8 Open-World Games Inspired By Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto

Grand Theft Auto is an integral part of the video game industry, and it has significantly influenced the way modern games are designed. Initially, the series started in 1997 as a top-down chaotic game, where players engaged in car theft and various criminal activities across different cities. However, with the release of Grand Theft Auto 3, the series made a groundbreaking shift into the 3D space, introducing players to a vast open-world experience.

Today, many contemporary video games owe their success to Grand Theft Auto, as it laid the foundation for their design. Some of the best open-world games draw inspiration from Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series. Despite the long wait for Grand Theft Auto 6, the series continues to captivate players and deliver exceptional gaming experiences.

Sleeping Dogs

In Sleeping Dogs, players embark on a journey with Wei Shen, an undercover cop entrusted with dismantling the Triads. Set in the gritty and vibrant city of Hong Kong, the game demands that players maintain their cover at any cost, even if it entails committing crimes. While Sleeping Dogs may not offer the same diversity as Grand Theft Auto, its crime-ridden open world serves as a source of inspiration.

The game offers a unique sense of enjoyment as players blur the boundaries between crime and justice, risking their lives to uphold their undercover role. The combat in Sleeping Dogs is highly entertaining, as players utilize a wide range of brutal methods to take on their adversaries.

The Simpsons: Hit & Run

If players ever desired to explore The Simpsons universe in an open-world format, The Simpsons: Hit & Run offers an excellent and perhaps the most fitting experience. Drawing clear inspiration from Grand Theft Auto, this game features a crime system and the ability to steal other characters' cars.

Simpsonshitandrun — The Simpsons: Hit & Run

Although players are not able to use firearms on The Simpsons characters, they can engage in repetitive kicking actions. The game holds a special place as a classic and greatly appeals to many fans. It brings the joy of discovering Springfield and its iconic characters within a GTA-like setting.

Crackdown

Crackdown may not have fully realized its ambition to surpass Grand Theft Auto, but it remains one of the top GTA-inspired games. Drawing inspiration from GTA, Crackdown incorporates similar gameplay and open-world elements, fueled by the desire to compete with and outdo GTA. Despite not achieving its ultimate goal, Crackdown still stands as an exceptional game.

The competitive drive behind Crackdown's development contributed to its quality, providing players with an expansive open world where they can unleash their creativity and have fun. Equipped with various tools and abilities, players can immerse themselves in a hyper-realistic environment filled with chaos of their own making.

Saints Row

Saints Row owes its existence entirely to Grand Theft Auto, as it started as a mere clone of the popular game. However, over time, it evolved into a unique and chaotic experience of its own. The game now enables players to unleash their creativity, allowing them to design bizarre characters, vehicles, and weapons to wreak havoc on the citizens of Steelport and Stillwater.

Although the initial installment of Saints Row may have felt like a gritty attempt to compete with Grand Theft Auto, subsequent titles in the series found their own identity while still drawing clear inspiration from GTA. These future games feature open-world cities, engaging combat, and a variety of vehicles, maintaining the connection to the source of their inspiration.

Mafia 2

If Grand Theft Auto were transported back in time to the 1940s and 1950s, it would likely bear a strong resemblance to Mafia 2. Set in the fictional city of Empire Bay in the U.S., Mafia 2 follows the journey of Vito Scaletta, a war veteran who aims to establish a reputation for himself and protect his loved ones. As he becomes entangled with gangsters and the mafia, Vito must navigate through the city's crime and corruption.

While some players may desire a longer gameplay experience or a more expansive open world in Mafia 2, it remains an excellent gaming venture. The game's assortment of vehicles, thrilling missions, and well-developed characters clearly align it with the GTA-inspired gangster style.

Watch_Dogs

Unlike the shotgun-wielding car thieves in Grand Theft Auto, Watch_Dogs arms players with a smartphone and the extraordinary ability to hack into technology. As an open-world game, Watch_Dogs draws inspiration from GTA, evident in its dark and immersive cityscape and the ensuing chaos if players engage in criminal activities.

In the game, players navigate through the streets of Chicago, confronting the oppressive corporation known as ctOS. Equipped with an array of weapons, batons, gadgets, and gear, they embark on the mission to uncover the perils of ctOS, even though the sequel, Watch_Dogs 2, refines the experience further.

Yakuza 0

In Yakuza 0, players won't engage in car theft, but the crime-infested settings of Kamurocho and Sotenbori offer numerous opportunities for intense combat. Serving as the first game in the Yakuza series, which was later renamed Like a Dragon, Yakuza 0 delivers a distinctive and unparalleled experience, despite its initial inspiration from Grand Theft Auto.

Players will revel in the delightful and eccentric aspects of Yakuza 0, from engaging in various entertaining mini-games like bowling, karaoke, and disco dancing to exploring diverse combat styles. The gameplay not only brings immense joy but also weaves an immersive narrative of crime and mystery set in 1980s Japan.

Cyberpunk 2077

Welcome to Night City, a futuristic and dystopian metropolis where everyone seems to either avoid or threaten each other. Cyberpunk 2077 excels in providing an immersive experience, with its bustling streets and captivating, intricate storyline involving V and Johnny Silverhand. While drawing inspiration from Grand Theft Auto in several aspects, Cyberpunk 2077 stands independently as a brilliant choice for open-world genre enthusiasts.

Players have the freedom to steal cars, confront law enforcement, incite city-wide chaos, or simply delve into the captivating atmosphere of Night City. However, caution is advised, as the city is a hub of carnage, dominated by a variety of gangs inhabiting the fictional futuristic core of California.