GTA clones/ripoffs or not?

I just though i would fire up this forum about supposed GTA ripoffs!

I seem to notice that everytime a freeroam game set in a city comes out, the first this everyone does is either judge it next to GTA or clearly just call RIPOFF.

I would like to clear some things up a bit about this because i am frankly sick of reading reviews about good games that tell me nothing about the actual game and only let me know how like or unlike GTA it is!

Now i will start by saying this. GTA did it right, first. No question about that. I cannot think of any game of that style that was any good predating the GTA franchise.

That being said, there are plenty of games that follow it that are great.

GTA seems to have hit on the right formula when it comes to making freeroam games, and therefore makes good games because of it. So when another freeroam franchise decides to use this formula to make their game, does that make it a ripoff? no...

If these games did not use the GTA formula (which btw is not all that complex... here is a city, drive, shoot, drive, shoot) then they would simply tank in sales!

So i hereby submit that games that use the GTA formula (of freeroam world with vehicles and such) should become their own genre so that we can finally stop using GTA as a benchmark and start to see these "ripoffs" for the great games they are!

games that would fit into this genre include (but not limited to)

-mafia

-saints row series

-GUN

-Scarface: the world is yours

-driver series

-etc

so people, add some games to my list if you want or just go on and on about how much you agree with my Godlike insight and wisdom

Yeah,mafia is good,the rest on your list kind of stink. And it is a genre,it is either called "sandbox" or "freeroam". They do not get compared to GTA because there is no genre title,they get compared because none of them are anywhere near the quality or success of GTA except for arguably Saints Row,which is a blatant ripoff of GTA san andreas. Even the people who love saints row over GTAIV will tell you its because its like san andreas.

Next time come back with an actual argument.

I just though i would fire up this forum about supposed GTA ripoffs!

I seem to notice that everytime a freeroam game set in a city comes out, the first this everyone does is either judge it next to GTA or clearly just call RIPOFF.

I would like to clear some things up a bit about this because i am frankly sick of reading reviews about good games that tell me nothing about the actual game and only let me know how like or unlike GTA it is!

Now i will start by saying this. GTA did it right, first. No question about that. I cannot think of any game of that style that was any good predating the GTA franchise.

That being said, there are plenty of games that follow it that are great.

GTA seems to have hit on the right formula when it comes to making freeroam games, and therefore makes good games because of it. So when another freeroam franchise decides to use this formula to make their game, does that make it a ripoff? no...

If these games did not use the GTA formula (which btw is not all that complex... here is a city, drive, shoot, drive, shoot) then they would simply tank in sales!

So i hereby submit that games that use the GTA formula (of freeroam world with vehicles and such) should become their own genre so that we can finally stop using GTA as a benchmark and start to see these "ripoffs" for the great games they are!

games that would fit into this genre include (but not limited to)

-mafia

-saints row series

-GUN

-Scarface: the world is yours

-driver series

-etc

so people, add some games to my list if you want or just go on and on about how much you agree with my Godlike insight and wisdom

bark00000

YOU

ARE

FAILLL!!!

Driver actually started the 3D sandbox genre, so by listing Driver as a rip-off/clone, you really don't read up on things. Sure, it has gotten stale with Driv3r, but still.

Also, Saints Row may be a rip-off, but it is the best rip-off ever.

>

^ The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall started the sanbox genre and it's still the biggest sanbox game ever made.

Driver actually started the 3D sandbox genre, so by listing Driver as a rip-off/clone, you really don't read up on things. Sure, it has gotten stale with Driv3r, but still.

Also, Saints Row may be a rip-off, but it is the best rip-off ever.

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall started the sanbox genre and it's still the biggest sanbox game ever made.

DOF_power

Most people seemed to have just skipped over this. I think its a fairly good point. Are we talking only modern city based games here? I recall that Assasins creed is a sandbox style game (correct me if im wrong Ive only briefly played it) but doesnt seem to be mentioned either? Oblivion? Morrowind? Fallout? These all have very strong sandbox elements but are not in any way rip-offs of GTA. So I kinda agree that sandbox is not really a genre but a feature/design decision.

Some of the games the OP mentioned though do seem to be undeniably strongly inspired by GTA but unfortunately I cant comment on them as I havent played any of those games since GTA II.

PS: A sandbox-esque game that has some similarities to GTA but is otherwise a totally unique game is Postal 2 ... so its not a rip-off. Unfortunately its also pretty rubbish.

Genia