Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →If you want another open world while waiting for GTA 6, start with the part of Grand Theft Auto you miss most: roaming freely, exploring a modern city, building a character, or following a crime story. Red Dead Redemption 2, Watch Dogs 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and Sleeping Dogs each offer a different slice of that appeal; none is a one-for-one GTA substitute.
Which GTA-like game should you play?
| If you want… | Try | What makes it a fit |
|---|---|---|
| A sprawling world to explore | Red Dead Redemption 2 | A western setting, expansive world, and emphasis on player freedom. |
| A contemporary city and tech-driven play | Watch Dogs 2 | Its urban setting and hacking focus provide a different route through a modern city. |
| A futuristic city and character progression | Cyberpunk 2077 | An open-world city paired with RPG systems, rather than a direct crime-sandbox match. |
| An open-world crime story | Sleeping Dogs | A crime-game option for readers looking for a story-led alternative. |
Red Dead Redemption 2: for world freedom and atmosphere
Choose Red Dead Redemption 2 if the draw of GTA is getting lost in a detailed world and deciding how to spend your time there. It trades the contemporary city for a western setting, so it is not a substitute for modern streets or present-day crime. Its appeal is the scale of its world and the freedom to explore it at your own pace. GamesRadar’s roundup of games like GTA also highlights it as an alternative.
Watch Dogs 2: for a modern city with hacking
Watch Dogs 2 is the clearest choice here if you want a contemporary urban setting but would like a different gameplay hook. Hacking gives its city-based play a tech-focused identity, rather than simply reproducing GTA’s crime sandbox. Pick it for the modern-city atmosphere and systems built around connected technology. It is included among GTA alternatives in GamesRadar’s recommendations.
Cyberpunk 2077: for a futuristic city and RPG progression
If you want a dense city but would rather leave present-day crime behind, Cyberpunk 2077 offers a futuristic urban setting and role-playing systems. That makes it a strong fit for players who enjoy building a character and inhabiting a city, but its RPG emphasis makes it a distinct alternative—not a direct match for GTA’s particular mix of crime and sandbox freedom. It appears in GamesRadar’s GTA-alternatives roundup and TheGamer’s guide to games like GTA.
#1 Best Overall
- 🔥 GANGSTER GAMES OPEN WORLD CITY KEY GAME FEATURES 🔥
- 🚗 INSANE VEHICLES & EXPLOSIONS 🚗
- - Driving the cars, bikes, tanks, and helicopters!
- - Destroy Enemies homes with explosives like grenades and rocket launchers
- - Soar across the skyline with jetpacks and wingsuits
Sleeping Dogs: for another crime-game story
Sleeping Dogs is worth considering if a crime-game premise matters more to you than matching GTA’s exact setting or systems. The available recommendation coverage identifies it as an open-world crime alternative, but does not establish a current, authoritative platform and edition list. Check the store listing for your platform before buying, and confirm that the edition on offer is compatible with your system. It is included in TheGamer’s list of games like GTA.
How to choose your next open world
- Prioritize roaming and atmosphere: Choose Red Dead Redemption 2 if setting aside the modern-city requirement is acceptable.
- Keep the city contemporary: Choose Watch Dogs 2 for urban exploration with hacking as its defining twist.
- Want a city plus character-building: Choose Cyberpunk 2077 if RPG progression sounds appealing.
- Want a crime story: Consider Sleeping Dogs, after checking current platform compatibility.
Think of these as alternatives that emphasize different ingredients—setting, freedom, story, or distinctive systems—not as interchangeable GTA clones. Store availability and editions can vary by region and platform, so verify the listing for the version you intend to play.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- TREASURE HUNT- You are a renowned treasure hunter trying to find a legendary treasure in Latin America. But, when you go to get the map, you find your contact dead! Can you get to the loot before someone else does?
- COMMIT A CRIME- Play as a morally grey character who must make hard decisions by choosing different options from the story cards. Get rewarded for being a criminal!
- SOLVE A MURDER- Figure out who killed your key contact! Sift through evidence and connect the pieces in immersive puzzles
- GET ONLINE- Scour game-specific websites, email characters, and more to beat the game
Rank #4
- Interactive Murder Mystery Game: This party game is driven by an electronic phone that makes calls, remembers your answers & dispatches the killer’s demands for a unique experience with every play
- Social Deduction Game: Players secretly receive their role through the phone; play as a loyal friend trying to save the victim or hidden traitor working with the killer to sabotage the group's efforts
- Work Together, Trust No One: In this cooperative game, players must search rooms of a cabin to find keys & save their friend, but accomplices & bad actors among you will lie & waste precious time
- Interactive Phone: With a retro landline phone that calls the shots, this is an engaging strategy game for 4-10 players, ages 13 and up, who are ready for an intense game night of mystery & betrayal
- Party Games For Adult Games Night: Throw the best party ever with more party games for adults & families: Decodables, Tell Me Without Telling Me, Would You Rather?, Dumb Ways to Die & more
Rank #3
- 🔎 IMMERSIVE MURDER MYSTERY GAME NIGHT – Become a detective in this cold case style crime investigation game, designed to feel like a real police file. Perfect for Christmas!
- 🛳️ SOLVE A CELEBRITY CRUISE SHIP MURDER – Collect evidence, analyse suspects, and crack the case of the famous soprano found dead aboard the Aurelian Empress.
- 📂 REALISTIC HIGH QUALITY COLD CASE FILE & EVIDENCE PACK – Includes over 25 pieces of evidence, including autopsy reports, letters, photos, receipts, and more – plus digital access to hidden files and online clues.
- 🎭 FOR SOLO OR GROUP PLAY – Perfect as a date night game, family activity, or large group murder mystery party.
- 🎁 UNIQUE GIFT FOR MYSTERY LOVERS – Ideal for fans of detective games, escape rooms, and true crime – unforgettable gift for birthdays, Christmas, or holidays.
Rank #2
- A Serial Killer Case Collab With The Morbid Podcast: Co-created with Ash and Alaina, this immersive horror mystery game drops you into a 1985 cold case with realistic evidence and a hidden truth.
- Solve a Realistic Cold Case: Crack ciphers, examine forensic files, and dig through a mystery box of clues. A true crime detective game for adults who actually want to investigate, not roll dice.
- Includes an Exclusive Podcast Episode: Recorded just for this case. Listen for clues hidden inside the audio. More than a board game, it's a true crime puzzle box that talks back.
- Realistic Evidence at Your Fingertips: Vintage newspaper clippings, suspect profiles, a locked box, a bloody scrunchie, a train figurine. Detective board game energy, no plastic tokens in sight.
- Game Night for People Who Like Their Fun A Little Dark: Play solo or with a group. A murder mystery party game for date night, girls night, dinner parties, or any couples game night that needs a body.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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