Need for Speed™ Payback

28 Sandbox games like Need for Speed™ Payback that you should try

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We filtered the 50 games similar to Need for Speed™ Payback down to the 28 that fit the “Sandbox” category. Trailmakers, Crash Time 2 and Saints Row 2 top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Need for Speed™ Payback.

iRank67/ 100

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GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

Tags

NarrativeMultiplayerSolo

Year 2017Dev Ghost Games

Stores

Steam ↗Xbox ↗PS ↗

Quick answer

Within the “Sandbox” category, the closest game to Need for Speed™ Payback is Trailmakers — scoring 94/100 on our similarity scale. Crash Time 2 and Saints Row 2 follow close behind.

#1Trailmakers94 #2Crash Time 286 #3Saints Row 289 #4Saints Row: The Third86 #5Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas83

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The best sandbox games like Need for Speed™ Payback

28 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.

94

Trailmakers

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

86

Crash Time 2

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

89

Saints Row 2

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

#4Saints Row: The Third

86

Saints Row: The Third

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

#5Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

83

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

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

Steam Epic Xbox

83

Just Cause 2

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

#7Bully: Scholarship Edition

83

Bully: Scholarship Edition

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 84%· 41KRAWG👍 86%· 765MC72IGDB80· 3

Year 2008Dev Rockstar New England · Rockstar GamesPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Xbox · Nintendo

✓ Both are open-world action games — sharing adventure storytelling, sandbox freedom and deep simulation

≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping racing gameplay

#8Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

82

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

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

82

Mafia III

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

93

Far Cry 6

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

Co-opMultiplayerSoloOnlineMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 71%· 34KIGDB82· 11OC77· 185

Year 2021Dev Ubisoft Toronto · Ubisoft EntertainmentOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Both are open-world action games — sharing adventure storytelling, sandbox freedom and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: shooter, first-person shooting and survival mechanics, while skipping racing gameplay

Steam Epic Xbox

#11Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell

91

Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 75%· 9.7KIGDB64· 11OC67· 69

Year 2015Dev High Voltage Software · Deep SilverOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · Linux

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

≠ Its own twist: shooter, third-person shooting and first-person shooting, while skipping racing gameplay

#12Generation Zero

91

Generation Zero

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

MultiplayerCo-opSoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 72%· 42KIGDB53· 12OC49· 65

Year 2019Dev Systemic ReactionOn PS4 · PC · PS5

✓ Both are open-world action games — sharing adventure storytelling, sandbox freedom and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: shooter, first-person shooting and survival mechanics, while skipping racing gameplay

#13Just Cause 3

90

Just Cause 3

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 84%· 127KIGDB77· 19OC75· 109

Year 2015Dev Avalanche Studios · Square EnixOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

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

≠ Stands apart with shooter, third-person shooting and first-person shooting, while skipping racing gameplay

90

Saints Row

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

Co-opSoloMultiplayerMeleeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 57%· 8.3KIGDB61· 4OC63· 160

Year 2022Dev Volition · Deep SilverOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Both are open-world action games — sharing adventure storytelling, sandbox freedom and open world exploration

≠ Stands apart with shooter, third-person shooting and first-person shooting, while skipping racing gameplay

Steam Epic Xbox

#15Saints Row IV

90

Saints Row IV

GenreActionSubgenreOpen World Action

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeOpen WorldSandbox WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 88%· 77KIGDB84· 14

Year 2013Dev High Voltage Software · Deep SilverOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · Linux

✓ Both are open-world action games — sharing adventure storytelling, sandbox freedom and open world exploration

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

Complete list of sandbox games like Need for Speed™ Payback

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Need for Speed™ Payback, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.

Far Cry 3

Far Cry 3

Shooter · FPS

Toy Story 3: The Video Game

Toy Story 3: The Video Game

Adventure · Platformer

Disney Infinity 2.0: Gold Edition

Disney Infinity 2.0: Gold Edition

Adventure · Sandbox

Far Cry 4

Far Cry 4

Shooter · Adventure

Watch Dogs

Watch Dogs

Adventure · Shooter

Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag

Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag

Adventure · Sandbox

Grand Theft Auto IV

Grand Theft Auto IV

Adventure · Third-person shooter

Bang-On Balls: Chronicles

Bang-On Balls: Chronicles

Adventure · Sandbox

Just Cause 4

Just Cause 4

Adventure · Shooter

Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs 2

Adventure · Shooter

Sunset Overdrive

Sunset Overdrive

Shooter · Third-person shooter

Red Faction Guerrilla Steam Edition

Red Faction Guerrilla Steam Edition

Third-person shooter · Shooter

Far Cry 2

Far Cry 2

Shooter · FPS

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