10 Best Open World Games -

Open world games give the player an immense amount of freedom. You’re no longer limited by linear level design; if you see it in the game, you can go there.

The best open world games capitalize on this freedom, delivering an unforgettable experience in which the world itself is the star of the show.

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

There’s a reason Bethesda releases Skyrim on every console imaginable. Its epic open world is the main character, allowing players the freedom to see and do as they please.

In fact, it’s commonplace for people to ignore the main story and spend hundreds of hours exploring the world, completing side quests. That’s how you discover the most enjoyable parts of the game: venturing off the beaten path.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

It turns out that the Metal Gear Solid franchise always deserved to be open world.

Bringing the tactical stealth action gameplay to an open world environment is a no brainer. You already had a decent amount of freedom, but the open world opens up new horizons.

Combined with the fact that The Phantom Pain isn’t afraid not to take itself seriously, you have a winning formula.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

As impressive as Breath of the Wild was in 2017, Tears of the Kingdom takes things to a new level.

Expanding upon an already impressive Hyrule and adding a new world above and below the ground adds an incredible amount of content to an already jam-packed game.

Then there’s the crafting element, allowing players to build vehicles and abuse the game’s physics engine to solve puzzles or cause mayhem. The result is a massive accomplishment in gaming and a landmark achievement in the open world genre.

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Grand Theft Auto 5

Ever since Grand Theft Auto transitioned to a 3D world on the PlayStation 2, video games have never been the same.

While we’re still impatiently waiting for Grand Theft Auto 6, GTA 5 is still the benchmark as one of the best open world games.

Transitioning between three playable characters on the fly means you can maneuver around the world quicker than ever, allowing you to always stay where the action is.

Cyberpunk 2077

Sprint through an overbuilt and chaotic metropolis, skirt corrupt Corpos, outsmart cops, romance allies, and upgrade your body using top-tier technology — it’s all possible in Cyberpunk 2077.

In Night City — an oxymoronic name for a city that never sleeps — players can use “preem” wheels, body mods, or rely on interpersonal connections to explore CD Projekt Red’s massive digital dystopia.

Red Dead Redemption 2

When it comes to immersive open worlds, you’re just not going to beat Red Dead Redemption 2. The incredible detail and seemingly endless side quests make the game feel like a living, breathing organism.

Years later, players are still discovering hidden elements in the story. The time and attention the developers put into this vast environment is on full display, whether you’re in the midst of a gunfight, solving murders, or simply fishing lakeside during a beautiful sunset.

Forza Horizon 5

What’s remarkable is that as a racing game, you wouldn’t think the open world environment would do Forza Horzion 5 any favors. Yet despite that notion, this game wouldn’t be as great without the open world.

The Forza Horizon franchise aims to combine an open world exotic location with cars and music. Forza Horizon 5 transcends this and becomes the ultimate destination getaway. Half the joy is spent driving around Mexico and enjoying sights and sounds. Plus, you’ll find some cool cars along the way, too.

Marvel’s Spider-Man

Superhero games haven’t enjoyed success alongside the boom of superhero movies. That all changed, though, with 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man.

The game does an excellent job of capturing the look and feel of being Spider-Man. As great as the combat is, developer Insomniac Games continues to knock it out of the park. Nothing beats web-slinging across New York City.

Elden Ring

The Dark Souls franchise has always done a great job encouraging expiration in its level design. Past entries, though, were limited by linear map design.

Elden Ring changes the formula and embraces non-linear design, resulting in one of the best open world games you can ever experience. Once you escape the game’s introductory area, you’re ushered into the open world and everything that awaits you—no training wheels, no sense of direction, just you and a sense of adventure. This is the pinnacle of FromSoftware design.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth

After changing the core combat to a turn-based system and moving on to a new main character in the last installment, the player is now changing settings by traveling to Hawaii. A change of location made Infinite Wealth feel like a breath of fresh air.

Once again, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio creates an emotionally charged story that is hard to forget. Ichiban tries to find and save his mother while we watch our once invincible Kiryu succumb slowly to cancer. The two stories are blended into a wild roller coaster ride that you will enjoy every minute of.

The masterful blending of the serious story and wacky side quests is some of the best of the series. Whether you are fighting through droves of Yakuza, collecting Sujimon, or building up your island resort, Infinite Wealth has no problem sucking you into the immersive world.

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