here. Instead, the appeal comes from mastering movement, linking tricks together and constantly trying to beat previous scores.
The addition of online multiplayer and mechanics such as the Revert helped push the series forward, while the game’s responsive controls made experimentation incredibly satisfying.
12. Grand Theft Auto III — 97
Grand Theft Auto III helped establish the blueprint for the modern 3D open-world crime game and holds a 97 Metascore.
Players take control of Claude, a silent criminal who is betrayed during a bank robbery and left for dead. After escaping prison custody, he becomes involved with various criminal organizations across Liberty City.
The narrative provides a framework for the player’s rise through the city’s criminal underworld, but the real breakthrough was the freedom offered by the 3D city.
Players could steal vehicles, explore neighborhoods, undertake missions or simply cause chaos. The formula became enormously influential across the industry.
13. Super Mario Odyssey — 97
Super Mario Odyssey returned Mario to a sandbox-style 3D adventure and earned a 97 Metascore.
Bowser once again kidnaps Princess Peach, but this time he intends to marry her. Mario travels across a series of expansive kingdoms aboard the Odyssey airship, accompanied by Cappy, a living hat capable of possessing enemies and objects.
Cappy dramatically expands Mario’s movement options. Capturing enemies allows Mario to borrow their abilities, while the game’s large kingdoms encourage exploration and experimentation.
It feels familiar without simply repeating the formula of previous Mario adventures.
14. Halo: Combat Evolved — 97
The original Halo: Combat Evolved launched with the Xbox in 2001 and earned a 97 Metascore.
Humanity is at war with the alien Covenant when the human ship Pillar of Autumn discovers a mysterious ring-shaped structure known as Halo. The player takes control of Master Chief as he attempts to understand the installation and stop the Covenant threat.
The campaign combines military science fiction with exploration and a growing mystery surrounding Halo itself.
Its weapon sandbox, enemy encounters and vehicle sections helped define console first-person shooters for a new generation, while its story laid the foundation for one of gaming’s most recognizable science-fiction universes.
15. Baldur’s Gate 3 — 96
One of the newest games in this group, Baldur’s Gate 3 earned a 96 Metascore and was Metacritic’s 2023 Game of the Year.
The story begins when the protagonist and several companions are infected with mysterious parasites. Instead of immediately transforming into monsters, the parasites grant strange powers, creating a race against time to discover what is happening.
From there, the adventure expands into a huge fantasy journey filled with companions, factions, ancient mysteries and difficult choices.
Baldur’s Gate 3 stands out because it gives players enormous freedom. Conversations, combat encounters and even seemingly minor decisions can produce different consequences. It feels less like following a predetermined path and more like participating in a tabletop role-playing campaign where the unexpected is part of the experience.
What Do These Metacritic Scores Tell Us?
Looking across these 15 games, one thing becomes clear: critical acclaim does not belong to a single genre or generation.
The list includes games built around storytelling, exploration, competitive gameplay, platforming, shooting, open-world freedom and role-playing. Some games are more than two decades old, yet they remain among the highest-rated titles in Metacritic’s database. Others, such as Baldur’s Gate 3, demonstrate that modern releases can still reach the same critical heights.
There is also an interesting pattern in how these games achieved their scores. Ocarina of Time reached 99, while SoulCalibur and Super Mario Galaxy 2 reached 98. A large group sits at 97, including Red Dead Redemption 2, Grand Theft Auto V, Breath of the Wild, Metroid Prime and Halo: Combat Evolved.
Of course, a Metascore is not a universal measurement of whether a particular game will be enjoyable for every player. It represents the aggregated critical reception of professional reviews, while personal preferences can vary dramatically.
Still, these games share something important: each one gave critics a reason to remember it. Whether through groundbreaking design, unforgettable worlds, exceptional mechanics or ambitious storytelling, they helped define what players expect from video games.
For anyone looking for a starting point for exploring the most critically acclaimed games in history, this collection offers a fascinating journey across several generations of gaming.
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