'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Throughout the history of video games, whenever there has been a game both critically and commercially successful and massively influential, it has always been followed by a slew of titles often unjustly being labeled as "clones" of that particular game.
The same is true of the GTA franchise; GTA 3 was a seminal moment in all of gaming as audiences were awakened to the wonders of open-world games. Through the 2000s, the community was abuzz with titles being unjustly labelled as "GTA clones" despite actually being reasonably original.
For a moment, every game with some elements of the open-world structure was quickly dismissed by purists as being derivative. However, it couldn't be further from the truth, as audiences have now come to understand that the open-world is but a structure.
One that is one of the most popular in the current landscape of gaming, and each game's approach and utilization of the open-world differs in a lot of ways.
Here is a list of games that players must try if they are looking for titles to play other than the GTA franchise.
Five of the best games that are alternatives to the GTA franchise on PCs
5) Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor
If ever there was a game that had all the markings for both a successful hit, as well as ones for a colossal failure, then Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor is it. The Lord of the Rings brand has a certain level of expectations attached to it, and any game that carries the Middle-Earth name will invite a lot of scrutiny.
However, Shadow of Mordor stood tall and emerged as perhaps the best LOTR game in the history of the franchise. A great spin on the open-world structure that might not be as expansive, but is certainly one with a lot of depth.
The story, however great, takes a backseat to the deeply engaging and rewarding gameplay that is the Nemesis system. Throughout the title, the player will face up against members of the Orc army and each encounter will have repercussions throughout the rank.
The Nemesis system would go on to define and establish the title as one of the best during its year of release. The possibilities are simply endless, and one needs to play the game to understand the depth and complexity of the Nemesis system.
4) Sleeping Dogs
Perhaps the title that will instantly feel familiar to fans of the GTA franchise, yet, there is something vastly different about Sleeping Dogs that will surprise players. It is decidedly cliched in the best of ways; taking inspiration from the best Hong Kong action in a wonderous blend of Tarantino and John Woo with a dash of Michael Bay explosions thrown in for good measure.
The game's combat system alone is enough to sell you on it; from the first moment the players chain together a 25x combo, it'll be hard to pry the controller out of their hands.
Sleeping Dogs maintains a frantic momentum throughout the course of its lengthy campaign while also being able to tell the previously mentioned cliched story. There aren't many titles that can compare to Sleeping Dogs in terms of how responsive and satisfying the combat feels.
The open-world structure might not be as integral to the game as something like Breath of the Wild, yet, it would feel a little too claustrophobic for one's liking.
3) Mad Max
Fans are well aware, or at least should be aware, of the legacy of the Mad Max movie franchise. Coinciding with the release of 2014's instant action classic, Mad Max: Fury Road, this underrated gem from Avalanche Studios packs quite the punch.
The game sets itself apart by not being canon or part of the Mad Max movie franchise, but as a standalone title that follows Max Rockatansky in his journey through the Wasteland.
The title succeeds on many levels, delivering the similar high-octane, over-the-top, furious action of the movies. This is the perfect game for fans of great combat driving mechanics as well as fantastic ground combat. In a post-apocalyptic world where cars are worshipped as gods and deities, the player must build the ultimate war machine.
The title truly doesn't ever let up as one combat sequence leads into the next exceptionally well, and the game always keeps players on the go with an engaging gameplay loop.
2) Mafia II
If players are cautious about running into the standard Ubisoft-style checklist approach to the open-world that consists of merely checking off a list of objectives from a mini-map, perhaps Mafia II is the game for them.
It is the most unconventional open-world title on this list, with not much of an expansive open-world to explore and complete its objectives. The game feels a tad bit more linear, but the devs understood something about the open-world that some often miss.
More often than not, the open-world structure works against the game and its quality rather than complement it, taking away from the game's narrative by providing needless distractions and detours.
Mafia II's sole focus is on narrative, and the open-world exists simply to provide players an immersive experience, and truly feel engrossed in Vito's story. As a result, the narrative hits a home run with every beat, crescendoing in perhaps one of the best endings in a game of all-time.
1) Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
To this day, audiences cannot seem to come to a consensus over whether Metal Gear Solid V is indeed a masterpiece or only a misguided effort from a genius left incomplete.
The story of the development of MGSV is not exactly shrouded in mystery to the public. Legendary game-maker Hideo Kojima's continuing struggles with publisher Konami led to his unceremonious departure from the company, and the development of MGSV was hurried and left incomplete.
However, playing the game tells a more different story as it feels more polished, rewarding, and deeply immersive than many of its contemporaries. Its narrative suffers quite a bit, but it isn't the crux of Metal Gear Solid this time around.
The gameplay is front and center in this swan song of the franchise as players deploy various tactics and approaches to finish missions in the Phantom Pain. However, that is not to say that the story lacks ambition, because, in all honesty, it has ideas and questions that most games dare not tackle.
Metal Gear Solid V is a flawed masterpiece, but a masterpiece nonetheless.
For The Biggest GTA 6 Map Leaks, Click Here.
