15 Best Games Like Watch Dogs You Should Play (2017)

While numerous titles deliver expansive open-world gaming experiences, Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs franchise carved its distinctive niche through innovative hacking mechanics and diverse mission structures. The original title achieved remarkable commercial success, surpassing 10 million units sold despite mixed critical reception. Watch Dogs 2 notably enhanced the formula with refined gameplay systems and more engaging content. For enthusiasts who’ve completed both installments and seek comparable urban adventure games, we’ve curated this selection of 15 exceptional titles that capture the spirit of Watch Dogs:

Created by Rockstar Games, Grand Theft Auto V stands as one of the highest-selling video games in history, achieving over 80 million copies sold within four years—an extraordinary accomplishment by any measure. Given the series’ legendary status, this commercial performance comes as no surprise. When Watch Dogs initially debuted, many observers immediately noted its similarities to the GTA experience, though lacking the signature hacking features. While players cannot manipulate vehicles, traffic systems, infrastructure, or mobile devices like in Watch Dogs, GTA V introduces a groundbreaking three-protagonist system that enables strategic mission selection and character switching.

Mirroring the urban environments of Chicago in Watch Dogs and San Francisco in its sequel, participants explore the vast landscapes of Los Santos and Blaine County while undertaking elaborate high-stakes heists that maintain engagement throughout the campaign. The experience extends beyond single-player with GTA Online’s robust multiplayer infrastructure, supporting up to 30 concurrent players in shared environments where they can freely explore, interact, and participate in diverse criminal enterprises including gang conflicts, financial institution robberies, contract missions, and numerous other illicit activities.

Pro Tip: Master the stock market manipulation mechanics by timing your major heists strategically—completing assassination missions before investing can yield massive returns.

Purchase from Amazon: (Starting at $19.99)

Sleeping Dogs presents a compelling open-world action-adventure experience that maintains player engagement through its complete narrative arc. You assume the role of Wei Shen, an undercover police officer tasked with infiltrating the ruthless Triad syndicate and dismantling it internally while maintaining his covert identity. Although the game features an open-world design, certain map regions remain locked until specific story progression milestones are achieved. Participants can engage in recreational pursuits including illegal street racing, vehicle theft operations, underground fighting tournaments, and social activities like karaoke sessions. While lacking dedicated multiplayer components comparable to Watch Dogs, the game implements online leaderboards for competitive score comparison.

Common Mistake: Many players neglect the martial arts skill tree—focusing on environmental attacks and counter moves early significantly enhances combat effectiveness against larger enemy groups.

Acquire from Amazon: (Starting at $16.13 – PS3, Xbox 360, PC), (Starting at $13.98 – PS4, Xbox One)

Saints Row IV represents the series’ fourth main installment, delivering another entertaining open-world action-adventure title with unconventional narrative direction. You control The Boss, the elected President of the United States and leader of the 3rd Street Saints street gang, which has transformed into the planet’s most dominant organization following electoral victory. Utilizing an extensive arsenal of supernatural abilities and advanced weaponry, players must protect Earth from the extraterrestrial threat posed by the sinister alien warlord Zinyak. Similar to Watch Dogs, Saints Row IV incorporates cooperative multiplayer functionality enabling partnership with another player to confront the alien invasion forces. The game shares many similarities with Watch Dogs, though it exchanges hacking capabilities for superhuman powers.

Advanced Strategy: Combine super speed with freeze breath to create devastating area control effects—this combination proves particularly effective during defense missions against large enemy waves.

Obtain from Amazon: (Starting at $7.99 – PS3, Xbox 360, PC), (Starting at $21.24 – PS4, Xbox One)

This critically praised western-themed open-world action-adventure game comes from Rockstar Games, the same development team responsible for the enormously popular Grand Theft Auto franchise. This represents the second entry in the Red Dead series, following 2004’s Red Dead Revolver. You embody John Marston, a reformed outlaw compelled to return to violence when government agents endanger his family. He pursues his former criminal associates whom he once considered companions. Players battle for survival across an expansive recreation of the American frontier and Mexican territories as Marston confronts his troubled history. Red Dead Redemption differs substantially from other games featured here, yet when examining its open-world design principles, it shares significant structural similarities with Watch Dogs and Watch Dogs 2.

Time Investment: Completing the main storyline requires approximately 18-20 hours, while achieving 100% completion with all side activities typically demands 35-40 hours of gameplay.

Purchase from Amazon: (Starting at $14.99 – PS3, Xbox 360)

Experience elite military operations in Ghost Recon Wildlands, Ubisoft’s ambitious tactical shooter set across diverse Bolivian landscapes. Navigate through towering mountains, dense forests, arid deserts, and expansive salt flats as you undertake missions to dismantle a powerful drug cartel that has transformed the nation into a dangerous narco-state. Your role as a Ghost operative requires strategic planning to systematically disrupt each cartel branch through coordinated strikes and intelligence gathering.

The game’s extensive customization system allows you to tailor your Ghost’s appearance, weapon loadouts, and tactical gear to match your preferred combat style. Wildlands stands out with its flexible approach to gameplay, supporting both solitary infiltration missions and dynamic four-player cooperative operations. The co-op mechanics enable synchronized team movements and combined assaults, reminiscent of tactical elements found in other urban exploration games but with greater military precision. For optimal performance, adjust your graphics settings to balance visual fidelity with smooth frame rates during large-scale firefights.

Buy from Amazon: (Starts at $30.88)

Immerse yourself in the dark, rain-slicked streets of Gotham City in Batman: Arkham Knight, the concluding chapter of Rocksteady’s acclaimed superhero series. This open-world adventure provides unprecedented access to Batman’s complete arsenal, including the heavily armored Batmobile that transforms from pursuit vehicle to combat tank. The Dark Knight’s technological gadgets feature advanced hacking capabilities that allow manipulation of security systems and enemy equipment, creating gameplay parallels with modern tech-thriller franchises while maintaining distinct superhero authenticity.

Batman’s Detective Vision represents one of the game’s most innovative mechanics, enabling real-time crime scene reconstruction and forensic analysis to track Gotham’s most dangerous criminals. You’ll confront iconic villains including Scarecrow, Penguin, Two-Face, and Harley Quinn while unraveling the mystery of the mysterious Arkham Knight. The free-flow combat system remains exceptionally responsive, rewarding perfectly timed counters and strategic enemy prioritization. Avoid common mistakes by mastering enemy attack patterns and utilizing environmental takedowns in crowded encounters.

Buy from Amazon: ($19.99)

Venture into the desolate Mad Max universe where vehicular supremacy determines survival in a brutal post-apocalyptic wasteland. This open-world action adventure captures the franchise’s signature aesthetic as you explore vast deserts, treacherous canyons, and hidden cave systems while battling for precious resources. Automotive combat becomes your primary survival tool, with customized vehicles serving as both transportation and weapons against roaming bands of savage road warriors.

The game challenges players with dangerous missions across dynamically changing environments where weather systems and day-night cycles actively impact gameplay and terrain navigation. Your central objective involves scavenging components to construct the ultimate war machine, Max’s Magnum Opus, while managing fuel, ammunition, and hydration levels. Environmental hazards like dust storms and lightning strikes create additional survival considerations beyond enemy encounters. For advanced players, mastering the harpoon and thunderpoon weapons significantly enhances vehicular combat effectiveness against convoy vehicles and stronghold defenses.

Buy from Amazon: (Starts at $17.50 – PS4, Xbox One), ($13.97 – PC)

Step into the radioactive boots of the Sole Survivor in Fallout 4, Bethesda’s acclaimed action RPG that expands upon the series’ rich narrative tradition. Emerging from long-term cryogenic preservation in Vault 111, you enter a dramatically transformed Commonwealth wasteland in 2287, centuries after nuclear annihilation reshaped civilization. The game seamlessly blends first-person shooting with deep role-playing mechanics, allowing extensive character customization through the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system and perk-based progression.

Beyond the main storyline, Fallout 4 introduces revolutionary settlement building systems that enable you to establish and manage communities throughout the wasteland. Your decisions directly influence the region’s political landscape, determining which factions gain dominance in the power vacuum. The game’s recognition with over 50 Game of the Year awards reflects its exceptional world-building, character development, and environmental storytelling. For optimal immersion, invest time in side quests and companion relationships to uncover the Commonwealth’s deepest secrets and most rewarding gameplay experiences.

Buy from Amazon: (Starts at $19.99)

Embrace chaotic freedom in Just Cause 3, Avalanche Studios’ over-the-top action spectacle set across the stunning Mediterranean archipelago of Medici. Returning protagonist Rico Rodriguez employs his signature grappling hook, parachute, and expansive explosive arsenal to liberate his homeland from dictator Sebastiano Di Ravello’s oppressive regime. The game’s physics-based destruction system enables creative combat approaches, allowing you to tether objects together and trigger spectacular chain reactions.

Navigation becomes an art form through the seamless integration of grappling, parachuting, and wingsuit mechanics that facilitate rapid traversal across the massive open world. The vehicle selection ranges from nimble sport bikes and turbo-charged supercars to military helicopters and fighter jets, each handling distinctly across varied terrain. For maximum enjoyment, focus on mastering the movement system early, as fluid mobility significantly enhances both combat effectiveness and exploration capabilities. The game’s progression system rewards creative destruction with new equipment and abilities, encouraging increasingly elaborate approaches to mission completion.

Buy from Amazon: (Starts from $27.86 – PS4, Xbox One), ($29.99 – PC)

Continuing our exploration of immersive open-world experiences, Mafia III stands as a compelling third-person action-adventure that shares significant DNA with the Watch Dogs franchise. This narrative-driven installment transports players to 1968 New Bordeaux, a meticulously crafted fictional city dominated by organized crime syndicates. You embody Lincoln Clay, a Vietnam War veteran whose quest for vengeance ignites after his adoptive family falls victim to Italian mafia brutality. The urban environment serves as both playground and battlefield, offering multiple engagement methodologies that mirror Watch Dogs’ tactical flexibility.

Strategic gameplay emerges as a core strength, allowing operators to execute aggressive assaults or employ calculated stealth approaches when confronting hostile forces. This decision-making dynamic creates replay value through varied outcome possibilities. The automotive elements feature period-accurate vehicles with authentic handling physics that enhance immersion during high-speed pursuits and getaway sequences. Environmental interaction and cover utilization become crucial survival tactics in this dangerous underworld landscape.

Purchase from Amazon: (Beginning at $19.99)

Concluding our recommendations, Prototype 2 delivers a distinctive twist on the urban exploration formula seen in titles like Infamous Second Son. The game reimagines New York City as New York Zero, a metropolitan quarantine zone devastated by the Blacklight viral pandemic originally unleashed by Alex Mercer. This contaminated landscape provides vertical exploration opportunities that echo the urban navigation found throughout the Watch Dogs series. You assume control of James Heller, a special forces operative determined to eliminate both the virus and its creator.

The narrative framework builds upon revenge-driven motivations as Heller seeks retribution against the original game’s protagonist. Gameplay innovation comes through superhuman biological capabilities that enable identity assimilation via consumption mechanics. These shapeshifting abilities facilitate unique infiltration opportunities and combat versatility unmatched by conventional weaponry. Mission architecture incorporates selectable objectives that expand narrative scope beyond primary storyline constraints, offering substantial side content for completionists.

Acquire from Amazon: (Starting from $8.49)

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While the inaugural Watch Dogs entry received mixed reception, Ubisoft’s sequel demonstrated remarkable improvement through refined gameplay systems and enhanced narrative depth. For enthusiasts who have exhausted both installations and seek comparable experiences, these selections represent premium alternatives that capture the open-world essence central to the franchise. Each title emphasizes player agency through approach methodology, whether through Mafia III’s tactical criminal underworld engagements or Prototype 2’s superpowered viral combat.

The fundamental connective tissue between these experiences lies in their commitment to urban exploration freedom and narrative-driven motivation. Strategic decision-making impacts mission outcomes across all three franchises, creating personalized gameplay journeys. Environmental mastery becomes progressively important as players learn to leverage surroundings to their advantage during confrontations. For those interested in deepening their tactical understanding, our Class Guide provides additional strategic insights applicable to these gameplay styles.

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