The Best GTA Clones To Play Before GTA 6

After moving to the 3D era with GTA 3, Rockstar’s open-world crime sandbox was hard to ignore. It didn’t take long for many studios to capitalize on its success and put their own spin on the formula. This spawned a variety of open-world games, usually with a similar crime theme, lovingly referred to as “GTA clones.”

While most of these felt like knockoffs, there are some genuine gems that often went toe-to-toe with Rockstar’s best. If you’re looking for something to play before GTA 6 arrives, here are our picks for the best GTA clones worth checking out.

Sleeping Dogs

If there is just one GTA clone you had to pick from this list that you haven’t somehow played yet, Sleeping Dogs sits at the top of my recommendations. A Hong Kong-flavored crime drama with some of the best combat mechanics the genre has to offer, an incredible cast of memorable characters led by Wei Shen, an undercover cop working both sides, and a beautiful rendition of Hong Kong with multiple districts to explore, Sleeping Dogs is an easy recommendation.

Sleeping Dogs didn’t just copy Rockstar’s homework but leveraged the structure of GTA while adding new mechanics and systems of its own. Combat was fully fleshed out, with mixed martial arts techniques to learn and a counter system reminiscent of the Arkham titles, while environmental hazards allowed you to perform finishers and dictate the flow of fights. You could slow down time during gunfights and even while shooting from cars, vault over cover while firing, leap between moving vehicles to hijack them, and pull off all sorts of things GTA had never let you do before. There was a lot to do in the world, from street racing, cockfighting, dating, karaoke, and Mahjong to doing police work on the side.

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Sleeping Dogs Combat Screenshot — Image via United Front Games

The dynamic of playing a character serving the interests of two sides meant you had to switch between different types of missions all the time without letting the Triads know you’re actually a cop. Sleeping Dogs managed to do more in its relatively short runtime than most 100-hour open-world adventures. And remember, a man who never eats pork bun is never a whole man.

Saints Row 2

Before it turned into a pseudo-parody series with Saints Row 3 (which I also really like), Saints Row 2 was a largely serious and straightforward open-world crime sandbox that had a lot in common with your standard GTA title. You played as the leader of the 3rd Street Saints as they attempted to rebuild their criminal empire, taking on rival gangs and reclaiming territory across Stilwater. The story had plenty of ridiculous moments, but the game itself still treated its crime drama relatively seriously compared to what the series would become.

What really helped Saints Row 2 stand on its own was just how much it packed into its open world. There was a plethora of side activities and jobs to take part in, from insurance fraud and drug trafficking to more conventional criminal activities, giving you plenty of reasons to explore Stilwater outside of the main story. You could also create and fully customize your character, something GTA has never really embraced to the same extent. Add in a memorable and often hilarious cast of characters, a huge amount of customization, and multiplayer elements that allowed you to experience the entire campaign cooperatively, and Saints Row 2 had plenty going for it beyond simply being a GTA clone.

Saints Row 2 Flight Combat — Image via Volition

It was a fun game that sat alongside GTA as the zany cousin that didn’t take itself too seriously. Now, if you wanted to dial up the parody and over-the-top nature of Saints Row, you had Saints Row 3. To be honest, I still prefer it as an open-world adventure because of just how bizarre, hilarious, and experimental it can be. However, Saints Row 2 is much closer to a traditional GTA experience, making it the better recommendation if you’re specifically looking for something that feels like GTA.

The Simpsons: Hit & Run

On the surface, The Simpsons: Hit & Run is another satirical take on GTA 3, but its lasting legacy proves it’s more than just another knockoff trying to make a quick buck. I’d argue it’s the most enjoyable Simpsons game to date, using its faithful open-world recreation of Springfield to great effect. It has several playable characters, platforming sections, and basic but fun combat mechanics, but the real appeal, believe it or not, comes from the driving. A huge portion of the game’s missions revolve around driving, whether you’re tailing another vehicle, racing, making deliveries, or engaging in car combat.

Plenty of vehicles are also inspired by the show, and they’re not always just different skins. Certain vehicles have unique characteristics and abilities that keep things fresh, while unlocking and purchasing new cars gives you another reason to explore Springfield.

The Simpsons Hit & Run Screenshot — Image via Radical Entertainment

There are secrets to find, outfits to purchase, and plenty of recognizable locations and characters scattered throughout the city. It all feels remarkably authentic to the show, combining the humor and gags of The Simpsons with the GTA formula, albeit with a much greater focus on the “auto” part.

Watch Dogs 2

The original Watch Dogs overpromised and underdelivered, but it had the makings of a fun open world, and Watch Dogs 2 capitalized on it. Sure, it didn’t have the same quality of characters as GTA titles, but it made up for it with the amount of freedom it offered during missions, especially with its focus on hacking. It really leaned into the sandbox aspect and pushed it to 11, letting you wreak havoc with just your phone. You have so many tools to approach a mission your way, from remotely controlled drones and non-lethal weapons to EMPs, cameras, vehicles, and the ability to manipulate objects in the environment. You could hack a security camera to scout an area, remotely operate a forklift to reach a new position, trigger an alarm to distract a guard, or even cause a vehicle to move through a restricted area without ever setting foot inside yourself.

Outside of the main missions, there was plenty to keep you busy, including street races, drone races, vehicle-related activities, collectibles, photography, and various other distractions scattered throughout San Francisco. Ubisoft also did a fantastic job recreating the city, with San Francisco and Oakland offering plenty of interesting locations to explore and a much more vibrant atmosphere than the first game. It isn’t difficult to lose an hour or two simply messing around with the game’s systems and seeing what you can get away with, which is exactly what you want from a GTA-style sandbox.

If it wasn’t for the bland cast and forgettable story, Watch Dogs 2 could have left a much more lasting impression. Still, the amount of freedom it offers during missions is something I hope GTA 6 also capitalizes on.

Lego City Undercover

This isn’t a joke entry; LEGO City Undercover is easily one of the best open-world GTA-style titles ever made. Sure, it’s designed for all ages, but its writing is clever, the world is larger than life, and its dedication to spoofing practically everything is undeniably charming throughout. While LEGO City Undercover uses its world as a backdrop much like GTA, there’s still plenty to do, from finding collectibles scattered throughout the city and unlocking disguises with new abilities to solving puzzles, engaging in chases, messing around with cheat codes, drifting through the streets, and rebuilding parts of the city with the bricks you’ve collected. You can even commandeer vehicles by using your police badge to pull them over, wink wink.

It’s a joy to play and explore, especially when you take the time to appreciate how much detail went into recreating LEGO City. The colorful environments, ridiculous situations, and constant stream of jokes make it one of the most charming open-world games of its kind. It may not have the violence or mature themes of GTA, but underneath the LEGO aesthetic is a surprisingly faithful open-world crime sandbox that understands exactly what makes these games so much fun. Just watch this trailer and tell me this couldn’t exist in the same universe as GTA:

These were my picks for the best GTA clones that manage to stand on their own and are absolutely worth checking out before GTA 6 launches later this year. What are your favorite GTA-style titles? Let us know in the comments below!