With more than 300 million copies sold,Grand Theft Autois one ofthe most popular series in video game history. That success didn’t happen overnight though, with the series' formula having been meticulously refined over the course of more than two decades. Although early titles performed well, it would not be until the series made the leap to 3D back in 2001 that it really took off. Since then, it has gone from strength to strength.
Prior toGrand Theft Auto 3, the concept of open-world gaming was very much in its infancy, with only a handful of titles trying anything anywhere near as ambitious. With the rise ofGTAthough came a flood of imitators hoping to cash in on the emerging open-world market, with the very bestGTAclones having gone on to find success of their own.
Updated August 10, 2025, by Tom Bowen:The first trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 may have finally arrived, but with the game not scheduled for release until some point in 2025, those looking to unleash carnage in an open-world sandbox will have to venture a little further afield for the time being. Thankfully, there have been plenty of great GTA clonesover the years, some of which look and play a lot like the franchise that so clearly inspired them. The best GTA clones arguably surpass their inspiration in certain areas, making them must-play titles for fans of Rockstar’s popular open-world franchise.
10True Crime: Streets of LA
Metacritic Rating: 77 (PlayStation 2)
They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Rockstar clearly feels otherwise though. Upon the release ofGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the development team made it perfectly clear how they felt about theTrue Crimeseries with an in-game billboard. It mockingly refers to the series as ‘True Grime’ and on the PC version, typing this into the console will spawn a Trashmaster garbage truck.
Referring to the series as garbage may be a little harsh though, as although it doesn’t really come close to challengingGrand Theft Autowhen it comes to open-world experiences, there are plenty of silver linings. Both entries in the series do a very good job of replicating the cities in which they are set and also feature some great voice acting.
9The Godfather
Metacritic Rating: 77 (Xbox 360)
When it comes to crime,The Godfatheris to movies whatGTAis to gaming. With that in mind, merging the two together should have led to something wonderful. Instead, the 2006 title left many people wondering what might have been had just a bit more thought been put into the project.
That said, it did bring some nice ideas to the table like the extortion mechanic, and is certainly fun to play. In a world where subtlety and inference provide much of the narrative tension though, the gung-ho gameplay just doesn’t feel quite right. As a game, it’s pretty good, but as aGodfathergame, it just misses the mark.
8Sunset Overdrive
Metacritic Rating: 83 (PC)
Whether or notSunset Overdrivecan really be classed as a trueGTAclone is perhaps a matter for debate, though many of the ideas and mechanics found throughout the game can easily be traced back tothe early 3DGrand Theft Autogames. Apart from the zombies, that is. It’s these, together with the game’s fantastic map traversal mechanics, that make it such a blast to play.
Theoft-overlooked Xbox exclusiveis one of the most fun-filled games for the system and is arguably the closest that Microsoft really came to matching the excellent mobility found inMarvel’s Spider-Man. It doesn’t quite reach those same lofty heights but is still a highly enjoyable action-adventure game for those looking to blow off some steam by blowing up some zombies.
7Crackdown
Metacritic Rating: 83 (Xbox 360)
Though theCrackdownseries had begun to run out of steam by the time of its third installment, the first twoCrackdowngames are considered by many to be among the very bestGTAclones. This is because they each sought to build upon the hugely successfulGrand Theft Autoformula rather than just trying to emulate it pixel for pixel. Granted, the first game’s narrative is weak and its music isn’t a patch onGTA’s, but it’s a more than solid title nonetheless.
Perhaps the most notable thing about the firstCrackdowngame was its implementation of multiplayer; something that wouldn’t come to theGTAseries for quite some time. Its unique art style also helped to set it apart from some of the other turn-of-the-centuryopen-world sandbox games, putting aside the quest for hyper-realism in favor of a more stylized cell-shaded approach. With this in mind, it’s easy to see why some are still hoping for a fourthCrackdowngame someday.
6Scarface: The World is Yours
Metacritic Rating: 76 (Xbox)
TheGrand Theft Autoseries has always taken a lot of inspiration from old gangster movies, particularly those starring the mercurial talent that is Al Pacino.Vice Cityarguably provides the best examples of this, withnumerous references made to bothCarlito’s WayandScarfacethroughout the game. The latter movie would later get its own video game adaptation in the form ofScarface: The World is Yours, which, perhaps fittingly, borrows plenty of elements fromGTA.
It’s an open-world third-person action-adventure game that looks incredibly similar to early 3DGrand Theft Autotitles. Combat isn’t all that different either, although developers did make it impossible to harm innocent civilians - either with weapons or vehicles. It’s nowhere near as well-polished as a Rockstar game, but for those looking for a solidGTAclone, it’s definitely worth a look.
5The Getaway
Metacritic Rating: 72 (PlayStation 2)
Heavily inspired by British cinema,The Getawaywas an incredibly ambitious title. It certainly had its fair share of problems, but there was a lot to love about it too. From its intricate plot to its detailed environments, it offered an experience that was different enough fromGTAto stand on its own two feet but still familiar enough to entice fans of Rockstar’s games.
The game performed well both critically and commercially and even spawned a sequel.Despite The Getaway: Black Monday’s failure to expand upon the original formula, it still sold well enough for a thirdGetawaygame to be greenlit. Early footage ofThe Getaway 3was incredibly impressive for the era, but it was ultimately canceled a few years into development.
4Mafia
Metacritic Rating: 88 (PC)
WhereThe Godfathertied itself to a pre-existing IP, 2K’sMafiainstead opted for a broader take on organized crime. As a result, the violence and high-octane scenes feel far more believable as they’re taking place in a world of their own rather than one that has already been explored. It still feels like the organized crime that everyone knows and loves, but an interpretation of it that’s fresh and unique.
Although the console ports leave a lot to be desired, the PC version is a thing of beauty. Its stunning environments are backed up with solid gameplay and a more than serviceable narrative. SubsequentMafiatitles may have failed to reach the same lofty heights, but the original provides a masterclass on how to adapt a concept into an engaging experience.
3The Simpsons: Hit & Run
Metacritic Rating: 82 (PC)
Springfield doesn’t seem like a great setting for aGTA-style game, but the two franchises meld together surprisingly well. Although it might not feature the crime and violence that are synonymous withGrand Theft Auto, the influence that the series had onThe Simpsons: Hit & Runand its predecessor is clear for all to see. It’s arguably more of a parody than a clone, but, whatever it is, there’s no disputing that it is a lot of fun.
There’s a heavy emphasis placed on exploration and a plot that’s coherent enough to keep players along for the ride. Its real strength though comes in the form of its humor, which is thankfully more ninetiesSimpsonsthan modern-day. It’s not at all surprising that the game performed well, but thatthere was never a true sequel toThe Simpsons: Hit & Runremains perplexing to many.
2Sleeping Dogs
Metacritic Rating: 83 (PS3)
Sleeping Dogswent through several iterations before the finished game was finally released.At one point it was to be part of theTrue Crimeseriesand had the working titleTrue Crime: Hong Kong. A few years into development though, Activision sold the publishing rights to Square Enix, and a brilliant game was born.
Sleeping Dogsmaintains the fantastic world-building that theTrue Crimegames had perfected but is able to back them up with some incredibly tight gameplay. Combat is great and the environmental kills make for some wonderfully cinematic moments. It’s still not quite on par withGrand Theft Autobut really isn’t too far behind.
1Saints Row 2
Metacritic Rating: 82 (PS3)
Although much of its core gameplay remains incredibly similar toGTA,Saints Rowdifferentiates itself in many ways. Its wacky sense of humor takes it into realms of absurdity thatGTAhas never dared to explore whilst its wide array of minigames and side-activities offer distractions that are far more enjoyable than the laundry list of fetch quests found in many of the earlierGTAtitles.
Saints Rowmay have started out as aGTAclone, butit has mutated into something much, much more. It still has some work to do if it ever wishes to topple its long-term rival, but given the success it has achieved throughout the years,Saints Rowhas nothing left to prove to anyone. The series is very much its own entity now and one that may someday spawn little clones of its very own. For that to be the case though, it will need to do much better than the 2022 reboot, which most felt was inferior to its predecessors in just about every possible way.
