One of the top open-world games is what you need to experience a large adventure at your leisure. Open-world games allow you to go anywhere you like, pursuing the plot at your leisure and finding a tonne of helpful side activities, in contrast to most games that force you to follow a linear path from one level to the next. The best open-world games give you a fantastic sense of freedom and exploration, while the bad ones are boring and repetitive.
Although open-world video games have been present since the 1980s, the environments can now be brought to life thanks to our resources. We have access to fully developed cities, kilometers of diverse terrain, and hundreds of different missions. We only included games that work on current PCs and consoles because it can be challenging to find older platforms.
By reading on, you can discover the top open-world games for the PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
1. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
While Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the latest chapter in Ubisoft’s long-running franchise, it’s arguably not the best. Instead, I advise you to set sail with Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag if you’re in the mood for a historical action/stealth simulation. In this wild pirate adventure, you play as Edward Kenway, a hesitant assassin who also captains an independent warship called the Jackdaw. You’ll run into well-known pirates like Edward “Blackbeard” Thatch and Anne Bonny as you explore the gorgeous Caribbean landscape and discover a Templar plot that imperils the New World. The game does an excellent job with stealth and platforming, but its strongest aspect is ship-to-ship combat.
2. Batman: Arkham City
The first time the series attempted a genuine open-world layout was in Batman: Arkham City. Batman was initially in a restricted setting in the previous game, Batman: Arkham Asylum, which was more of a Metroidvania that gradually opened up as he acquired better equipment. In contrast, Arkham City allows the Caped Crusader to battle fan favorites like Ra’s al Ghul, Mr. Freeze, and the Riddler while he travels through substantial portions of the world. Even Catwoman is playable in a few rambunctious side missions. Arkham City is a pleasure for enthusiasts of comic books with its precise, rhythmic action and a wealth of excellent side objectives.
3. Death Stranding
Death Stranding is most likely the suitable game for you if you enjoy your open-world experiences as deeply strange and a little mysterious. You take on the role of Sam Porter Bridges, a deliveryman on a post-apocalyptic Earth. Sam discovers more about the catastrophe that destroyed society as he delivers ever-more-important goods and why building relationships with people is now more crucial than ever. The game, created by Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima, has an all-star cast that includes Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, and Léa Seydoux. While not everyone will enjoy Death Stranding, it is also not a generic open-world game. You’ll have to give it a try and decide for yourself. Fortunately, Death Stranding is now available on PC Game Pass, making it simpler than ever.
4. Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dragon Age Inquisition can bridge the gap if open-world games feel too vast and aimless for you. This BioWare role-playing game features the brand’s trademarks, including real-time tactical combat, fully realized party members, and many pleasant characters. However, Inquisition differs from previous Dragon Age games because it allows you to travel over ten vast, varied landscapes, including plains, woods, mountains, towns, and more. Although you can’t move around the entire world without stopping, each location serves as a small open world, giving the impression that the game is both expansive and approachable. Your story choices from earlier games can also be imported.
5. Elden Ring
The urgent query, “What if Dark Souls were an open-world game?” is addressed by Elden Ring. The Elden Ring, a potent item that can influence the course of the universe, must be put back together in this FromSoftware masterpiece, which casts you as an intrepid traveler in the dark fantasy Lands between. There, you must combat four wicked demigods. Nearly everything about how you approach this is up to you. Only a few bosses and stages are needed, and the game offers minimal direction regarding your next move. The precise combat and fantastic sense of freedom make up for the intense difficulty and occasionally harsh punishment of the game.
