Few present-day game developers have the gravitas and reputation that Rockstar Games have built up for themselves. Taking on projects that would be seen as risky at minimum and doomed to fail by many, they always find ways of pulling them off in style. From the escapist and immersive open world of Grand Theft Auto 5, to the desolate and immensely beautiful western setting of Red Dead Redemption, theyve accomplished the rare feat of a track record comprised of multiple masterpieces. However, for every Grand Theft Auto, there are games of theirs that may not have been as appealing to the mainstream, or first impressions that simply weren't deemed good enough by the gaming crowd. Maybe it was a case of releasing at a busy release period, or maybe the concept wasn't for everyone - whatever the reason, the following games just didn't hit home like the rest. These are seven of Rockstar's best games that you may not have heard of, or are simply underrated by the vast majority. They may not be perfect, but they certainly deserve some time in the spotlight, at least for a moment or two.
7. Oni (PS2 Version)
Oni is a third-person action/beat-em-up game that came out in 2001 for Mac and Windows, as well as PlayStation 2. Influenced heavily by anime Ghost in the Shell and the work of director John Woo, the game follows Konoko, a newly-appointed agent for the organization TCTF (Technological Crime Task Force). The player takes control of her as she works alongside her android partner, and accomplishes missions for the company, while simultaneously going into Kinoko's past and taking time to witness the development of her secret abilities. The game was well-renowned for blending brutal hand-to-hand combat with weaponry and typical third-person shooter elements, coming together as a unique experience, without removing what works gameplay-wise for the third-person genre itself. Combat included ten different kinds of guns, ranging from rocket launchers to energy weapons, as well as power-ups that could either help you regain your health or even turn your character completely invisible. To add onto that, the areas in which you'd fight would be no small-scale arenas with invisible walls; each was fully open for exploration, albeit at a smaller scale due to the limitations of the tech at the time. It was developed for PC by Bungie West (their one and only game developed), then taken over and developed by Rockstar for the PS2 version, so if you want to dig up your old PlayStation for one more game, Oni just may be for you.
