14 Games Like Grand Theft Auto V
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If you love GTA’s open-world chaos, freedom to explore, and action-packed missions, you’re probably looking for more games that deliver that same adrenaline rush. Whether it’s fast cars, big stories, criminal empires, or sandbox mayhem, plenty of titles capture GTA’s signature blend of exploration and explosive action. In this guide, you’ll find the best games like GTA. Perfect for gamers who want huge worlds, high-stakes missions, and endless freedom to cause (or prevent) trouble.
Table of Contents
About Grand Theft Auto V
Rockstar Games went bigger, since their previous installment of the series. You get the complicated and realistic world-building from Liberty City of GTA4 in the setting of lively and diverse Los Santos, from an old fan favorite GTA San Andreas. 561 different vehicles (including every transport you can operate) and the amount is rising with every update.
Why Gamers Love Grand Theft Auto V
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Massive Open World Cities packed with life, secrets, and endless freedom to explore.
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High-Stakes Action Heists, shootouts, chases. GTA delivers nonstop adrenaline.
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Sandbox Creativity Players can roam, experiment, cause chaos, or role-play however they want.
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Memorable Stories & Characters Strong writing and iconic protagonists keep players invested.
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Endless Replayability Side missions, collectibles, multiplayer, and pure freedom keep the game fresh forever.
Similar games
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#1
Red Dead Redemption 2
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Open-world crime, freedom, missions, and a story-driven sandbox from Rockstar.
America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him. From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of life in America at the dawn of the modern age.
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#2
Just Cause 4
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Open-world chaos, vehicles, explosions, and total sandbox freedom.
Just Cause 4 is the fourth game in the action series that follows the same protagonist, mercenary Rico Rodriguez. The game is powered by an updated version of the APEX engine. ###Plot The game takes place in the near future in Solis, a fictional country in South America. There, Rico Rodriguez engages in a fight with the local mercenary organization called Black Hand that was already featured in the first Just Cause game. The new Black Hand gang leader is Gabriela. Rodriguez explores the jungle, beaches, and ruins of ancient temples in Solis. ###Gameplay Just Cause 4 is set in an open world. The player assumes the role of Rodriguez from the third person view. The main character uses a variety of advanced weapons and gadgets, such as a grappling hook, a parachute and Rodriguez's trademark wingsuit. The grappling hook can be updated with mods that allow using it as a weapon. The game also introduces a new gadget called Air Lifter that attaches inflatable balloons to opponents. Rico can also travel using various vehicles, such as water scooters, motorcycles, and buggies. The AI of the opponents was improved, making them more dangerous, according to the game's developers. The protagonist has to battle not only his enemies but also nature's elements. The game emphasizes the extreme weather. Rodriguez has to survive such events as tornadoes, lightning storms, sandstorms, and snowstorms.
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#3
Cyberpunk 2077
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Open city, crime, side jobs, exploration, and player-driven choices in a mature world.
Cyberpunk 2077 is a science fiction game loosely based on the role-playing game Cyberpunk 2020. ###Setting The game is set in the year 2077 in a fictional futuristic metropolis Night City in California. In the world of the game, there are developed cybernetic augmentations that enhance people's strength, agility, and memory. The city is governed by corporations. Many jobs are taken over by the robots, leaving a lot of people poor and homeless. Night City has a roaring underworld, with black markets, underground surgeons, drug dealers, and street gangs abound. ###Characters The main protagonist is fully customizable, including his or her sex and appearance, and goes by the nickname V. He or she is an underground mercenary who does “dirty business” for the various contractors. An NPC companion named Jackie joins the protagonist early at the game, and various other companions may join the player on certain missions as the plot demands. However, the game has no parties and no companion system. ###Gameplay The player controls V from the first person view, with the third-person view used for cutscenes only. The protagonist can travel across the city on feet or using various vehicles, in a manner some observers compared to GTA series. There are many options for the character customization, including three character classes, and a variety of augmentations V can install to enhance his or her abilities.
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#4
Watch Dogs 2
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Open-world chaos, missions, vehicles, and criminal antics with a hacking twist.
Watch Dogs 2 is an action-adventure open-world game developed by Ubisoft Montreal. It is the second installment in the series and continues the main idea of its predecessor - hacking and hacktivism in an open world. Welcome to San-Francisco. It is the second city in the United States to install the city-wide operating system named ctOS, which connects everything from your car to your smart home to a global network. Marcus Holloway is tagged by the system as a suspect for a crime he did not commit. Marcus decides to take action and gets together with the hacktivist group DedSec to expose ctOS and its creators. WD2 offers the player an immense open world which consists of San-Francisco, Oakland, Marin and Silicon Valley. It's the player's choice to navigate the world on foot or on a wide range of vehicles from cars to boats. It is up to the player to choose whether to use a lethal or non-lethal approach on a mission as there is always a taser in your inventory and a billiard ball attached to a paracord that knocks enemies out. It is possible to hack into any devices that are connected to ctOS. For instance, Marcus can control forklifts, buzz guards phones in order to distract them.
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#5
Saints Row (2022)
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Crime-focused open world with missions, vehicles, and over-the-top sandbox fun.
Welcome to Santo Ileso, a vibrant fictional city in the heart of the American SouthWest. In a world rife with crime, where lawless factions fight for power, a group of young friends embark on their own criminal venture, as they rise to the top in their bid to become Self Made. Experience the biggest and best Saints Row playground ever created; the unique sprawling world of Santo Ileso is the backdrop for a wild, larger than life sandbox of thrilling side hustles, criminal ventures and blockbuster missions, as you shoot, drive, and wingsuit your way to the top.
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#6
Sleeping Dogs
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Open-world crime drama with missions, driving, and street action.
Sleeping Dogs is a third-person action shooter with RPG elements, having Hong Kong as its central location. The city is an open world for the player’s exploration, and many gameplay features revolve around interacting with the surroundings. A huge aspect of immersion would be music, as it is themed according to the geographical location of the city. The main character Wei Shen finds himself in various situations which lead to the development of the main story. Resolving conflicts between local citizens and Hong Kong’s organized crime, the protagonist is offered to join one of the city’s gangs. Due to this, the players need to plan their actions carefully, building trust among both the gangsters and the police. The game features an unlock-based role-playing system, where every consecutive ability or trait is unlocked after the player achieves a specific goal or levels up character’s prestige in each of the three in-game groups. The combat system is heavily reliant on the character’s skill of martial arts, but conventional weaponry is also a favorable choice. Non-story related interactions add flavor to the overall gameplay, as there is a wide choice of how to spend the protagonist’s free time.
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#7
Mafia: Definitive Edition
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Story-driven crime world with missions, cars, and classic mob-style action.
Part one of the Mafia crime saga - 1930s, Lost Heaven, IL Re-made from the ground up, rise through the ranks of the Mafia during the Prohibition era of organized crime. After a run-in with the mob, cab driver Tommy Angelo is thrust into a deadly underworld. Initially uneasy about falling in with the Salieri crime family, Tommy soon finds that the rewards are too big to ignore. Play a Mob Movie: Live the life of a Prohibition-era gangster and rise through the ranks of the Mafia. Lost Heaven, IL: Recreated 1930's cityscape, filled with interwar architecture, cars and culture to see, hear and interact with. Re-Made Classic: Faithfully recreated, with expanded story, gameplay and original score. This is the Mafia you remembered and much more.
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#8
Far Cry 5
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Open-world chaos, vehicles, missions, and player freedom to tackle objectives.
Far Cry 5 is an open-world adventure first-person shooter developed by Ubisoft Montreal. It is the fifth main installment in the series. Welcome to Hope County, Montana, where a violent religious doomsday cult appeared. You play as a junior deputy sheriff who gets trapped in the Hope County as all the ways out the county are now patrolled with cultists and all external communication is cut off. It is your job to free the county of cultists. For the first time in the series, the game features a character creation screen. A wide range of weaponry which varies from pistols to grenade launchers is available to the player. Various vehicles are also at your exposal: cars, planes, helicopters, and so on. The game puts a strong emphasis on building the resistance to the cultists. Players have to recruit the locals in order to have more fighters and gain reputation. A welcome addition to the game is the so-called Guns For Hire system. It allows the players to choose one of the comrades that will follow them anywhere. For example, hiring a sniper will help the player spot enemy targets in the distance. The whole game can be played in both singleplayer and co-op modes.
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#9
The Precinct
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Open-world crime sandbox from the police perspective with chases and drama.
Discord About the GameYou are Officer Nick Cordell Jr. As a rookie beat cop fresh out of the Academy, you’re on the front line of defence for Averno’s citizens. Dive into a world of thrilling car chases, sandbox crimes, and a healthy dose of 1980s noir as you protect the populace and solve the mystery of your father’s murder in the line of duty. Take to the Streets A love letter to classic cop movies, The Precinct combines police sim with action sandbox spectacle. Patrol the streets and respond to callouts to fight criminals petty and powerful. Choose your own tactics in thrilling chases and shootouts. Feel the shifting power struggles of Averno's gangs in a living city full of sandbox crimes, from parking infractions to bank heists, street racing to drug deals. Hot Pursuit Speed through the city in intense car and helicopter chases and pursue your mark through twisting alleyways before bringing them to justice. There's no need to be a lone wolf: You've got Averno's Finest backing you up, with an in-depth support system that allows you to call in squad cars, roadblocks, spike strips, and more. A Sleepless City Explore the ever-shifting criminal underbelly of Averno City. Deal with yuppies, bums, street vendors and furious taxi drivers from the Projects to the Financial District. Chase perps through neon-lit alleys, rain-soaked streets, and grand, decaying parklands, all subject to a day/night cycle and dynamic weather. This is the 1980s East Coast in all its neon-noir glory. Key Features Explore a vibrant, living city by foot, squad car and helicopter Respond to sandbox crimes ranging from parking violations to gang shootouts Engage in intense vehicle chases through destructible environments Go it alone or call in backup with an in-depth support system Investigate the gangs who rule the city and the dark conspiracies keeping them in control Day/night cycle with dynamic weather
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#10
American Fugitive
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Top-down crime spree with missions, heists, chases, and open-world exploration.
American Fugitive is a modern take on classic sandbox action offering a new 3D top-down open-world single-player experience. Developed by Fallen Tree Games, the two studio founders have extended AAA backgrounds; including titles such as TimeSplitters, Crysis, Black, and Goldeneye 007: Reloaded. Welcome to Redrock County, a sleepy American town with a booming criminal underbelly. You take the role of Will Riley. No angel for sure - but not a killer. Yet the cold-blooded murder of your dad is the crime they locked you up for. Fuelled by grief and a burning desire for vengeance, you’ll bust out of jail intent on finding the real culprit. Once outside, you’ll need to blend with the townsfolk to avoid recapture. Establish contact with the criminal underworld and stay one step ahead of the police dragnet. Set in the deep south of the 1980s, American Fugitive is a love-letter to the classic movies and games of old.It’s a race against time, and JUSTICE AIN'T ALWAYS LEGAL. KEY FEATURESA modern take on classic sandbox action – Rediscover the joy of top-down carnage with stunning 3D graphics and destructible environments, dramatic storytelling and epic car-chase mayhem. A mature action game based on an original story – Unravel a plot of mystery, deception and corruption, full of twists and turns, inhabited by a motley cast of law-breakers and law-enforcers. A stunning open-world environment - Explore Redrock County on foot on by car - a beautiful and vibrant slice of 80s rural USA. Choose the life of a felon - Rob houses, steal cars, arm yourself to the teeth. Just don’t get caught! Perfect your driving skills – Put the pedal to the metal and test yourself against time trial challenges and stunt jumps dotted throughout the world, using any of the numerous vehicles. A wealth of activities – Whether you’re undertaking jobs for the criminal underworld, uncovering hidden stashes, looting houses, sticking up stores, or fencing fine art, remain vigilant. The crooked cops will stop at nothing to see you back behind bars!
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#11
True Crime: Streets of LA
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Open-city missions, crime drama, driving, and action-packed combat.
Experience the hard-boiled life of a Los Angeles city cop, and choose to either uphold the law or take it into your own hands. True Crime: Streets of LA puts players in the role of LA cop Nick Kang on missions to take down major crime syndicates. True Crime recreates a 420 mile area of bustling Los Angeles California cityscape, where players will be able to freely roam, or take on missions that span from trendy Santa Monica to the gritty streets of Hollywood. City activity is similar to Rockstar's popular Grand Theft Auto series, allowing for "police acquisition" of civilian vehicles. True Crime also features deep "bullet-time" shootouts, and martial arts battles.
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#12
Scarface: The World Is Yours
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Crime empire building, open-world missions, and classic sandbox mayhem.
They thought you were dead, but Tony Montana doesn’t die so easy. Sosa took everything you had. Now you’ve got nothing, but that never stopped you before. You’re back with a vengeance, ready to reclaim your turf and rebuild your empire. All you’ve got are your balls – and your word. Live the turbulent life of the infamous Cuban drug lord who redefined the American Dream, in an original, explosive script by famed screenwriter David McKenna (Blow, American History X). Wheel, deal and climb your way back to the top. First you get the money, then you get the power, then you get revenge!
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#13
Watch Dogs: Legion
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Open-world city, missions, hacking, vehicles, and criminal operations.
In Watch Dogs Legion, you get to build a resistance from virtually anyone you see as you hack, infiltrate, and fight to take back a near-future London that is facing its downfall, courtesy of state surveillance, private military, and organized crime. Recruit a well-rounded team to overthrow the wankers ruining this once-great city. The fate of London lies with you. Each character has their own backstory, personality, and skill set—all of which comes into play as you personalize your team. Swap between characters as you explore an open world online with friends. Enjoy free updates of new modes, rewards, and themed events. Explore a massive urban open world and visit London’s many famous landmarks – including Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Camden, Piccadilly Circus, or the London Eye. Welcome to the Resistance.
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#14Crime Boss: Rockay City
Why it's similar to Grand Theft Auto V:Heists, crime operations, progression, and action-driven missions.
Crime Boss: Rockay City is a heist-focused shooter where you build a crew, take on risky jobs, and battle rival gangs while trying to take over the city’s criminal underworld. It mixes action, strategy, and a bit of campy storytelling, backed by a cast of familiar Hollywood faces. It’s all about pulling off big scores and climbing the criminal ladder.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a game similar to GTA?
Games with open-world exploration, missions, vehicles, crime themes, and sandbox freedom typically feel similar to GTA.
Do all GTA-like games involve crime?
Not always. Many focus on freedom, action, and exploration, even if the story isn’t strictly about criminal activity.
Are there open-world games with similar mission structures?
Yes. Many feature story missions, side quests, optional activities, and player-driven progression.
Do GTA-style games include vehicles and driving?
Most do, as driving, chases, and vehicle variety are core parts of the GTA-style experience.
Can I play GTA-style games online with friends?
Some offer co-op or multiplayer modes, while others focus mainly on single-player open-world action.
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