20 Best Games Like GTA to Play in 2025
The Grand Theft Auto series stands as a titan of the gaming industry, a cultural touchstone that has defined the open-world genre for decades. With the immense anticipation for the next installment building, the wait can feel long.
Fortunately, the spirit of GTA—its freedom, thrilling action, and sprawling urban sandboxes—lives on in many other incredible titles. If you're looking for something to fill that void, we've curated a definitive list of the best games like GTA to play in 2025, each offering a unique spin on the beloved formula.
Red Dead Redemption 2
From the same brilliant minds at Rockstar Games, Red Dead Redemption 2 is the most natural place to start. While it trades skyscrapers for sweeping prairies, it elevates the open-world concept to new heights. The world is breathtakingly detailed and reactive, the story is a masterclass in character development, and the freedom to interact with the world is unparalleled. If you love GTA for its immersive world and powerful storytelling, this is an essential experience.
Cyberpunk 2077
After a remarkable comeback, Cyberpunk 2077 has solidified its place as a premier open-world RPG. Set in the dazzling and dangerous Night City, the game offers a level of immersion that rivals Los Santos. You'll engage in high-stakes heists, exhilarating car chases, and a deeply personal story. For players who love the futuristic possibilities and intricate city life, this is a must-play.
Saints Row: The Third Remastered
If you appreciate GTA's more satirical and over-the-top elements, Saints Row: The Third Remastered dials it up to eleven. This game fully embraces absurdity, offering a chaotic and hilarious sandbox where you can call in airstrikes, wield outlandish weapons, and cause city-wide mayhem. It’s a pure, unadulterated power fantasy.
Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs offers a unique twist on the open-world crime formula by placing you in the role of an undercover cop infiltrating the Hong Kong Triads. The game is celebrated for its brutal, martial arts-focused combat system, compelling narrative, and incredibly atmospheric depiction of Hong Kong. It’s a perfect pick for those who enjoy GTA's crime-centric storylines but want a fresh setting and gameplay mechanics.
Mafia: Definitive Edition
Step back in time to the 1930s city of Lost Heaven. This full remake of the 2002 classic focuses on a linear, character-driven story within an open-world setting. While it doesn't offer the same level of sandbox freedom as GTA, its narrative is one of the best in the genre, providing a cinematic and emotional look at life in the mob.
Watch Dogs 2
Imagine GTA's open world but with the ability to hack the entire city. That's the premise of Watch Dogs 2. Set in a vibrant recreation of the San Francisco Bay Area, you play as a member of a hacker collective. The game encourages creative problem-solving, allowing you to manipulate traffic lights, control drones, and cause chaos from your phone, offering a modern, tech-focused alternative.
Just Cause 4
For players who live for chaos and explosive action, the Just Cause series is the ultimate sandbox of destruction. As Rico Rodriguez, you have a grappling hook, a wingsuit, and an arsenal of gadgets designed to create mayhem. The story is light, but the freedom to tether a helicopter to a gas tank and watch the fireworks is second to none.
Yakuza 0
The Yakuza series, now also known as Like a Dragon, offers a different kind of open-world experience. Set in the dense, neon-lit districts of 1980s Japan, Yakuza 0 blends a gripping crime drama with quirky side quests and engaging mini-games. The world isn't as large as GTA's, but it's packed with more detail and personality per square foot than almost any other game.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
While its fantasy setting is a world away from modern-day crime, The Witcher 3 is a benchmark for open-world design and storytelling. Its vast world is filled with meaningful content, from monster-hunting contracts to politically charged quests. If what you love about GTA is getting lost in a rich, believable world with hundreds of hours of content, look no further.
Ghost of Tsushima
This stunningly beautiful game transports players to feudal Japan. As a samurai warrior fighting to repel a Mongol invasion, you'll explore a breathtaking island, engage in visceral sword combat, and experience a powerful story. It captures the feeling of freedom and exploration that GTA fans love, but with a completely unique aesthetic and gameplay style.
Saints Row (2022)
The 2022 reboot of the Saints Row franchise serves as a fresh starting point. Set in the fictional city of Santo Ileso, it offers a vast desert playground for players to build their own criminal empire from the ground up. The customization options are extensive, and the gameplay delivers the series' signature blend of action and humor.
Watch Dogs: Legion
Taking the hacking concept even further, Watch Dogs: Legion allows you to recruit and play as literally any NPC you see in its futuristic London setting. Each character has unique skills, forcing you to build a versatile team of operatives to take back the city. This innovative mechanic provides a huge amount of gameplay variety.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
The latest entry in the Like a Dragon series takes the action to Hawaii. This sprawling RPG continues the story of Ichiban Kasuga with a new turn-based combat system that is both strategic and flashy. It retains the series' signature mix of high-stakes drama and hilarious side activities, making it a fantastic and lengthy adventure.
Mafia III
Set in a fictional 1968 version of New Orleans, Mafia III tells a powerful and gritty story of revenge. As Vietnam War veteran Lincoln Clay, you dismantle the Italian Mob piece by piece. The game features an excellent licensed soundtrack, a compelling narrative, and a unique system for taking over enemy territories.
Burnout Paradise Remastered
If the best part of GTA for you is the driving, Burnout Paradise Remastered is pure automotive adrenaline. It features a massive open city that serves as a playground for races, stunts, and spectacular crashes. There's no on-foot action, but the sense of speed and freedom behind the wheel is unmatched.
Forza Horizon 5
Another excellent choice for driving enthusiasts, Forza Horizon 5 provides a stunningly beautiful open-world recreation of Mexico. With hundreds of cars, countless events, and a vibrant online community, it's a paradise for anyone who loves to collect, customize, and drive incredible vehicles.
LEGO City Undercover
Often affectionately called "LEGO GTA," this game is the perfect family-friendly alternative. Playing as undercover cop Chase McCain, you'll explore a sprawling LEGO city, solve puzzles, and take down criminals. It has all the car-chasing, mission-based fun of a GTA game but with charming humor and zero mature content.
The Saboteur
This underrated gem is set in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II. You play as an Irish racecar driver-turned-resistance fighter. A unique "Will to Fight" mechanic transforms the city from a bleak black-and-white to vibrant color as you liberate different areas. It blends stealth, action, and open-world exploration in a compelling historical setting.
Mad Max
Set in a brutal, post-apocalyptic wasteland, Mad Max focuses heavily on vehicular combat and survival. You'll spend much of your time upgrading your signature car, the Magnum Opus, and engaging in explosive battles on the open road. It perfectly captures the grim atmosphere of its source material.
Days Gone
Explore the beautiful but dangerous Pacific Northwest in this open-world survival game. While fighting off massive hordes of zombie-like "Freakers," you'll also navigate a world of desperate human survivors. Your motorcycle is your lifeline, and maintaining it is just as important as scavenging for supplies. It delivers a great story and a tense, action-packed open world.
Frequently Asked Questions About Games Like GTA
What game is the closest competitor to GTA?
Many would point to the Saints Row series as the most direct competitor, especially for its focus on modern urban crime and over-the-top sandbox gameplay. Red Dead Redemption 2 is also a strong contender due to its shared developer and incredibly high-quality open world, despite its historical setting.
Are there any free games like GTA?
While most games of this scale are premium titles, some free-to-play games offer similar experiences. Titles like APB: Reloaded have long provided a free, online, cops-and-robbers sandbox for players on PC.
What is a good family-friendly alternative to GTA?
LEGO City Undercover is the best choice for a family-friendly GTA experience. It captures the open-world driving, mission structure, and lighthearted fun of the genre without any of the mature themes, making it suitable for all ages.