Open-world crime games allow players to experience life as a member of a delinquent organization, an outlaw, and sometimes an undercover police officer trying to take down the most heinous criminal circles in the world. For all that is good in this genre, some games are iconic, like GTA, which is one of the most influential franchises of all time.
However, what happens with all the other titles that represent part of this select group? Some might be even better than GTA in various key areas. Some titles have better stories, characters, and even combat mechanics than GTA. Some others have better scenario design, and their worlds are bigger and more complete. However, every title on this list has something in common with the original heist game that popularized the crime game genre, and at the same time, a key aspect that makes them even better.
Sleeping Dogs
A Superior Combat System, And A Meaningful Plot
With its humble, yet immersive open-world sandbox, Sleeping Dogs places first among fans of martial arts and crime games. With a thrilling plot about homecoming, revenge, and finding a new path in life, this title, developed by United Front Games, puts players in the role of Wei Shen, an undercover Police officer tasked with infiltrating the dangerous Triads of Hong Kong.
Returning to his homeland and his neighborhood after years of absence weighs heavily on Shen like a looming shadow, and all the encounters with the remnants of his past life leave him scarred, questioning his mission, while his loyalties are constantly being tested. Plus, he’s got a score to settle with the Triads, whom he blames for the death of his sister and mother. One of the aspects of Sleeping Dogs that is far superior to any GTA game is its melee combat, which has a combo/fighting style system similar to that of games like the Yakuza series. Combining this incredible story with the thrilling action of gang fights in the sordid streets of Hong Kong results in a game that is bigger than its score: Highly underrated and extremely satisfying to play.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Character Customization, Draws The Best Of Both RPGs And Crime Games
Cyberpunk 2077 is a game that had a convoluted development (to say the least), but the results were so good that in the end of the day, it all comes down to how players felt when they first incarnated the mercenary V, in their quest to find a cure for their ‘uninvited head roommate.’ Points extra for having Keanu Reeves as one of the main characters.
Some fans of Crime games would argue that this title doesn’t belong to this category, but the truth is that Mercenaries in Night City aren’t usually on the side of the law, to say the least. The game starts with a heist going awfully wrong, and from there, it never drops from maxed-out action. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty ended up being the perfect closure for a game far superior in terms of character customization, combat system, and immersion.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon
The Most Fun Yakuza Game Ever Made
In Yakuza: Like A Dragon, the series abandons not only its legendary protagonist, but also ditches its real-time combat system for a turn-based JRPG-style where chaos and environmental weapons mix with parties of up to 4 characters. It’s an intense experience, to say the least, and that in every good gamer’s book should be considered a good thing. Instead of dull, repetitive hit-and-run combat, players will experience immersive tactical street-fighting like never before.
Like a Dragon is also a more compact experience, with the action changing from the traditional Shinjuku representation of the series, to another big nightlife district, or at least, its fictional recreation: Yokohama, to be more precise, the Isezaki Ijincho district. But the essence of the Yakuza series remains intact despite all those changes. With memorable characters, a thrilling plot full of action and fateful encounters, and a focus on organized crime gangs fighting for supremacy on the streets of Japan. This game makes use of the narrative like no other crime game. The character relationships, and even the inner worlds of the characters and their experiences translated to gameplay, are magnificent.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Bigger In Every Aspect: Immersion, Scenario Design, Combat, And Story
Red Dead Redemption 2 has become an absolute legend among fans of westerns and crime games. With an intense and dynamic combat system, good use of character voiceovers, a memorable and enthralling plot, and above all else: an enormous world to explore. It is hard to believe how this franchise, which started with Red Dead Revolver, ranks only second in terms of gross sales for the company that created GTA. But what readers have to take into consideration as well is the fact that with only three games (without counting the online mode for RDR2), Red Dead has reached at least a quarter of the volume in sales of its elder sibling franchise.
The game is an absolute masterpiece, no matter the angle players look at it. Though it has superiority in terms of design, storytelling, and even combat mechanics, RDR2 continues to be overshadowed by GTA. But perhaps, that’s what makes this game more interesting. After all, GTA and RDR2 are two sides of the same coin, and at the same time, complete opposites, appealing to different audiences. In the times to come, when more Red Dead games launch, these differences will only grow and nurture the franchise into the finest IP Rockstar has ever created.
Mafia 2
Arguably, One Of The Best Crime Games Ever Made
When Mafia 2 was released back in 2010, it had to compete with lots of important titles and still came up as one of the best Crime Games ever made. Highly underrated despite offering a lot of possibilities of roleplay, personalization, and an intriguing and enthralling plot inspired by The Godfather movies, Mafia 2 was defined as groundbreaking by some, while others mercilessly dropped the critical hammer over it.
With a setting in the fictional city of Empire Bay, loosely inspired by New York of the 50′s, where political tensions were rising, Tommy guns were at the ready, and a blooming nightlife crowned the end of the days for its denizens. It’s a controversial game, but one thing is for sure: The setting and construction of its characters is far superior to any GTA game ever made, and there are no ‘filler’ missions: Every objective of the game is a never-ending rise to power from the lower ranks of a criminal organization, to the chair of the leader.
