51 Games Like Grand Theft Auto
Our collection of games like Grand Theft Auto (GTA) brings you the best options from the free roam genre that are similar to the GTA series.
The Grand Theft Auto series has a recurring focus on crime, gangsters and the criminal underworld with the franchise known for large open game worlds that players can explore as they please while completing tasks. GTA titles have been set in a variety of different locations to date and are often heavily based on the real world.
While the storylines of the GTA games to date have varied they generally explore some element of a criminal rise through the underworld which involves completing missions and gaining fame or money for your actions. These missions in the GTA series offer great variety, including tasks such as racing, drive by shootings, assassinations, delivery tasks and all out firefights with rivals.
The games like GTA on this page aim to provide a similar level of open world freedom, world detail and gameplay variety. While most of these games also draw inspiration from the criminal lifestyle players will find other unique game settings below. Our list includes some games like GTA for kids and teenagers along with online, iOS and Android options. Regardless of whether you prefer GTA: Vice City, GTA: San Andreas or want games like GTA V, you'll find a high quality open world adventure below for your preferences.
Yakuza 0
Taking you back in time to a Tokyo of 1988 Yakuza 0 is as an action adventure title that serves as a prequel to the various other Yazuka titles. Focusing on fictionalised recreations of areas such as Shinjuku Golden Gai and Kabukicho there is plenty of Tokyo to explore in this sixth adventure into the world of Yakuza. Originally launched in Japan in 2015 it took two years for the game to come to North America and Europe although the PS3 release remained a Japan exclusive. Starting the story deep...[Read Review]
Batman: Arkham City
Batman: Arkham City takes place in the Batman universe and was released in 2011 for Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 with a remastered version for the next generation of consoles released 5 years later. The game blends fast paced action with an impressive Batman themed storyline and an open world environment while also serving as the second title released in the Arkham trilogy. The game takes place approximately a year after the first game released in the story arc (Batman Arkham Asylum) whic...[Read Review]
The Saboteur
The Saboteur explores a different setting to most open world action adventure titles with a World War II theme that has players trying to sabotage everything within reach to help the war effort. With a setting that the genre hasn’t touched before you’re guaranteed a unique adventure as you play on Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game focuses on Paris during its Nazi occupation with players taking on the role of Sean Devlin as he attempts to sabotage the Nazi’s from within as...[Read Review]
Watch Dogs 2
Building on the elements of the original Watch Dogs 2 serves as the sequel as it continues the Ubisoft action-adventure franchise across PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Featuring a familiar third person perspective players explore a fictional imagining of the San Francisco Bay Area with multiple approaches to the various missions and side activities available. Exploring this fictionalised Bay Area through the eyes of Marcus Holloway you step into the role of a hacker who joins the ranks of the g...[Read Review]
Prototype 2
Prototype 2 offers a mixture of open world gameplay and action adventure with a fun and powerful twist within the core mechanics. Originally published for consoles (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) in early 2012 Prototype 2 was eventually brought to Windows and the next generation of consoles (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One). While there are clear similarities and a story link to the original Prototype (released in 2009) the main character for this adventure is entirely different which helps to keep it a...[Read Review]
Watch Dogs
Watch Dogs puts you in the driving seat with a rich open world adventure where you decide on the direction that the story, your character and the world around through your actions and interactions. Set in a modern day era this futuristic title uses a fictional Chicago as the foundation of an adventure of technology hacking to achieve your objectives alongside plenty of side activities. Playing as a hacker named Aiden Pearce you’ll enter into a story of revenge after an electronic bank heis...[Read Review]
Infamous
Infamous treats players to abilities such as having lightning bolts firing from their fingers alongside other action-adventure gameplay. Playing a simple bike messenger by the name of Cole MacGrath you’ll be at the centre of a massive city explosion that leaves a town in chaos and Cole with seemingly new magical powers. All of these new Cole powers are electrical based and will be vital to your survival in the fictional Empire City which amongst the chaos is now overrun with all sorts of g...[Read Review]
Saints Row IV
Saints Row IV pushes the series into new insane heights and is packed full of strange, comedic and simply wacky moments across a familiar open world structure of the past adventures in the franchise. First released in 2013 the game follows the story of the third Saints Row title and has subsequently seen a number of ports from original release platforms. Your single player story in Saints Row IV is set half a decade after the third game and features the same player created character from your pa...[Read Review]
State of Decay
State of Decay combines the open world genre with a zombie outbreak to create a large and challenging adventure that has you leading a settlement of survivors through a number of trials. First released on the Xbox 360 in 2013 the title was quickly brought to Windows and eventually remastered in a Year-One Survival Edition version that also added Xbox One support. The fictional Trumbull Valley is the setting for this zombie adventure and feels like a small to medium sized rural area in the real w...[Read Review]
Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs has players taking on the role of Wei Shen an undercover cop and martial artist specialist that decides to tackle the Triad organisation across Hong Kong. Released in August 2012 by Square Enix Sleeping Dogs joins the ranks of other high profile open world action adventures with a crime theme. With a large Hong Kong setting as your backdrop players are free to design their own story as you freely roam the city taking part in fights, driving, crime and anti-criminal activities. Spli...[Read Review]
Just Cause 2
Just Cause 2 offers similar gameplay to its predecessor with players again playing as Rico Rodriguez as he attempts to save the world from an evil dictator. The game is based on an island setting with plenty of movie style action within the game as players trek across the diverse island location while engaging in first person combat and other open world activities. This Just Cause 2 island is known as the island of Panau which is a fictional island based on real world Southeast Asia themes. With...[Read Review]
The Godfather II
The Godfather II continues with the Godfather series of video games with another crime based open world experience for players to dive into. Retaining the core blend of action, adventure, story, combat and crime players will also find an enhanced array of strategic pathways to help you undermine the other crime families that you compete against for control. The second game in the Godfather video game series and starts in 1958 with some loose ties to the Godfather film franchise. Once again you&#...[Read Review]
Death to Spies: Moment of Truth
Death to Spies: Moment of Truth is a difficult stealth based adventure played from a third person perspective that seeks to challenge any fan of the stealth genre. Set in a World War II setting you’ll find a familiar video game location although unlike many other war games that focus on the direct battles of this conflict you’ll instead be helping your side win through spy tactics. Launching in 2009 this single player stealth title also serves as a sequel to the first game released i...[Read Review]
Bully: Scholarship Edition
Bully is a Rockstar Games classic of the action adventure genre and explores the unique setting of a school where players are given control of a rebel teenager. Released in 2006 for PlayStation 2 the game has seen several re-releases including a remastered version (Scholarship Edition) for various platforms and a mobile version (Anniversary Edition). In Bully players play as James (Jimmy) Hopkins who has a history of misbehaviour and has just been dumped at the boarding school Bullworth Academy ...[Read Review]
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum kicks off the Batman: Arkham Asylum story arc and was released in 2009 offering a blend of action, adventure and story as players control superhero Batman against his long time enemy, the Joker. With a focus on melee combat blended with stealth and gadget based action it’s a strong opening act to the Arkham Asylum experience which was further built upon over the years. This founding story of the Arkham Asylum plot follows the Joker’s attempt to seize control of Arkham Asylum ...[Read Review]
Infamous 2
Infamous 2 was released in 2011 exclusively for the PlayStation 3 and continues where the first game (released in 2009) left off. Infamous 2 promises plenty of action, adventure and open world environments for players to explore. The game takes place not long after the original where the world changed after the birth of Cole’s electrical abilities. The Ray Sphere has advanced since the original game (it no longer blows up entire cities with every use) which means Cole isn’t the only one with spe...[Read Review]
Crackdown 2
Crackdown 2 is the 2010 sequel to the popular 2007 game of Crackdown which features a similar open world with sandbox elements and is an Xbox platform exclusive. Fast forwarding the game world by nearly a decade it’s a familiar but fresh setting for Crackdown 2 that is enjoyable for returning players and welcoming to newcomers that want to start their adventure here. The sandbox for this adventure is once again the fictional Pacific City which has elements of large cities in America and ot...[Read Review]
Six-Guns: Gang Showdown
Exploring the Wild West with a touch of the supernatural, Six-Guns: Gang Showdown is a freemium free roam title for both iOS and Android mobile devices. With third person shooting, a wide game world, various missions, lots of challenges and a lengthy story to follow along with you’ll be immersed in the game experience that Gameloft has created. First impressions of Six-Guns: Gang Showdown show off the strong production values of the mobile title and unique story. This story telling that co...[Read Review]
L.A. Noire
L.A. Noire delivers a detective themed open world action title with fantastic realism and world design which gives players the sense of being a real detective throughout the story. Inspired by historical films the game also features an era appropriate soundtrack and the option to play in black and white to simulate a film noir adventure. Originally released on 2011 for Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 L.A. Noire was revived with an enhanced edition for modern platforms in 2017. Set in the cit...[Read Review]
Saints Row
Saints Row offers a similar setting to the Grand Theft Auto series and has plenty of open world action gameplay for fans of GTA to enjoy. The game is the first in the successful Saints Row series and was released in 2006 for Xbox 360 only and eventually brought to Xbox One with backwards compatibility. The game takes place in a fictional city known as Stilwater which has elements of cities like Chicago. In the game players can heavily customise their character’s visual appearance and use a huge ...[Read Review]
Infamous Second Son
Infamous Second Son is the third chapter in the Infamous series of games which sees players once again stepping into a vast open world with their own strange powers. Released in March 2014 and a PlayStation 4 exclusive title this is one that Infamous fans can’t afford to miss with the expansion to the universe that it offers. Set in the year 2016 it has been nearly a decade since the events of the previous game that ultimately led to the death of Cole MacGrath, a noble sacrifice to spare the wor...[Read Review]
Mafia II
Mafia II offers a third person action packed experience that puts players inside the mob. The game was released for multiple platforms in 2010, with a Mac release in 2011. Mafia II takes place in the 1940s within a fictional game world that is based on a number of US locations including Boston, Chicago and New York. Players can use (or steal) over 40 different vehicles to explore this world and use a variety of weapons that are based on the era. The game has many improvements over the original M...[Read Review]
Saints Row: The Third
Saints Row: The Third offers a massive open world and a similar game experience to the Grand Theft Auto series. The game was released in November 2011 for Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Just like in previous games from the Saints Row series players take control of the Third Street Saints in a fictional world. The game offers a huge open world environment along with a mixture of action and adventure, a genre that was made popular by the GTA series. Players are free explore the city of Steel...[Read Review]
Gun
Gun is an open world action adventure game set in the Wild West that was released in 2005 for Windows and consoles with an enhanced PlayStation Portable version a year later (Gun: Showdown). Often compared to the highly popular Red Dead Redemption franchise that would be released 5 years later Gun is one of the original video games that opt to explore the 1880 Wild West setting. Within Gun players take on the role of Colton White as he attempts to take revenge on those that have wronged him in h...[Read Review]
Lego City: Undercover
Everybody remembers playing with Lego as a child but did you ever wonder what would happen if you crossed Lego with GTA style gameplay? Well this is where Lego City: Undercover comes in, a sandbox action adventure experience for the Wii U. In Lego City: Undercover players take control of a cop named Chase McCain as he goes undercover in Lego City. The game world doesn’t take itself overly seriously and is mostly a tongue and cheek experience catered towards younger gamers or those wanting a casu...[Read Review]
Prototype
Prototype gives players their own set of super powers to fight off a zombie style infection in an open world environment. The game is available for Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. In Prototype players will explore New York City while it is under attack from a new plague known only as Blacklight. This plague makes the infected enter into fits of uncontrollable rage and gives them the urge to attack any plague free persons that they encounter. The new plague is the least of your worries thoug...[Read Review]
Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines
Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines is an action orientated role playing game that explores the rarely touched vampire fantasy for a video game setting. Offering deep role playing mechanics players customise their recently converted human to design their own playstyle through the vampire filled world full of story, choice and challenges. Set in a modern day Los Angeles players explore four unique game areas that include downtown, Santa Monica, Hollywood and Chinatown that each have their own myst...[Read Review]
Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins
Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins is an adventure that takes place in the Lego universe. The game is intended to be a prequel to the Nintendo Wii U version of the game known as Lego City Undercover. Just like in the Wii U version players step into the shoes of Chase McCain, a crime fighter in Lego City. Chase has had his fair share of success and is well known on the force for his ability to capture criminals but he still has a long way to go before he isn’t considered a rookie anymore. In ...[Read Review]
Red Dead Redemption
Red Dead Redemption is an expansive free roam adventure game that takes place in a western setting. Transporting players back to 1911 you’ll adventure across the plains creating your own story, participating in a multitude of side quests and developing your wild western character. Serving as a spiritual successor to Red Dead Revolver players will trek through the blended realistic and fictionalised game world as John Marston in a third person perspective on horse and foot. John Marston is ...[Read Review]
Just Cause
Just Cause is an action adventure game that has players taking control of an agent and exploring an open world tropical environment. The game launched in 2006 with its success leading to a sequel 4 years later. In the game players will jump into the shoes of Rico Rodriguez, one of the top agents for an organisation known only as the Agency. It is your job to stop the corrupt government on the tropical island of San Esperito and capture any weapons of mass destruction that they have been stockpil...[Read Review]
Scarface: The World Is Yours
Scarface: The World Is Yours is heavily based on the popular Scarface film and offers a great adventure for fans of open world crime based video games. While gamers who have seen the film will definitely get most from the experience it is not a requirement to stepping into this world and claiming it for your own profit and revenge. Released in 2006 this action adventure was made available on PlayStation 2, Xbox and Windows with an enhanced graphical port for the Nintendo Wii a year later. The pl...[Read Review]
Far Cry 3
If you like open world games but also enjoy them with plenty of shooter action as part of the core gameplay loop you’ll love what Far Cry 3 brings to the table with vast strides over the previous entries in the franchise. The game is the third in the series of open world shooters and mixes a number of different genres together which has proved a successful formula with gamers and critics across the games released so far and continues with Far Cry 3. Far Cry 3 uses a first person perspective and ...[Read Review]
Rope Hero: Vice Town
Fly through the sky on the end of your rope and explore dozens of quest lines in Rope Hero: Vice Town a game that has you swinging around a fictional town dispatching bad guys with a variety of weapon types. Ensuring the game remains accessible to a range of devices Rope Hero: Vice Town includes some basic options around graphic quality and density of traffic which ensures that less powerful devices can potential run the action packed 3D game. To ensure you’re well equipped to enter the fast pac...[Read Review]
Mafia III
Mafia III builds on the fundamentals of the previous games with a story of a darker time in history. Explore the fictional New Bordeaux as you play Vietnam War veteran Lincoln Clay across both console and PC. Set in 1968 the story revolves around the biracial orphan and veteran Lincoln. With a history of working for mobsters and special forces training you’ve got a deadly mix. When you return to your home town based on New Orleans and caught up with the wrong crowd you’re left for de...[Read Review]
Dying Light
Parkour across a massive city while also slashing zombies to pieces in Dying Light a game with plenty of open world and RPG elements combined into a single adventure. Released on Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2015 the game was later released on other console platforms with bundled DLC content. Centred around agent Kyle Crane whose objective is to infiltrate the quarantine zone of Harran you explore the Middle-eastern city in full day/night cycles. This city is overrun with infestation t...[Read Review]
Dead Rising 3
If you want more over the top zombie killing Dead Rising 3 lets you step back into the zombie infested franchise as you seek to survive and smash any zombie that gets in your way. Elevating the series to the next insane chapter Dead Rising 3 features similar mechanics to Dead Rising 2 and the original but significantly ups the action with this 2013 release for Windows and Xbox One. If you’ve been following the series closely you’ll find that Dead Rising 3 takes place a decade after the events of...[Read Review]
Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven
Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven is the first game of the Mafia series. It features third person shooter gameplay with some free roam elements similar to that of the GTA series. The game was originally released in 2002 for Windows and eventually made its way to Xbox and PlayStation 2 with console game ports. As the name suggests the game puts players inside the Mafia as they attempt to rise through the ranks and become the head boss of the Salieri family. The game is set in a fictional city in the...[Read Review]
Batman: Arkham Origins
Batman: Arkham Origins is the third game in the Arkham series of Batman games and continues to offer an open world adventure with particular appeal for fans of the Batman universe and the previous games. Batman: Arkham Origins continues to evolve your gameplay experience with a number of minor tweaks, new locations and challenges thrown at players while also being the first in the series to add online multiplayer gameplay. As the game title suggests the storyline is all about the origins of the ...[Read Review]
Dead Rising 2
Dead Rising is back with more zombie killing goodness, in Dead Rising 2 players can expect a similar open world horror experience to the original with endless hordes of zombies just waiting to be dealt with. Dead Rising 2 takes place half a decade after the first Dead Rising and introduces a new protagonist into the game (Chuck Greene). The game setting has also changed and now takes place in a fictional town called Fortune City which feels very much inspired by the likes of Las Vegas. Chuck Gre...[Read Review]
Driver San Francisco
In Driver San Francisco players can expect a sandbox adventure that heavily focuses on driving elements. The game is available across a large number of platforms although the Nintendo Wii version features a completely different story. As the name suggests players will be tearing up the streets in a realistic representation of San Francisco, including the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Players can expect upwards of 200 miles of road in this adventure so there is no shortage of roads to cruise and rac...[Read Review]
Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2 is the second game in the popular (and often wacky) Saints Row series of open world crime adventures. The game released in 2008 for consoles with a Windows release in 2009 and again follows the story of the Third Street Saints gang. In Saints Row 2 you’ll wake up several years after the incidents in the first game in the Stilwater prison. With the help of a fellow prisoner you are able to escape and return home only to find that your territory has now been claimed by three new gangs...[Read Review]
APB Reloaded
Seeking to blend the popular gameplay from open world adventures like Grand Theft Auto with MMO mechanics is APB Reloaded. Released in 2010 as a paid title for Windows the game later went free to play (2015) and launched on console platforms. Exploring the endless conflict of the Enforcer and Criminal factions players will join one of these factions as they carry out missions across the map that put them in direct conflict with the other faction. In APB Reloaded players explore the city of San P...[Read Review]
Crackdown
Crackdown was released in 2007 for the Xbox 360 and offers players an explosive and fast paced open world adventure from a third person perspective. The game takes place in Pacific City (a fictional city) and has players stepping into the shoes of a powerful agent as they attempt to remove crime from the city once and for all. In order to do this the player will have to take apart the crime syndicates by taking down their bosses one by one. There are a total of four islands in the game and three...[Read Review]
Dead Rising
Dead Rising combines horror and open world environments to create a fun and unique survival experience for players. The game was released in 2006 and is only available on the Xbox 360 platform. In Dead Rising players take on the role of Frank West in a shopping mall that is simply packed full of zombies. In the game you’ll have to fight to stay alive as you attempt to unlock the secrets behind this strange incident. During your adventure you’ll complete a large number of main story missions alon...[Read Review]
Red Faction: Guerrilla
Red Faction: Guerrilla brings the popular Red Faction franchise into the open world genre with an third person shooter that places you on the Mars colony and gives you all the necessary tools to achieve maximum environmental destruction throughout the story. The game is the third in the series and originally released Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2009 with a “Re-Mars-tered” edition for Windows, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch released in 2018-2019 featuring improved graphics. Red F...[Read Review]
Deadly Premonition
Deadly Premonition rolls open world gameplay, horror and even comedy into a single ball of interesting to create an adventure that is borderline insane. The game originally released on Xbox 360 in 2010 and saw a Director’s Cut for the PlayStation 3 and Windows released in 2013 after the game attracted a cult following online creating demand for the game to be delivered on alternative platforms. This same following was likely the reason behind the games port to Nintendo Switch in 2019. Part of th...[Read Review]
The Godfather: The Game
The Godfather: The Game is a 2006 release based in the Godfather universe that allows players to live out a life of crime in an open world environment. Leading the Mafia in this action based adventure game players will find a number of references to the Godfather films as they build and maintain their profitable crime empire. This means that fans of the respective Godfather films will instantly recognise many of the characters from the movie and the game even includes voice acting from a number ...[Read Review]
Far Cry 4
Action and adventure hit new heights in Far Cry 4, a game that sticks to the open world shooter mechanics developed from previous additions in the franchise pretty closely. While new mechanics are few and far between in Far Cry 4 it’s a solid experience set in one of the more unique settings of the series. Set in Kyrat players assume the role of Ajay Ghale who returns home from America to spread his mother’s ashes. Upon returning though you find yourself in the centre of the civil war taking pla...[Read Review]
Gangstar Vegas
Vegas awaits in Gangstar Vegas, another exciting addition to the Gangstar series of open world mobile games. Comparisons to the GTA franchise aside Gangstar Vegas (and the other Gangstar titles) are well ahead of other open world mobile experiences. Playing as Jason Malone a boxer who fails to take a dive for a mob boss players spend the early parts of the game on the run and also serves as the game tutorial. After being introduced to the likes of hand to hand fighting and vehicle controls in th...[Read Review]
Just Cause 3
Ultimate freedom is the objective of Just Cause 3, a game in the open world adventure that continues the over the top destruction opportunities of its predecessors. Taking place half a decade after the popular Just Cause 2, the main character Rico Rodriguez returns once again to release an island from dictator control. While your journey is to stop the evil plans of General Sebastiano Di Ravello who wishes to expand his rule to the rest of this world. While this is your main objective there is p...[Read Review]
Gangstar New Orleans
The Gangstar series continues it’s mobile domination of the open world genre with New Orleans, a game that continues to build on the Gangstar games of the past to bring open world gameplay to the mobile market. With some solid experience in the market this iteration of the Gangstar franchise opts to focus on refining the mechanics utilised so far by the series and at the same time scale down some game elements which does open the door for devices on the edge of hardware capability. For those tha...[Read Review]