5 best games like GTA 5 with large open-world cities

GTA revolutionized 3D open-world game design forever with the release of GTA 3 at the start of the new millennium. Quickly, the industry took notice of the global phenomenon the game was turning out to be. And perhaps in a bid to capitalize on the hype, several studios tried replicating what worked for GTA 3.

It soon became common knowledge that only Rockstar Games could truly craft what works the best for GTA. While many failed in trying to capitalize on the open-world revolution, some studios chose to put their own spin on it and create major franchises of their own.

Out of them, major players like Ubisoft emerged as one of the most prolific studios when it comes to open-world games. Over the years, there have been plenty of iterations of the open-world game, with large, sprawling urban environments and even fantasy.

For those looking to spend their time in a virtual metropolis, much like GTA, they need not look any further than the games on this list.

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

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Open-world games like GTA with massive cities to explore

1) Assassin's Creed Syndicate - London

Ubisoft has almost got it down to a tee with the way they craft massive open-world environments. Should players be looking to play something a little more vintage and stylized than GTA, they shouldn't look further than Assassin's Creed Syndicate.

This game's rendition of Industrial Era London inspires awe unlike any other, with immaculate attention to detail and a solid atmosphere. The game throws plenty of curveballs towards the player. During certain missions, players can traverse London as it goes through its darkest period during World War 1.

2) Watch Dogs 2 - San Fransisco

Much like its more vintage counterpart Assassin's Creed, the second entry in the Watch Dogs franchise is still considered one of its best, if not the best. Watch Dogs 2's San Francisco will remind players a ton of GTA 5's Los Santos, but they both feel distinctly unique in their own ways.

For one, Watch Dogs 2's sense of levity and traversal work a great deal to its benefit and make the game feel that much more unique. Plus, the game's intuitive hacking mechanics add another level of interaction with the environment, making for a rather immersive experience.

3) Mafia 3 - New Bordeaux/New Orleans

Mafia 3 is far from a perfect game, with its issues mostly rooted in its repetitive mission design and tedious grunt work. Despite these issues, Mafia 3's open world is simply one of the best parts of the game.

There is a great amount of attention to detail around every turn, and there is always something interesting to see at all times. The game simply blows the player away with how perfectly it captures that particular era in American history.

4) Marvel's Spider-Man/Miles Morales - New York

Insomniac Games had an absolutely massive task at hand to restore the legacy of great Spider-Man games and introduce a new generation of gamers to the webhead. The studio stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park and into another state with 2018 Marvel's Spider-Man.

Great swinging mechanics and a lively open world are just some of the ingredients a Spider-Man game needs, and the game did just that. They then doubled down on it with Miles Morales to deliver an even more polished experience with a city that seemed to transform by night.

Spider-Man and its semi-sequel Miles Morales have perhaps the best rendition of New York ever seen in modern open-world games like GTA.

5) Sleeping Dogs - Hong Kong

Sleeping Dogs is one of those rare games that, although it's deeply beloved by fans, didn't exactly do great numbers upon release. This is why players probably never got to see a sequel.

Sleeping Dogs takes an altogether different approach than GTA when it comes to its open world. It isn't exactly very large, with a lack of topographical diversity and means to get around. Yet, Hong Kong feels every bit as alive in Sleeping Dogs as it should, and the map is essentially there to act as staging grounds for combat arenas.

Sleeping Dogs excels in the smaller areas of town like alleyways and markets, and that is what makes it unique when compared to other games like GTA.