The Greatest Open World Adventures In Gaming Historical past
Modern gaming is filled with open-world adventures. It feels like every major release goes down this path, no matter if the game calls for it or not. The most recent example is Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, the latest entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy. The original game wasn’t open-world, yet in 2024, everything feels like it must be.
The freedom to explore large areas, approach objectives in multiple ways, and stumble across amusing distractions will always be an excellent format for video games, but some do it better than others. To celebrate the formula and parse the best from the best, have a look at the best open-world games of all time so far.
1. Red Dead Redemption 2
Despite Red Dead Redemption 2 being a few years old now, it still, without question, surpasses other open-world games in terms of its scope or its consistent quality. The hand-crafted world remains chock full of so much to do that players can live through dozens of hours of an outlaw fantasy before even finishing the main campaign. The game’s size seems matched only by its production value with outstanding voice acting, music, graphics, top-notch gameplay, and a story that most Hollywood movies can’t even compare to. Fans of open-world games owe it to themselves to give this one a play.
2. Grand Theft Auto V
It seems that only Rockstar can out-do Rockstar. Red Dead Redemption 2 might be the best in its class, but that’s largely because it had the successes of Grand Theft Auto V to build from. This game blends multiple narratives into a larger tapestry while mixing in dashes of social commentary that keep things fun and spicy as only Rockstar can. GTA V became as much a technical achievement as a masterclass in storytelling, though, giving players a well-made and well-rounded experience that tops all of its predecessors handily.
3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skyrim had some big shoes to fill after Oblivion and Fallout 3 blew players away with the breadth of those open-world games. The sheer amount of choice and freedom those games offer created a new level of expectation among Bethesda fans, and yet, Skyrim managed to break through another ceiling in that regard.
Skyrim has been a household name ever since, even more recognizable than The Elder Scrolls brand itself, and for good reason. While others have bested it in most areas, especially combat, a timeless sort of charm remains that, so far, keeps it from ever fading away. The rich storytelling full of mystery, lore and intrigue remains unlike anything before or after it among open-world games. The modding community continues to breathe life into it today..
4. Minecraft
Lots of open-world games have flirted with open-endedness and minimal storytelling, but none have combined that with such a wonderful encouragement of creativity as Minecraft. Now one of the best-selling games of all time, Minecraft still sits atop the throne when it comes to the crafting and building genre with its bottomless possibilities. It just so happens that the game also plays like an excellent open-world full of endless exploration.
Many changes have come to the game since its release, but have never lost that perfect balance of depth and simplicity only Minecraft seems able to strike. By not playing this game, one would only be depriving themselves of an almost child-like wonder that few games have ever been able to conjure.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda has taken many forms since its inception, and Tears of the Kingdom could be considered the best permutation yet. Unparalleled freedom and addictive crafting coupled with timeless Zelda storytelling create one of the best open-world games of all time here and, thus, one of the best Zelda games, too. Creating wild contraptions and cooking delicious dishes could be a game in and of themselves, but they are only one part of this grand adventure.
6. Batman Arkham City
The Batman Arkham open-world games all have their strong points, but Arkham City, the second game in the main trilogy, has the best mix of Arkham elements. The fluid combat from the first game returns but with a massive open Gotham full of crimes to solve, bosses to overcome, and, of course, hundreds of thugs to pummel. Batman’s tools bring a lot to the experience as well. The grappling hook can launch the dark knight off of most ledges, while his cap can be used to glide for long distances, keeping our hero in the air for long periods of time if need be.
7. Horizon Forbidden West
Everything Guerrilla Games got right with Horizon Zero Dawn kicked up a notch for its sequel, Forbidden West. Aloy’s character feels further fleshed out, combat feels more kinetic, and the sheer amount of machines to take on has been increased to a notable level. Forbidden West also takes its wild science fiction story to even great heights, as it does the exploration. Unlike a lot of open-world games, even the most cookie-cutter side missions can lead to the unexpected, with optional boss fights, additional exploration, and unique mechanics popping up everywhere.
8. Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima accomplishes many things, but first and foremost, it blossoms into an outstanding open-world game full of beauty and mystery. Jin Sakai’s tale of conflict and resolution serves as the backdrop for the player to deviate from at their leisure as they upgrade weapons, rescue hostages, and liberate camps from the Mongol invaders. While we recommend playing this on the PS5 over the PS4 given the bump in performance, no matter how it gets played, just ensure that it does.
9. Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas felt like the black sheep of the Fallout family at first, as it does feel and look a bit different from its predecessor in a number of ways, but with time, more and more players acknowledge New Vegas as the classic open-world title that it has always been. The multi-dimensional characters and engaging story excel beyond most of its contemporaries. The faction system brings lots of depth to the role-playing that fans come to Fallout for.
10. Sleeping Dogs
Calling Sleeping Dogs “Grand Theft Auto in Hong Kong” isn’t inaccurate, but it’s kind of like calling Michael Jordan a bad baseball player – overlooking the more note-worthy characteristics of the topic at hand.
Multiple choices that affect the storyline, a polished driving system, and Wei Shen’s delicate balancing act between his mission as an undercover cop and his growing relationships with those in Hong Kong’s crime-ridden underbelly remain a fascinating narrative to see unfold. On top of that, some interesting combat and a dense open-world make Sleeping Dogs an excellent example of an open-world game.
11. Saints Row: The Third
Most Saints Row fans agree; The Third has always topped the franchise. The serious tone of the first two entries feels lightened up here, but not so much as to become the barrel of nonsense of the fourth one. It strikes the perfect balance between Saints Row humor and the semi-realistic crime-spree that made this series an excellent alternative to Grand Theft Auto for so long. Insane weapons and outrageous mission variety only scratch the surface of describing this classic title, so we suggest giving it a shot.
12. Far Cry 6
Far Cry’s various forms all have their strong points, and depending on the player, there could be a case to make for any one of them, but we think Far Cry does best in a setting south of the equator and with a wackier set of weapons and characters. Visually, the game looks stunning with a surprising amount of variety. The AI of enemies and compadres alike? Top-notch. The improved weapon variety also ensures at least a few loadouts will work for anyone. Giancarlo Esposito also plays the most potent antagonist in the franchise’s history.
13. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Easily the best Spider-Man game to date, Marvel’s and Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2 presents a knockout package. Excellent modern graphics polished to a sheen despite the additional square footage make this sequel’s open world bigger and better than the last one, but the slick combat and varied open-world gameplay elements become the real stars of the show. With yet another thrilling Marvel-style story to usher players through it, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will go down as yet another touchstone for open-world games.
14. Mafia 3
The Mafia games still haven’t quite topped their contemporaries in most areas, but Mafia 3’s open world remains a fantastic example of the genre done right. The 1960s New Orleans setting does a great job differentiating Mafia 3 from other games in the genre as well as the previous Mafia games themselves, which took place decades prior.
Having its own era gives the game a lot of room to inject social commentary and set dressing that reflects that era quite well. Aside from encapsulating the social and cultural climate of the era, it also remarks on the societal divides that continue to this day, making its story one of the more underrated ones in the genre. The openness extends from the world design to how the player chooses to execute missions, with most buildings having multiple entry points and multiple play styles feeling supported most of the time. While it stumbles in some departments, overall, Mafia 3 remains a great open-world game.
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