12 Racing games like Need for Speed™ Payback that you should try

Games like Need for Speed™ Payback · Find similar →

We filtered the 50 games similar to Need for Speed™ Payback down to the 12 that fit the “Racing” category. Trailmakers, Crash Time 2 and Need for Speed: Rivals top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Need for Speed™ Payback.

iRank67/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

The best racing games like Need for Speed™ Payback

12 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Need for Speed™ Payback. Each one has been evaluated across 17 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1Trailmakers

iRank77

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

Co-opSoloOnlineMultiplayerMeleeSandbox WorldOpen WorldExploration

Steam👍 92%· 36KRAWG👍 59%· 70OC69· 5

Year 2020Dev FlashbulbPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of open-world action games: adventure storytelling, deep simulation and racing gameplay

≠ Its own twist: survival mechanics, setting space and crafting mechanics, while skipping sports simulation

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

MultiplayerSoloMeleeNarrativeSandbox WorldOpen WorldExploration

Steam👍 58%· 2.5KRAWG👍 19%· 107

Year 2008Dev RTL interactive · Meridian4Playtime ~1hOn PC

✓ Fits the open-world action games cluster, with racing gameplay, sandbox freedom and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings offline and visual 3d, while skipping sports simulation

Details →

Steam

#3Need for Speed: Rivals

iRank78

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

MultiplayerSoloCo-opPvPOnlineMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person

Steam👍 76%· 10.0KIGDB80· 13OC80· 58

Year 2013Dev Ghost Games · Electronic ArtsOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

✓ Fits the open-world action games cluster, with racing gameplay, adventure storytelling and sports simulation

≠ Its own twist: offline, while skipping sandbox freedom

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 76%· 21KRAWG👍 64%· 897MC78IGDB81· 6

Year 2008Dev Volition · Deep SilverPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of open-world action games: adventure storytelling, racing gameplay and sandbox freedom

≠ Its own twist: third-person shooting, shooter and ranged combat, while skipping sports simulation

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

MultiplayerSoloCo-opMeleeOpen WorldExplorationThird PersonFirst Person

Steam👍 69%· 28KRAWG👍 50%· 824MC66OC65· 78

Year 2015Dev Ghost Games · Electronic ArtsPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the open-world action games cluster, with racing gameplay, deep simulation and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: visual topdown, while skipping sports simulation

Details →

Steam Xbox PS

#6Saints Row: The Third

iRank92

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 96%· 69KIGDB85· 10

Year 2011Dev Volition · Square EnixOn PlayStation 3 · Linux · PC

✓ Same family of open-world action games: adventure storytelling, racing gameplay and sandbox freedom

≠ Stands apart with shooter, third-person shooting and first-person shooting, while skipping sports simulation

Details →

Steam Xbox

#7Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

iRank93

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloCo-opMultiplayerMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird PersonFirst Person

Steam👍 92%· 83KRAWG👍 93%· 4.1KMC93IGDB93· 6

Year 2004Dev Rockstar North · CapcomPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of open-world action games: adventure storytelling, racing gameplay and sandbox freedom

≠ Stands apart with shooter, first-person shooting and third-person shooting, while skipping sports simulation

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerMeleeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 91%· 51KRAWG👍 64%· 1.4KMC84IGDB85· 4

Year 2010Dev Square EnixPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the open-world action games cluster, with adventure storytelling, racing gameplay and sandbox freedom

≠ Where it differs: brings third-person shooting, shooter and ranged combat, while skipping sports simulation

Details →

Steam GOG Xbox

#9Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

iRank93

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 93%· 30KRAWG👍 93%· 3.1KMC94IGDB94· 4

Year 2002Dev Rockstar North · Rockstar GamesPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the open-world action games cluster, with adventure storytelling, racing gameplay and sandbox freedom

≠ Stands apart with third-person shooting, shooter and puzzle design, while skipping sports simulation

Details →

Steam PS

#10Mafia III

iRank61

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 57%· 63KIGDB68· 23

Year 2016Dev Hangar 13 · 2K GamesOn PS4 · PC · Mac

✓ Fits the open-world action games cluster, with adventure storytelling, racing gameplay and sandbox freedom

≠ Its own twist: shooter, third-person shooting and first-person shooting, while skipping sports simulation

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

MultiplayerSoloMeleeOpen WorldExploration

Steam👍 85%· 652

Year 2009Dev Synetic · Kalypso MediaPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Same family of open-world action games: racing gameplay, deep simulation and open world exploration

≠ Its own twist: offline, while skipping sports simulation

Details →

Steam

#12RAGE

iRank72

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationFirst PersonThird Person

Steam👍 78%· 18KRAWG👍 52%· 834MC79IGDB81· 10

Year 2011Dev Aspyr Media · Bethesda SoftworksPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of open-world action games: racing gameplay, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: first-person shooting, shooter and deep RPG systems, while skipping sports simulation

Details →

Steam Xbox PS

Explore games similar to Need for Speed™ Payback by category

Rankings in the same genre

Best Open-World Action Games Best Action Games