For almost as long as video games have been around, there have been critics to guide players towards the ones worth their time and money. Thanks to reviewing aggregator Metacritic, players can instantly see the general critic reaction to any given game. Many developers would love to see any of their games score above a 90 on the website.
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So when certain game developers consistently score high on Metacritic,it is truly a sign of a developer who works hard to bring high-quality content to players. While some may be surprising, these developers have brought decades worth of great games - and hopefully decades more.
10EA Sports
EA Sports isn’t exactly the first developer players think of when considering consistently great developers. However, within the early 2000s, EA Sports was putting out some of the most acclaimed sports titles on Metacritic.
Their highest-rated game is currentlyMadden NFL 2003, scoring a 95 from 25 critics. Other games from EA Sports in the top 200 includeMadden NFL 2002,Madden NFL 2004,NCAA Football 2004, andNHL 2002.
9Neversoft
The developers of the popularTony Hawk’s Pro Skaterseries have had great success with critics.Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2remains the second-highest rated game of all time,scoring a 98 from 19 critics.
Across just three titles (also includingPro Skater 3and4), Neversoft has actually made Metacricic’s top 200 a total of 6 times.Pro Skater 3appears twice, andPro Skater 2appears 3 times.
8Visual Concepts
Similar to EA Sports, Visual Concepts has enjoyed a great deal of acclaim for its sports titles, ranging from Football to Hockey games.NFL 2K1remains the highest-rated, currently holding a 97 from 22 critics.
NFL 2K3appears on the top 200 list twice, scoring a 93. Other titles on the top 200 includeNBA 2K1,NBA 2K2, andNHL2002.
7Naughty Dog
From the worldwide adventures ofUnchartedto the post-apocalyptic nightmareThe Last of Us, Naughty Dog is certainly no stranger to strong critic reviews. Nathan Drake steals their top slot for the acclaimed sequelUncharted 2: Among Thieves, currently at a 96 from 105 critics.
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Naughty Dog also sees the second-highest rated from 2020 forThe Last of Us Part II,rated at 93 from 120 critics.The Last of Us,The Last of Us Remastered,Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, andUncharted 3: Drake’s Deceptionalso make the top 200.
6BioWare
Combining creative world-building with intricate role-playing,BioWare has developed a number of acclaimed games on Metacritic. With a 96 from 98 critics,Mass Effect2remains their most acclaimed title, which actually appears 3 times on the list.
BothStar Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicandMass Effect 3also appear twice.Baldur’s Gate: Shadows of Amnplaces close toMass Effect 2, with a 95 from 30 critics.
5Valve
Throughout the years, Valve has consistently brought amazing titles and has a total of 8 games on Metacritic’s top 200 to prove it.Half-Life2is considered their crowning achievement on the site, scoring 96 from 81 critics.
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The compilationThe Orange Box, which featuresHalf-Life 2alongsideTeam Fortress 2andPortal, appears twice on the list. The originalHalf-Lifeand the recentHalf-Life: Alyxboth make the top 200, withPortal 2making it 3 times total.
4Capcom
Across multiple franchises, Capcom has proven to be one of gaming’s most creative and talented developers.The classic horror titleResident Evil4for the GameCube is the most acclaimed on Metacritic, holding a 96 from 82 critics.
Resident Evil 4for the PS2 also appears on the list, as doesStreet Fighter IVtwice,Street Fighter Alpha 3, andViewtiful Joe. The 2019 remake ofResident Evil 2curiously makes the top 200, while the 1999 original doesn’t.
3Konami
Konami largely has Hideo Kojima to thank for their abundant critical successbut also has other titles to boast. The sequelMetal Gear Solid2: Sons of Libertyis their highest-ranking game, with a 96 from 42 critics. TheMetal Gear Solidfranchise makes up a bulk of Konami’s titles here, includingMetal Gear Solid,Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence,Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, and 2 versions ofMetal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
The horror titleCastlevania: Symphony of the Nightand the sports titlesWorld Soccer Winning Eleven 6 InternationalandWorld Soccer Winning Eleven 7 Internationalalso make the list.
2Rockstar
A total of 9 different games from Rockstar make it on Metacritic’s top 200, 21 if you count duplicates.Grand Theft AutoIVis still the third-highest rated video game of all time, holding a 98 from 64 critics. The game appears twice alongsideGrand Theft Auto III,Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, andRed Dead Redemption.
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BothGrand Theft Auto: San AndreasandRed Dead Redemption 2appear 3 times, whileGrand Theft Auto Vappears a total of 5 times.Grand Theft Auto Double PackandGrand Theft Auto: Chinatown Warsalso make the list.
1Nintendo
It should come as no surprise that thedevelopers who own the two most iconic franchisesin video gaming make their way to the top. 20 individual games hold slots on the top 200 list. Taking into account duplicates, that number goes up to 22.The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timeis to this day the most critically acclaimed video game of all time, holding a rare 99 from 22 critics. It appears twice alongsideThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Other games from the Nintendo roster includeSuper MarioGalaxy,Super Mario Galaxy 2,The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,Metroid Prime,Super Mario Odyssey,The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker,The Legend of Zelda Collector’s Edition,The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past,The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask,Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3,Super Mario 64,Super Smash Bros.Brawl,Super Mario 3D World,The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword,Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,Paper Mario, andFlipnote Studio.
