Top 25 Crime Games for 2026
Which games put you on the wrong side of the law?
Heists, gangs, and cities that expect you to break them.
90 catalogued, top 25 ranked below
The crime games on a map
Compare the whole catalogueThe same 25 games, plotted rather than listed. The two axes below are the ones the ranking is built from, so a game sitting high and right is a game the formula placed near the top. Change either axis to see the field a different way. Where we hold a publisher wordmark, the game is drawn as its mark rather than a dot.
25 games have both
Axes are fitted to these 25 games rather than the full 0 to 100 scale, because a filtered list shares a narrow band and would otherwise sit in one corner. End values are marked. A point on the left edge is the lowest of thesegames, not a low score.
Players. The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000.
Popularity. A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it.
- Mobile
- Multi-platform
- Nintendo
- PC
Every point links to that game's entry. The value map and the reception map are fixed views of the same data.
How positions are decided
No paid placement, no favouritism, live third-party data
- Placed by the published method, not by us. Every coordinate is computed from the axis definitions and weights printed on this site. Nobody moves a point. See the axes.
- Nothing here is paid for. No sponsored placements, no promoted slots, no arrangement of any kind affects a position. If that ever changes it will be labelled and sit outside the ranking.
- No favouritism, including our own. The 16 games we have written full reviews of are scored by exactly the same formula as the other 1,510, from the same third-party inputs, and they land where it puts them. Our own opinion of a game does not enter its coordinates.
- A position is not an endorsement. It says how a game was received and what it costs, not that we recommend it. Where we do recommend something, it carries a written review with a name on it.
- Fetched from live third-party data. Player sentiment from Steam, critic aggregates as published on store pages, prices checked hourly, attention from Wikipedia. Each figure carries its source and the date it was read, and we do not adjust any of them.
25 best crime games, ranked
Ordered by GamingPickz Score. Every figure links back to the source that produced it.
- 1
Schedule I
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.9GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceSchedule I at a glance Released 2025 Studio TVGS Player sentiment 98% positive of 314,499 Critics No aggregate Price $19.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 8 GB Accessibility 6 declared features Raw 98% shrinks to 98.0 on 314,499 reviews, giving 8.9. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 98% positive across 314,499 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Small install at 8 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 2
Persona 5 Royal
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidencePersona 5 Royal at a glance Released 2022 Studio ATLUS Player sentiment 96% positive of 138,589 Critics 95/100 Price $59.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 41 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 138,589 reviews, then blends with the 95 critic aggregate, giving 8.8.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 138,589 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 3
Teardown
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.4GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTeardown at a glance Released 2022 Studio Tuxedo Labs Player sentiment 96% positive of 135,539 Critics 80/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 12 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 135,539 reviews, then blends with the 80 critic aggregate, giving 8.4.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 135,539 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 12 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 96 against 80. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
Yakuza 0 at a glance Released 2018 Studio Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Player sentiment 95% positive of 77,742 Critics 86/100 Price Not listed Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 94.9 on 77,742 reviews, then blends with the 86 critic aggregate, giving 8.4.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 5
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
Best for: Players who need accessibility options that actually exist
8.3GamingPickz Scorehigh confidencePhoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy at a glance Released 2019 Studio CAPCOM Co., Ltd. Player sentiment 98% positive of 44,855 Critics 80/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 3 GB Accessibility 9 declared features Raw 98% shrinks to 97.9 on 44,855 reviews, then blends with the 80 critic aggregate, giving 8.3.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Declares 9 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
- Small install at 3 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 98 against 80. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- 6
Crime Scene Cleaner
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.3GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceCrime Scene Cleaner at a glance Released 2024 Studio President Studio Player sentiment 98% positive of 34,147 Critics No aggregate Price $21.89 Steam Deck playable Install size 35 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 98% shrinks to 97.8 on 34,147 reviews, giving 8.3. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 7
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Best for: Playing with other people
8.2GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMetal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain at a glance Released 2015 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 92% positive of 107,873 Critics 91/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 28 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 92% shrinks to 92.0 on 107,873 reviews, then blends with the 91 critic aggregate, giving 8.2.
What the data supports- 92% positive across 107,873 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
Worth checking first- Carries in-game purchases. Check what they cost before committing.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 8
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 4
Best for: Two people on one screen
8.1GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceNARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 4 at a glance Released 2016 Studio CyberConnect2 Co. Ltd. Player sentiment 91% positive of 90,679 Critics No aggregate Price $19.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 40 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 91% shrinks to 91.0 on 90,679 reviews, giving 8.1. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Saints Row: The Third at a glance Released 2011 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 96% positive of 69,665 Critics 84/100 Price $2.49 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.9 on 69,665 reviews, then blends with the 84 critic aggregate, giving 8.1.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 10
Dishonored 2
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.1GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceDishonored 2 at a glance Released 2016 Studio Arkane Studios Player sentiment 90% positive of 66,755 Critics 86/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 60 GB Accessibility 6 declared features Raw 90% shrinks to 90.0 on 66,755 reviews, then blends with the 86 critic aggregate, giving 8.1.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 11
Mafia II (Classic)
Best for: Players who trust other players over critics
8.1GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMafia II (Classic) at a glance Released 2011 Studio 2K Czech Player sentiment 94% positive of 58,640 Critics 77/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck unsupported Install size 8 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 93.9 on 58,640 reviews, then blends with the 77 critic aggregate, giving 8.1.
What the data supports- Small install at 8 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 94 against 77. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
- 12
Hacknet
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.1GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceHacknet at a glance Released 2015 Studio Team Fractal Alligator Player sentiment 94% positive of 26,101 Critics 82/100 Price $1.49 Steam Deck unsupported Install size 0.49 GB Accessibility 2 declared features Raw 94% shrinks to 93.8 on 26,101 reviews, then blends with the 82 critic aggregate, giving 8.1.
What the data supports- Small install at 0.49 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
- 13
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.1GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMax Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne at a glance Released 2003 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 94% positive of 14,615 Critics 86/100 Price $2.49 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 94% shrinks to 93.7 on 14,615 reviews, then blends with the 86 critic aggregate, giving 8.1.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 14
Grand Theft Auto V
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.0GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceGrand Theft Auto V at a glance Released 2013 Studio Rockstar Toronto Player sentiment 83% positive of 218,663 Critics No aggregate Price $19.79 Steam Deck unsupported Install size 105 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 83% shrinks to 83.0 on 218,663 reviews, giving 8.0. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
Worth checking first- Carries in-game purchases. Check what they cost before committing.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
- 15
Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceGrand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition at a glance Released Not recorded Studio Rockstar North Player sentiment 83% positive of 202,491 Critics 90/100 Price Not listed Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 83% shrinks to 83.0 on 202,491 reviews, then blends with the 90 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 16
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceGrand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition at a glance Released 2020 Studio Rockstar North Player sentiment 83% positive of 202,430 Critics 90/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 83% shrinks to 83.0 on 202,430 reviews, then blends with the 90 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 17
One-armed robber
Best for: Trying the genre without spending anything
8.0GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceOne-armed robber at a glance Released 2023 Studio Duhndal Player sentiment 91% positive of 52,823 Critics No aggregate Price Free Steam Deck playable Install size 1 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 91% shrinks to 90.9 on 52,823 reviews, giving 8.0. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Free to download, so trying it costs only time.
- Small install at 1 GB.
Worth checking first- Carries in-game purchases. Check what they cost before committing.
- 18
Unheard - Voices of Crime
Best for: Players who trust other players over critics
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceUnheard - Voices of Crime at a glance Released 2019 Studio NEXT Studios Player sentiment 96% positive of 33,900 Critics 72/100 Price $6.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 2 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 96% shrinks to 95.9 on 33,900 reviews, then blends with the 72 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
What the data supports- Small install at 2 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 96 against 72. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Sifu at a glance Released 2023 Studio Sloclap Player sentiment 92% positive of 28,658 Critics 81/100 Price $39.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 22 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 92% shrinks to 91.9 on 28,658 reviews, then blends with the 81 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 20
Mafia
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMafia at a glance Released 2002 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 88% positive of 16,301 Critics 88/100 Price $14.99 Steam Deck unsupported Install size 3 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 88% shrinks to 87.9 on 16,301 reviews, then blends with the 88 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
What the data supports- Small install at 3 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
- 21
Max Payne
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMax Payne at a glance Released 2001 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 89% positive of 15,818 Critics 89/100 Price $3.49 Steam Deck unknown Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 89% shrinks to 88.9 on 15,818 reviews, then blends with the 89 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 22
Payday 2
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
7.9GamingPickz Scorehigh confidencePayday 2 at a glance Released 2013 Studio Overkill Software Player sentiment 89% positive of 674,295 Critics 79/100 Price $9.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 32 GB Accessibility 6 declared features Raw 89% shrinks to 89.0 on 674,295 reviews, then blends with the 79 critic aggregate, giving 7.9.
What the data supports- 89% positive across 674,295 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Carries in-game purchases. Check what they cost before committing.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 23
Mafia: Definitive Edition
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
7.9GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMafia: Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2020 Studio Hangar 13 Player sentiment 87% positive of 110,615 Critics 78/100 Price $39.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 50 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 87% shrinks to 87.0 on 110,615 reviews, then blends with the 78 critic aggregate, giving 7.9.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
A Way Out at a glance Released 2020 Studio Hazelight Studios Player sentiment 88% positive of 102,752 Critics 78/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 25 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 88% shrinks to 88.0 on 102,752 reviews, then blends with the 78 critic aggregate, giving 7.9.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- Multiplayer only. There is no solo mode to fall back on.
- 25
Hitman: Absolution
Best for: Players who trust other players over critics
7.9GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceHitman: Absolution at a glance Released 2012 Studio Nixxes Software Player sentiment 93% positive of 63,506 Critics 79/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 93% shrinks to 92.9 on 63,506 reviews, then blends with the 79 critic aggregate, giving 7.9.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 93 against 79. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
How to choose between these
25 entries, six things that separate them
The ranking answers "which is best received". It cannot answer "which is best for you", because that depends on things no formula knows. Here is what actually separates these 25 crime games, in the order worth thinking about it.
Check the sample size before the score
A score is only as good as the evidence under it. 17 of these have more than 50,000 player reviews, which makes their number very hard to move.
Look at where critics and players disagree
The widest gap here is Unheard - Voices of Crime, where players sit above critics by 24 points. A gap that size usually means the game changed after launch, or that it does something critics undervalue. It is worth reading why before deciding which number you trust. The disagreement map plots this across the catalogue.
Decide what you are actually willing to spend
The median here is $19.99, and the cheapest paid entry is Hacknet at $1.49. Prices move constantly, so a game a place or two down the list is often the better buy this week. Filter by price below rather than assuming the top pick is the right purchase.
Match it to the hardware you own
6 of these are Steam Deck Verified by Valve's own testing, and install sizes vary by more than an order of magnitude. If you are choosing for a handheld or a drive that is nearly full, that narrows the field faster than any score.
Check it supports how you want to play
Solo, with a friend online, or two people on one sofa are different requirements, and a well-reviewed game that does not support yours is the wrong game. The filters below answer this directly.
Look for the things a score hides
4 declare six or more accessibility features, and 4 carry in-game purchases. Neither shows up in a review score, and both change the experience substantially. Each entry lists its own.
Choose one if…
Tick what matters to you. This filters the ranking above rather than reordering it, so the order you see is still the order the formula produced, minus the games that do not fit. Every filter reads a field from the game's own store listing.
Nothing selected, so all 25 crime games are shown below. Pick one or more above to narrow it.
crime games by the numbers
The figures below describe all 25 entries on this page together, not the top pick. They are recomputed on every build, most recently on 19 October 2026, from 2,901,951 player reviews.
What the pricing looks like
22 of the 25 carry a listed US price, with a median of $19.99 and a mean of $21.52. The mean sitting above the median tells you the field is pulled up by a few expensive outliers. The cheapest is Hacknet at $1.49, the most expensive Persona 5 Royal at $59.99. 1 are free to download. 4 carry in-game purchases on top of whatever they cost. Prices are read hourly from the US Steam storefront and move constantly.
How much this field agrees with itself
Player sentiment spans 15 points across these 25 entries. That is a narrow band, which means the ranking is separating good from good, and the entries below the top few are not meaningfully worse. 20 carry a critic aggregate, averaging 84 out of 100. Players rate this field 8 points higher than critics on average, which is worth knowing before you weigh either number. See where the two diverge.
Who makes them, and what they overlap with
The studios appearing most often here are Rockstar Toronto (3), Rockstar North (2), 2K Czech (1), Arkane Studios (1) and ATLUS (1). The genres these entries also sit in are open-world (13), fps (8), simulation (8), sandbox (7), action-adventure (6) and racing (6), which is a fair map of what you are actually choosing between.
Which way attention is moving
We track Wikipedia pageviews over 28 days for 8 of these. 5 are gaining attention and 1 are losing it, with the rest flat. Attention is not quality, and we do not feed it into the ranking. The full monitor shows the movements across the catalogue.
Update history 1
- First published with 23 entries ranked.
Common questions
What is the best crime game in 2026?
Schedule I ranks first, with a GamingPickz Score of 8.9 out of 10. That score is computed from player sentiment adjusted for sample size, critic reception and popularity, using the weights published on this page.
How many crime games are there?
We track 90 crime games. Games with fewer than 50 player reviews are excluded from the ranking, because a percentage with no sample behind it is not a measurement.
How is this list ranked?
By a published formula, not by editorial preference. Player sentiment is pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it, then weighted against critic scores and popularity. Nothing on this page is paid for and no placement can be bought.
How often is this updated?
Recomputed on every build from data read on a stated date. Player review counts move daily, so positions in the middle of the list shift more than the top or bottom.
Reader comments
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Also catalogued
65 more crime games, not yet reviewedNone of these carry a review yet. The rest are catalogue records: title, year, studio and platforms, sourced from Wikidata. They are not indexed by search engines, because a record is not a review.
- Need for Speed: Most Wantedsource
- Mafia IIsource
- Heavy Rainsource
- Mafia IIIsource
- Watch Dogs 2source
- Hitman: Blood Moneysource
- Battlefield Hardlinesource
- Hitman 2: Silent Assassinsource
- Need for Speed: Hot Pursuitsource
- Need for Speed: Most Wantedsource
- Shadow of the Tomb Raidersource
- Lego City Undercoversource
- Driver: Parallel Linessource
- Star Wars Outlawssource
- Gotham Knightssource
- Yakuza: Like a Dragonsource
- Saints Row 2source
- Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty Citysource
- PAYDAY The Heistsource
- L.A. Noiresource
- Monaco: What's Yours Is Minesource
- APB Reloadedsource
- Sleeping Dogssource
- Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughtersource
- Mafia III: Definitive Editionsource