Summary
- Popular video games allow players to live out criminal fantasies without real-life consequences.
- Games like The Godfather and Saints Row 2 offer players the opportunity to rise from the bottom to the top of criminal organizations.
- Titles like Scarface: The World Is Yours and Mafia 3 let players build criminal empires by taking control of rival businesses and rackets.
Countless popular video games simulate the life of a criminal, covering all levels from petty thievery right through to commanding an empire of associates, companions, and underlings. In many cases, players start at the bottom and must work their way up to the top, which is always a compelling journey, regardless of the circumstances.
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Whether starting as the mastermind of an illegal organization or a grunt earning respect and rising through the ranks, everyone can live out their felonious fantasies free from any pesky real-life consequences, such as prison sentences and rival gangsters. Here are some of the best open-world games where players can become a crime lord, based on a combination of their overall quality and popularity.
The Godfather
Rise To Power In The Corleone Family
The Godfather: Blackhand Edition
- Released
- March 20, 2007
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii
Taking place during the events of the 1972 film from a different perspective and filling in a few blanks, The Godfather video game is a classic rags-to-riches story. Many returning actors reprised their roles, lending their voices and likenesses to the game, but it stars a newly invented character in Aldo Trapani, who joins the Corleone family in the hopes of gaining revenge against those who murdered his father.
One of many games from its time to be accused of being a GTA clone, the gameplay is admittedly very similar, as Aldo terrorizes the streets of Little Italy. Aldo can work his way up from a fresh-faced recruit all the way to the Don of New York City, taking over all rackets and eliminating all rivals along the way.
Watch Dogs: Legion
Take Back Control Of London
Watch Dogs Legion
- Released
- October 29, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Stadia
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Given the authoritarian nature of Albion in Watch Dogs: Legion, most would argue that the player is not the real criminal. As the leader of DeadSec, an organization of hackers that have been framed for several terrorist attacks, players can recruit NPCs encountered on the streets of London and fight against the authorities in the near-future dystopian city.
Even though the vast majority of players would not view their actions in DeadSec as criminal, in the context of Albion-controlled London, their actions are largely illegal, and officers will pursue their operatives in many cases. Gradually liberating parts of the city and recruiting more allies will eventually turn the tide and uncover the real villains.
Scarface: The World Is Yours
Build A Drug Empire In Miami
Scarface: The World Is Yours
- Released
- July 25, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Radical Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS2, Wii, Xbox (Original)
In an alternative timeline where the ending of the classic 1980s film was slightly different, Scarface: The World Is Yours deals with the aftermath as Tony Montana seeks revenge on those who wronged him. Al Pacino’s likeness is used for the protagonist, alongside many other actors reprising their roles in the open Miami setting.
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Diving back into the criminal underworld of Miami, Tony must restore his reputation if he wishes to become the drug lord that he once was and destroy all rival gangs who stand before him. Taking over Miami’s drug empire one area at a time, he also purchases and manages several businesses to act as fronts, and countless employees fall under his umbrella, from drivers to hitmen.
Mafia 3
Annex Rackets & Keep Associates Happy
Mafia III
- Released
- October 7, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Hangar 13
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Though it may not be the preferred option in the Mafia franchise, Mafia 3 is the only game where players can be the boss of a crime family. Tommy Angelo and Vito Scaletta certainly gain power and notoriety in their respective stories, but Vietnam veteran Lincoln Clay builds his crime family from scratch in the fictional city of New Bordeaux, Louisiana, in the 1960s.
Much like Scarface: The World Is Yours, players take control of businesses, rackets, and districts within the city from rival mobsters, which Lincoln must then assign to his associates. These lieutenants provide rewards and perks for Lincoln’s loyalty toward them, but betrayal is also an option, leading to inevitable and deadly conflict down the line.
Saints Row 2
Rebuild The Saints & Reclaim Stilwater
Saints Row 2
- Released
- October 14, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Volition
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Third-Person Shooter
Building on the first game with an expanded map, Saints Row 2 takes place five years after the events of its predecessor, with its protagonist, “the Boss,” waking up from a coma in prison. The Third Street Saints have been disbanded and replaced in the city of Stilwater, so it’s up to the Boss to get the gang back together and recover their formidable reputation within the community, while avoiding law enforcement.
Players have full control over their gang, right down to fully customizing the vehicles they use, the clothes they wear, and the graffiti they leave around the city. Recruiting members and taking over various territories around the city are all key plot points, with the goal ultimately being to become the dominant force in Stilwater.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Steal & Kill All Over The Province
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
It’s now over a decade since the initial release of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, and it’s still as popular as ever. While the Dragonborn may be the main hero of the eponymous province of Skyrim, they will be a master criminal in most playthroughs thanks to the countless murders and thefts they are usually responsible for.
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Two of the major guilds are fundamentally criminal in their nature, one of which is the Thieves Guild, which is devoted to robberies, altering business ledgers, and planting incriminating items on unwitting targets. The other is the Dark Brotherhood, which offers targets to assassinate. Players may even become the leader in each of these guilds, though they have no real control over organizational changes.
Yakuza 0
Manage Businesses In Tokyo And Osaka
Yakuza 0
- Released
- January 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Known for its strong melee combat, Yakuza 0 is a prequel to the debut entry, following the lives of series stalwarts Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima as they live through Japan’s bubble era in the 1980s. Yakuza 0 is an interesting entry in the crime genre, as it does not glamorize criminal life like many other games, focusing on the motivations of the main characters as they navigate the criminal underworld.
In both cases, they run (hopefully) successful businesses with Kiryu’s real estate company in Kamurocho and Majima’s cabaret club in Sotenbori. The combination of their business success, winning street fights against menacing foes, and various other interactions in the game world will lead to them gaining respect and notoriety.
Grand Theft Auto Online
Own Businesses & Build A Network Of Underlings
Grand Theft Auto Online
- Released
- October 1, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar North
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, PS3, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
Since its release over a decade ago, Grand Theft Auto Online has only gone from strength to strength, making Grand Theft Auto 5 one of the most profitable video games ever made. Online allows players to choose a criminal path, which they may change at a later date, but ultimately, they will essentially own the city of Los Santos and the wider state of San Andreas if they play the game long enough.
Criminal empires in GTA Online consist of drug and arms smuggling, with various businesses around the state acting as a front for these activities. Successful players can bring in millions every day through their ventures and heists, easily affording luxuries like properties in prime locations, superyachts, and a series of vehicles from supercars to nuclear submarines.
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