Rockstar’s “Grand Theft Auto III” shocked the game industry when it was released in 2001.
In it, you played a carjacking gangster in an open, 3-D world that looked and felt like a real city. Players had the freedom to choose missions or just explore the game at will. The game was a smash hit, paving the way for many sequels – and clones.
Most of these imitators are boring copycats, but a few have managed to bring something new to the concept, resulting in fine games that rest on their own merits.
Here are our Top 5 favorite “Grand Theft Auto III” clones. Have a look, and then tell us what you think.
Tell us: What are your Top 5 favorite \"GTA\" clones?
-- Ken Smith";
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games_top5_070411[i-1].body = "'The Simpsons: Hit & Run'
Vivendi Universal’s “The Simpsons: Hit & Run” blends the open-world format of “GTA” with the long-running TV show’s signature humor. And fans of the show will find plenty of beloved Springfield landmarks to explore.
“Hit & Run” excelled by taking some “GTA” elements, like the “sandbox”-style gameplay, while leaving off the crime elements. Instead of the bats and guns used to kill in “Grand Theft Auto,” kicking is about as violent as you can get in “Hit & Run.”
“Hit & Run” also worked because the writers and cast participated in the game’s development. The dialogue sounded spot on, and the game played like an episode of the TV show."; games_top5_070411[i++] = new Array("","'MERCENARIES'","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070411/070411_brill_Mercenaries_2p.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "LucasArts", "273", "367", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); games_top5_070411[i-1].body = "'Mercenaries'
“Mercenaries,” from LucasArts, took the “GTA” open world concept and super-sized it. Instead of being a gangster, you’re a highly skilled modern day warrior. Instead of just a city, you get a whole country to explore. And instead of standard firearms, you can get weapons that really cause some damage – causing entire cities to go “boom.”
Since you’re a hired gun, you’re free to fight for any faction that pays you, be it the Chinese, the South Koreans, the Allied Nations Task Force or the Russian mafia. Sure, fighting for one will probably make the others mad, but they’ll get over it once you’re fighting for them. Plus, all that switching around lets you set up crosses and double-crosses, and that’s where the fun begins.
Play your cards right and you’ll have these factions fighting each other while you sneak by and take out their leaders"; games_top5_070411[i++] = new Array("","'BULLY'","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070411/070411_brill_Bully_2p.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Rockstar Games", "273", "390", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); games_top5_070411[i-1].body = "'Bully'
While “Mercenaries” went global, “Bully” went micro. You’re a teenager stuck on the campus of a private school. The school, and the small town that houses it, are your entire world.
Is there anyone alive who doesn’t remember the special hell of adolescence? Trying to fit in with the right crowd while figuring out who you are and what you can get away with adds up to a lot of turmoil. Rockstar, creators of “Bully,” captured the angst of those teenage years, and made it into a fun and addictive game.
Who says you can’t relive your youth?
";
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games_top5_070411[i-1].body = "'Scarface: The World is Yours'
If it wasn’t for gangster movies like “Scarface” there probably wouldn’t be gangster games like “GTA,” so it seems only fitting that the “Scarface” video game would be a “GTA” clone.
This game, from Vivendi Universal, would be just another boring copycat if not for the swagger of Tony Montana. This character just oozes the cool, charm and intensity that Al Pacino brought to the screen (though not actually voiced by Pacino). Montana also oozes foul language – even the saltiest sailors will learn a thing or two.
“Scarface” doesn’t leave you to rehash the movie’s script. Instead, the game reinvents the ending of the film, letting you explore the world of the movie without letting you know what’s next – a twist that keeps interest sky-high.
"; games_top5_070411[i++] = new Array("","'TRUE CRIME: STREETS OF L.A.'","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070411/070411_brill_TrueCrimeFixed_2p.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Activision", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); games_top5_070411[i-1].body = "'True Crime: Streets of L.A.'
Activision’s “Streets of L.A.” mixed up the “GTA” concept a bit by having you play as a cop instead of a gangster – a good guy trying to clean up the town. Of course, it’s up to you to define “good.” (Hey, when you’re a cop, “carjacking” is called “commandeering.”)
Still, our favorite part of the “Streets of L.A.” wasn’t the crime fighting, it was the actual streets of L.A. The in-game Los Angeles is mapped out so realistically that knowing how to move around the real city is a real asset. You can treat the game like a virtual vacation, and take a scenic tour of Hollywood and the Walk of Fame without worrying about sunburns or smog.
Tell us: What are your Top 5 favorite \"GTA\" clones?
";
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