The open world is a type of genre of games which is exceptional. It is a big factor which can make or break any game’s popularity. Usually, it is best suited with the action-adventure theme, but in the recent times, most of the games come with open world environment. So, here in this section, I am going to mention the best open world games mixed with a variety of genres.
I like the fact that how most of the power lies in player’s hand when you are playing open world games. This is because there are no set rules for exploration and you can move to anywhere giving the scope of discovery. And hence I think you should check out this section too.
25 Best Open World Games
There were like hundreds of fantastic and favorite open world games, and it was breaking my heart to ditch some of them out of this list. But of course, I can’t mention them all here. So, here we go with this power-packed list which is featuring 25 best open world games and I hope that you will like them.
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Website: http://www.elderscrolls.com/skyrim
If I could give an award for best open world games, then it would surely go to Skyrim. It is an action role-playing game set in an open world environment with graphics and visuals to drool over. The player takes up a character who is on a quest to save the world.
It can be controlled from first or third person perspective where the ultimate goal of the game is to defeat a dragon named Alduin.
However, there is no compulsion, and the player can choose to freely roam around in the gaming world too. After the first stage of the quest finishes everything depends on the player’s will that whether he wants to complete the goal or discover the game world.
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2. Grand Theft Auto V
Website: http://www.rockstargames.com/V/
I am 1000% sure that you would have been aware of this all-time popular game series of GTA. This is the 5th main installment which is set in the open world of San Andreas’s countryside and fictional city of Los Santos.
People always remain die-hard fans of such best open world games because of the liberty and control they give to the player.
Set in the action-adventure theme, it can be played in both single-player and multiplayer gaming modes. The player can be controlled from first person or third person perspective and can either navigate on foot or by vehicles. There are missions set in linear scenarios, or the player can choose to roam too freely.
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3. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Website: http://www.konami.jp/mgs5/
It is the 9th installment of Metal Gear Solid that I am talking about in this list of best open world games. The Phantom Pain is a game based on the genre of action adventure and stealth. The plot is set in the year 1984 where the player takes control of the character Punished “Venom” Snake.
The character can be controlled from a third-person perspective, but I think before you play this installment you should play the prologue called Ground Zeroes.
Anyway, the game demands more hiding and sneaking rather than getting involved in combats. The game goes on real-time, and apart from the single-player mode, you can choose the online multiplayer mode too.
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4. Horizon Zero Down
Website: https://www.guerrilla-games.com/play/horizon
Next one to join this list of best open world games is Horizon Zero Down which is a type of Action RPG. The game focuses on a female protagonist Aloy who is an outcast hunter and archer living in a world overrun by machines.
Apart from the typical action game, HZD also exhibits the characteristics of stealth game too as Aloy fights with machines she can save their spear parts to use for herself. She can use a variety of weapons to save herself.
The game only follows single player gaming where the concept of Skill Tree is also followed. The game is controlled from third person perspective and mainly revolves around open world exploration.
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5. Assassin’s Creed Origins
Website: https://assassinscreed.ubisoft.com/
As I said earlier than you get to see the open world environment mostly in action adventure games and Assassin’s Creed Origins seems to be making this point quite valid. The 10th installment of AC series, its plot is set in Egypt near the end of Ptolemaic Period (49-47BC).
The player can be controlled from a third-person perspective, and this game makes an excellent option in the category of online open world games.
Player complete quests set in linear scenarios and can use the element of stealth to stay alive. Apart from the quests, roaming freely on foot or animals are also allowed. There are optional side-quests to unlock new weapons and equipment.
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6. Watch Dogs 2
Website: http://watchdogs.com/
Another one in this list of best open world games which also happens to be an action adventure game is Watch Dogs 2. The game is played from a third-person perspective where the player controls the character of Marcus Holloway.
The game is set in the fictional version of San Francisco Bay Area. The main objective of the game is to hack the city’s surveillance system, and there are multiple ways to do so.
Apart from playing single, the player can complete the missions in cooperative multiplayer mode too. The game also features stealth element too, and the player can explore around either on foot or vehicles.
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7. Mad Max
Website: http://www.madmaxgame.com/
Featuring an open world set in a post-apocalyptic setting, this action adventure game belongs to Mad Max franchise. So, the player takes control of the character of Max who is progressing through the wasteland, and his objective is to seek revenge from Scabrous Scrotus.
Apart from being an excellent pick for the category of best open world games, Mad Max also focus heavily on vehicular combat but in single playing gaming mode only.
In fact, the 60% part of the game focuses on vehicular combat only which is fun because you get to see a lot of modifications regarding vehicles here. The ultimate car used here is Magnum Opus which is the main highlight of the game.
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8. No Man’s Sky
Website: https://www.nomanssky.com/
I found the concept of No Man’s Sky quite entertaining as it incorporates survival theme with open world environment which works kind of a bonus. Mixed with action-adventure elements, No Man’s Sky makes one of the best open world games on this list.
The four major elements of this game are combat, exploration, survival, and trading and the player is controlled from the first-person perspective.
The player is a specimen of alien humanoid planetary explorer, and the game starts from a random planet. The player needs to survive amidst various challenges and collecting resources remains an important task for this survival. The player also needs to repair an aircraft so he can travel across planets.
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9. Infamous
Website: https://www.mobygames.com/game/infamous
In this game, the player controls the character of Cole MacGrath who somehow gains electricity-based superpowers after getting caught in an explosion. Now the player is given the objective to restore the city through his powers.
So, Infamous is all about adventure in open world scenario power packed with action element and hence makes a great pick for the category of best open world games.
The player is controlled from third person perspective and interacting with environment remains important throughout. Throughout the game, you need to keep up with Cole’s electricity meter as it goes down as Cole bears damage and if the meter goes null, then it can even kill the character too.
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10. Revelation Online
Website: https://ro.my.com/
Finally, it is the time to talk about some free open world games, and Revelation Online makes a perfect option under this category. This is a type of MMORPG which is based on a large and seamless open world environment and hence provoking for mass exploration.
The game proposes the concept of unrestricted fights and player is free to navigate to wherever he wants irrespective of the quests.
The game features PvE mode where the player can reach up to level 69, and there is also the PvP mode which is set in the open world and not restricted under any rules. Apart from it, before the game begins the player can choose from 7 given classes.
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11. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Website: http://zelda.com/breath-of-the-wild/
Breath of the Wild belongs to the iconic Zelda game series, and hence I included it in the list of best open world games. The only task of this game is to roam freely in this open world environment.
The game follows the story of the protagonist Link who is tasked to defeat Calamity Ganon as usual and on this quest he needs to go through a lot of twists and turns. This is a single player game based on the theme of action and adventure where collecting resource helps a lot.
You need to interact with NPCs to guide further, solve puzzles, explore around, use weapons, and complete the side-quests to keep going in this game.
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12. Dying Light
Website: http://dyinglightgame.com/
For all those people who have been looking for a power packed best open world games, Dying Light is going to prove the best option for them. This is a survival horror game controlled from first-person perspective and rides high on the elements of action and adventure which means a total package.
In this game, you take up the character of Kyle Crane who is sent to the quarantine zone of city Harran. And in this zombie area, he needs to survive anyhow.
The theme of a zombie apocalypse is highlighted amazingly throughout the game as your main purpose is to explore in the open world and keep killing these infected people. The combat is amazing, and you can play it in both single player and multiplayer modes.
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13. The Division
Website: http://tomclancy-thedivision.ubi.com/
Tom Clancy’s Division or The Division is an online only game hailing from the category of action role-playing. The plot takes place after a smallpox pandemic in the futuristic New York City. And you as a player takes the character of a special agent of homeland division.
You are going to see the elements of survival here too making it a perfect choice for best open world games to keep you on the edge of your seat all the time.
The game can be played in online multiplayer mode only where the player can freely roam around in the open world mid-crisis environment. The main objective of the game is to investigate the source of the virus by exploring as much as you can.
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14. Fallout 4
Website: http://www.fallout4.com/
We are again mentioning one more action role-playing game on this list of best open world games and this time it is the 5th installment of the Fallout series. The plot of the game is set in the open world post-apocalyptic environment in the city of Boston of the year 2287.
Fallout 4 runs in only single player gaming mode, and the player assumes the role of the sole survivor who is on a mission to find his missing son.
For this mission, the player needs to explore the open world environment. The gameplay runs on the basis of acquiring experience points which heavily affects the level and abilities of the player.
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15. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Website: http://thewitcher.com/en/witcher3
The Witcher 3 is hands down one of the best open world PC games made ever. Wild Hunt takes place in open world environment and followed from third person perspective. Here, the player controls the character of Geralt of Rivia also called Witcher who is on a mission to find his missing daughter.
For the combat, the player is given a variety of weapons and magic too. Apart from combat, interacting with NPCs, completing main and side quests and acquiring experience points are the other elements of the game.
The game features only single player gaming mode where the player can perform a variety of movements like run, roll, climb, swim, dodge, etc.
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16. Mafia II
Website: http://www.2kgames.com/mafia2/
Mafia II is a comparatively edgy action-adventure game than most of the other best open world games mentioned here. The plot of the game is set in the fictional Empire Bay area of NYC. The player takes the role of a gangster, Vito Scaletta who is on a mission to climb through the ranks of mafia crime families.
The gameplay is controlled from a third-person perspective, and the player can either travel on foot or by the help of a vehicle.
The era belongs to 40s and 50s and also focus on mainly vehicular combat featuring 30-40 types of vehicles. The game highly relies on stealth element and can only be played in single-player mode.
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17. Terraria
Website: http://www.terraria.org/
So, finally, there is a sandbox based game in this list of best open world games. Terraria is a 2D action adventure game set in sandbox open world environment. The gameplay highly relies on elements of exploration, crafting, building and combat with a variety of creatures.
You can directly compare it to Minecraft where the element of survival also matters. You can play it in both single player and multiplayer gaming modes.
In the start of the game, the player is given a procedurally generated world and also given three tools, i.e. pickaxe, axe, and shortsword. As the game proceeds, the further player can acquire health and magic points to create new opportunities.
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18. Saints Row IV
Website: http://www.saintsrow.com/
The next option under the list of best open world games is a type of action adventure game set in the open world environment. It can be played in both single-player and multiplayer gaming modes. The player takes the role of the leader of a street gang, 3rd Street Saints.
The gameplay is controlled from a third-person perspective where the player is free to explore the gaming world and move wherever he wants.
The player can either proceed according to the story or can also choose to complete side missions too. The main task is to fight through an alien invasion as the player has become POTUS and possessed superpowers.
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19. Red Dead Redemption
Website: http://www.rockstargames.com/reddeadredemption
Red Dead Redemption is also a type of action adventure game but set in the western theme. The plot belongs to the year 1911 where the player takes the role of John Marston, a former outlaw with a mission to serve to govt. As his wife and son are abducted by them.
There are various missions which are set out in a linear form of a scenario, and the player is controlled from third person perspective.
The player can get involved in combat, and he has various firearms to help him, or he can interact with the environment by freely exploring it. In both the ways, this option makes a different addition to the list of best open world games.
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20. Middle Earth: Shadow of War
Website: https://www.shadowofwar.com/
If you love to play open world PS4 games, then you would surely like this game called Shadow of War. This is an action role-playing game set between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Here the player takes the role of a ranger Talion who is accompanied by an elf lord Celebrimbor.
The gameplay is controlled from a third-person perspective where the player roams freely around the open world environment with the ultimate aim to defeat Sauron.
Apart from the combating abilities of himself, the player can also use elf lord’s magical powers too as they share the same body of Talion. This unique element makes the game even more fun to play.
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21. Minecraft
Website: https://www.minecraft.net/
Minecraft comes under those types of best open world games, which inspires so many other games too. It is a top-rated sandbox game based on the theme of survival. It features both single player and multiplayer gaming modes too.
The game mainly focuses on the building simulation property where the player needs to build using a variety of cubes in 3D procedurally generated the world.
Other elements of the game include crafting, exploration, combat and resource gathering. There are so many modes in Minecraft like survival mode, creative mode, adventure mode, spectator mode, etc. The gameplay is controlled from first person or third person perspective. The game gives a large amount of freedom to the player to choose that how to play it.
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22. Sleeping Dogs
Website: http://www.sleepingdogs.net/
The next inclusion in the list of best open world games is Sleeping Dogs which is a type of action adventure game. The game focus on the character of an undercover police officer Wei Shen. The plot is set in contemporary Hong Kong and mainly focus on fighting, shooting and parkour abilities of Shen.
The game also takes into account other activities too like exploration and combat. But the icing on the cake remains the open world environment of the game as it gives an immense control to the player.
The combat is stylized in the form of beat em up, and the game supports only single player gaming mode.
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23. Far Cry 4
Website: http://far-cry.ubi.com/en-US/
A first-person shooter game originally, Far Cry 4 also rides high on action-adventure element too. The player takes control of the character of Ajay Ghale and his struggle to get through a civil war. The plot features a fictional Himalayan country, Kyrat.
Far Cry 4 features both single player and multiplayer gaming mode but largely focuses on the elements of combat and exploration.
There is some role-playing elements involved in Far Cry 4 too like character customization, side quests and branching storyline depending upon the player’s actions. The player can perform a variety of activities which supports him to sneak around and defend himself from enemies.
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24. Cause 3
Website: http://www.justcause.com/
Moving on to this list of best open world games, Just Cause 3 adds another feather in this category. This is an action-adventure video game whose plot is set 6 years after its predecessor. The game follows the protagonist Rico Rodriguez, and you can control him from third person perspective.
The game is mainly known for its open world environment, and the destruction mechanics of Just Cause 3 is also pretty strong.
The entire gaming world is divided into 5 different biomes, and each of them has various landmarks and landscapes giving another complement to its open-world system.
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25. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Website: https://www.kingdomcomerpg.com/
And the final pick for this series of best open world games PC is Kingdom Come: Deliverance. This is an action role-playing game set in the medieval Kingdom of Bohemia. The game features historically accurate content.
Before the game starts, you can choose your character on the basis of different skills, and it is then controlled from the first-person perspective.
As you proceed further in the game, the skills and stats keep on growing and largely depends on the action taken by players. In fact, the game also features simulation characteristics where it is important for the player to sleep and eat to stay healthy. The game has a huge open world scenario where the player can roam freely.
Compatible with:
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Conclusion
25 is a big count when you are talking about the best open world games. In fact, you would not even be able to complete a single game even in months. This is the beauty of open world games that you get to know a lot about the game which has not been discovered earlier.
The free roaming worlds are always welcoming and gives rise to gamer’s curiosity. Well, they often go on to mislead the player from the main goal too but eventually it is all fun to play these games. The graphics are on point, and these open world seems like real. This is why it is one of the most loved genre of gaming.
