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Grand Theft Auto IV

50 Games like Grand Theft Auto IV that you should try

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Grand Theft Auto IV is hard to replace: few games combine adventure storytelling, strong narrative focus and open world exploration in quite the same way. The NextGameLike team compared Grand Theft Auto IV against over 6,700 titles across 15 gameplay attributes and found 50 genuine alternatives — not generic genre suggestions. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Saints Row IV lead the list, with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas reaching a 94/100 similarity score. Every game here is ranked by how closely it replicates what makes Grand Theft Auto IV special.

NextGameLike90/ 100

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GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action
Tags
NarrativeDarkMultiplayerSolo
Year 2010Dev Rockstar Toronto
Stores

Quick answer

The closest game to Grand Theft Auto IV is Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas — scoring 94/100 on our similarity scale. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Saints Row IV follow close behind.

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Top games similar to Grand Theft Auto IV

50 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Grand Theft Auto IV. 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: San Andreas

94
NGL93
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Closest overall match
ActionOpen World Action
SoloCo-opMultiplayerMeleeRangedNarrativeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2004Dev Rockstar North · CapcomPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

If Grand Theft Auto IV worked for you because of strong narrative focus, 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 visuals: this one brings a first-person view.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100Combat71
Details →1/1 agree it's a good match
2

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

93
NGL93
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Closest on combat
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedNarrativeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2002Dev Rockstar North · Rockstar GamesPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

The resemblance to Grand Theft Auto IV is about as close as this list gets: they line up on genre, combat and tone. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. It sets itself apart with racing gameplay.

It predates Grand Theft Auto IV by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100
3

Saints Row IV

92
NGL87
Saints Row IV
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeRangedOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2013Dev High Voltage Software · Deep SilverOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · Linux

It shares the essentials of what Grand Theft Auto IV does: open world exploration, melee combat and single-player focus. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. They part company on progression: this one brings skill tree progression.

Released 3 years after Grand Theft Auto IV.

Genre100Combat100World100Visuals100Game mode85Progression58
4

Red Faction Guerrilla Steam Edition

92
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 IV — the two agree on genre, combat and world. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. It sets itself apart with a sci-fi setting.

Genre100Combat100World100Progression100Visuals100Game mode91
5

Just Cause 2

92
NGL82
Just Cause 2
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2010Dev Square EnixPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Matches like this one are rare: it meets Grand Theft Auto IV on genre, combat and world. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. What it adds of its own: racing gameplay.

Genre100Combat100World100Progression100Visuals100Game mode90
6

Sunset Overdrive

90
NGL86
Sunset Overdrive
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2014Dev Insomniac Games · Microsoft StudiosOn PC · Xbox

It shares the essentials of what Grand Theft Auto IV does: dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and melee combat. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and co-op play. The distance is in progression — its own ground is skill tree progression.

Released 4 years after Grand Theft Auto IV.

Genre100Game mode100World100Visuals100Tone79Combat74
7

Saints Row 2

93
NGL74
Saints Row 2
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeRangedOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2008Dev Volition · Deep SilverPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

What brings it close to Grand Theft Auto IV is open world exploration, melee combat and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, combat and world. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. It sets itself apart with racing gameplay and online features.

Genre100Combat100World100Visuals100Game mode87Progression71
8

Saints Row: The Third

87
NGL92
Saints Row: The Third
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDarkOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2011Dev Volition · Square EnixOn PlayStation 3 · Linux · PC

On paper it is what Grand Theft Auto IV is — dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and melee combat — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. The distance is in progression and visuals — its own ground is skill tree progression and 2D presentation.

Genre100World100Game mode84Tone76Combat73Visuals62
9

Watch Dogs 2

89
NGL82
Watch Dogs 2
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDarkNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2016Dev Ubisoft Montreal · Ubisoft EntertainmentOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

What brings it close to Grand Theft Auto IV is dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and melee combat, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and tone. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and co-op play. Where the two diverge is combat: stealth mechanics.

Released 6 years after Grand Theft Auto IV.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Visuals100Progression78
10

Mafia II (Classic)

88
NGL85
Mafia II (Classic)
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerMeleeRangedNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2010Dev 2K Czech · 2K GamesPlaytime ~13hOn PC · PS · Xbox

If Grand Theft Auto IV worked for you because of strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat, the same is here. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. It sets itself apart with racing gameplay and stealth mechanics.

Genre100World100Progression100Visuals100Game mode87Tone80
11

Just Cause 3

89
NGL80
Just Cause 3
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2015Dev Avalanche Studios · Square EnixOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

It shares the essentials of what Grand Theft Auto IV does: strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is tone: first-person shooting.

Released 5 years after Grand Theft Auto IV.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100Combat72
12

Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell

91
NGL70
Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDarkNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2015Dev High Voltage Software · Deep SilverOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · Linux

It shares the essentials of what Grand Theft Auto IV does: dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and melee combat. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and co-op play. Its own ground is first-person shooting and horror setting.

Released 5 years after Grand Theft Auto IV.

Genre100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100Game mode89
13

Grand Theft Auto III

85
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 IV 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 IV by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals59
14

Hitman 3

85
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 IV on genre, tone and world. To that it adds a third-person camera and single-player focus. They part company on combat: this one brings stealth mechanics.

Released 11 years after Grand Theft Auto IV.

Genre100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100Game mode90
15

Watch Dogs

86
NGL80
Watch Dogs
ActionOpen World Action
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person
Year 2014Dev Ubisoft Montreal · Ubisoft EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

What brings it close to Grand Theft Auto IV is strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and world. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. They part company on combat and tone: this one brings stealth mechanics.

Released 4 years after Grand Theft Auto IV.

Genre100Game mode100World100Visuals100Progression78Tone65

More similar-games lists to keep going

Found one on the list you already love? Open its own list: the games that play most like it, ranked, with the reason for each.

Explore games similar to Grand Theft Auto IV by category

If Grand Theft Auto IV left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the third-person shooter or the 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 IV 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.