When it comes toopen-world games, nobody does it betterthan Rockstar. Its open worlds have so much attention to detail, and its most popular series isGrand Theft Auto. GTA 3 popularized the open-world genre and spawned many imitators.
Though some are best left forgotten, many were great to play and offered things that GTA didn’t have. There’s only five main 3D GTA instalments, and you will get tired of them eventually. You just need some alternatives to freshen up the palette every once in a while, and these games are great for that.
2003
PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PC
Out of all the games based on The Simpsons, Hit & Run is the most well-regarded, and for good reason. The game’sgot the amazing humorand writing you’d see in the show made into a solid GTA clone. You can tell the developers were really passionate about this IP and the love and care that went into it.
The demand is there for a remaster, but that’s very unlikely to happen with Activision owning the rights to the game. However, this is common, as you don’t see many licensed games from that era getting remastered due to licensing issues.
PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PC, Mac
One game that’s more historically significant than truly great is True Crime: Streets of LA. This was launched in 2003 afterVice City, but beforeSan Andreas. This is important to note, as Streets of LA did one thing far more impressive than GTA at the time, and that was a more realistic, true-to-life version of the core setting.
The game actually had a ton of landmarks of LA present, and it was such a trip at the time to go up to the Los Angeles Convention Center in a real title. It was mind-blowing to be this accurate, and it lessened the shortcomings for many. Regardless of how Streets of LA holds up, you’re able to still see the influence of this title in games likeGTA 5, which also recreates Los Angeles.
2012
Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC, Mac
Sleeping Dogs is a game that got more appreciation and recognition over time. While not impactful at launch, Sleeping Dogs did a lot of things fresh in the genre. You gota fresh Hong Kong setting, but the big shake-up was the elevated melee combat.
In many ways, it felt like aYakuzagame. From the environmental attacks you can do, the weapons you can grab, and the general brutality of the animations. It’s incredibly satisfying and an element that would be welcome in the GTA series. Punching has always been clunky there, and this elevation would freshen things up.
2008
Xbox 360 (Series X|S Backwards Compatible), PlayStation 3, PC, Linux
The peak of theSaints Rowseries has to be Saints Row 2. In terms of pure fun, it’s top dog, and for those who disliked several aspects ofGTA 4, this was a far more enjoyable experience. The driving was better; it offered more pure fun missions than GTA 4 and also had better graphics.
These were a big deal to many, as some just couldn’t click with GTA 4’s driving, and it ruined the game for them. The one knock against the title is the bugs, as they’re pretty drastic and something to watch out for.
2006
PlayStation 2, Xbox, Wii, PC
Made by the same developers as Simpsons: Hit & Run, Scarface is another home run of a licensed game. You have the sweet Miami setting, but GTA already has that, so what makes Scarface unique? That is the amazingly well-done and iconic protagonist Tony Montana, voiced by Andre Sogliuzzo.
The foul-mouthed legend, as the playable character, does a lot to make this game so much more enjoyable. No other GTA protagonist can match him. As well, the Wii port had fantastic motion-controlled driving that’s still just as fresh today as it was back then. Playing that Wii version still holds up, unlike other GTA clones of the time.
PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Wii, PSP, PC
In terms of movies that can be turned into a GTA clone, Scarface is a great pick, but another fitting one is The Godfather. The legendary crime films are perfect for a GTA-style game, and the title itself pulls it off really well.
Being very faithful to the source material and having great voice acting, it stood out among other GTA clones of the era. It’s also quite grounded, which can’t be said about the sequel game. The Godfather 2 jumped the shark in many areas and had too many wacky elements that messed up the tone.
Platforms
2010
Xbox 360 (Series X|S BC), Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC, Mac
The best of theMafiagames, Mafia 2 had an immersive 40s and 50s open world that felt fresh in the HD seventh-gen era. This was a year beforeLA Noirecame out, so this was a really cool setting. The sheer accuracy and attention to detail were on point, and there were even old Playboy centerfolds as collectibles.
That wasa bit wild at the time. Unfortunately, the remastered version is not very good, so if you play on consoles, you’re best bet is to play the backwards-compatible Xbox 360 version.
2016
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Watch Dogs 2is one of those sequels that just blows the original out of the water. The first game was disappointing, consideringhow good the initial 2012 trailer looked, but that’s not the case here. The quality of the open-world design and its depth is about on par with Rockstar’s output.
Watch Dogs 2’s story is also much better than the first game. It almost seems like lightning in a bottle because, besidesAssassin’s Creed Origins, Ubisoft hasn’t been able to replicate the same quality. Many of Ubisoft’s later titles look and feel like the same open-world fair, which wasn’t the case here.
Xbox 360 (Series X|S BC), PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
Who better to make a GTA clone than Rockstar itself? The elevator pitch forRed Dead Redemptionis Grand Theft Auto in the Wild West, but there’s more to it than that. First, the story is much more grounded and has a far more serious tone than GTA. There’s also not nearly as much to do.
Thankfully, the combat, graphics, and soundtrack are far superior to GTA 4, which helps Red Dead go beyond its open-world shortcomings. The best versions to play are either through Xbox backward compatibility or on PS4. PS4 gives you 60fps, while Xbox gives you the sweet and still active online multiplayer.
2007
Xbox 360 (Series X|S BC)
Not all open-world games are GTA clones, but that was a common thought for a while. A game that helped bridge the gap and pave the way for more action-focused open-world titles is Crackdown. It’s very similar to a superhero game with your various abilities.
However, it plays more like a third-person action game with how the combat and movement tie into each other. Crackdown spawned a new type of open-world title combining elements of superhero, action, and typical open-world games all into one. TheInfamousseries and evenSunset Overdrivewould not exist without Crackdown.
