GTA 5 is one of the best open-world games ever created, with a living breathing world taken straight out of real-life America. However, it is possible to exhaust all the content in GTA 5 after a hundred hours or so. If you don't want to play GTA Online while waiting for 6, here are Gurugamer's top picks for the 6 open-world games similar to GTA 5.
1. Red Dead Redemption 2
When it comes to games similar to GTA 5, nothing can beat Red Dead Redemption 2, which was made by the same company. This is widely considered to be one of the best games ever created.
The graphics are stunning with extreme details. For example, your character's pupils will dilate in a darker environment. Horse balls shrink in cold weather. Walking in snow or mud makes footprints. If you hit someone, you may see them with a bandage around their head the day after. That kind of attention to detail shines through the whole game.
The environment is filled with life at every corner. Besides the NPCs, you can even see birds picking up fish, dogs playing in the mud, and even eagles hunting rabbits. The environment and the people are different depending on which state you're in. The shooting mechanics and the animations are great. Unlike GTA 5, shooting and movement are slower and more deliberate.
The story is extremely well-written. It's long, it's complex, and there are many ways to interact with the people in the story outside of the story itself. You really get to KNOW all the characters. The game's ending was very emotional and made me shed a tear. There is a lot to do outside of the storyline.
2. L.A. Noire
L.A. Noire is yet another city-based open-world game from Rockstar, however, its gameplay is fairly different from GTA 5 or the GTA series in general. You can't run around killing everyone and cause mayhem wherever. Your character is a cop, and he can only spill the blood of bad guys.
It has everything you could want from a detective-type game - solve cases by finding clues, interrogation, and investigation. In this game, it is on you to figure out the outcome of each case, and the game doesn't hold your hand when it comes to decisions. Attention to detail is also intricate, with interactions differing under certain circumstances (eg. talking to someone for the second time).
Movement and shooting feel slightly clunky, however, this isn't a big issue as shootouts are rare. If you're into heavily story-driven games, which are all about great writing, making decisions, immersion, great atmosphere, this is a game for you.
3. Mafia: Definitive Edition
Mafia: Definitive Edition is a brilliant and faithful reincarnation of the original Mafia game. The remake remains true to its predecessor which was released about two decades ago. It is a masterpiece that offers a strong story with engaging characters, great voice-acting and an intriguing setting.
In this game, you follow the footstep of Tommy Angelo, who's meeting detective Norman in a quiet cafe to tell him his life story and, most importantly, ask him for police protection for himself, his wife and his daughter. The Salieri mafia family is after him, even though he has been a devoted and reliable member for years. On the surface of two dozen missions, we witness Tommy's humble beginnings in a criminal organization, euphoric intoxication with newly acquired money and status, but also sobering up from a life full of violence and uncertainty until the grand finale.
4. Watch Dogs 2
Watch Dogs 2 is a gorgeous open world that's beautifully crafted, and personally, I think is more fleshed out and dynamic than GTA V. San Francisco is the new setting of the game, and it serves as one of the best open-world maps in any game I ever played. The city is just full of life and seems like every NPC in it walking the streets has a purpose. People are working out, walking dogs, doing martial arts at the park, they do yoga, they greet each other on the streets, and the list just goes on and on.
Gameplay-wise, it's a hacking and stealth game where you can hack and remotely manipulate electronic devices, vehicles, etc., including via security cameras and drones. The stealth mechanics and remote control capabilities really made it feasible for me to play in a nonconfrontational way, using cameras, drones, and environmental features to achieve my goals.
The messaging about corporate and governmental data abuse really resonated, and the writing and acting were well done.
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