5 best games like GTA 5 with an intense story experience

The GTA franchise has always featured fascinating and distinct narratives in its games. GTA 4, for example, is one of the series' best instances of storytelling.

GTA 5's storyline, on the other hand, had a mixed reception from fans. Although the game received excellent praise for its scope and gameplay, the plot may be inconsistent at times.

There have been several open-world games that provide a comparable experience to the GTA titles. Some are strikingly similar, presented as crime thrillers, while others are just vaguely comparable due to their open-world environments and gameplay mechanics.

This article will cover some of these games that offer a similar gameplay experience to GTA 5 while also delivering an engaging story.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinion of its writer.

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5 games like GTA 5 with some of the best storylines

5) The Godfather

The video game adaptation, like the movie, is a tragic tale set amid the dramatic interplay of power, justice, loyalty, and treachery. The Godfather is a classic game that is often overlooked when talking about open-world action/adventure games.

Some of the game's positive elements include the empire management system, rankings, character customization, and the idea of narrative running parallel to the movie. Although released in 2006, the game is quite visually appealing and features an advanced game engine that makes combat highly engaging.

4) Sleeping Dogs

Set in a photorealistic Hong Kong, Sleeping Dogs was a unique take on the open-world crime genre. As a spiritual successor to the True Crime series, one of the major differences in this game is that the player is an undercover cop.

As a result, the story revolves around the protagonist juggling his roles as a gang member and a cop. Hong Kong's bright and vibrant atmosphere is as alive as its seedy nooks and alleyways.

There are unexpected twists and turns in this dark and realistic narrative, which makes it all the more memorable.

3) Mafia 2

When it comes to open-world games set amidst a world of crime, the Mafia games are as iconic as the GTA series. The organized criminal world of the Mafia is a very different setting compared to the chaotic world shared by the GTA protagonists.

Mafia 2 presents a gripping narrative set in the booming era of the 50s that contrasts with the bright and cheery setting. This is what makes the story so interesting, as it presents a much more individual experience of the protagonist, which doesn't bother the world around him.

2) L.A. Noire

Another open-world title by Rockstar, L.A. Noire is a somewhat underrated game despite being made by the legendary game studio. As its title suggests, the game is a neo-noir narrative set in Los Angeles in the late 40s.

Although it has open-world gameplay mechanics similar to GTA games, it is essentially a detective game involving investigations and interrogation sequences. One of the game's finest features, which is also one of its flaws in some respects, is that it takes a much more realistic approach than contemporary noir fiction.

1) Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout: New Vegas, widely regarded as the finest Fallout game ever created, owes its success to its characters and storyline. Although it has the least resemblance to GTA 5, it is also an open-world game wherein combat is essential for survival.

The characters in this game, as well as the conversations that can be had with them, are among the best in video game history. Each of them has a motivation and a rationale for their actions, which is seldom found in modern video games.