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If you want the closest thematic follow-up to GTA V, start with Red Dead Redemption 2 for an outlaw story and a richly detailed world. Choose Cyberpunk 2077 if the modern city and crime-adjacent setting matter more than realism, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 if free-roaming movement is the main attraction, or Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut if you want a serious open-world action game with stealth. Ghost of Yōtei is the newer PS5-only historical option, while Mafia: Definitive Edition, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Elden Ring suit narrower tastes.
None of these reproduces every part of GTA V. “Similar” can mean a crime story, an outlaw protagonist, a large city, unrestricted exploration, fast traversal, or simply the feeling of choosing your own route. The best choice depends on which of those you want next.
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Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Brand New Factory Sealed | $23.80 | Buy on Amazon |
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Red Dead Redemption 2 - Playstation 4 (PS4) [video game] | $25.79 | Buy on Amazon |
Quick decision guide
| If you want… | Start with… | What changes from GTA V |
|---|---|---|
| An outlaw story and an unusually detailed world | Red Dead Redemption 2 | A historical western in America in 1899 replaces modern Los Santos and firearms-led urban crime. |
| A modern-feeling city with character builds | Cyberpunk 2077 | Night City is futuristic, and role-playing, hacking, stealth, and weapon skills shape the experience. |
| City roaming and rapid movement | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Superhero action, web traversal, and Web Wings replace criminal freedom; the cited editorial lists it for PS5. |
| Open-world action with swords and stealth | Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut | Feudal Japan, combat with a katana, and deception create a very different tone. |
| A standalone historical Japan adventure on PS5 | Ghost of Yōtei | A rural 1600s setting follows lone mercenary Atsu rather than a contemporary city protagonist. |
| A crime-family story in a recreated 1930s city | Mafia: Definitive Edition | It focuses on Tommy Angelo’s rise in the Salieri family and does not establish GTA V-sized map or system breadth. |
| A large narrative-led fantasy detour | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | Geralt’s monster-hunting quest and two expansions take priority over modern crime. |
| Exploration and demanding combat | Elden Ring | Secrets, mysteries, and horseback travel matter more than GTA’s urban story and vehicles. |
This guide uses the official descriptions in PlayStation’s PS4 and PS5 open-world guide and the PlayStation Blog’s May 22, 2026 Game Catalog feature. Platform labels, editions, catalog membership, and prices can differ by country, so check the individual local Store page before buying.
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GTA V combines several attractions that are easy to confuse. It has a contemporary crime narrative, a large urban-and-rural map, vehicles, shooting, side activities, and the freedom to wander between story missions. A follow-up can match one of those qualities while moving sharply away from the others.
#1 Best Overall
- From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption
- The deepest and most complex world Rockstar Games has ever created
- Covers a huge range of 19th century American landscapes
- Play as Arthur Morgan, lead enforcer in the notorious Van der Linde gang
- Interact with every character in the world with more than just your gun;Engage in conversation with people you meet. Your actions influence Arthur's honour;Horses are a cowboy's best friend, both transport and personal companion;Bond with your horse as you ride together to unlock new abilities
- Crime or outlaw storytelling: Red Dead Redemption 2 keeps the outlaw perspective but moves to 1899. Mafia: Definitive Edition keeps a crime-family structure but moves to a 1930s city.
- A city that rewards free roaming: Cyberpunk 2077 offers the futuristic metropolis of Night City, while Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 emphasizes movement through an expanded Marvel’s New York.
- Build choices: Cyberpunk 2077 adds role-playing decisions, hacking, stealth, and weapon skills rather than treating the protagonist as a fixed action-game character.
- Movement as the main pleasure: Spider-Man 2 is the clearest choice if crossing the city quickly is more important than crime systems.
- Open-world discovery: Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yōtei, The Witcher 3, and Elden Ring all use exploration as a major reason to leave the main path, but their settings and combat are fundamentally different.
There is no evidence-based ranking that measures these games against GTA V with a common score, completion time, map-area comparison, or performance test. Treat the recommendations as fit-based choices, not as a claim that one game is objectively a replacement.
Red Dead Redemption 2: the closest outlaw-world follow-up
Why it fits
Red Dead Redemption 2 is the strongest first recommendation for someone whose favorite part of GTA V was its outlaw perspective and broad world. PlayStation describes Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang on the run in America in 1899, and presents the setting as unusually detailed and expansive. That gives you the same high-level appeal of inhabiting a criminal or outlaw world where the surrounding environment matters, without pretending that the game is another contemporary crime sandbox.
What changes
The shift in time and place is total: America in 1899 replaces Los Santos, modern roads, and contemporary urban crime. The western setting changes the story’s social context, the kinds of journeys you make, and the tone of the world. Choose it when you want a serious outlaw narrative and patient exploration, not when you specifically need a modern city or GTA-style vehicle culture.
Edition and buying check
The cited PlayStation material references a PS4 game edition. Before purchase, confirm whether the listing is for a PS4 physical disc, a digital PS4 edition, or another package, and check how it works on your console. If you are searching for a physical copy, use the full query “Red Dead Redemption 2 for PS4” and verify the seller’s platform, format, stock, and edition rather than assuming every listing is interchangeable.
Cyberpunk 2077: a dense city with role-playing depth
Why it fits
Choose Cyberpunk 2077 when the urban environment and crime-adjacent premise matter more than realism. PlayStation describes Night City as a bustling futuristic metropolis and V as a mercenary outlaw. That keeps the character near the edge of the law while giving the setting a science-fiction identity that is deliberately unlike Los Santos.
What makes it different
The defining addition is role-playing. The PlayStation Blog highlights build choices involving hacking, stealth, and weapon skills. Instead of approaching every encounter as a fixed action character, you can think about the kind of V you are developing and how that build affects the way problems are handled. The trade-off is that this is a futuristic dystopia, not a contemporary crime simulation. If your priority is believable modern streets, Cyberpunk’s neon technology and speculative world may be a poor fit despite the familiar outlaw framing.
Best match
Put it at the top of your list if you want a large city, a mercenary protagonist, and more character customization than GTA V provides. Put it below Red Dead Redemption 2 if the historical outlaw story itself is what you are chasing.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: the city-traversal choice
Why it fits
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is for players who mainly miss the pleasure of crossing a recognizable-feeling city whenever they want. PlayStation describes an expanded Marvel’s New York and lets you switch between Peter Parker and Miles Morales. The PlayStation Blog also highlights faster traversal and Web Wings, so movement is a central reason to choose it.
What you trade away
This is superhero action, not a criminal sandbox. Web traversal, aerial movement, and super-powered combat replace GTA V’s firearms, cars, and criminal freedom. The open-world appeal is still there, but the fantasy is about protecting a city rather than operating outside the law. That distinction matters more than the shared city setting.
PS5 warning
The cited editorial lists Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for PS5. Players on PS4 should not assume compatibility from the fact that GTA V has both PS4 and PS5 listings. Check the game’s own local PlayStation Store page and the edition label before purchasing.
Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut: exploration with sword combat and stealth
Why it fits
Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut is a strong reset for someone who wants a substantial open world but is happy to leave cars and firearms behind. The PlayStation Blog describes Sucker Punch’s samurai epic in feudal Japan and its combination of direct combat and deception. Exploration and action remain central, but the historical setting and revenge-and-honor story give the game a different emotional register.
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The key change is the move to sword combat and stealth. You are not adapting a modern arsenal or managing a crime operation; you are choosing how to approach a historical conflict, including when to fight openly and when to use deception. That makes this a recommendation for players who value atmosphere, discovery, and varied approaches to encounters rather than a close match for GTA’s premise.
Who should choose it
Pick it when you want an open-world action adventure that feels deliberate and grounded in a specific historical culture. If the city itself is the non-negotiable part of GTA V for you, Cyberpunk 2077 or Spider-Man 2 is a better starting point.
Ghost of Yōtei: a standalone historical adventure on PS5
What the game offers
Ghost of Yōtei is the newer-feeling historical option in this group. PlayStation describes a standalone story set in rural Japan in the 1600s, following lone mercenary Atsu. The described activities include katana combat, weapons training, shrines, and other cultural pursuits.
Why it is not a GTA substitute
Its appeal is the combination of a historical landscape, martial combat, and cultural exploration—not a modern city or a criminal economy. “Standalone” also means you do not need to frame it as a continuation of Ghost of Tsushima’s story when deciding whether it suits you. The right comparison is to the broader feeling of exploring an open world with a distinct protagonist and activities, not to GTA V’s setting or systems.
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- From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption
- The deepest and most complex world Rockstar Games has ever created
- Covers a huge range of 19th century American landscapes
- Play as Arthur Morgan, lead enforcer in the notorious Van der Linde gang
- Please note that although this game is Region Free or Region Unlocked and will work on all systems, this is the international version and may differ from the local version in age rating, labeling or instructions.
Platform check
The cited PlayStation editorial lists Ghost of Yōtei for PS5. Treat that as a PS5 recommendation and verify the local Store listing if you own a different console.
Mafia: Definitive Edition: a focused crime-family story
Why it fits
Mafia: Definitive Edition is the most direct choice for a reader who wants organized-crime atmosphere rather than a broad genre change. PlayStation presents Tommy Angelo’s recruitment into the Salieri crime family and the sights of Lost Heaven, a recreated 1930s city. The period setting gives you a historical crime story with a clear family structure.
Keep the comparison precise
The available description supports the setting and story, but it does not establish that Mafia: Definitive Edition has GTA V’s map scale, vehicle variety, or systemic freedom. Buy it for the crime-family narrative and period city, not on the assumption that every open-world system will operate like GTA V.
Best match
Choose it if the words “crime family,” “1930s city,” and “story-led” sound more appealing than a supernatural, fantasy, or superhero premise. If free-form exploration is more important than the criminal plot, Red Dead Redemption 2 offers the stronger fit among the outlaw-focused recommendations.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: a narrative-led fantasy detour
Why it fits
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is for someone who wants a large world and a strong main narrative but is ready to leave modern crime completely. PlayStation describes Geralt’s monster-hunting quest and identifies the Complete Edition as including two expansions.
What changes
The protagonist, setting, and conflicts all belong to fantasy. You are following a monster hunter rather than a criminal or outlaw, and the reason to explore is tied to quests, characters, and the wider fantasy world. This is a useful choice when “open-world” is the part of GTA V you want to preserve and “modern crime” is not.
Select The Witcher 3 when you prefer a narrative-led adventure with a large fantasy setting. It should not be presented as a city-crime equivalent.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Elden Ring: choose exploration and challenge over GTA-style storytelling
Why it fits
Elden Ring suits players who define open-world freedom as discovering hidden routes, secrets, and mysteries. PlayStation describes a traversable open world with horseback travel. Those elements make exploration the reason to keep moving, even though the game has little in common with GTA V’s contemporary setting or crime narrative.
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The main trade-off
Demanding combat is a major part of the choice. If you want a relaxed urban sandbox or a plot centered on an outlaw crew, Elden Ring is a substantial genre detour. If you want to be rewarded for curiosity and are comfortable letting combat difficulty shape the journey, it is the most exploration-first option on this list.
How to choose in one minute
- Do you want an outlaw story? Start with Red Dead Redemption 2. If you specifically want a crime family in a historical city, choose Mafia: Definitive Edition.
- Do you need a city? Choose Cyberpunk 2077 for a futuristic metropolis and role-playing builds, or Spider-Man 2 for rapid superhero traversal.
- Are you happy to leave the modern era? Choose Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut for sword combat and stealth, or Ghost of Yōtei for a standalone 1600s Japan adventure on PS5.
- Is exploration more important than setting? Choose The Witcher 3 for a narrative-led fantasy quest or Elden Ring for secrets, mysteries, horseback travel, and demanding combat.
PlayStation platform, edition, and availability checks
Confirm the console before you buy
The editorial covers PS4 and PS5 games, but the platform label belongs to each individual title. GTA V itself has a PlayStation Store listing for both PS4 and PS5, yet that does not establish compatibility for every recommendation. The cited editorial specifically identifies Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Ghost of Yōtei as PS5 choices, and references a PS4 edition for Red Dead Redemption 2. For every other title, open the game’s own listing and read the platform and edition information rather than inferring it from the series or publisher.
Check the exact edition
Digital and physical products can represent different editions or platforms. Before paying, verify the title, console, edition name, and whether the product is a disc or a digital entitlement. For a used physical game, confirm the disc format and region compatibility with your console. For a digital purchase, use your local PlayStation Store page and read the platform line shown there.
Do not assume PlayStation Plus access
PlayStation says its Extra and Premium/Deluxe Game Catalog varies by region, and catalog membership can change. The PlayStation Blog’s May 22, 2026 feature discusses open-world games available through the catalog and quotes contributor Corey Brotherson: “Becoming an agent of chaos or just enjoying the freedom of an entirely different space is all part of the open-world appeal, and the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog* is bursting with options.” That description is not a guarantee that a particular game is included where you live or that it will remain included. Search the local Store or the current Game Catalog before treating a recommendation as covered by your subscription.
Keep prices and ratings in context
Prices, subscription status, and rating counts are volatile. The US PlayStation Store listing for GTA V showed 4.46 out of 5 stars from 1,016,848 ratings when accessed October 13, 2026; that is a live user-rating aggregate, not a critic score and not a comparison of the alternative games. It can change as new ratings arrive. The listing also identifies optional online play and PlayStation Plus requirements for GTA V online features, which does not establish the online requirements of every recommendation.
A practical buying checklist
- Write down the feature you are replacing. Decide whether it is crime, an outlaw protagonist, city movement, build customization, stealth, or open-ended discovery.
- Pick one primary recommendation. Use the decision guide rather than buying several games based only on the phrase “similar to GTA.”
- Open the game’s local PlayStation Store page. Confirm the platform label, edition, language or regional details shown for your account, and whether the title is currently sold or included.
- For a physical copy, inspect the listing carefully. Check that it says PS4 or PS5 as appropriate, identify the format, and confirm stock before ordering.
- Recheck subscription access at checkout. A catalog listing can vary by region and rotate over time, so do not rely on an old inclusion notice.
- Set expectations from the trade-off. A historical, fantasy, superhero, or futuristic game may satisfy the open-world urge while intentionally abandoning GTA V’s modern crime sandbox.
Which game should you start with?
For most GTA V players, Red Dead Redemption 2 is the safest first recommendation because it preserves the outlaw-centered story and the sense of inhabiting a broad, detailed world while making its historical setting explicit. Choose Cyberpunk 2077 instead if a city and character builds are more important than realism. Choose Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 if the thing you miss is movement through an urban map, and choose Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut or Ghost of Yōtei if you want a deliberate historical change with sword combat and stealth. Mafia, The Witcher 3, and Elden Ring are excellent fits for narrower preferences, but each preserves a different slice of the GTA V appeal rather than the whole combination.
Quick Recap
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