The Best Naughty Dog Games (According to Metacritic)

Naughty Dog is undoubtedly one of the greatest video game development companies in the business. Founded in 1984, the company has become famous for its slew of incredible franchises, including Crash Bandicoot, The Last of Us, and the Uncharted series. Most of the studio’s games are critically acclaimed, so it can be hard to separate the greatest of the great from the great but flawed. Thankfully, by looking at the Metacritic numbers, players can at least get some idea of which are the very best Naughty Dog games.

While these scores aren’t absolute, they give players a vague idea of the games that are universally considered by some to be Naughty Dog’s best work by a country mile. These games are truly one of a kind and do a great job of showing off the developer’s strengths, helping them combine the strengths of video game storytelling and gameplay into one seamless package that is an absolute joy to experience firsthand.

Updated September 14, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: Naughty Dog is Sony’s biggest and most reputed developer, creating a string of titles for the console that have gone on to become major hits. The company started out with Crash Bandicoot, a smash hit for the original PlayStation that allowed players to enjoy some breakneck platforming. Jak and Daxter soon followed, but it wasn’t until the release of Uncharted that Naughty Dog finally reached the mainstream in a manner that they didn’t expect. The game was a blast to play through, allowing players to go on a wild archeological journey across different locales that continued the legacy of Tomb Raider. After a few games in the series, Naughty Dog shifted gears and created The Last of Us, a title that doesn’t need an introduction. Their games have become legendary in the eyes of most PlayStation fans and have attracted the love of audiences time and again.

As neither Crash Bandicoot nor Crash Bandicoot 2 are on Metacritic, the games’ GameRankings scores were used instead.

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18 Crash Bandicoot – 80

Crash Bandicoot is one of the most recognizable video game mascots of all time, younger gamers might not realize that his debut title wasn’t all that great. There was a lot to like about Crash Bandicoot, but it was more like a proof of concept than the finished article.

The game was very rough around the edges, with the gameplay nowhere near as good as that found in Super Mario 64. The game was a lot more linear too, which many felt made the switch from 2D to 3D rather pointless. It did, however, provide a solid enough foundation, which Naughty Dog would build something special just one year later.

17 Uncharted: Golden Abyss – 80

A lot of Uncharted fans never got a chance to play Uncharted: Golden Abyss due to it being released exclusively on the PlayStation Vita. That’s a real shame. Although it is not without its problems, the Bend Studio-developed prequel was actually great.

As with the mainline series, Uncharted: Golden Abyss is wonderfully written and is packed full of historical references. Fantastic touch controls and the ability to play the game while out and about only added to the adventure. Meanwhile, the familiar presence of Nolan North helped to make the game feel like a part of the main series rather than just a spin-off title.

16 Jak And Daxter Collection – 81

The Jak and Daxter Collection brought the original trilogy to the PS3 back in 2012, and received mixed responses from critics. While some celebrated the improvements to the games’ visuals, others felt that not enough had been done to bring the titles up to modern standards.

Whilst it’s certainly true that Jak and Daxter‘s earlier outings have not aged as well as some other games, they are still playable even today. The game’s 81 rating on Metacritic is perhaps a little harsh as the vast majority of critics seemed to really enjoy it. This was also the case with players, as demonstrated by the title’s 8.7 user score.

15 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy – 84

An Uncharted game without Nathan Drake? What kind of heresy is this? Naughty Dog wasn’t kidding when they said that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End would be Drake’s final outing. In hindsight, the game’s subtitle was also a bit of a giveaway.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy features series regular Chloe Frazer as its main protagonist. Although she lacks some of Drake’s charm, she does a fairly decent job of filling his shoes. The game might not quite reach the highs found in other Uncharted titles, but it did do enough to impress critics.

14 Jak 3 – 84

It might not look like much now, but Jak 3 was one of the most impressive-looking titles on the market back in 2004. From a technical standpoint, it’s arguably the best that the original trilogy had to offer. Unfortunately for Naughty Dog, some critics felt that the game just didn’t do enough to differentiate itself from the two games that had preceded it.

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Although some reviewers praised the game’s variety of missions and gameplay types, others bemoaned a lack of innovation and criticized the game’s short length. Despite these complaints, however, the game still holds a respectable 84 rating on Metacritic. It’s far from a bad game, but it fails to live up to the high standards set by some other Jak and Daxter titles.

13 Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection – 86

Bluepoint Games did a fantastic job porting the PS3 classics to the current generation and this is reflected by the collection’s Metacritic score. Some critics called it the best remastered collection ever made, and it is hard to argue with that. Fans of the series seemed to agree, as shown by the game’s 8.6 user score.

All three games look fantastic and feel right at home on the more powerful PS4 in spite of their age. The quality-of-life updates improve upon the originals whilst still holding onto that Uncharted charm that made playing them so enjoyable back in the day. These things combine to make this the definitive way to experience the intrepid explorer’s first three adventures.

12 Jak 2 – 87

It’s pretty impressive that a title with an 87 Metascore can’t even crack the top ten Naughty Dog games. Released back in October 2003, Jak 2 earned immense critical acclaim. Some critics even praised it as one of the greatest games on the PS2 and one of the greatest platforming games in history.

While nearly all aspects of its creation were praised, some didn’t take too kindly to the checkpoint system or the game’s convoluted and often empty-feeling open-world city. It sits at an 87 on Metacritic, with the user score rounding out at a slightly worse 8.3.

11 The Last Of Us: Left Behind – 88

Left Behind was released as an expansion pack to The Last of Us, featuring Ellie’s adventures with Riley before the events of the main game. While it didn’t quite reach the heights of the core game, it was still universally praised, especially as DLC. A few shortcomings were noted, including its lack of innovation (not surprising), the short length, and unnecessary padding.

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However, the story, character work, and gameplay were all praised, leading to its 88 Metascore. However, it’s interesting to note that the user score sits at just 8.2. Many people criticize the length and boring story — and, yes, a few criticize Ellie’s relationship with Riley.

10 Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune – 88

The game that started it all, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune was praised upon release for its cast and cinematic qualities. It single handedly gave rise to the action cinema genre of gaming.

While the game may seem dated today, it was unbelievable back in 2007. While critics found it a little derivative of Tomb Raider, it was still praised for its action elements, fun characters, and ridiculous adventure story. However, the users weren’t as kind as the critics, and the user score sits at a surprisingly low 8.0.

9 Crash Team Racing – 88

Kart racing games were all the rage back in the late 90s, thanks primarily to Nintendo’s classic Mario Kart 64. Naughty Dog got in on the action and released Crash Team Racing, a kart racer based on their iconic Crash Bandicoot series. It served as the answer to Mario Kart, as it was endlessly praised for its cast of characters, graphics, gameplay, and buttery smooth controls.

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In fact, many critics declared it a better game than MK64, which was high praise indeed. This is also one of the few times that the users agreed with the critics, scoring it a cumulative 8.9. It may not be the best Naughty Dog game, but it is one of the most original.

8 Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back – 88

In many ways, Crash Bandicoot 2 was the perfect sequel. It took everything that was great about the original game and placing it front and center. That’s not to say that there weren’t improvements though, with the controls being one of the many areas to receive some attention.

Although the best way to play Crash Bandicoot 2 these days is via the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, the original still holds up fairly well for those who have access to it. This is a real testament to how well-designed the game was, as most other games from this era have aged poorly by comparison.

7 Jak And Daxter: The Precursor Legacy – 90

Breaking the elusive 90s barrier is Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, the first entry in the iconic Jak and Daxter series. Released on December 3, 2001, The Precursor Legacy was instantly praised as one of the greatest games available on the PlayStation 2, with many critics singling out its graphics as the best in the history of gaming.

Other praised aspects include its endearing cast of characters, voice acting, and platforming elements, and it made platforming cool and again — for a while, at least. The user score also sits at 8.8, signaling the game’s status as a universal icon of gaming.

6 Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped – 91

Crash Bandicoot: Warped is an all-time PlayStation classic. Released way back in 1998, Warped was endlessly praised for its production values, which included stellar graphics, crisp and alluring sound design, and brilliant music.

A game cannot be a great one without good gameplay though, and Warped delivered that in spades, building on everything that made Crash Bandicoot such a success and expanding on it in various imaginative ways. The user score also sits at 9.0, meaning that darned near everyone who plays this game considers it near perfection. It’s a masterpiece.

5 Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception – 92

Drake’s Deception represented a rather divisive then-ending to the Uncharted series. Unfortunately, it had to follow Uncharted 2, and that is not something any game would want to do given how highly-rated Drake’s second outing is by players and reviewers.

Critics praised the game on its terms as a video game, and, as a video game, it was a masterpiece. Great story and voice acting, the same old Uncharted gameplay magic, and wondrous graphics. However, some players were left slightly disappointed, evident by the rather low 8.4 user score.

4 The Last Of Us Part 2 – 93

Given the huge success of The Last of Us, it was inevitable that fans would receive a sequel. The only surprising thing is that it took seven years for it to arrive. Thankfully, it was worth the wait. The Last of Us Part 2 received widespread acclaim for its stunning visuals and subversive narrative. It’s easily one of the PS4’s best-looking titles and is also one of its best-selling ones.

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Despite achieving both critical and commercial success though, many series fans were disappointed with the direction that Naughty Dog chose to take the story. The game currently holds a user rating of 5.8 on Metacritic, making it one of the worst-performing titles in the Naughty Dog library. Although some of this is down to review bombing, it goes to show that not everybody was impressed with this long-awaited sequel.

3 Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – 93

Naughty Dog decided that they weren’t quite done with Nathan Drake, and Uncharted 4 was assembled and released to widespread critical acclaim. Like all the other Uncharted games, A Thief’s End was praised for its unbelievable production values, gripping and emotional story, imaginative settings, and blockbuster action sequences.

However, some players were again left slightly underwhelmed, which led to a user score of 8.8. Naughty Dog claims that they have now finished with the Nathan Drake saga. By some accounts, it seems general audiences are done with him, as well.

2 The Last Of Us – 95

What gamers aren’t sick of is The Last of Us. That makes sense, considering there’s only been two of them. The Last of Us was Naughty Dog’s first original IP since Uncharted, and it also remains their last original IP. That’s okay though, because it’s an absolute masterpiece of a game, and it contains what is arguably the greatest story in the history of gaming.

It sits at a rightfully high 95 on Metacritic, and the users are right there with the critics, scoring it a cumulative 9.2. There’s no getting around it: The Last of Us is one of the greatest video games ever made, whether it’s being played on the PS3, the PS4, or the PS5.

1 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – 96

When it comes to Naughty Dog’s masterpiece, it always boils down to two games: The Last of Us and Uncharted 2. While the Metacritic scores are extremely close, Uncharted 2 gets the edge by a mere point, making it the highest-rated Naughty Dog game ever made.

It’s really no surprise, considering what this game did for blockbuster gaming. To this day, its action sequences remain as heart-pounding and fresh as they were more than a decade ago. The user score sits at a slightly worse 8.8, indicating that while they agree Uncharted 2 is a masterpiece, some players believe that the best Naughty Dog game is actually The Last of Us.

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