You're bored. We’ve all been there. You’ve finished Grand Theft Auto V for the third time, you’ve caused enough chaos in Los Santos to last a lifetime, and GTA VI still feels like it’s a lifetime away. You want that specific high. The one where you jump into a car, blast the radio, and realize the entire city is basically your playground. But finding a similar game to GTA isn't as easy as just picking anything with a "Mature" rating.
Most clones are just... bad. They have the guns but no soul. Or they have the world but the driving feels like you're steering a shopping cart on ice.
Honestly, the "GTA-like" genre is a bit of a minefield because Rockstar Games spends hundreds of millions of dollars on tiny details most developers ignore. You notice when the physics are off. You notice when the NPCs feel like cardboard cutouts. To find something that actually works, you have to look at games that nail one or two specific parts of the GTA formula rather than trying to copy the whole thing poorly.
Why Most "GTA Clones" Fail Miserably
Let’s be real for a second. Most developers who try to make a similar game to GTA fail because they underestimate the "vibes." GTA isn't just about shooting people. It’s a satire of modern life. It’s the radio stations. It’s the way the sun hits the pavement at 4:00 PM in the game world.
When Saints Row (the 2022 reboot) came out, it missed the mark for many because it tried too hard to be "edgy" without having the mechanical depth to back it up. People don't just want a map; they want a world that reacts. If you shoot a gun in GTA, the world panics. In many clones, the world just... sits there.
The Sleeping Dogs Exception
If you want a similar game to GTA that actually stands on its own two feet, you have to talk about Sleeping Dogs. Originally meant to be a True Crime sequel, Square Enix picked it up and gave us something special.
Instead of Los Angeles or New York, you’re in Hong Kong. You play as Wei Shen, an undercover cop. The focus shifts from guns to martial arts. It's brutal. It's cinematic. And the food stalls? They actually make the city feel alive. You aren't just a generic thug; you're a guy caught between two worlds. The driving is arcadey but fun, and the story is arguably tighter than GTA V. It's the best "GTA game" that Rockstar never made.
The Open World Chaos of Just Cause 4
If your favorite part of GTA is the "five-star wanted level" mayhem, then Just Cause 4 (or even the third one) is probably your best bet. It’s not a crime simulator in the traditional sense. You aren't robbing banks or dealing with the mob. You're Rico Rodriguez, a guy who seemingly has a personal vendetta against every fuel tank in the world.
The physics are the star here. You have a wingsuit, a parachute, and a grappling hook. You can tether a cow to a passing jet. You can attach rocket boosters to a bus. It’s ridiculous. It lacks the grounded narrative of a Rockstar title, but for pure mechanical freedom, it’s hard to beat. Just don't expect the NPCs to have deep backstories—they're mostly just there to be blown up.
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Watch Dogs 2: The Modern Spin
Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs 2 is probably the closest thing to a modern-day similar game to GTA in terms of setting and tech. While the first game was a bit too "moody" and "dark," the sequel leans into the bright, colorful chaos of San Francisco.
- The Hacking: You can control traffic lights, blow up steam pipes, and read everyone’s text messages.
- The World: It feels lived-in. You’ll see NPCs getting into fights or taking selfies.
- The Stealth: Unlike GTA, where every mission ends in a massive shootout, you can actually play most of this game without firing a single bullet.
It’s a different flavor. It’s less about being a "gangster" and more about being a digital anarchist. If you like the social commentary side of GTA, Watch Dogs 2 hits those notes perfectly, even if the "hipster hacker" vibe isn't for everyone.
Cyberpunk 2077: The GTA of the Future?
When Cyberpunk 2077 first launched, it was a mess. We know. We saw the memes. But in 2026, looking back at the Phantom Liberty expansion and the 2.0/2.1 updates, it has finally become a legitimate contender for anyone looking for a similar game to GTA.
Night City is arguably the most beautiful, dense, and depressing city ever built in a video game. It captures that "Los Santos" feeling of being a small fish in a massive, uncaring pond. You can buy cars, get into police chases (which actually work now), and take on "gigs" that feel like the stranger missions from GTA.
The biggest difference? It's an RPG. You're building a character. You're choosing stats. You can't just go to a barber and change your hair; you're swapping out your actual eyeballs for better scanners. If you can handle the first-person perspective, it's a massive, sprawling experience that scratches the itch for urban exploration and high-stakes crime.
The Mafia Series: For the Narrative Junkies
Maybe you don't care about stunt jumps or buying properties. Maybe you just want a gritty crime story. If that’s the case, Mafia: Definitive Edition is a masterpiece. It’s a remake of the 2002 original, and it looks stunning.
It's a "fake" open world, though. That's a common misconception. You can drive around Lost Heaven, but there’s not much to do outside of the missions. There are no side activities or shops to buy. It’s a linear story told within a large map. But the story? It’s The Godfather meets Goodfellas. It’s heavy, emotional, and the cars handle like actual 1930s death traps.
Then there’s Mafia III. It’s more of a traditional similar game to GTA with a proper open world and territories to take over. It’s set in a fictionalized New Orleans in the late 60s. The soundtrack is incredible—Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the works. It gets a bit repetitive with the "go here, kill this guy" loop, but the atmosphere is thick enough to drown in.
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Let's Talk About LEGO City Undercover
Stop laughing. Seriously.
If you want the GTA experience but you have a kid nearby (or you just want something lighthearted), LEGO City Undercover is basically "GTA: Undercover Cop." It’s an open-world city where you can hijack cars, find collectibles, and explore.
The writing is actually funny. It parodies every cop movie from the last 40 years. It lacks the violence, obviously, but the core loop of "go to a marker on the map, do a mission, explore the city" is 100% GTA DNA. It's often overlooked because it looks like a "kid's game," but the design is rock solid.
The "Weird" Alternatives: Yakuza / Like a Dragon
A lot of people recommend Yakuza (now officially called Like a Dragon) as a similar game to GTA.
Is it? Sorta.
It’s set in a city (Kamurocho). There are criminals. You fight people. But it’s not a "driving" game. You spend 99% of your time on foot. The world is tiny compared to Los Santos, but it is incredibly dense. Every building feels like it has a purpose. You can go into an arcade and play real Sega games, go bowling, or manage a cabaret club.
The tone shifts wildly. One minute you're in a heartbreaking drama about family loyalty, the next you're helping a guy find his lost diaper. It captures the "weirdness" of GTA’s side missions but cranks it up to eleven. If you're tired of the "American Crime" tropes and want something with a different soul, start with Yakuza 0.
The Actionable Roadmap: Which One Should You Play?
Don't just go out and buy all of these. Think about what specific part of the GTA experience you actually miss.
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If you want the Hong Kong action movie vibe:
Grab Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition. It’s usually on sale for less than five dollars, which is basically a steal for the amount of content you get. Focus on the melee combat upgrades early—it makes the game way more satisfying.
If you want to break the physics engine:
Go for Just Cause 3 or 4. Don't worry too much about the story. Just unlock the grappling hook mods and start tethering things together. It's a great "podcast game" where you can just zone out and cause chaos.
If you want a deep, futuristic story:
Cyberpunk 2077 is the move. Just make sure you're playing on a PC or a current-gen console (PS5/Xbox Series X). The "old gen" versions are still a bit rough. Dive into the side quests—they're often better than the main plot.
If you want to be a hacker:
Watch Dogs 2 is the peak of that series. San Francisco is a great map to explore, and the drone gameplay adds a layer of strategy that GTA just doesn't have.
If you want the period-piece drama:
Play the Mafia: Definitive Edition. It’s short, punchy, and won’t waste your time with "filler" content.
Making the Most of Your Next Open World
To really enjoy a similar game to GTA, you have to stop trying to play it like GTA.
Every game mentioned here has its own "thing." If you try to play Sleeping Dogs by just using guns, you're going to have a bad time because the shooting isn't the focus. If you try to drive "normally" in Just Cause, you're missing the point of the wingsuit.
- Turn off the GPS: Try navigating these cities by landmarks. Rockstar is great at this, but Ubisoft and CD Projekt Red have gotten really good at it too.
- Listen to the radio: Just like GTA, these games use music to set the mood. It’s the easiest way to get immersed.
- Talk to the NPCs: Or at least stand near them. The "flavor text" in games like Watch Dogs or Cyberpunk adds a ton of world-building that you'll miss if you're just sprinting to the next yellow dot on your map.
The wait for the next Rockstar epic is going to be long. But between the neon streets of Night City and the rain-slicked alleys of Hong Kong, there’s plenty of trouble to get into in the meantime. Pick one that fits your current mood and just dive in.
Start by checking your library—you might already own Sleeping Dogs or Watch Dogs 2 from a random sale or a "free game" month. If not, pick the setting that interests you most—whether it's the 1930s, the 2070s, or modern-day San Francisco—and commit to the story for at least three hours. Most of these games take a bit to "open up" before they give you the keys to the kingdom.