Open world games have become personal favorites of so many gamers lately. Who wouldn’t love to roam around beautiful game worlds as they wish? Keep aside all the main quests and missions and enjoy!
Here we discuss some of the best open-world games out there you can play this year.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the best open-world games that is ever made. The developers of Red Dead Redemption 2 created a massive open world. The game features an 80`s wild west country of outlaws. You play as Arthur Morgan who is an outlaw.
The open-world game features the story of a bunch of outlaws trying to outrun the changing world and modernization happening around them. The slow-paced game progression might not impress everyone. The game released with great graphics good gameplay, an incredible story, and a big open world to roam on.
The open-world might seem empty at times with marshlands and swamps. But in reality, RDR 2 is filled with animals, stranger missions, places to loot, mysteries, and many more fun things to explore.
Pros:
- Detailed open world
- Excellent story
- Excellent gameplay
Cons:
- Slow-paced game
- In-game money making is tough
Key Features: Combat system | Photo mode | Choice-based game story | Hunting | Crafting
Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
Witcher 3 The Wild Hunt which came as the third game in the Witcher series had lots of hopes and expectations. CD Projekt Red has managed to satisfy almost all those expectations and has become one of the best open-world games. Apart from the fairly good combat system, Witcher 3 was perfect in almost all other aspects.
In The RPG game Witcher 3, you play as Geralt of Rivia who is a professional monster hunter. The story deals with Geralt’s quest in finding Ciri. She is like a daughter to Geralt. Witcher 3 provided a massive and detailed open world with lots of monsters and creatures to kill. There was something to be discovered in each corner of the open-world.
The game featured different regions with very different topography and designs, Each beautiful in its way. Witcher 3 has a great main story and side quests. The full story completion will take about 200+ hours of gameplay. It is one of the best open-world games of all time.
Pros:
- Detailed graphics
- Uses lesser resources
- Interesting side missions
Cons:
- Average combat system
- The game seems very hard in the beginning
Key Features: Exploration | Abilities, and Equipment | Monster hunts | Choice and consequences
Download: PC | PS4 | Nintendo Switch
Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is the best open-world game developed by Nintendo. It is a masterpiece with its unique features.
As we play as the main character link, This game introduces us to the Hyrule kingdom which is a large open world. The open-world contains lots of puzzles collectibles and mythical robotic creatures to tame. The game mechanics look awesome in the open-world survival game.
This open-world game manages to keep the player busy by providing something interesting on every corner of the map. The players will start loving the Hyrule kingdom from the first glance. The ability to cook, climb big towers, find new weapons, killing mythical creatures, and many more things make this open-world game stands as one of the best open-world games of all time.
Pros:
- Large open world
- Awesome play
- Good story
Cons:
- Decaying weapons feel annoying
- Cartoon-like graphics
Key Features: Abilities and customization | Puzzles | Interactive open world
Download: Nintendo Switch
Grand Theft Auto 5
Grand Theft Auto 5 released by rockstar games has managed to become one of the best open-world games of all time. Even after 7 years from the initial release and a couple of re-releases, Grand Theft Auto 5 still manages to be on top of the chart.
Grand Theft Auto 5 is set up in Los Santos which is a fictional place inspired by Los Angeles. Los Santos is filled with quests, interactive strangers, and lots of real-world inspired places for you to roam around.
The main story of the game deal with 3 protagonists Michael, Trevor, and Franklin. Forests, off-road tracks, beaches, pubs, bars, supercars – you can do anything in Los Santos that you wished to do in real life.
The Much lively neighborhood along with missions that give a cinematic feel makes the game one of the best open-world games out there. GTA 5 can also be played with your friends as a co-op. GTA 5 Online has a massive online world with a lot of players.
Pros:
- Optimized game
- Easy modding features
- Online multiplayer feature
Cons:
- Expensive game
- Driving mechanics are not so good
Key Features: Online multiplayer | Co-op gameplay | Customization options | Large no of DLC‘s
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrim released in 2011 still stands as one of the best open-world games ever made. Skyrim gave an idea of what all an open-world game should have and what all shouldn’t. From designing your custom character to finding and killing dragons, Skyrim had everything for someone who loves open-world games.
The Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrim has mythical creatures, a large variety of humans, dungeons to explore, forests to conquer, and beasts to kill. Keeping aside the fairly average combat system, Skyrim is one of the most popular open-world games of all time.
Skyrim even offers an online game world for players still sunk in the world of Skyrim. The game also offers the feature to mod the game to bring newer features and graphics enhancements to the game.
Pros:
- Large open world
- Great modding capabilities
- Online multiplayer support
Cons:
- Average combat system
- Old generation graphics
Key Features: Mythical creatures | Dragons | Customization | Dungeons | Switchable players view perspective
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the latest from the Assasin’s Creed series, stands among the best open-world games. The developers were able to build a massive open world. In Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, players can roam around in ancient Greece as a badass mercenary.
Assassins creed odyssey has one of the largest open-world out there in a game. You can play as Alexios, the male character, or Kassandra, the female character in this role-playing online open world game.
Mercenaries to kill, animals to hunt and tame, legendary beasts, ancient greek demons, and many more exciting things are waiting for you in AC Odyssey. The game even features an incredible DLC which lets you play in 3 new completely different regions including Atlantis.
Pros:
- Beautiful open world
- Huge level of customization
- Excellent combat system
Cons:
- Less optimized game
- Highly hardware demanding game.
Key Features: RPG | Abilities | Weapons | Large Open World
Download: PC | PS4 | Xbox | Nintendo Switch (Japan)
Related: 7 Best Nintendo Switch Controllers for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Zero Dawn was released as a PS4 exclusive but later launched on PC. The open-world game offers a post-apocalyptic open-world after the end of modern civilization. In this game, we play as Aloy a human outcast who has a lot of mysteries in her life.
The main story progress on the quest of solving Aloy’s mysteries. The open-world game features humane elements along with large metal creatures like dinosaurs. The Horizon Zero Dawn offers an open world with a lot of metal beasts and enemies.
Exploring bunkers, Killing large beasts, climbing a tall neck, and beautiful open world make the game thrilling. This is by far one of the best open-world games for a PS4 and PC.
Pros:
- Combat system
- Large bestiary
- Beautiful open-world
Cons:
- Glitches in PC
- Optimization issues with graphics
Key Features: Primitive weapons | Large metallic beasts | Large open world
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Insomniac game’s Spider-Man was a PlayStation hit. Insomniac implemented a great combat system into a large open world to make Marvel’s Spider-Man one of the best open-world games of the PS4.
Along with a great main story with a lot of Marvel villains, The game lets you explore the city in spiderman style. Swinging, jumping, and climbing on top of the largest building, everything is possible in Spiderman.
Marvel’s Spider-Man open world game features a great combat system which makes the game even more thrilling. If you are a fan of open-world games and own a PS4, spiderman will never disappoint you.
Pros:
- Great combat mechanism
- Exciting gameplay
- Great swing mechanics
Cons:
- PS4 exclusive
- Low graphics and framerates
Key Features: Swinging mechanism | Customization option | Supervillains
Download: PS4
Related: PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S: Which Console Should You Buy
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands is one of the biggest open-world games in which the player can decide where to go and what to do from the first mission itself. The main storyline deals with the eradication of the Santa Blanca drug cartel.
With the open world game, you can play solo or as co-op along with 3 of your friends. The game provides exciting new modes and gameplay systems. You can approach each mission in your style, be stealth, or go guns blazing along with your gadgets.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands offers a large variety of weaponry with huge customization options. The large open world is filled with lots of missions to uncover. Although the story feels a bit laggy at times.
Pros:
- Large open world
- Free to choose any playstyle
- Large weapon collection
Cons:
- Hardware demanding game
- Some missions feel sloppy
Key Features: Player customization | Weapon customization | Different playstyles | Online combat system
Far Cry 5
Farcry 5 developed by Ubisoft was the fifth game of the FarCry series. Farcry 5 is a good first-person shooter game in its own way. The game offers a large open-world named hope county.
Farcry 5 is one of the best looking games of the Far Cry series. You have a lot of things to do in the large open world within the game. Kill some animals, raid a military camp, find a new ally – Far cry 5 has a lot of missions to do.
The variety of weapons and abilities make Far Cry even more interesting. Even though it had some issues with the ending, Far Cry 5 is one of the best survival open-world games.
Pros:
- Thrilling gameplay
- Co-op game mode with friends
- Optimized game
Cons:
- The ending was split to make another game
- Lacks a highly thrilling story compared to Far Cry 3 & 4
Key Features: Survival | FPS | Co-op | Large open world | Co-op mode to play along with your friends
All the open-world games listed here provide some great features. Some of them excel in almost all areas. But all of them provide a large open-world to roam around and things to do. Try these open-world games and find which one becomes your favorite.