5 best open-world games of the 2010s that are similar to GTA 5

The open-world genre in gaming rose to prominence in the early 2000s and has continued its dominant run in the gaming industry through the 2010s. The genre first became popular with the release of GTA 3, and the 3D open-world structure of the game had fans tripping over themselves to get a copy.

As a result, any open-world game would unfairly be labelled a "GTA clone", which had little to no truth to it. The genre has been the hotbed for innovation and developers have today been able to create a diverse set of games within the genre.

The cityscapes of games like GTA 5 are extremely appealing to fans, who are often in search of games with similar styles. Here, we take a look at some of the best games from the last decade that fans of GTA 5 might enjoy.

5 best open-world games from the last decade similar to GTA 5

1) Sleeping Dogs

Sleeping Dogs stands on its own two feet and does not have any overlap with games like GTA 5, apart from the open-world structure. Sleeping Dogs feels familiar but also wholly original, and fans have come to appreciate the game long after its initial release.

The story and the world of Sleeping Dogs are, at times, utterly ridiculous and hilarious but is also genuinely heartfelt and honest in parts. The game's deeply engaging combat system and gameplay perfectly complement its roots in Hong Kong action films.

Together, each element of Sleeping Dogs contributes to an extremely well-detailed and refined gaming experience.

2) Just Cause 3

The Just Cause franchise has a completely different and unique standard of quality measurement. While people would look for realism, authenticity or cinematic qualities in games, Just Cause is only concerned with gameplay and does a mighty good job with it.

That is not to say that other areas of the game are lacking as Just Cause presents an incredibly gameplay-rich and well-designed environment for pure chaos. Just Cause 3 might just be the most quintessential entry in the franchise and one of the most beloved ever.

The game rewards players for thinking out of the box and coming up with interesting solutions to fairly standard missions.

3) Saints Row IV

The Saints Row franchise has distanced itself so far away from the GTA franchise that the game resembles a sci-fi shooter more than anything else. Saints Row is essentially a superhero game at this point, and no one is complaining.

Saints Row IV sees the player warding off aliens as the President of the United States and stopping the invasion of Earth from extra-terrestrial forces. If that sounds like a mighty fun time to you, then Saints Row IV should be a no-brainer.

The game is filled with hilarious writing and even more hilarious gameplay, making it one of the most fun experiences one can have in a videogame.

Saints Row IV will always be remembered fondly as one of the most enjoyable open-world games of the past decade.

4) Red Dead Redemption I and II

The Red Dead Redemption stands right alongside GTA as Rockstar's premier franchises and rightfully so. Red Dead is a much more solemn and emotional affair than the GTA franchise, but they both share a common love for chaos as both provide the player with an exceptionally large virtual playground to roam around in.

Red Dead Redemption might be the more subtle of the two, but that is not to say that the game lacks in any of the bombastic appeals of GTA. The open-world gameplay of Red Dead Redemption never fails to impress as there are tonnes of seemingly random moments waiting to happen.

Red Dead Redemption and its sequel are some of the most fun experiences that fans of Westerns can ever have in a videogame.

5) Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs 2 might seem very familiar to fans of GTA 5 as it has a massive open world, a slew of vehicles to pick from as well as character customization.

Watch Dogs manages to make itself stand out in a myriad of other titles by simply perfecting its tone and focusing on gameplay. As a result, the gameplay of Watch Dogs 2 is far more rewarding than perhaps any other open-world title of the last decade.

The game rectifies many of its predecessor's errors and breathes new life back into the franchise with an exceptionally well-made open-world game.