Grand Theft Auto Onlineoffers plenty of engaging game modes and activities, from thrilling stunt races to tension-filled robberies. Heists in particular seem like the best showcase for many ofGrand Theft Auto V’s most effective gameplay mechanics. Usually, two to four players must join forces and complete some preliminary objectives before eventually stealing diamonds, artwork, or cash. Currently, there are10 heists available inGrand Theft Online, with only one solo mission, the Cayo Perico Heist.
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Rockstar Games has gradually added more heists toGrand Theft Auto Online, but new content has slowed with the anticipated release ofGrant Theft Auto VI. For players whose favorite part of the game is the heists, replaying the same missions over and over again eventually gets dull. Also, there are titles that devote themselves to simulating every aspect of a robbery in even more excruciating detail than Rockstar’s offering. Whether a player is looking for a single-player experience that requires hours of scouting or a quick action-packed multiplayer session, the following games are excellent alternatives to heists inGrant Theft Auto Online.
Watch Dogs Legion
WHERE TO PLAY
Build a resistance made from anyone in the world to take back a near-future London that is facing its downfall.Recipient of over 65 E3 awards and nominations. Recruit and play as anyone from London. Everyone you see has a unique backstory, personality, and skill set for unique situations.Hack armed drones, deploy spider-bots, and take down enemies using an Augmented Reality Cloak. Explore a massive urban open world featuring London’s many iconic landmarks and fun side activities.Team up with your friends as you complete co-op missions and unique game modes. Upgrade to the Gold Edition or Ultimate Edition for access to the season pass and more!
The third game in the series,Watch Dogs Legionis an excellent way to get into even more online chaos after aGTA Onlinesession. Although it’sno longer receiving updates, the game can still be a lot of fun for a small group of players, especially if they enjoy immersive missions that take less than an hour on average.
Watch Dogs Legionis best played with three people, as three is the maximum number of players in a party. Also, with the lack of updates, the game has been bleeding its active player count. Despite that, friends can still have a great time while taking down futuristic bad guys.
Watch Dogs Legionis available to play onSteam, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and mobile. Be sure to read more about how the gameplay mechanics have changed for the better in Game Rant’sfull review ofWatch Dogs Legion.
Sea of Thieves
Sea of Thieves offers the essential pirate experience, from sailing and fighting to exploring and looting – everything you need to live the pirate life and become a legend in your own right. With no set roles, you have complete freedom to approach the world, and other players, however you choose. Whether you’re voyaging as a group or sailing solo, you’re bound to encounter other crews in this shared world adventure – but will they be friends or foes, and how will you respond?A Vast Open World:Explore a vast open world filled with unspoiled islands and underwater kingdoms. Take on quests to hunt for lost loot, forge a reputation with the Trading Companies and battle foes from Phantoms and Ocean Crawlers to Megalodons and the mighty Kraken. Try your hand at fishing, make maps to your own buried treasure or choose from hundreds of other optional goals and side-quests!Become Legend:On your journey to become a Pirate Legend you’ll amass loot, build a reputation and define a unique personal style with your hard-earned rewards. Adventurer. Explorer. Conqueror. What will your legend be?
InSea of Thieves, players won’t be roaming city streets looking for the next lucrative heist. Instead, gamers will sail the seas with a crew of fellow pirates, searching for buried treasure. Whether claiming lost treasure is a crime is debatable, but there are plenty of activities inSea of Thievesdeemed illegal in the modern world. Pirates can assault ships passing by in this open-world multiplayer game, shooting them with cannons before boarding and stealing their treasures and supplies.
Much like heists inGrant Theft Auto Online, players join up with crews of up to four members, and some planning is needed to successfully complete a quest. It’s nearly impossible for a single player to steer a ship while looking at a map and monitoring the sea for potential enemies. Typically, players will assume different roles including manning cannons in order to attack or defend their ship without any delay.
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The type of progression inSea of Thievescomplements what is primarily a multiplayer-focused experience. If your ship sinks either from attacking pirates or taking on too much water in a bad storm, a player risks losing any treasures or items that haven’t been safely banked in an outpost. However, a gamer isn’t granted more abilities or access to better weapons as they complete more quests. The game’s main goal is to increase your reputation with various trading companies by bringing them rare items, resulting in mostly cosmetic rewards.
Since there are tons of quests to complete andRare continues to supportSea of Thieveswith additional content, the gameplay is much deeper than with heists inGrand Theft Auto Online. The game also provides a very social experience with pirate crew members becoming friends inside and outside ofSea of Thieves. Even so, it’s never wise to trust a fellow pirate, who can just as easily betray you for a greater share of the treasure.
Saint’s Row
As the future Boss, with Neenah, Kevin, and Eli by your side, you’ll form The Saints – and take on Los Panteros, The Idols, and Marshall as you build your empire across the streets of Santo Ileso and battle for control of the city. Ultimately Saints Row is the story of a start-up company, it’s just that the business The Saints are in happens to be crime.Experience the biggest and best Saints Row playground ever created; the unique sprawling world of Santo Ileso is the backdrop for a wild, larger than life sandbox of thrilling side hustles, criminal ventures and blockbuster missions, as you shoot, drive, and wingsuit your way to the top.Witness the Birth of The Saints – Play through an action blockbuster original story full of criminality, extraordinary scenes and signature surprises laced with humor.Discover the Weird, Wild, West – Dive in to Santo Ileso, the biggest and best Saints Row playground ever, spread across nine unique districts surrounded by the vast, majestic beauty of the Southwest Desert.Build Your Criminal Empire – Take over the city block by block, wage war against enemy factions and tighten your grip on the streets with ingenious criminal ventures.
This reboot of the classicGTAcopycat franchiseSaint’s Rowbrings back everything players originally loved about the series. For true chaos,Saint’s Row 4is still the best option, but even being an alien-slaying president demi-god isn’t enough to get over the hurdle of the game being almost 10 years old now.
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There isn’t anything surprising about the newSaint’s Row, but not every game needs to be revolutionary. In fact,Saint’s Rowcombines a number of familiar mechanics from shooters likeUnchartedand yes,Grand Theft Auto V. Gamers may not be blown away by the game, but they’ll have fun with the recurring shootouts and general criminal chaos that makesGTA VOnline so entertaining.
Despite aless-than-stellar critical reception, Deep Silver is still releasing content forSaint’s Row, includingThe Heist and the Hazardous paid DLC, and a Free Sunshine Springs update.
Crime Boss: Rockay City
Heist, steal and rob it all!Become a notorious criminal legend in this tension-packed, over-the-top, first-person shooter.Use a wide range of weapons and equipment to combat police forces and rival gangs while you make off with the score! Go guns blazing or undetected with immersive stealth gameplay in highly randomized heists. Build your squad and successfully rob banks, hold up stores, raid armored trucks and more!The game comes with numerous big and medium heists, dozens of quick jobs and a variety of turfwar battles. Choose from 3 difficulty options to match your skill level.New adventures await, buddy!After the demise of the previous crime boss, this city is yours for the taking!Welcome to Rockay City, Florida – a city full of quirky characters, 90s gangster pop culture and cheesiest dialogues since VHS. Take on the role of the legendary Travis Baker in the single-player, rogue-lite campaign. Earn money in heists, manage a team of criminals and conquer the other gangs' territories to rule the underworld of Rockay City. Every strategic decision has its consequences – but failure doesn’t mean it’s over. Unlock permanent buff cards, to help you make the next run and complete your objective.Can your crime empire take over the city before Sheriff Norris stops you in your tracks?Be the top dog, solo or with friends.Create and customize your own boss and become a true crime legend!
Crime Boss: Rockay Cityis a newcomer to the heist gaming scene, with obvious influences fromPaydayandGrant Theft Auto Online. However, it’s a more linear FPS-style game instead of an open-world title where you can spend time simply loitering. The cast of voice actors delivering the often cringe-worthy dialogue includes Chuck Norris, Kim Basinger, Vanilla Ice, and Michael Madsen as the main protagonist, Travis Baker. Madsen in particular is no stranger to1990s movies filled with crime and violence, and this is exactly the dominant atmosphere inCrime Boss: Rockay City.
The single-player campaign centers around Travis Baker trying to take over Rockay City after the previous crime boss met his untimely demise. Baker is joined by a crew voiced by many popular celebrities as they carefully plan and execute jobs to gain fortune and status.Crime Boss: Rockay Cityis surprisingly enjoyable even when having to rely often on less-than-helpful AI teammates. However, fans ofGrant Theft Auto Onlinewill naturally want to explore the multiplayer modes that the game has to offer.
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Time Mode is a quick way to be matched up with other humans for limited missions with meager but steady payouts. The Urban Legends mode reveals a set of six missions loosely held together by a cinematic narrative, many of which were already played in single-player modes. To find success in any of these modes, teamwork is essential, but there tends to be more shooting than strategy. Also, there is a distinct lack of progression, although you’re able to purchase contracts for new heists with the money that you acquire.
Overall,Crime Boss: Rockay Cityhas fallen short of expectations with cliche-filled writing and rather mindless and repetitive gameplay. Still, fans ofGrant Theft Onlineand 1990s crime films may find the game an irresistible combination of nostalgia and intense co-op heists.Crime Boss: Rockay Cityis currently available for the PC, but it will shortly release on next-gen consoles.
Perfect Heist 2
In this game, one robber team tries to steal money and other goods from a bank while trying not to get noticed by the cop team. The cops have a big advantage in fighting, so keeping a low profile and blending in with the crowd is critical for the robbers. Wait for the perfect moment to knock out one of the employees to use his clothes as a disguise while sneaking, drilling, bombing, or hacking your way to the loot!There are 32 completely different classes to choose from, with different abilities, weapon loadouts, and passive perks. All guns of the first part are included in this game, as well as lots of exciting new weapons like a rocket launcher, different types of grenade launchers, and much more for a total of over 20 unique weapons!Every aspect of the game got reworked from the ground up, with much smoother gunplay, greatly improved net code, more user-friendly UI, and exciting new classes and gameplay aspects like destructible walls. Due to third-person mode allowing for players to look around walls in a stealth-based game, the first-person mode was a big focus in development, with refined weapon animations and smooth movement, but a third-person mode is also included as a server setting!
Although it’s only available on Steam,Perfect Heist 2is the ideal way to complete a heist with friends. The blocky graphics and lack of gore may just set a lower bar, but that doesn’t make the game any less appealing.
Perfect Heist 2is essentially a game of cops and robbers. Players are queued in and assigned to a team. Then comes the heist, where gamers must either steal everything they can or try to stop others from getting away with the gold, jewelry, or whatever else might get nabbed. This simple, quick, and ultimately fun game is ideal for groups of friends or younger players who may not be quite ready for the intensity ofGrand Theft Auto.
Thief Simulator
Become the real thief. Steal in free roam sandbox neighborhoods. Observe your target and gather information that will help you with the burglary. Take the challenge and rob the best secured houses. Buy some hi-tech burglar equipment and learn new thief tricks. Sell stolen goods to the passers. Do anything that a real thief does!A good thief always observes his target. What’s inside? Who lives there? What’s your target day schedule? Find out when the house is empty and does it have nosy neighbours. Choose from lots of possible approaches to prepare the best plan. Many modern devices available in Thief Simulator might come in handy with gathering intel about your target and it’s neighbourhood.The faster, the better. Find and steal as many valuables as possible in the shortest time possible. Remember that infinite backpacks don’t exist. When it’s about time you have to maintain cold blood. In every house you’ll find tons of useless stuff, which can really slow you down. If you’re not sure that you can take some serious money for it, maybe a good idea would be to leave it behind and save space for some expensive goods. If you fill your backpack with worthless items, you may have to waste your time to throw stuff out just to make space for other things. Be careful, cause some things can draw police attention to you!
As fun asheists inGrant Theft Autoonline can be, in real life, it’s not always as easy to shoot yourself out of trouble when things go wrong.Thief Simulatorpaints a more realistic picture of the life of a humble thief of limited means. The jobs aren’t glamorous as you are often targeting middle-class homes with enough valuables to sell to a local pawn shop and have food money for a few weeks. When a player gets caught by the police, neighbors, or homeowners, the only option is to run away as quickly as possible, with the aid of a real jalopy of a getaway car.
With a lack of the violence and killing that often accompanies armed robbery,Thief Simulatoris rather idealistic about the devastating effects of crime on society. Still, without deadly weapons, your virtual thief must put a lot of planning into which homes to rob and what the best time to attempt a heist is. As players gradually stage successful break-ins, they are rewarded with more advanced tools and technology for surveillance that allow for safer entries into homes.
Thief Simulatordoes not ignore the rather mundane details of theft that games likeGrant Theft Auto Onlineglance over. A player can only carry a certain number of stolen goods out of a home, so a thief must quickly decide on what larger items are worth taking. That’s only half the battle, however, since after a successful job gamers aren’t simply paid out for their efforts. To avoid being hunted down by authorities, stolen vehicles require players to carefully disassemble them before selling the valuable parts online. Mobile phones also need attention before being taken to pawn shops, so the prior owners can’t track down thieves.
Sadly, there is no multiplayer or co-op to speak of inThief Simulator, but sending in a party of four armed players to ransack a modest home would seem like overkill. For a good 10 hours, the progression system inThief Simulatorkeeps players engaged as they acquire fun toys to help them in their criminal exploits. After that, things tend to get more monotonous with a limited number of streets and areas to explore. Fortunately,Thief Simulator 2is on the horizon, which could offer an even deeper experience with hopefully improved visuals as well.
Operation Tango
Operation: Tango is an espionage-themed cooperative adventure challenging you and a friend to complete dangerous missions across the globe in a high-tech near-future world. As an exclusive team of two, you and your partner will become AGENT and HACKER, working in tandem to bring a high-tech global menace to its knees. With only your voice to link you, teamwork is crucial, and communication is key!Combine skill sets from different points of view to overcome challenges focused on communication, not difficulty. These missions cannot be completed alone.Investigate, hack, and infiltrate while executing missions across the globe. Live out your ultimate “Hollywood” spy fantasy!Constant communication makes for both heartfelt and hilarious moments. It’s all about sharing your voice.
Players hungry for more couch co-op after playingIt Takes Two,Unraveled, and other great games for duos will find exactly what they’re after withOperation Tango. Allowing crossplay so friends are never too far away, this game only shows players half of what’s going on. Details on the other half must be communicated between players.
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Similar toKeep Talking and Nobody Explodes,Operation Tangooffers players the chance to pretend to be spies but without needing to open a boring PDF. Cooperation is key, so of course things can get stressful quickly.Operation Tangois made for dream-team duosto test their friendship and maybe even save the world!
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action-adventure from the creators of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt Red.Set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification, you play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality.Upgraded with next-gen in mind and featuring free additional content, customize your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades.The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be?
There’s plenty of subterfuge for players to sink their teeth into inCyberpunk 2077, and even some heists to pull off. It’s not quite the same asGTA Online’s missions, but the overall vibe ofCyberpunk 2077is very similar to Rockstar’s open world, without having so much in common as to be boring or repetitive.
Players who enjoyedGTA V’s single-player campaign and generally like the cooperative heist missions will probably find a lot to love aboutCyberpunk 2077’s campaign. Although it was a bit buggy at launch, plenty of people are enjoying the game now, and it frequently goes on sale, making it a great time to jump in. While not strictly a thief or heist game, the single-playerCyberpunk 2077is one of thebest open-world crime games available, with plenty of nefarious missions to complete.
Gamers unsure ifCyberpunk 2077is worth a purchase should consider reading Game Rant’sin-depth review.
Teardown
Plan the perfect heist using creative problem solving, brute force, and everything around you. Teardown features a fully destructible and truly interactive environment where player freedom and emergent gameplay are the driving mechanics. Tear down walls with explosives or vehicles to create shortcuts no one thought was possible. Stack objects, build structures, or use floating objects to your advantage. Take your time to create an efficient path through each level, then execute your heist and make a daring escape. Run, jump, drive, boost. Do whatever you need to collect targets, avoid robots or steal whatever your clients ask for. But make sure not to get caught!
Teardownmanages to capture the satisfying feeling of planning and completing a heist but takes a much different approach thanGrand Theft Auto Online. Players don’t simply enter a building with guns blazing, but instead must meticulously plan how to demolish structures and rearrange objects to gain access to targets.Teardownis as much a deconstruction simulator and puzzle game as a heist game, but the end goals are similar. There is even the opportunity to steal some cars along the way or blow up safes and vaults to access their contents.
Offering a straightforward single-player campaign, players will progress through a series of missions requiring finding the safest and most direct route to an objective. To accomplish these goals, gamers gradually step up from sledgehammers and fire extinguishers to shotguns and bombs. If you trip an alarm, players only have 60 seconds to escape to a getaway vehicle before the authorities arrive and the mission fails.
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Unfortunately, there isno multiplayer mode inTeardown, but developers are hard at work adding this functionality as soon as possible. The game excels as a solo sandbox experience, but the environments lack human interaction and there is only a bare-bones plot connecting each single-player mission. A thriving modding community provides a never-ending supply of maps and structures to interact with. Still, if you playGrant Theft Auto Onlinefor the social aspect,Teardownis probably not your ideal game. However, the lighting effects make full use of ray tracing, and seeing sunlight poke through newly demolished structures makes planning a heist all the more rewarding.
Teardowniscurrently a PC exclusive, but as was just announced, the game is heading to consoles in late 2023. To find out more about how further updates could enhanceTeardown, read Game Rant’sreview of the game.
Payday 2
PAYDAY 2 is an action-packed, four-player co-op shooter that once again lets gamers don the masks of the original PAYDAY crew - Dallas, Hoxton, Wolf and Chains - as they descend on Washington DC for an epic crime spree.The CRIMENET network offers a huge range of dynamic contracts, and players are free to choose anything from small-time convenience store hits or kidnappings, to big league cyber-crime or emptying out major bank vaults for that epic PAYDAY. While in DC, why not participate in the local community, and run a few political errands?Up to four friends co-operate on the hits, and as the crew progresses the jobs become bigger, better and more rewarding. Along with earning more money and becoming a legendary criminal comes a character customization and crafting system that lets crews build and customize their own guns and gear.
Even though this title is a bit older, it’s pure heist magic.Payday 2is the best online heist game likeGTA Voverall. Players gather a team, make a plan, and literally just perform bank heists and robberies in wealthy locations. Of course, there are also all the other fun activities gamers love aboutGTA Vheists, like explosions, shooting, and driving getaway cars. Plus, there are fun costumes and a wide selection of weapons, and it is simple to set up new matches with friends or with random players.
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WithPayday 2, there are tons of missions players can get in on, plus a handful of DLCs that continue to be reasonably popular. While theannouncement ofPayday 3earlier this year has basically put an end to new content, gamers can still be excited about what’s coming next.
Red Dead Redemption 2
America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him. From the creators of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of life in America at the dawn of the modern age.
Red Dead Redemption 2is the long-awaited sequel to everyone’s favorite open-world cowboy game. Following Arthur Morgan and his band of outcasts, players are given more than a few opportunities to commit to a heist plan. Throughout the story, there are side missions to rob banks, steal horses, and rob travelers. Additionally, the main storyline offers train robberies and other heists with seriously high stakes.
Then there’s the online aspect of the game.Red Dead Onlineis extremely similar toGrand Theft Auto V, allowing players to team up to complete missions and, through the DLC Blood Money, aplethora of crime and robbery activities. Players looking to accomplish dastardly deeds while living out their cowboy dreams will find everything they need withRed Dead Redemption 2. These missions are an excellent extension of Rockstar’s chaotic and criminalGTA 5adventures.
Which Heist Game Should Steal Your Time?
Clearly, if stealing all types of valuable loot is a gamer’s passion, there are more games thanGrand Theft Auto Onlinethat warrant consideration. The settings for a wide range of crimes extend far beyond contemporary city streets – from the dangerous waters inSea of Thievesto the seemingly peaceful neighborhoods inThief Simulator. Some of these titles include single-player campaigns where players gradually level up and gain new skills and tools to complete bigger heists. Other titles are more about meeting a band of virtual criminals online and learning how to best utilize each team member’s strengths.
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While it’s currently a solo-only experience, the sandboxTeardowndemonstrates how the heist genre can be innovated. About more than just shootouts, players demolish buildings and then plot routes to gain valuables. If action and violence are more your style,Crime Boss: Rockay Cityis a 1990s-themed FPS shooter heist game, where players take no prisoners on their way to becoming a mob boss.
If you are burnt out on repeating the same heists inGrand Theft Auto Onlineor can’t find any worthy crew mates, any of the above games will provide many more hours of compelling criminal exploits.
MORE:GTA Online Dev Hints at What’s to Come for the Game
FAQ
Q: How does a player join a heist in Grand Theft Auto Online?
To join a heist, a player must be at least rank 12 inGrant Theft Auto Online. Otherwise, a gamer needs an invitation from a higher-level player. If qualified, a player can then access the quick job menu on their phones, select a heist mission, and wait for a call from Lester.
Q: What do other heist games offer that Grand Theft Auto Online does not?
Some heist games appeal to gamers searching for single-player experiences with methodical planning necessary before a heist. Other titles emphasize co-op multiplayer where communication and teamwork is more of a factor. Also, certain games allow players to experience the life of a criminal in very different time periods and locations than the city streets ofGrand Theft Auto Online.
