There’s no doubt that Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V is one of the greatest games of all time.
It has spanned three generations of consoles, lasted almost a decade, and continues to attract new players with fresh and exciting content. It is entering the final stage of its reign as the king of crime games, with Grand Theft Auto VI reportedly in the planning.
Of course, GTA V is about the online version; few people still play as Trevor, Michael, or Franklin in the story mode. That’s where the real thrills have come and why the game has remained relevant for so long – that and the fact it is a game often copied but never quite emulated. As PC Gamer explains, it is a controversial title, without a serious rival, but with plenty of developers using it as the basis for their own games.
That’s certainly the case on mobile devices. If you pack a robust iOS handset, you can play titles such as Go Town Town or GTT, which is a GTA wannabe that resembles Rockstar’s title in more ways than one. Gangsta City Slot Reloaded, an online slot game featured on Foxy Games, draws inspiration from GTA – its branding uses a very familiar font to lean heavily on the popular franchise. There are even direct ports of certain titles for mobile users, such as GTA Chinatown Wars, and copies like Gangster Vegas.
On the console, it is the same story. There have been some great games over the years which have been like GTA, but not quite GTA. So, if you’re bored of San Andreas and have already had your fill of Liberty City, why not check out one of these solid Grand Theft Auto alternatives?
Saints Row IV
Saints Row started as a pale imitation of Grand Theft Auto. It was enjoyable, there was plenty to keep a GTA fan occupied, but it tried to encapsulate the same gameplay style and didn’t quite get up to scratch. How could Volition remedy that? By creating Saints Row IV, a crime caper that blended GTA with Crackdown, giving the star of the show (The Boss, also the President) superpowers to fight invading aliens. It sounds terrible, but it’s a fun game that is still way better than the Saints Row reboot.
Watchdogs 2
The first Watchdogs was overhyped and delivered a bland gaming experience. Watchdogs Legion, the third game, was overhyped and delivered a bland experience. Watchdogs 2 was the anomaly, the bold and bright middle game that still stands the test of time today. You’re not quite a criminal mastermind, but there’s a lush open world to explore and plenty of GTA-style action to enjoy. The story is solid, the hacker elements feel fresh, and San Francisco is lovingly crafted to be your playground.
Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs took the GTA open world theme and placed it in Hong Kong. It also added a twist; yes, you had to rise through the ranks of a local crime gang, but you were an undercover police officer looking to bring it down. It also gave you many martial arts skills to play with, ensuring that combat felt subtly different from anything Rockstar delivered. It’s an aging game now, but the Game of the Year edition comes packed with DLC and graphically, it is still on a par with GTA V, having been released around the same time.
