The 10 Best Games Like GTA (Grand Theft Auto)

What are the best games like GTA?

Grand Theft Auto is an iconic franchise and one of the most successful series of all time.

However, GTA V was released in 2013, and since then, fans have been patiently waiting for the next game.

Fortunately, we’ve found a few games like GTA that you can play in the meantime!

The 10 Best Games Like GTA

The games on this list were chosen based on their similarities to the GTA franchise.

This includes similar themes and gameplay elements but unique stories that provide a new experience.

So, before your cousin Roman calls, let’s dive into our list of the 10 best games like GTA:

10. Lego City Undercover

Kicking off our list is a family-friendly alternative to GTA that doesn’t lack action and humor!

While gameplay borrows heavily from the Grand Theft Auto series, players are given the role of a police officer instead of a criminal.

In Lego City Undercover, players take on the role of Chase McCain, an undercover cop in Lego City.

Players can also unlock other playable characters or create custom characters, though they will still use Chase’s voice.

As Chase, players can use many vehicles, including cars and helicopters, as well as a grappling hook for swinging around.

Although you’re often tasked with enforcing the law, there are times when you will need to commit crimes in order to infiltrate criminal gangs.

Definitely one of the best Lego games of all time, Lego City Undercover is a great alternative to GTA that even kids can play!

9. Yakuza 0

Released in 2015, Yakuza 0 is largely responsible for the rise in the series’ popularity in Western countries.

A prequel to the original game and the sixth in the franchise, this game is set in 1988 during a conflict between Yakuza gang factions.

Following the story of Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima, players can explore an open-world map, trigger side quests, and play minigames.

Throughout the city, players can sing karaoke, play pool, hit the arcade, go dancing, and even view, eh, explicit materials in a video store.

Enemy gang members can also be found on the streets, as well as Mr. Shakedown, who can take all of your money.

Yakuza 0 also boasts multiple fighting styles that can be switched mid-battle, including a fast boxing style and a heavy but slow beast style.

Like GTA, there is a lot to do in Yakzuka 0, and you can easily spend hours just tackling side content before touching the main campaign.

8. Just Cause 4

Just Cause 4 was released by Square Enix in 2018, and it gives players control of Rico Rodriguez.

The main goal is to take down the world’s biggest private military in the fictional nation of Solis.

While this sounds pretty straightforward, what makes Just Cause 4 stand out is the incredible amount of freedom it gives players.

As one of the best open-world PS4 games, there is a lot to explore in this game, and things can get crazy fast.

Players have the ability to attach hot air balloons and even rockets to objects or use a wingsuit and grappling hook to fly around the map.

There are even environmental hazards like tornados, which make the wingsuit even more hilarious and fun.

Despite having a rather serious, action-packed plotline, Just Cause 4 is just as hilarious and filled with carnage as GTA.

Fortunately, Just Cause 5 is in development, and we expect it to be every bit as entertaining as this entry in the series is!

7. Watch Dogs Legion

The third entry in the Watch Dogs series, Legion, is set in a dystopian version of futuristic London where a hacker syndicate is trying to clear its name.

However, while trying to find the people who framed them, they must also try to free London from the private military controlling it.

Like previous games, Legion is filled with shooting, puzzle-solving, stealth, and hacking segments that keep it interesting.

There is even a permadeath option you can turn on when starting so that any mistake could literally be your last.

Throughout the game, players can also recruit a number of characters who can be switched between at any time.

Each character has their own traits and skills, making them useful for completing missions in different ways.

Players can also team up in co-op multiplayer, which offers several different activities, including co-op missions and city events.

Additionally, having been published by Ubisoft, there is even a non-canonical Assassin’s Creed crossover expansion.

Watch Dogs Legion is a fantastic open-world game that has a lot for GTA fans to love, and it is definitely a must-play.

6. Red Dead Redemption 2 

Red Dead Redemption 2 revolves around Wild West outlaw Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang.

Set in a time when the lawlessness of the West is declining government control, players have to contend with both rival gangs and lawmen.

When not doing missions, players can roam freely across the huge open world, exploring different landscapes, towns, and bustling cities.

As an outlaw, players can also hijack trains and stagecoaches, duel other gunslingers, collect bounties, or go around committing crimes.

However, if crimes are reported, a bounty will be put out, growing higher with each successive criminal activity.

This will cause lawmen to pursue the player and even U.S. Marshals if the bounty gets high enough.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, you can really be as lawless as you want, though there are also opportunities to help people as well.

Essentially, this game is like GTA but with horses and revolvers instead of sports cars and rocket launchers.

5. Mafia 3

Mafia 3 follows Vietnam veteran Lincoln Clay who is forced to turn to crime in order to help his adoptive family.

Unfortunately, the Mafia ends up betraying his family, leading Clay to start building his own criminal organization on the path to revenge.

Set in a fictional version of Louisiana, Mafia 3 has a large open-world map made up of 10 unique districts.

While the game revolves around gunplay, it is also possible to use stealth throughout to get past enemies.

Players can attack Mafia-run locations, interrogate NPCs, and drive around the city with reckless abandon.

There are also smaller criminal organizations like the Irish Mob, the Haitian Mob, and the Southern Union that you can take out.

A bit like a mix between GTA and The Godfather, Mafia 3 is filled with action and a well-written story that will keep you invested.

While not as over the top as some GTA games, building up your criminal enterprise and taking out the competition is certainly something fans can enjoy.

4. Payday 2

Payday 2 is one of the best alternatives to Grand Theft Auto, and while it was released in 2013, it remains ridiculously fun.

In this game, players take control of a member of the Payday gang as it hits Washington, D.C., for another crime spree.  

While bank robberies are always the biggest heists, players can also rob stores and armored cars while also producing and dealing drugs.

Heists can be taken on solo or with up to three teammates controlled via online multiplayer or AI.

Players will also be given the option to do bigger things, such as rigging elections or stealing nuclear weapons.

Each contract is ranked by level of difficulty, with the highest level, Death Sentance, providing the most experience and money.

Although many jobs can be completed using stealth, you can go in guns blazing, though you can be arrested if you take too much damage.

You can also use the best Payday 2 mods to switch things up if you’ve been playing the vanilla game since its release.

Like GTA, Payday 2 is all about committing crimes, and it definitely has more than enough content to keep you occupied for a long time!

3. Sleeping Dogs

Sleeping Dogs is a gem that flew a bit under the radar when it was released, which is a shame because it is awesome.

Mixing the outrageous martial arts of a B-list karate film with open-world crime, Sleeping Dogs follows the story of Wei Shen.

Shen is an undercover cop who has infiltrated the Sun On Yee criminal organization with the goal of bringing them down from the inside.

Combat revolves around his martial arts skills, but there are also gunplay and parkour mechanics that are very well done.

Throughout the world, players engage in both legal and illegal activities, though the latter can draw police attention.

How many players are wanted by the police is tracked by the heat meter, and if it reaches 5, the cops will become extremely aggressive.

Players can also discover a variety of side activities, including street racing, karaoke, and joining a fight club.

You can also start stealing cars and even find one of several potential girlfriends while committing crimes.

Although a multiplayer follow-up was planned for Sleeping Dogs, it was ultimately canceled by Square Enix in 2015.

Despite being so similar to GTA, Sleeping Dogs is a game that doesn’t get nearly enough love, though it still has a loyal fan base.

2. Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 has a rough start, but now it’s on the cusp of getting a brand new graphics update and has sold over 20 million copies.

This game gives players control of V, a highly customizable mercenary operating in the open world of Night City.

Like Grand Theft Auto, players can walk or drive around the city and even run over pedestrians and get into fights with police.

While you can go through the game without killing anyone thanks to non-lethal combat options, there are also a ton of different damage types for weapons.

These include physical, EMP, thermal, and chemical, which each do more damage to specific targets.

Players can also use cyberware during combat to take out threats, and there is a load of cyber abilities to choose from.

Like GTA, there are also many minigames, including shooting ranges, boxing, racing, and hacking.

Cyberpunk gives players a lot of freedom to do almost anything they want, and there are multiple different endings to achieve.

This game also has a lot of replayability, thanks to all of the customization options and different lifepaths.

It is definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of GTA, especially since so many of the bugs have been fixed.

1. Saints Row: The Third

Taking our number one place is, of course, Saints Row: The Third, a game that is incredibly similar to Grand Theft Auto.

Originally released in 2011, this game has since been remastered for the Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Players control a fully customizable protagonist who serves as the leader of the 3rd Street Saints gang in the city of Steelport.

After being stranded in the city, already controlled by the international crime organization the Syndicate, it’s up to players to build up their rep.

However, there is also the paramilitary group S.T.A.G., which is trying to restore order and can prove very tough to take out.

Saints Row: The Third has all of the criminal activities that GTA fans have come to love, but it is arguably even more over the top.

Filled with zany humor, this game is both action-packed and hilarious from start to finish, and it even lets up.

It even sees the return of the series’ signature sex toy bat, which you can use to beat people to death whenever you want.

Comparable to the best GTA games of all time, Saints Row: The Third is a must-play for fans of Grand Theft Auto!

Summary

We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of the 10 best games like GTA and found some you haven’t checked out yet.

All of these games should make GTA fans feel right at home while patiently waiting for the next game in the series to drop.

While all of these games are great, Saints Row especially captures the chaotic charm that has helped make GTA so popular.

Here’s a quick recap of the 10 best games like GTA:

1. Saints Row: The Third
2. Cyberpunk 2077
3. Sleeping Dogs
4. Payday 2
5. Mafia 3
6. Red Dead Redemption 2 
7. Watch Dogs Legion
8. Just Cause 4
9. Yakuza 0
10. Lego City Undercover

Which of these games will you play first? Leave a comment below.