RED DEAD REDEMPTION (PS3, XBOX 360)
Regarded as one of the best open world games of all time, Red Dead Redemption is a true wild west adventure that was also developed by Rockstar. Red Dead Redemption has you playing as John Marston, a man on a mission to save his wife and son who are taken hostage by the government.
The world of Red Dead, like Grand Theft Auto V, is a fully realized one that looks amazingly gorgeous around every corner. Riding horses, shooting out the bad guys and taking names is what Red Dead does best and it sure is a hoot to explore the wide open world. Oh, and don’t forget about the multiplayer mode that offers various modes with competitive and co-operative play.
There’s also tons of activities to do in your free time in the wild west: gambling, bounty hunting, train robbing, hunting, poker. As you can see, some of these activities are very illegal, but fun nonetheless.
LEGO CITY UNDERCOVER (WII U, PS4, XBOX ONE, SWITCH, PC)
LEGO City Undercover is the first LEGO game to not be based off of an existing franchise or property, making it extremely easy to get into without having prior knowledge of a specific movie franchise like Jurassic Park or Star Wars.
Now, LEGO City is not an M-rated game like Grand Theft Auto V but there is a lively world to explore with tons of options that make the job of being an undercover cop so much fun. Being a police officer who is enforcing the law seems a tad different from the GTA series but there is still some law-breaking that needs to be done if you wanna catch the bad guys and throw them in LEGO prison.
As you drive, fly, and build your way through the city, there are multiple costumes that you can wear to take on the role of different occupations. You can go undercover and disguise yourself as a firefighter or even a robber and partake in side missions that involve stealing cars and completing time trials.
JUST CAUSE 3 (PS4, XBOX ONE, PC)
If you’re a fan of environmental destruction and explosions, then Just Cause 3 should be right up in your alley. Rico Rodriguez is the king of blowing stuff up and just causing chaos all around the island of Medici. The game rewards you for destroying as much stuff as possible and you don’t have to worry about cops chasing you down and trying to arrest you. One of the best things about the Just Cause series is Rico’s trusty grappling hook, which lets him traverse up buildings and mountaintops, and also lets you pull enemies toward you, even if they’re in vehicles.
When you’re not decimating helicopters, there’s an array of mini-games to try out when you get bored of the story. Races make up most of the challenges but they range from sea races to land races to air races, which adds diversity to the basic shooting gallery and destruction challenges.
SAINTS ROW 2 (PS3, XBOX 360, PC)
Saints Row 2 is all about taking over the city and claiming territory while defeating rival gangs and taking what’s yours. You earn what is called “respect” by completing side-missions an objectives that grant you access to main story missions. These side activities range from car surfing and holdups, to streaking and playing taxi driver. These diversions that were alongside the main story mixed with the competitive multiplayer modes and comedic elements made Saints Row 2 a silly, action-packed game with loads to do.
BULLY (PS2, WII, XBOX 360, PC, MOBILE)
You remember that kid in school who would copy off of your homework, steal your gum, and give you wedgies on the daily? Well, in Rockstar’s Bully, you can take on the role of a student who is on a mission to stop the bullies and make the school a safe and peaceful place for everyone. Sounds fun, right?
You can run, skate, and cause some trouble around Bullworth Academy while also making firecrackers and stink-bombs in chemistry class. There’s a whole bunch of trouble to get yourself into and Bully definitely has a great coming-of-age story and tons of activities to participate in.
MAFIA II (PS3, XBOX 360, PC)
Mafia II’s Empire Bay is not as huge as Grand Theft Auto V’s Los Santos but you can most definitely find great stories and characters in both games. In Mafia II, you play as Vito Scaletta who is attempting to climb his way through the rank of the Mafia while also trying to pay some debt that his father owed to some pretty dangerous folks.
Mafia II really expanded on the story of the game with three story DLC packs that came out after the game launched, including alternate storylines that showed a different perspective on the main story during a time when the main character was imprisoned, shedding light on events that occurred that wasn’t originally presented in the main game.
The exiting mobster drama that occurs in Mafia II is worth your time, especially if you’re interested in a story that’s full of betrayal and family issues.
SLEEPING DOGS (PS3, PS4, PC, XBOX 360, XBOX ONE)
Sleeping Dogs takes place in Hong Kong and has you playing as an undercover cop who must infiltrate his way into one of the local gang organizations. Wei Shen uses his fighting prowess to take down enemies using combos and environmental objects. When you’re not throwing the ill-behaved members of the triad into dumpsters, you are able to go sing at karaoke bars, compete in street races, jack into some cars, and even find yourself a girlfriend – if you’re lucky.
The plot of Sleeping Dogs has some major twists that you will keep you playing until the end and the side-quests will keep you around even after you complete the main story objectives.
WATCH DOGS 2 (PS4, XBOX ONE, PC)
Watch Dogs 2 is a superior sequel to the first Watch Dogs game that seemed to let a lot of excited fans down. But Watch Dogs 2 expanded on the hacking and tomfoolery from the first game that has made Ubisoft’s new property quite a fun title.
Watch Dogs 2 takes place in a fictionalized version of San Francisco just like Grand Theft Auto V’s Los Angeles-inspired Los Santos. You can participate in some fast races, take tons of selfies, hack into people’s phones, fly drones, and even pet dogs while exploring the beautiful city of San Francisco. With some cooperative multiplayer and the ability to complete missions in different ways, Watch Dogs 2 is a great game to try after you eventually get tired of Los Santos.
