Non-Rockstar Games similar to IV

[The Tracker]

I think the fairest AAA game to fit this would be Mafia II

 

For starters, both feature a story of a war vet protagonist (Who funnily, wears a brown leather jacket) seeking an american dream that ultimatelly ends up in their downfall, as a consecuence of the crime and cycle of violence they have perpetuated to get to it, all starting with the main characters getting succumbed with debts from family, to a certain loved one ending up dying all starting from the protagonist getting involved in some sort of drug dealing.

 

Being a big fan of both games, I always saw Mafia II as GTA IV's distant, but not-so-distant cousin, as the similarities between the two of them are not only very noticeable, but they also share plenty of stuff, that I have noticed have made many GTA IV fans over the years also share some sort of taste for both titles at the same time (And viceversa with Mafia II fans), from the parodic New York setting, the strong focus on attention to detail and immersion, the heavy car handling physics, the level of city interactivity like eating from hot-dog stands, heck, even little stuff like a green health hud around the radar.

[propanecocaine71]

2 hours ago, The Tracker said:

I think the fairest AAA game to fit this would be Mafia II

 

For starters, both feature a story of a war vet protagonist (Who funnily, wears a brown leather jacket) seeking an american dream that ultimatelly ends up in their downfall, as a consecuence of the crime and cycle of violence they have perpetuated to get to it, all starting with the main characters getting succumbed with debts from family, to a certain loved one ending up dying all starting from the protagonist getting involved in some sort of drug dealing.

 

Being a big fan of both games, I always saw Mafia II as GTA IV's distant, but not-so-distant cousin, as the similarities between the two of them are not only very noticeable, but they also share plenty of stuff, that I have noticed have made many GTA IV fans over the years also share some sort of taste for both titles at the same time (And viceversa with Mafia II fans), from the parodic New York setting, the strong focus on attention to detail and immersion, the heavy car handling physics, the level of city interactivity like eating from hot-dog stands, heck, even little stuff like a green health hud around the radar.

Such a shame so much was cut from mafia II, it's still a great game but it could've been one of the greatest games of all time had 2k not rush 2k Czech. 

[.Ryan.]

Mafia II is probably the most similar to GTA IV regarding premise/plot/story even if the time periods are completely different. 
 

However I do have some other examples of games that are similar to GTA IV in terms of setting like True Crime NYC and Driver: Parallel Lines.

 

Besides that it’s actually quite hard to think of other games that are like GTA IV and/or where GTA IV itself took inspiration from.

 

There is another one that may seem like an odd choice at first glance seeing as it’s a different genre and doesn’t seem to share that much in common with GTA IV and that’s Spec Ops: The Line.

 

I just feel if GTA IV had a prologue or even its own prequel that’s how it would be done. Showing the gritty and traumatising consequences of war like Niko went through before the events of GTA IV. As I said it doesn’t really share that much in common with GTA IV since it’s a military shooter set in Dubai, but hopefully you get what I mean if you’ve also played the game.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Harwood Butch3r

[Dave Mustaine 1998]

I agree with the OP as well as @Harwood Butch3r honestly. Mafia II and GTA IV are definitely similar and top notch games. Both take place in NYC and have European immigrants who wear brown leather jackets as their protagonists. Also, both games have a lot to do with various ethnic organized crime syndicates. The protagonists of both games are also both ex-military.

 

I still love GTA IV to quite a large extent. The best GTA title is honestly a tie in my mind between III and IV. VC comes a close third. Niko Bellic, Claude and Tommy Vercetti are three perfectly written protagonists. So are Tommy Angelo and Vito Scaletta from the first two Mafia games. While Mafia II is the closest non-R* game we have to GTA IV, I would personally say that the first Mafia title is the closest non-R* game we have to III and VC.

 

GTA III, VC, and IV; the first two Mafia games; all three Red Dead games (Red Dead Revolver is highly underrated IMO); all three Max Payne games; and LA Noire (which TOTALLY deserves to be a franchise) are the GOATs of gaming. Hands down.

 

I apologize for going on a bit of a tangent, here people.

[Jeansowaty]

Driver: Parallel Lines. In many ways I can tell that Rockstar got inspired by it for IV and V. Has a very similar map, TK wears a similar brown leather jacket to Niko and half of it is set in 2006. Even the Rhapsody is there, also based on an AMC Pacer!

 

And a less obvious one, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. For one it has a very similar gloomy atmosphere to IV, the art style isn't very far off, we also have a heavy focus on Russian arm smugglers, Viktor Zakhaev is also based off Sasha just like Niko is.

[Omarock]

In terms of tone/vibe I'd say The Getaway (first one) on ps2 is pretty close. 

[TaylorSwiftDies2038]

The original Watch Dogs. Granted, that game always felt way more closer to GTA III because of the "living on the edge of society" vibe it had, but like GTA IV it had that grounded slow-moving gameplay that I really enjoyed.

[Dr_Sprunk]

Resident Evil Outbreak is the closest game if GTA IV had a zombie apocalypse mode.

Both games' maps are based on NYC, have similar controls, and criticized by fans for being realistic at release.

 

Also GTA IV felt like Max Payne game than Max Payne 3 did.