The market has become so saturated with open-world action games that it’s almost impossible to recall a time when open worlds weren’t a feature in AAA game design.
But like all gaming trends, it had to start somewhere, and in this case, GTA was the propelling factor behind making the open-world approach as prevalent as it is today.
Granted, GTA was by no means the first-ever open-world game, but was undeniably among the most influential ones, at least as far as action games are concerned.
It has sparked numerous games during the last twenty years, some of which were jokingly called “GTA copies,” but others incorporated their unique attributes and advancements to the blend.
In this game list, we’ll be focusing on the latter – the absolute finest games similar to GTA, in no particular order.
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Mafia Series
The first Mafia game came out around the same time as GTA Vice City, and it has received two sequels, titled simply Mafia II (2010) and Mafia III (2016).
The most apparent difference between the GTA and the Mafia games is the setting. While the latest “HD Universe” are set in fictional contemporary cities, the first, second, and third Mafia games take place in the 1930s, 1940s, and the 1960s, respectively.
Apart from that discrepancy, which mainly affects the aesthetics and the narrative, Mafia plays more or less just like GTA – it features an open city to explore, various vehicles becoming of the period, and a multitude of criminal activities to take part in. Moreover, Mafia takes itself a bit more seriously than GTA does, so it lacks the kind of humor that GTA is known for.
Regrettably, the Mafia games neither became quite as popular as GTA nor were they as well received by the fans and the reviewers.
Truth be told, the Mafia games will mainly appeal to those who like this particular setting, as few good GTA-like games take place in 20th century America. But apart from that, Mafia doesn’t have much new to offer that you haven’t already seen in GTA.

Saints Row Series
Saints Row is essentially what you’d get if you took GTA and turned the absurd factor up by 1000%. At the moment, the franchise consists of five main games:
- Saints Row (2006)
- Saints Row 2 (2008)
- Saints Row the Third (2011)
- Saints Row IV (2013)
- Saints Row Gat Out of Hell (2015)
The initial game is straightforward to disregard, as it was solely launched for the Xbox 360 and can now be played on the Xbox One through backward compatibility. Saints Row 2 and Saints Row the Third, as stated earlier, are essentially GTA but with added ludicrousness.
However, Saints Row IV is another story, as it refreshes the formula by adding various Matrix-esque superpowers, all the while Gat Out of Hell takes place in – you guessed it – hell, and gives the player wings and numerous supernatural powers.
All in all, the Saints Row games don’t take themselves seriously at all and are pretty much just mindless fun. Saints Row 5 is reportedly in development, though there are no concrete news just yet.

Watch Dogs Series
Next up, we have Watch Dogs, which is Ubisoft’s cyberpunk-esque take on GTA that allows the player to influence the world by hacking diverse electronic systems around them. Apart from that, it makes no major deviations from the GTA formula.
The same can be said for Watch Dogs 2, although the sequel does simplify and enhance upon the foundation set by the original.
But all in all, Watch Dogs 1 and 2 aren’t exactly the most notable GTA-like games out there, but they still deserve mention, as many GTA fans are bound to have an enjoyable time with them and their interactive environments.

Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs is an absorbing game that takes place in contemporary Hong Kong and primarily builds upon the existing GTA formula by expanding the melee combat system, allowing for more fluid and seamless brawling which bears a lot of similarity to the combat system of the Batman Arkham games.
In addition to the improvements made to the melee combat, Sleeping Dogs also does an excellent job of bringing Hong Kong to life, which plays a substantial part in helping the game distinguish itself from other unremarkable GTA clones.
All in all, Sleeping Dogs isn’t exactly a groundbreaking pioneering title, but we’d say it is a must-play for GTA fans, especially if you’re a fan of the East Asian aesthetic.

Yakuza Series
Moving on, we get to the Yakuza series, which can most accurately be described as “Japanese GTA.” The series goes back to 2005, and today, it spans a total of ten titles, most of which share the same fundamental mechanics.
The Yakuza games place a considerable focus on melee combat and seeing as we’re talking about Japanese games, you already know that you can expect to see a lot of over-the-top martial arts action and flashing numbers, as well as a very distinctly Japanese aesthetic and presentation style.
That said, when it comes to Japanese games, you either treasure them, or you despise them. So, if you’re in the former team, one of the recent Yakuza games such as Yakuza 0, Yakuza 6, Yakuza Kiwami, or Yakuza Kiwami 2 might be just what you’re seeking. If not, then it’s best to give this series a pass.

L.A. Noire
GTA games and GTA-inspired games almost always have you playing the role of a criminal, but in contrast, Rockstar’s own L.A. Noire puts you in the shoes of a detective in the 1940s America. The game takes a step back from car chases and shootouts to deliver a somewhat calmer, more story-focused experience.
The most dazzling thing about L.A. Noire is the game’s use of MotionScan technology that delivered some of the most realistic animated faces in the history of gaming, something that plays a crucial part in interrogations.
Apart from reading NPCs facial expressions to determine whether they’re lying or not, the player has to gather evidence from crime scenes and solve progressively more complex cases, all the while the main story gradually unfolds.
But of course, L.A. Noire isn’t a point & click adventure game, and players will inevitably come across criminals who will try to run away or fight back, which opens the door for chases, hand-to-hand brawls, and fierce shootouts.
With the above in mind, L.A. Noire is both distinct and not-so-different from your usual GTA game. You cannot just skip through the dialogues and cutscenes to get to the action faster, but once you do get to the action, it’s going to be very familiar, for better or worse. In any case, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

Bully
An old but beloved Rockstar game, Bully is a unique experience that doesn’t put the player in the role of a criminal or a police officer but that of a teenager in a private boarding school.
Obviously, Bully is smaller in scope and is not as violent as most GTA-like games, which is not really a negative thing. This is precisely what helps Bully stand out and makes it so noteworthy and distinctive in a sea of GTA clones. The established GTA formula is still there, so the game is just as engaging on the gameplay front.
The only downside to Bully is that it was originally released in 2006 as a PlayStation 2 title and was remastered in 2008 for the Xbox 360 and Windows, so as you might expect, the graphics are far from 2025 level.
But if you don’t mind the outdated graphics and the lack of overly graphic violence, Bully is definitely a game worth playing.

Red Dead Redemption 1 u0026 2
Given the popularity of the recently released Red Dead Redemption 2, you’ve probably heard of Rockstar’s GTA-like Western. Considering the setting, cars are obviously not part of the mix this time around, but Red Dead Redemption 2 is probably one of the finest open-world action games out there in general.
It is stunning, detail-heavy, extremely immersive, featuring a vast open-world ripe for exploration, and it is an unforgettable gaming experience through-and-through.
The first Red Dead Redemption from 2010, while an outstanding game in its own right, isn’t quite on the sequel’s level due to technological limitations, and it is unfortunately still confined to the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360.
Hence, the only way to play it on modern hardware is with the Xbox One’s backward compatibility feature.
There’s also Red Dead Revolver, which was the first game in the series. However, seeing as it’s a 2004 game that is still accessible only on the PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox that has received middling reviews from critics, you can imagine why you have never heard of it, compared to the vastly more successful sequels.

Just Cause Series
Just Cause is perhaps more akin to Saints Row than to GTA due to how over-the-top its action sequences can be. The player is very nimble, equipped with a grappling hook-parachute combo (and later, a wingsuit) that allows for swift environment traversal and makes the combat encounters more dynamic than what you’re used to seeing in GTA.
Unfortunately, the plot isn’t one of the games’ strong areas, so when it comes to Just Cause, the gameplay is the main attraction. The series currently has four games (Just Cause 1-4), but only the latest two are playable on 8th generation systems.
Conclusion
And that would be our selection of the greatest games that are similar to GTA! As we’ve already mentioned, there are many more GTA-like games out there and we couldn’t include them all.
We do supplement this list from time to time, though, so be sure to check back regularly!