If you haven’t played the original game for a while then dig that PlayStation out, you won’t regret it.
The Influence of Grand Theft Auto on modern gaming cannot be overstated. The original game came out all the way back in 1997, originally for PC and later on in the year for PlayStation.
The game immediately gained popularity with a huge audience thanks to its incredible soundtrack, unrivaled graphics, and gameplay that really allowed you to immerse yourself in a whole different world.
The characters were multi-dimensional and people loved it.
There wasn’t such a clear focus on being the hero, but rather on choosing your own path, along with whatever repercussions came along the way. It’s no surprise then that nearly a quarter of a century later, the game is still going strong. Whether you’re a fan or not, the impact that this game has had can’t be denied. We’re here to find out all about it.
When something is such an enormous hit, generally speaking, there’ll be plenty of people who want to tag along for the ride.
This rings truer nowhere than in the games industry. So, when Rockstar had such great success with GTA, many followed. Plenty of them were pretty rubbish rip-offs, but there have been a few games that have stuck around and developed a style all of their own. Of these games, Saints Row is probably the finest. Released in 2006, it was the first sandbox-style game available for the new Xbox, with this accolade to its name even before its release, it was popular immediately.
Many consumers were hoping for another GTA and unfortunately, on this attempt, Volition didn’t rise to the occasion.
No money was lost and although reviews were mixed, the first game of the series certainly wasn’t a flop. Learning from their experience, Volition put a great deal more effort into achieving the humor and silliness that made Saints Row such a hit. The second game was an overnight success. It had managed to develop a ‘personality’ that was distinctly different from GTA, but with all of that same underworld charm. Looking at the remastered 2020 version of the game alongside the all-new Grand Theft Auto, it’s clear that the games have both made their own journeys, but looking back at the originals, it’s equally clear that they came from the same roots.
It’s almost impossible to look at a Chevrolet without being transported to Los Santos.
Of course, not all of the games that were influenced by Grand Theft Auto are released in such a similar format. The game has been wide-reaching in its influence, with the iGaming sector being a surprisingly common convert to its devil-may-care attitude.
Highway Kings is a classic example of a slot game that was definitely inspired by Grand Theft Auto. Whilst many racing slots feature top-of-the-range sports cars, Highway Kings goes for a distinctly more Los Santos vibe. With big red dumper trucks, blinged-up steering wheels, and jerry cans, as some of the images on the reels, this game takes a more street-style approach to racing cars. The game is hugely popular too.
If you’re feeling the vibe that has been achieved with this game then it’s easy to find somewhere to play. This site offers reviews and recommendations for all of the top mobile casinos in South Africa and it’s super easy to find on most of them. The game was released by iGaming giant Playtech, so it’s tried and trusted. With a return to player ratio of 97.06%, there’s a good chance that your play money will last you a while. Those that are looking to stretch it further though should check out the deals listed to find out if they’re entitled to a little more bang for their buck.
Both of the games we’ve mentioned took a ground-up approach.
Their characters were new, their storylines their own, and they built their own world to suit them. One game that doesn’t fit this mold at all, but is a timeless homage to the original Grand Theft Auto is The Simpsons Hit & Run. Released in 2003, this offering from Radical Entertainment gained a relatively small but obsessively dedicated fanbase, thanks in part to the well-known world and characters, but also to the brilliance of the game itself.
The game makes no bones about its feelings towards GTA; there are references to it dotted all around Springfield. Whilst Saints Row almost tried to pretend it had come up with the concept all on its own, The Simpsons Hit & Run loudly and proudly declares its love for GTA. Whilst the game is less violent, the maximum damage you’ll be doing is a bit of kicking or punching, it doesn’t lose anything for this. Generally cheerier both in color grading and content, if there’s one truly great game to come out of the GTA craze, then it might just be this one.