12 Racing games like Need for Speed™ Payback that you should try

Its point of contact with Need for Speed™ Payback is a sandbox world, melee combat and co-op play. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery. Where the two diverge is progression: crafting mechanics.

What brings it close to Need for Speed™ Payback is strong narrative focus, a sandbox world and melee combat, and the two track each other on genre, combat and tone. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals and game mode: offline play and 3D presentation.

Matches like this one are rare: it meets Need for Speed™ Payback on genre, combat and tone. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and online features. They part company on world: this one brings offline play.

Same family as Need for Speed™ Payback: 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 visuals and combat: this one brings ranged combat.

The genre is the same as Need for Speed™ Payback’s, and with it 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 tone and visuals — its own ground is dark, oppressive atmosphere and skill tree progression.

It shares the essentials of what Need for Speed™ Payback does: strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. They part company on combat and game mode: this one brings stealth mechanics.

Shelved next to Need for Speed™ Payback for good reason: open world exploration, melee combat and multiplayer gameplay. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and a first-person view. Where the two diverge is game mode and world: a top-down view.

Shelved next to Need for Speed™ Payback for good reason: strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. The distance is in game mode and visuals — its own ground is third-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere.

It comes from the same genre as Need for Speed™ Payback and shares strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and multiplayer gameplay. The distance is in game mode and visuals — its own ground is shooting mechanics and dark, oppressive atmosphere.

On paper it is what Need for Speed™ Payback is — open world exploration, melee combat and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. Where the two diverge is game mode and visuals: ranged combat.

On paper it is what Need for Speed™ Payback is — strong narrative focus, open world exploration and melee combat — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and multiplayer gameplay. Where the two diverge is combat and world: ranged combat.

The genre is the same as Need for Speed™ Payback’s, and with it open world exploration, melee combat and multiplayer gameplay. To that it adds exploration and discovery. They part company on game mode and world: this one brings offline play.