While many may have specific publications that they turn to for video game reviews, others prefer to have review scores and opinions averaged so they can get a general idea of a game's quality at a faster pace. That's where review aggregate websites come in, and now that GameRankings is defunct, the main video game review aggregate websites are OpenCritic and Metacritic. Metacritic was founded in 2001, so it has quite a few years on OpenCritic, with a catalogue of reviews that extends much farther into the past.

Metacritic has some reviews that were published prior to its founding in 2001, but since 2001 was the website's first year of operation, it's interesting to use that as a starting point when taking a look back at all the highest-rated video games.

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Here are the highest-rated video games on Metacritic for each year since 2001.

2001 - Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3

The 10 Best PlayStation 2 Games Ever Made (According To Metacritic)

The first two Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games are often hailed as two of the absolute best sports video games ever made, and so Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 had a lot to live up to. However, it's safe to say that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 lived up to expectations and then some, standing tall as the highest-rated video game during Metacritic's first year in operation, 2001. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 made some major changes to the core gameplay that allowed users to pull off even more impressive combos, and it was also the first game in the series to support online multiplayer. Not only that, but it helped usher the franchise in to what were, at the time, next-generation consoles. Hopefully the game can get new life on modern consoles through a remaster akin to the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 collection.

2002 - Metroid Prime

metacritic best games

The original Metroid Prime game put Retro Studios on the map as one to watch. The American-based developer was given the reigns of Nintendo's sci-fi adventure series, taking it in bold new directions by making it a first-person shooter/adventure game. Combining elements of other first-person shooter franchises with traditional Metroidvania gameplay, Metroid Prime was a wildly popular game at the time of its release and remains a beloved classic to this day. There are rumblings that a Metroid Prime Trilogy Switch port may be in the works, so perhaps Switch fans will get to relive the game while they wait for more news on Metroid Prime 4.

2003 - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

metacritic best games

Nintendo had the top-rated game for 2002, and its momentum continued in 2003. While the Nintendo GameCube was vastly outsold by the PlayStation 2, there's no denying that it had an incredibly impressive library of games. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was yet another major game that could be added to the GameCube's impressive lineup, with it also taking some major risks for the Zelda franchise. Adopting a cel-shaded art style that was hugely controversial for the time, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker still delivered classic 3D Zelda gameplay and certainly earned its spot as the highest-rated game of 2003.

2004 - Half-Life 2

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The original Half-Life was widely successful, but Half-Life 2 raised the franchise to legendary status. Half-Life 2's innovative physics engine allowed for some truly unique combat scenarios and puzzles, with the entire experience anchored by an enthralling science-fiction storyline. Valve continued the story of Half-Life 2 with episodic DLC, but it still has yet to give the series a proper conclusion. Half-Life 2 being such a great, groundbreaking game is a big reason why fans have been clamoring for Half-Life 3 for years, and at this point, it seems as though it will be impossible for Valve to deliver something that can live up to the legacy of its predecessor.

2005 - Resident Evil 4

metacritic best games

Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami completely reinvented the survival-horror franchise with the 2005 classic Resident Evil 4. Often hailed as one of the best video games ever made, Resident Evil 4 took the franchise down a more action-oriented path, but did so while writing the blueprint for how third-person shooter games would play for decades to come. Resident Evil 4 breathed new life into Capcom's long-running franchise, and has since been re-released on virtually every platform imaginable.

2006 - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

metacritic best games

There's a reason why Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda franchise is often considered one of the best video game franchises there is. Nearly every entry finds itself earning widespread critical acclaim, and the same can be said for 2006's The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Embracing a much darker tone and setting than Wind WakerTwilight Princess was an attempt to take Zelda back to the style popularized by Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask to great success. Launching alongside the WiiThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess also helped usher in a new generation for Nintendo, and one of its most financially successful ever.

2007 - Super Mario Galaxy

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Nintendo kept its Wii support going strong in 2007, releasing a game that was, at one point, the highest-rated video game ever made. Not content to rest on its laurels, Super Mario Galaxy boldly took Mario where the franchise had never gone before, hitting players with a string of wildly innovative 3D platforming stages. Super Mario Galaxy's gorgeous art style and orchestral score help cement it as a gaming classic, and those interested in playing it on the Switch can do so thanks to the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection.

2008 - Grand Theft Auto 4

GTA 4 Niko Bellic

Rockstar Games has long been considered one of the top video game developers in the world, and that's largely thanks to its work on the Grand Theft Auto franchise. With Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar brought the franchise to the PS3 and Xbox 360 generation, upping the graphics considerably and offering a realistic open world Liberty City for players to explore. Grand Theft Auto 4 also delivered a gripping story, online multiplayer, and retained the series' widely-acclaimed sense of humor. Rockstar would later release a pair of single-player DLC expansions for Grand Theft Auto 4 that added even more value to the experience, and so it's no surprise the the game is so well-regarded to this day.

2009 - Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

metacritic best games

Previously known for its cartoony platformers, Naughty Dog wanted to try something new with its Uncharted series. The first Uncharted game earned rave reviews at the time of its release and was hailed as one of the better games available for the PS3, but Uncharted 2 took the franchise to new heightsUncharted 2: Among Thieves upped the production value considerably, offering bigger set-pieces and graphics that were jaw-dropping at the time. Combine these improvements with a relatively entertaining online multiplayer mode and it's no surprise critics were so excited about Uncharted 2 in 2009.

2010 - Super Mario Galaxy 2

Super Mario Galaxy 2 Promotional Art of Yoshi and Mario

With Super Mario Galaxy being one of the highest-rated video games of all time, Nintendo had an incredibly challenging task ahead of itself with Super Mario Galaxy 2Super Mario Galaxy 2 lived up to the hype, refining the formula established in the original game and upping the challenge. Super Mario Galaxy 2 also brought Yoshi back into the mix, giving the fan favorite dinosaur a much-deserved return to the spotlight.

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2011 - Batman: Arkham City

metacritic best games

Speaking of sequels that managed to live up to the hype, Batman: Arkham City certainly did just that. Rocksteady followed up on Batman: Arkham Asylum with a more open adventure filled with shocking plot twists, punchy combat, and even more gadgets for players to utilize against the criminal forces of Gotham City. Taking everything fans loved about the original game and dialing it up to 11, Batman: Arkham City is definitely in the conversation for best licensed game ever made.

2012 - Persona 4 Golden

persona 4 cast

While it took awhile, the Persona franchise from Atlus is finally starting to catch on worldwide. Persona 5 has been a huge success, but the seeds for it were planted with Persona 4 and its enhanced edition, Persona 4 GoldenPersona 4 Golden adds new content to the already-acclaimed Persona 4 experience, giving JRPG enthusiasts even more to sink their teeth into. With addicting gameplay married to an enthralling story, Persona 4 Golden set the stage for the franchise's success to come, and is still a must-play game. A Persona 4 Golden PC port makes that a bit easier to do, but fans can also check out the PlayStation Vita version of the game if they have the handheld lying around.

2013/2014/2015 - Grand Theft Auto 5

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Until Grand Theft Auto 5, no game had managed to win Game of the Year multiple years in a row. Rockstar's GTA 5 was the highest-rated game of the year for three years running, with massive praise given to its original 2013 release on PS3 and Xbox 360 that continued when the game was ported to PS4 and Xbox One in 2014 with a variety of enhancements. Then Rockstar Games released the long-awaited Grand Theft Auto 5 PC port in 2015, opening the door for the modding community to keep interest in the game alive for years to come.

Rockstar Games itself has also kept fans engaged with Grand Theft Auto 5, largely through its GTA Online multiplayer experience. And now that as well as the single player Grand Theft Auto 5 are being re-released yet again, making their way to both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X later in 2021.

If one considers Grand Theft Auto 5 ineligible for 2014 and 2015, then the highest-rated games would have been The Last of Us Remastered (or Super Smash Bros. for Wii U if a completely original release is necessary) and Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, respectively.

2016 - Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

uncharted 4 cover art

Naughty Dog concluded its Uncharted franchise with Uncharted 4: A Thief's End in 2016. Sending Nathan Drake off on a positive note, Uncharted 4 featured the classic Uncharted gameplay of platforming, exploration, and third-person shooting that fans have come to love, as well as vastly improved graphics that took full advantage of the PlayStation 4's beefier hardware when compared to the PS3. Uncharted 4 also retained the online multiplayer modes featured in Uncharted 2 and Uncharted 3, offering a little something for players of all tastes to do in the game.

2017 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

nintendo switch games leak 2021

Nintendo's Legend of Zelda franchise returned to the top of the Metacritic pile in 2017 with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Like Twilight Princess before it, Breath of the Wild ushered in a new generation for Nintendo, launching alongside the Switch while also releasing for the Wii U as well. Still considered by many to be the Nintendo Switch's best game, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild translated the Zelda formula to open world with spectacular results, inspiring an endless line of Breath of the Wild clones in the process.

2018 - Red Dead Redemption 2

red dead redemption 2 playstation store sale

It seems whenever Rockstar Games puts out a new title, it's bound to find itself as the top-rated game of the year. That was the case for Red Dead Redemption 2, an open world western that served as a prequel to Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption from 2010. Red Dead Redemption 2 is known for its hyper-realism, which helps players become better-immersed in its open world frontier. Rockstar has continued to release new content for Red Dead Redemption 2's Red Dead Online mode, which allows players to explore the game's massive open world with friends.

2019 - Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition

Divinity Original Sin 2 Fane (Shadowblade)

There's a reason why many fans were excited when it was announced that Larian Studios was working on Baldur's Gate 3. Larian's work on the Divinity franchise established it as one of the premiere studios for western RPGs, with its work on Divinity: Original Sin 2 especially earning acclaim from critics. The Definitive Edition of the game adds more content and brings it to consoles, giving more than just PC players the chance to see what it's all about.

2020 - Persona 5 Royal

Persona 5 Royal

Persona 5 Royal is one of the highest-rated JRPGs ever produced, taking what was already a massive and beloved game and adding even more content to it. Virtually every aspect of Persona 5 Royale has been praised by critics, with the game's impressive critical success leading to it selling millions of copies and earning a staggering number of awards. Persona 5 Royal's impact on the JRPG cannot be understated, and neither can what it's done for the Persona franchise as a whole, bringing it more into the mainstream.

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