GTA 6 Clone breaks the hearts of the players and makes them wait for its official release

If all goes according to plan, Grand Theft Auto 6 expected to be the biggest game not only of the year but of the last decade. The hype around Grand Theft Auto 6 has continued to grow since it was confirmed, and players are finally on their way home. The game has already been delayed twice, and the possibility of a third shouldn't be taken off the table quite yet. However, current signs point to Rockstar's next game being on track for a November 2026 launch.

At this point, GTA 6s release date feels closer than it ever has. Only a few months stand between the players and protagonist Jason and Lucia's crime-driven adventure through Vice City. To make the wait easier, some gamers have been hoping for lower budget titles that have been dubbed as GTA clones. Unfortunately most of these GTA clones have failed to satisfy that desire. One of the latest is developer Liquid Sword's debut game Samson. The gritty action title generated an impressive amount of hype, but reviews have been less than ideal.

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Samson is not the GTA 6 appetizer that many were hoping for

To be fair, Liquid Swords wasn't necessarily marketing Samson as one GTA clone. The former is a more grounded, gritty world that embraces a focused linear plot and smaller scale. But the similar vibes were forced GTA 4s version of Liberty City and the crime-focused story had many players hopeful that it would at least feel a slice of the size GTA experience. The Samson reviews from both critics and players have been severely mixed. While more positive views have claimed that the game is stable when expectations are lowered, others have found it to be a repetitive and buggy mess. GameRant's official review of the game had this to say:

I take no pleasure in bashing a studio's debut, but to play down Samson's fundamental flaws would be to do it a disservice. I could say that maybe you'll enjoy the game if you temper your expectations, or that it will improve once Liquid Swords fixes its crippling bugs, or even that behind its repetitive gameplay and bland story lies the beating heart of passion, but the reality is that Samson is more than just a decent but flawed game. It's a passionless, joyless, derivative chore, and I wouldn't suggest playing it unless you're getting paid to do so.

Balance the critics' averages

Light (6) Medium (8) Hard (10)

Liquid Sword's crime thriller simply failed to connect with many people. SamsonThe repetitive missions and lack of story have disappointed those who were hoping for a richly dark and gripping tale of a man trying to clear his debts and save his sister. Unfortunately, the game's shallow characters hold the story back from reaching its full potential. A flat protagonist combined with clunky and buggy hand-to-hand combat has left many players frustrated, as the environment and general premise held firm promise. Liquid Swords has already assured players of that Samson bug fixes are planned for the future, but it can't fix the story and character flaws.

Samson's story and characters do not live up to their world

There is one bright side that many reviews have cited, and that is Samsons environmental design. The titular protagonist's story takes place in the run-down and dangerous town of Tyndalston, and it's one of the main features that initially started Samsonpp GTA comparisons. Samsons gritty environment looks impressive, but the other puzzle pieces just don't seem to fit.

GTA clones have been fighting ahead of GTA 6's release

Last year featured a notorious one GTA-as it became one of the worst reviewed games of 2025. MindsEye was developed by Build a Rocket Boy, which was founded by ex-Rockstar developer Leslie Benzies. This game takes place in a futuristic Las Vegas-inspired city called Redrock. The premise was cool, the gameplay previews were exciting, but it launched in a bug-ridden state. Even months later MindsEye controversy has spread to claims by Build a Rocket Boy that the game was deliberately sabotaged by sources within the company.

Liquid Swords does not claim internal sabotage, however Samsons disappointing launch parallels MindsEyes unfortunate release. Games like GTA are hard to come by, and hope that Samson could be the indie version of Rockstar's formula that has quickly disappeared. Samson offers a small-scale crime drama, but it just lacks the depth that could take it to the next level.

A brief look at some of the most successful GTA clones

The mafia
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Watch Dogs
Saints Row
The Simpsons: Hit & Run
True crime

What games like Samson and MindsEye mean for GTA 6's release

It's really hard to predict how a game will be released. GTA 6 seems like a shoo-in to be a breakthrough success, but surprises can always happen. There are some things that feel almost certain. GTA 6 will definitely have a big impact on the industry, whether it's good or bad, and games that Samson and MindsEye missing the mark is likely to make cravings for a new one GTA the game even stronger. Lots of players are hungry for more GTA 6 news, and if the game's final stages of development go smoothly, Rockstar is gearing up to ramp up its marketing ahead of November.

GTA 6's elusive third trailer and summer plans

Waiting for a new one GTA 6 the trailer has been almost as wild as the wait for the game itself. Rockstar has released two record-breaking movie trailers featuring Jason, Lucia and a cast of supporting characters reveling in the wild fictional state of Leonida. There's no telling what Trailer 3 will showcase, but plenty of gamers will be flocking to it whenever Rockstar finally decides to share the next sneak peek. GTA 6 trailer theories have been a continuing trend, and the next one can hopefully live up to the hype.

In addition to the third trailer, Take-Two Interactive's February 2026 earnings call revealed that GTA 6s marketing is expected to start in full this summer. Details like price, pre-orders, physical copies and a potential online counterpart have yet to be confirmed, so there's still a lot of information the public is completely unaware of. GTA 6Price is one of the biggest questions players are anxious to get answered. Rockstar's upcoming title has the potential to change more than just the standards of open-world RPGs. It may affect the price levels of AAA games that follow the launch. Almost the entire industry has their eyes on him GTA 6 to see how it could potentially shape the game of the future. The clock is ticking, and long-awaited answers are hopefully just around the corner.