8 Hardest Rockstar Games To 100% Complete

Key Takeaways

• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is the easiest GTA game to 100% complete.
• Red Dead Redemption set the foundation for the popular RDR2 prequel, making 100% completion challenging.
• Red Dead Redemption 2 is arguably Rockstar’s best game, with the “Gold Rush” achievement being a tough 100% goal.

Rockstar Games is arguably the biggest developer in the gaming industry. With masterpieces like the Grand Theft Auto franchise, the Red Dead Redemption franchise, and other standalone titles that have captivated players for years, Rockstar has been leading the charts in popularity for more than a decade.

While playing any game developed by any Rockstar Games Studio is always a guaranteed blast, the experience for casual players and completionists is very different. Getting every achievement in a Rockstar game is very difficult, but some titles put players to the test more than others. Here are some of the hardes t Rockstar Games to 100% complete.

8 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

A Timeless Classic That Introduced Many Players To The Franchise

• Players will control Tommy Vercetti
• The easiest GTA game to 100% complete

Most veteran players in their late 20s and early 30s probably remember Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as the first GTA game they ever played. This title is a timeless classic that still holds up very well today despite its outdated graphics and game mechanics. Set in Vice City, a fictional version of real-life Miami, players will take control of criminal Tommy Vercetti.

As they progress through the story, they’ll have a wide range of weapons at their disposal to wreak havoc across Vice City. Out of all the GTA games, Vice City is arguably the easiest to 100% complete. However, this doesn’t mean the feat is easy.

Many players are very excited about the fact that the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6 will also be set in Vice City and share many of the popular landmarks the 2002 game has.

7 Red Dead Redemption

The Title That Kicked Off A Massive Franchise

• Red Dead Redemption laid the foundation for the prequel, which was a massive hit
• Achievements like “Compulsive Liar” make the game very hard to 100% complete

Red Dead Redemption is a very important game, not only because it helped Rockstar keep rising through the ranks, but also because it served as the foundation for the massive hit, Red Dead Redemption 2. Yes, the first game is actually a sequel, but without it, the prequel might never have happened. When Red Dead Redemption was released, Rockstar Games had already presented players with Red Dead Revolver years earlier; however, the latter isn’t as related to Red Dead Redemption 2 as the former.

Red Dead Redemption follows the story of John Marston, a former outlaw who seeks to rescue his family after the government has them kidnapped. John does not only have some memorable quotes, but is also an expert gunslinger. Achievements like “Compulsive Liar” make this game very hard to 100% complete, which is why it’s a fine addition to the list.

6 Max Payne 3

A Thrilling Conclusion To This Amazing Trilogy

• The final chapter in the Max Payne trilogy
• The “Shadows Rushed Me” achievement is extremely challenging

Following protagonist Max Payne, Max Payne 3 is set nine years after the events of the end of the previous game. Max now works as a bodyguard for a rich man by the name of Rodrigo Branco and spends his days doing mercenary work with his friend Raul Passos.

The Max Payne IP not only inspired a trilogy of games, but also a movie that, while not wonderfully well received by critics and audiences, still stands as a testament to how popular the game franchise is. With achievements like “Shadows Rushed Me”, Max Payne 3 is, without a doubt, one of the hardest Rockstar Games to 100% complete. While there aren’t any official plans for Max Payne 4 at the moment, there are many games players can try if they miss the franchise..

5 Manhunt

A Death Row Inmate Must Fight To Survive

• James Earl Cash must survive to earn his freedom
• A classic that, while not as popular as the GTA franchise, is still a blast

Manhunt has a very interesting premise, as it will put players in the shoes of death row inmate, James Earl Cash. After he’s supposedly executed by lethal injection, James wakes up to learn he was only sedated and now has to participate in a series of snuff films planned by an evil film director in exchange for his freedom.

Unfortunately, Manhunt isn’t the most popular Rockstar game out there, but it’s still really fun to play and is a classic that many veteran players probably still remember. While it’s not specifically a Trophy, the Border Patrol mission is arguably one of the hardest in the game and completing it is, in and of itself, an achievement.

4 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

• C.J. must return to his hometown after tragedy strikes
• One of the best GTA titles in the franchise

Set in the early 90s, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas follows the story of Carl Johnson, also known as C.J. After years of being away from his home in Los Santos, San Andreas, C.J. must return to investigate the murder of his mother. There, he will reunite with his old childhood friends, and a series of events will be unleashed.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is arguably among the top 3 GTA games ever made, as it not only has an interesting story and memorable quotes from many characters, but it’s also been memed ad nauseam at this point.

3 L.A. Noire

A Post-World War 2 Detective Story With A Lot Of Action

• Cole Phelps takes a job as a policeman in Los Angeles after returning from World War 2
• “The City of Angels” achievement is the ultimate challenge for completionists

While most of Rockstar’s games are set in modern times or closer to the end of the 20th century, this isn’t the case for L.A. Noire. Set in Los Angeles near 1947, this title follows the story of Cole Phelps, a retired U.S. Marine who has just got back from the horrors of World War 2. In a desperate attempt to rejoin society and lead a normal life, Phelps becomes a policeman in Los Angeles and starts solving crimes through a process that involves thorough investigation and witness questioning.

Unlocking the “The City of Angels” achievement in L.A. Noire will require players to 100% complete the game, which is no walk in the park. For those who loved this title and want more of a similar experience, there are many games that resemble L.A. Noire in several ways.

2 Red Dead Redemption 2

Arguably The Best Western Open-world Game To Date

• Probably the best Rockstar title ever released
• “Gold Rush” demands perfection from players, as a single mistake can cost them the achievement

Red Dead Redemption 2 could arguably be considered the best game Rockstar has ever released. Not only does it have an amazing narrative full of action, camaraderie, treason, and adventure, but the combat mechanics, the Honor system, and the overall setting make it a masterpiece that will hardly ever be surpassed by another game. Not to mention that few things can match the feeling of roaming endlessly on horseback through the Wild West’s prairies. And while Red Dead Redemption 2 already looks amazing, there are many graphics mods out there for anyone who’s interested in trying them out.

Being so vast, complex and well-crafted, it should be expected that completing the game to 100% would not be easy. There are many extremely challenging achievements in Red Dead Redemption 2, but most players agree that the hardest one is “Gold Rush”, which requires players to get gold medals in all 70 story missions.

1 Grand Theft Auto 5

The Massive Hit That Keeps Making Millions Over A Decade After Its Original Release

• The game has lived through two generations of consoles with different versions for each one
• Wonderful narrative elements and an action-packed story

Lastly, there’s the one and only Grand Theft Auto 5. This title was released way back in 2013, and while for many other games that would mean being forgotten at this point, this isn’t the case for Rockstar’s supernova. Ever since it first came out, Grand Theft Auto 5 has maintained a somewhat stable rate of sales and is now available across two generations of consoles, which is impressive to say the least.

While the game isn’t meant to be too challenging, completionists will find that getting achievements, like “Masterminds”, is no easy task. This achievement requires players to beat all three Criminal Mastermind challenges in the Doomsday Heist, making 100% completing Grand Theft Auto 5 very hard.