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Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City

50 Games like Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City that you should try

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Few titles capture what makes Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City unique: adventure storytelling, dark, oppressive atmosphere and open world exploration. After measuring 15 attributes across over 6,700 games, the NextGameLike team picks the 50 most faithful alternatives. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Just Cause 2 and Mafia II (Classic) top the ranking, with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City at number one (95/100).

NextGameLike81/ 100

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GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action
Tags
DarkNarrativeSoloMultiplayer
Year 2009Dev Rockstar North

Quick answer

The closest game to Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City is Grand Theft Auto: Vice City — scoring 95/100 on our similarity scale. Just Cause 2 and Mafia II (Classic) follow close behind.

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Top games similar to Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City

50 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City. Each one has been evaluated across 15 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

1

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

95
NGL93
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Closest overall match
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedNarrativeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2002Dev Rockstar North · Rockstar GamesPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Matches like this one are rare: it meets Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City on genre, combat and game mode. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and multiplayer gameplay. Its own ground is puzzle design.

Same studio: Rockstar North.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100
2

Just Cause 2

95
NGL82
Just Cause 2
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2010Dev Square EnixPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Of everything here, this is the nearest thing to Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City — the two agree on genre, combat and game mode. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100
3

Mafia II (Classic)

92
NGL85
Mafia II (Classic)
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2010Dev 2K Czech · 2K GamesPlaytime ~13hOn PC · PS · Xbox

It shares the essentials of what Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City does: strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. What it adds of its own: puzzle design and stealth mechanics.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100Tone75
4

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

89
NGL93
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedNarrativeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2004Dev Rockstar North · CapcomPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

It shares the essentials of what Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City does: strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. Where the two diverge is visuals: a first-person view.

Same studio: Rockstar North.

Genre100Tone100World100Progression100Combat72Game mode70
Details →1/1 agree it's a good match
5

Grand Theft Auto IV

89
NGL90
Grand Theft Auto IV
ActionOpen World Action
MultiplayerSoloMeleeRangedNarrativeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2010Dev Rockstar Toronto · Rockstar GamesOn PC · PS · Xbox

The resemblance to Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City is about as close as this list gets: they line up on genre, combat and tone. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and multiplayer gameplay. Its own ground is co-op play.

Genre100Combat100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100
6

Grand Theft Auto III

88
NGL89
Grand Theft Auto III
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMeleeRangedDarkNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2001Dev DMA Design · CapcomPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

If Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City worked for you because of dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and melee combat, the same is here. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. They part company on game mode and visuals: this one brings an isometric view.

It predates Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals64
7

Just Cause

95
NGL62
Just Cause
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2006Dev Avalanche Studios · Square EnixPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

What brings it close to Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City is open world exploration, melee combat and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, combat and game mode. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. What it adds of its own: procedural generation.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Progression100Visuals100World84
8

Red Faction Guerrilla Steam Edition

89
NGL81
Red Faction Guerrilla Steam Edition
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2009Dev THQ NordicPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Of everything here, this is the nearest thing to Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City — the two agree on genre, combat and game mode. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. It sets itself apart with a sci-fi setting.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100
9

Saints Row 2

89
NGL74
Saints Row 2
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2008Dev Volition · Deep SilverPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

It shares the essentials of what Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City does: open world exploration, melee combat and single-player focus. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. The distance is in game mode — its own ground is co-op play.

Genre100Combat100World100Visuals100Progression71Game mode62
10

Saints Row: The Third

84
NGL92
Saints Row: The Third
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2011Dev Volition · Square EnixOn PlayStation 3 · Linux · PC

On paper it is what Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City is — dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and melee combat — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. They part company on progression and game mode: this one brings co-op play and skill tree progression.

Genre100World100Tone79Combat75Visuals67Game mode61
11

Mafia III

92
NGL61
Mafia III
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeNarrativeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2016Dev Hangar 13 · 2K GamesOn PS4 · PC · Mac

Matches like this one are rare: it meets Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City on genre, game mode and tone. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. The distance is in combat — its own ground is stealth mechanics.

Released 7 years after Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100
12

Hitman 3

82
NGL86
Hitman 3
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeNarrativeDarkSandbox WorldOpen WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2021Dev IO InteractiveOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

Matches like this one are rare: it meets Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City on genre, game mode and tone. Both also lean on a third-person camera and single-player focus. The distance is in combat — its own ground is stealth mechanics.

Released 12 years after Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100
13

Saints Row IV

82
NGL87
Saints Row IV
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2013Dev High Voltage Software · Deep SilverOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · Linux

If Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City worked for you because of open world exploration, melee combat and single-player focus, the same is here. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. They part company on progression and game mode: this one brings co-op play and skill tree progression.

Released 4 years after Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City.

Genre100Combat100World100Visuals100Game mode61Progression58
14

Sunset Overdrive

80
NGL86
Sunset Overdrive
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2014Dev Insomniac Games · Microsoft StudiosOn PC · Xbox

The thread back to Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City runs through dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and melee combat. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. Where the two diverge is progression: skill tree progression.

Released 5 years after Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City.

Genre100World100Visuals100Tone81Combat76Game mode72
15

Just Cause 3

82
NGL80
Just Cause 3
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2015Dev Avalanche Studios · Square EnixOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

It shares the essentials of what Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City does: strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. The distance is in tone — its own ground is first-person shooting and co-op play.

Released 6 years after Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City.

Genre100World100Progression100Visuals100Game mode91Combat74

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If Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the sandbox or the third-person shooter that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on Nintendo Switch, PS5, PlayStation, Xbox and Mobile, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City look-alike but simply the best Open-World Action Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games. And if you feel like widening the net, the Action Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.