Best Dan Houser Rockstar Games

Rockstar Games has been at the forefront of the gaming industry for over two decades. They are pioneers of open-world gaming and have been pushing the limits of absurdity and unbridled fun since 1998. At the helm of some of Rockstar Games' most popular and critically acclaimed titles is founding member Dan Houser, who established the company alongside his brother Sam Houser, as well as Gary Foreman, Terry Donovan, and Jamie King.

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By  Alexandra O'Leary

In 2020, Houser announced he would be leaving Rockstar Games, later establishing a new studio named Absurd Ventures which has announced new projects in 2023. Although Houser has taken his career away from Rockstar Games, he leaves behind an immense legacy of critically acclaimed games that are beloved by gamers everywhere. Players may not quite realize how integral Houser was to their favorite games, and how much of Rockstar's iconic attitude was influenced by his voice.

8 Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Metascore: 93

Also set in GTA 4's Liberty City, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars follows Huang Lee, who is part of the organized crime syndicate the Triad, as he attempts to retrieve a stolen sword that was gifted to him by his late father. Lee accidentally becomes caught up in a huge power struggle in the higher ranks of the syndicate.

Chinatown Wars is one of the few GTA games developed for handheld consoles, namely the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. The game was written by Dan Houser alongside David Bland and is one of the highest-rated DS games on the Metacritic site.

7 Red Dead Redemption

Metascore: 95

Red Dead Redemption was released in 2010 and quickly became one of Rockstar Games' most popular titles. It's widely speculated to be one of the most expensive games ever made and was nominated for Game of the Year at several video game awards shows.

Dan Houser was one of three writers on the game, along with Michael Unsworth and Christian Cantamessa. The story follows outlaw John Marston as he's blackmailed into working for the government after they kidnap his wife and child. Compared to previous Rockstar titles, Red Dead Redemption placed more outright emphasis on morality and questioned more serious themes - all of which helped garner its immense success.

6 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Metascore: 95

In 2002, Rockstar Games released Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which is set in 1986 and follows Tommy Vercetti as he builds an organized crime empire by acquiring different organizations across the city. Like all GTA games, Vice City draws inspiration from real-life events and themes of the 80s, including real drug epidemics.

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Once again, Dan Houser wrote for Vice City - alongside James Worrall - which further solidifies how deeply intertwined he is with the very essence of GTA. As well as this, Houser produced (Houser was a producer/executive producer on almost all Rockstar games while in his Vice President position) and supplied some of the voice acting for the game.

5 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Metascore: 95

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is one of the most well-loved GTA games of all time. San Andreas follows CJ as he returns to the life he left behind after his mother is murdered. Once again, the game draws on real-life events of the 90s and uses dramatic satire to criticize certain aspects of American life. Brothers CJ and Sweet are among some of the most popular GTA characters.

Dan Houser wrote the game with James Worrall and DJ Pooh, and also produced it, as well as voice acting. Houser stated that the satire was "leveled at the broader weirdness of America and American consumerism and American action movies".

4 Grand Theft Auto 3

Metascore: 97

Grand Theft Auto 3 is the fifth overall GTA installment, but the third main game in the series. It is the only GTA game to feature a strange and silent protagonist, which may be unexpected for fans of the franchise, since GTA is known for its morally questionable dialogue and conversational characters.

Written once again by Dan Houser, with James Worrall and Paul Kurowski, the game follows Claude as he seeks revenge against his girlfriend who left him for dead during a robbery. GTA 3 is thought to be a turning point for the open-world gaming genre and was critically acclaimed for its 3D gameplay, concepts, and world map. It's one of the highest-rated PlayStation 2 games on the Metacritic site.

3 Grand Theft Auto 5

Metascore: 97

Grand Theft Auto 5 was released in 2013 to tremendous audience and critical reception. The game is set in the fictional state of San Andreas with a large, busy map where players will assume the role of three distinct characters: Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton, and Trevor Phillips.

Grand Theft Auto Five was written by Dan Houser and Rupert Humphries, with Houser as an executive producer. Upon release, the game broke sales records and made over one billion dollars in its first three days, quickly becoming the second-best-selling game of all time. The game remains in Metacritic's top ten highest-rated games of all time and is believed to be a must-play.

2 Red Dead Redemption 2

Metascore: 97

Red Dead Redemption 2 is the long-awaited third installment in the Red Dead series. It acts as a prequel to Red Dead Redemption and follows outlaw Arthur Morgan during the decline of the Wild West. The game was met with critical acclaim was nominated for Game of the Year at multiple awards shows, and won over twenty categories across the 2019 awards season.

Once again, Dan Houser was at the forefront of the writing alongside longtime collaborators Michael Unsworth and Rupert Humphries. It's often championed as the culmination of Rockstar's expansive history, cited as the best of the best in open-world gaming - and gaming as a whole. It was also praised for its brilliant and unpredictable story, which was claimed to be bold, complex, and original.

1 Grand Theft Auto 4

Metascore 98

Despite Rockstar Games' immense repertoire, Grand Theft Auto 4 manages to stay atop the charts as one of Metacritic's top three highest-rated games of all time. Outdone only by Ocarina of Time, GTA 4 is Rockstar Games', and Dan Houser's, absolute triumph of gaming.

Written by Houser and Rupert Humphries, GTA 4 follows veteran Niko Bellic, an Eastern European man who arrives in Liberty City to escape his past and the criminals who pursue him. Rockstar Games stated their investment in Liberty City was immensely detailed and original. Once again, the game received critical acclaim, particularly for the narrative and depth of the world.