11 Games like GTA that bring out the Badass in us

Grand Theft Auto is a game of its kind. You can steal cars, hook-up with women, beat-up thugs, or pedestrians. The game would punish you for being wicked and revive you when you die.

You can dress in any fashion you desire, drive or steal any vehicle, or have a little fun at the Strip Club. Perhaps, it’s the story you really want. It is a game to let your inner demons out.

Since GTA continues to get recognition for their amazing free world experience and somewhat limitless things one can do. Let’s look below at some of the games that are GTA like or inspired by them.

11) The Godfather 2

The Godfather 2 - Mission #8 - Welcome To Florida

Following the death of the Don in the previous game, you play as Aldo Trapani who takes his place. The Corleone family calls upon you to extend the organization to Miami, Florida.

You have ultimate freedom to do what you need to do to start a new branch of business. The Godfather 2 gives the Player surplus of options, stealing cars, fighting off competitors, buying corrupt cops, and much more. Whatever it takes to establish a reputation as you form a new business.

In GTA V, Trevor does the same thing. As you play him, you are setting up a business within Los Santos, by creating a drug empire. The more you play the protagonists from GTA V and accomplish quests within Los Santos. You help establish their criminal business and build a reputation.

Multiplayer Game called the Don, where Players must put their team against other Players online.

Players can flirt with Hookers 

10) Mafia 3

Mafia 3 Gameplay Demo

Enter the world where your past comes back to haunt you, by killing all those you love and hold dear. Play as Lincoln, a veteran marine, who must take back what was taken from him.

Like in most GTA games, you often play as the long lost character that returns to the family business to settle a score or restore family honor. Sometimes the characters will try to leave that way of life, but someone or something comes back and drags him back in.

Trevor the second protagonist in GTA V, does the same thing to Michael. Michael left that life behind only to return if it meant that the Feds would leave him and his family alone.

Lincoln taking out the competition

Lincoln explores his new future empire

9) Rise of the Tomb Raider

Rise Of The Tomb Raider Gameplay Walkthrough Part 2 [1080p HD] - No Commentary

Lara Croft begins her steps into her archaeological career, in hopes that she would redeem her father's name. Help Lara find the Divine Source before the criminal extremist cult known as the Trinity gets to it first.

The Rise of the Tomb Raider may not be about crime like in GTA, but it is about defending your family. Doing everything, it takes to bring them honor or respect. Both Protagonists from Tomb Raider and in GTA are trying to restore respect and honor to their family.

The other similarity is the designated spots where the Player can change clothes. You can dress Lara in the latest fashion, though it must be for strategic value. The way you dress in GTA also matters, NPC’s occasionally respond to it. In these cases the game requires you dress up for a quest.

Customize Lara’s Outfit that best fits the approaching battle and Player’

Lara enters the Temple as she finds a clue on where the Divine Source is located

8)  Assassin Creed’s Black Flag

13 Minutes of Caribbean Open-World Gameplay | Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag [UK]

Edward Kenway is one of the deadliest pirates to ever roam the seas. As an Assassin, form ties with dangerous Pirates who will stand for and fight for you.

Common in most GTA games, is that the game puts you through so much to establish respect between certain NPC’s. The only difference between GTA and Black Flag is the location and time. In Black Flag, you create a reputation on the seas, while in GTA, you build it on the streets.

The freedom to drive or operate any transportation is the same. It goes without say how Black Flag is similar to GTA. You’re still taking someone’s ride, even if it is a boat.

Both worlds are large, and it takes a while to travel anywhere. Both worlds are free for the Player to go anywhere they please.

Take your mighty vessel across seas

Take out corrupted Privateers

7) APB Reloaded

APB Reloaded Gameplay - First Look HD

All Points Bulletin or APB is an online multiplayer third person shooter that deals with chaos. The ultimate troll game full of thieves, attackers, and griefers. Two factions are struggling to control this urban city, the Enforcers and the Criminals.

The game let’s players live in the chaos street shooting side of the virtual world. In both GTA Online and APB, a team must work together to complete the various missions in the game. For example, in a Mission called “Only a Game”, the Enforcers must protect a file from being taken by the Criminals. Most of the time in free roam, other Players will attempt a little chaos and try to kill your character.

An Enforcer attempting to take a car

A Criminal shooting at the Enforcer inside the Cop Cruiser

6) Tom Clancy’s The Division

The Division - Dark Zone Trailer

You play as an agent for the Division, a secret military agency that is called upon when the nation is in crisis. It is up to you and your team (if you desire to have one) to find the cure for the virus that has completely decimated New York City.

The similarities between The Division and GTA Online are the options to have teammates and then get into shootouts. In Division, there is a place called the Dark Zone. It is a place where there are no rules, and you might be outnumbered and outgunned by rogue agents who have more weapons and skills than you.

GTA Online is just one big Dark Zone. You might come across a friendly Player, but most likely, they are there to kill you and steal your stuff.

Fight against Domestic Terrorists

The Player learns the mechanics of the game

5)  Saints Row IV

Saints Row 4 free roam gameplay!!

Be the leader of the Saint's Row gang and of the free world. In this Open-world action parody, you play as the leader, and your mission, save the world from an alien invasion.

Perhaps the likeness between this and GTA is similar in the regards of causing mayhem on the streets and stealing rides. They put in a challenge to steal police cars or Alien Spacecraft. Another likeness in both games also encourages the Player to have sex with anyone they choose.

There is also a similarity in the weapon selection interface, which mimics the weapon wheel design in GTA.

Take the Alien Spaceship for a ride.

Cause a little chaos in the street

4) Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs 2 - PC Gameplay

Something is troubling about ctOS 2.0 as it monitors our daily activity, collecting and gathering our private information for the entire world to see. The system spies, makes a profile, and predicts our every move; ctOS 2.0 can control us, manipulate us, and take away our freedom. Join Dedsec, an advanced hacking team, and help them expose the imminent threat.

Watch Dogs 1 and 2 have followed and even had the exact likeness to GTA, with the exceptions of hacking and sexual innuendo. The player’s combat style, weapon selection, dialogues between NPC’s, stealing cars, and much more are similar to GTA.

GTA and the Watch Dogs series have the same spawning concept throughout the city when you die or get arrested. Spawning points are the nearest hospitals and Police stations. The consequences of dying and getting arrested are the same for both games. Both spawning locations will take your money, but a Police Station will also take away your ammunition.

Hack into ctOS 2.0 and use it to cause troubles to your enemies or people in general

Much like in GTA you will need to escape the cops, before things get more heated

3) Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist

Splinter Cell: Blacklist Gameplay  

Back in action, Sam Fisher faces another terrorist threat, known as the Engineers. When the terrorists plan to attack American soil, it is up to you to stop them.

What the game lacks in free roaming, it gains in creativity. Splinter Cell is a linear game, but there is freedom on how the Player can choose to achieve the mission. These same similarities can be found with some GTA missions and side missions, they can choose to deal with them guns blazing or stealthily.

GTA and Blacklist share many possible likenesses, one of them is the famous weapon wheel we’ve seen in Watch Dogs and Saints Row. Their items are even categorized similar to GTA. In Blacklist, the developers wanted to make it different, by dividing the wheel between non-lethal and lethal weapons and gadgets.

Splinter Cell’s Weapon Wheel

The Weapon Wheel is organized as to what type of gadgetry and weaponry, similar to GTA.

2) Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

Metal Gear Solid 5 Phantom Pain: Free roam gameplay #1

Returning from the dead, legendary mercenary soldier named Snake seeks vengeance against Cipher. You must confront Cipher, rescue your partner Miller, and remind the world, you're not dead.

The likeness of this story’s intro is much like many GTA’s intros of their characters. Something brings them back into action and rekindles their passion for their job. In GTA V, Michael doesn’t want to be a crook anymore, he becomes nobody to his family and his job, until Trevor comes back and brings him back into a life of crime.

In this game Snake is incapacitated in a foreign hospital without a name, he’s a practically nobody in that country. Eventually, someone finds out and brings him back into the military life. These two characters needed someone on the outside to bring them back as legends.

Snake runs to a Friendly base

Launch the enemy to the sky with a weather balloon

1) Sleeping Dogs

Sleeping Dogs: Random free roam gameplay (Spoiler Free)

An undercover agent, Wei Shen goes deep inside the Triads to take down the organization from within. Participate in illegal activities and gain the gang’s trust until you can gather enough evidence.

Much like most things on this list, this is the closest to GTA one can get, without copying them in every stroke. Do whatever it takes to achieve your objective, by whatever means necessary. In the game you can pick a fight with almost anyone, much like in GTA. The difference is that Wei knows more hand to hand combat than Trevor.

While in free mode, you can go chaotic if you so wish. Take cars and bikes and run amok, get dressed in whatever fashion you desire. Have any weapon in your arsenal.

The dialogue between NPC’s and the Player are similar. If you die, you spawn at the nearest hospital. To the cops, you’re just another crook that they need to stop.

Give Wei the right gear to give him the best bonus

Participate in a Drive-by shooting with Rival Gangs

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There’s plenty more games out there that have strong similarities with GTA. Do you know any? Is there anything I missed from this list? What do you think should’ve been on this list? Mention it in the conversation below.

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