Best Open World Driving Games to Play While Waiting for GTA

If you’re counting down to the next Grand Theft Auto, the top pick to tide you over is Cyberpunk 2077 — it delivers a dense, reactive city, a huge car list, and first-person driving that feels weighty and fast, all wrapped in a story with real stakes. It’s the closest thing to GTA’s blend of narrative, mayhem, and urban exploration, especially after the 2.0 update and Phantom Liberty expansion. For pure driving sandbox fun, Forza Horizon 5 is the best overall choice if you want endless activities and the most polished open-world driving feel.

What to Look For

When choosing an open-world driving game to fill the GTA-shaped hole, focus on these criteria:

• World density and interactivity: GTA’s magic is a city that feels alive — pedestrians, traffic, random events, and buildings you can enter. Look for games that offer more than just empty roads.
• Driving feel: Arcade handling is closer to GTA than hardcore simulation. You want cars that are fun to throw around, with a sense of speed and weight.
• Mission variety: GTA mixes driving, shooting, stealth, and story. If you want that mix, prioritize games with structured missions. If you just want to drive, a sandbox with activities is fine.
• Customization and progression: Buying, upgrading, and modifying cars is a core GTA loop. Check if the game offers a garage, visual parts, and performance upgrades.
• Mod support (PC): Mods can extend a game’s life enormously, adding new cars, maps, or even GTA-like features. PC players should check the modding community.
• Performance and stability: Nothing kills the vibe like constant crashes. Check recent reviews for performance on your platform.

Cyberpunk 2077

Strengths: Night City is one of the most detailed and atmospheric open worlds ever built, with a dense urban layout that rewards exploration. The driving model, overhauled in patch 2.0, is responsive and arcade-leaning, with a wide variety of vehicles from sports cars to heavy trucks. The story, side jobs, and random encounters give you that GTA-style “one more mission� pull. The Phantom Liberty expansion adds a whole new district and even more content.

Trade-offs: The setting is sci-fi, not modern-day, so you won’t get the same satirical take on American culture. The police system is improved but still less chaotic than GTA’s wanted levels. The game is demanding on hardware, especially with ray tracing.

Who it suits: Players who want a story-driven open-world crime saga with a futuristic twist, and who enjoy a more cinematic, character-focused experience.

Forza Horizon 5

Strengths: The gold standard for open-world driving fun. Set in a vibrant, fictionalized Mexico, the map is a playground of roads, dirt trails, and stunt ramps. The handling is accessible but has depth, and the car list is enormous (over 800 cars). There’s always something to do — races, stunt jumps, speed zones, and seasonal events. The game is a technical showcase, running smoothly on most platforms.

Trade-offs: There’s no story to speak of, and no combat or crime. It’s a pure driving celebration, not a narrative experience. The always-online requirement for some features can be annoying, and the festival vibe is the opposite of GTA’s grit.

Who it suits: Players who want the best pure driving sandbox, with tons of cars and activities, and don’t need a story or violence.

Watch Dogs 2

Strengths: Set in a vibrant San Francisco Bay Area, this game nails the “hacking + driving� fantasy. You can drive any car, and the hacking abilities let you cause chaos — redirect traffic, cause explosions, or call the cops on enemies. The tone is lighter than GTA, with a fun, rebellious crew. The world is detailed and interactive, with plenty of side activities.

Trade-offs: The driving physics are a bit floaty and arcade-like, which some find less satisfying. The story is good but not as epic as GTA’s. The hacking mechanics are the star, so if you don’t like that, it loses some appeal.

Who it suits: Players who enjoy tech-based mayhem and a more lighthearted, hacker-culture vibe, and who want a modern city setting.

Sleeping Dogs

Strengths: An older game but still a gem. Set in Hong Kong, it blends GTA-style open-world driving with a fantastic martial arts combat system. The driving is solid, with a good mix of cars and motorcycles, and the city is dense and atmospheric. The story is a gripping undercover cop tale, and the side missions (like fighting tournaments and street racing) add variety.

Trade-offs: The game is from 2012, so graphics and some mechanics feel dated. The map is smaller than GTA V’s, and there’s less to do overall. The shooting mechanics are weaker than the hand-to-hand combat.

Who it suits: Players who want a story-driven crime game with excellent melee combat, and who don’t mind older visuals.

Mafia: Definitive Edition

Strengths: A remake of the 2002 classic, this game offers a meticulously recreated 1930s city. The driving is period-appropriate (cars are slow and heavy), but the atmosphere is unmatched. The story is a classic rise-and-fall gangster tale, and the missions are well-crafted. It’s a more linear experience than GTA, but the open city is there to explore between missions.

Trade-offs: The open world is not as interactive — you can’t just start random mayhem without consequences. The driving is intentionally less arcade-like, which might feel sluggish to some. It’s a shorter game, roughly 15-20 hours.

Who it suits: Players who love period-piece crime dramas and want a more story-focused, cinematic experience.

Need for Speed Heat

Strengths: If you want a street-racing game with a GTA-like open city, this is a solid pick. Palm City is a fictional Miami, and the day/night cycle changes the vibe — day races are legal, night races are illegal and cops chase you. The customization is deep, and the driving is arcade-perfect for drifting and boosting. The cop chases are intense, especially at night.

Trade-offs: The story is thin and the dialogue is cringe-worthy. The open world is mostly for racing; there’s not much else to do. The always-online requirement can cause issues, and the game has no pedestrians or interactive city elements.

Who it suits: Players who want a pure street-racing experience with a GTA-like setting, and who enjoy cop chases and car customization.

How to Choose

Your choice depends on what you value most. If you want the closest GTA-like experience — story, crime, and a dense city — go with Cyberpunk 2077 or Sleeping Dogs. If you just want to drive and have fun, Forza Horizon 5 is unbeatable. If you want a lighter tone with hacking, Watch Dogs 2 is great. If you want a period crime story, Mafia is perfect. If you’re a racing purist, Need for Speed Heat is your pick.

Budget-wise: Sleeping Dogs and Mafia: Definitive Edition are often on sale for under $10. Watch Dogs 2 and Need for Speed Heat are also older, so they’re cheap. Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 5 are newer and pricier, but they offer the most content and longevity.

Common trade-offs: Story vs. sandbox, realism vs. arcade, and modern vs. period settings. There’s no single “best� — it’s about what you’re in the mood for. If you’re on PC, also check mod support; Cyberpunk and Forza Horizon have strong modding communities, which can add GTA-like features.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are any of these games available on Game Pass or PS Plus?

Yes, availability changes over time. Forza Horizon 5 is on Xbox Game Pass. Watch Dogs 2 and Need for Speed Heat have been on Game Pass and PS Plus Extra at various times. Check the current catalogues.

Which game has the best car customization?

Need for Speed Heat has the most extensive visual and performance customization, with deep visual parts and tuning. Forza Horizon 5 also offers wide body kits and performance upgrades, but NFS Heat is more focused on the street-racing aesthetic.

Are there any games with a GTA-style wanted system?

Cyberpunk 2077 has a police wanted system, but it’s less chaotic than GTA’s. Need for Speed Heat has a heat system at night that escalates with cop chases. Watch Dogs 2 lets you call the cops on enemies, but you don’t get wanted levels yourself in the same way.

Which game has the most realistic driving physics?

None of these are simulators. Forza Horizon 5 is the most realistic in terms of handling, but it’s still arcade-leaning. Mafia has more weighty, period-authentic physics. The others are more arcade.

Can I play these offline?

Yes, all of these games have offline single-player modes. Forza Horizon 5 and Need for Speed Heat require an internet connection for some features (like seasonal content or online lobbies), but the main campaign can be played solo.

Which game has the biggest map?

Forza Horizon 5’s map is the largest in terms of area, but Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City is the most densely packed with verticality and interiors. The others are smaller but still offer plenty to explore.

Bottom Line

For the most complete GTA-like experience, Cyberpunk 2077 is the top pick — it has a rich story, a dense city, and satisfying driving. If you want pure driving fun, Forza Horizon 5 is the best overall. For budget options, Sleeping Dogs and Mafia: Definitive Edition offer great stories at low prices. Whichever you choose, you’ll have plenty of hours of open-world driving to keep you busy until GTA VI arrives.

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