The critics have spoken
5. Grand Theft Auto V: At number 5, we have GTA V. It won a tiebreaker, with more than a dozen other games averaging a 97 rating on the review score aggregate. Also keep in mind that every single version of GTA V has received universal acclaim. Where other games (looking at you, Cyberpunk 2077) struggle across platforms, GTA V is viewed by critics as near perfect on any device. (Credit: Rockstar Games)
4. SoulCalibur: SoulCalibur is the first of three 98-rated games on our list. Standing out from other Fighting Game staples with its weapon-based mechanics, Soulcalibur (1998) was so successful that it changed the branding of the entire franchise, after the debut release Soul Edge. It is actually the 1999 Dreamcast port that receives the most critical love. (Credit: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment)
3. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2: Here's a little example of just how much players and critics differ in their assessments. Pro Skater 2 holds a much higher user rating on PC than it does on PlayStation, yet it's the latter version that makes our list of most critically acclaimed games. This, and the first entry in the series, were both remastered and repackaged in 2020 — to the delight of fans. (Credit: Activision)
2. Grand Theft Auto IV: Another tiebreaker won by GTA. GTA IV takes the silver medal because not one, but two versions of it lay at a cool 98 rating. Fans and critics are together this time in dubbing the PC version the middle child, but even that gets a 90 from critics, which is still fantastic. People that felt on-edge after seeing the "overrated" GTA V, can take a deep breath of the wild now. (Credit: Rockstar Games)
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: Ha, got'eeeeem! It is a Zelda game that takes the cake, but not Breath of the Wild. It's the everlasting classic from 1998, Ocarina of Time. The only title to receive perfect critical scores from everyone relevant enough to be considered on Metacritic. Nothing more needs be said. (Credit: Nintendo)
Critics and fans don't always agree on video games, but that doesn't matter right now, because we are going strictly by the numbers, and strictly by professional reviews. We have taken the Metacritic data, which compiles most relevant game review scores into one place, and have ranked the top five most critically acclaimed video games of all time (so far).
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