Just like you probably enjoy getting to choose your own path in real life, you want to have the same freedom in your favorite video game. Open-world games have become a major trend alongside live-service games and FPS games. They are some of the best PS5 games, best Xbox Series X games, and best Switch games thanks to the level of freedom they give the play to explore and take on challenges in their own way.
While this genre of gaming can be a little intimidating for anyone without tons of experience in gaming, there are plenty of great open-world games to choose from. Ranging from first-person shooter games to RPGs and action-adventure titles, our list will have something for everyone.
If you somehow can’t find what you’re looking for, there are plenty of upcoming video games that willl get you excited.
Elden Ring
95%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
FromSoftware
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment, FromSoftware
Release
February 25, 2022
If there’s one thing you can always count on from a FromSoftware game, it’s that it’ll be a hell of an experience. While Dark Souls may have propelled the developer to stardom, it’s Elden Ring that secured the studio as one of the greatest of all time. Elden Ring brings all the punishing combat and tense environmental challenges to an utterly massive open-world adventure overflowing with secrets that run so deep that many players may never even stumble on entire biomes within it. It is, without a doubt, one of the most stunning examples of an open world ever made and shouldn’t be missed.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
89%
Platforms
PlayStation 5
Genre
Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer
Insomniac Games
Publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release
October 20, 2023
Though Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales were exceptional open-world action-adventure games, it’s really Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 that sees the series truly meet its potential. Everything here is bigger, bolder, and more exciting than ever, providing players with an opportunity to play as both Peter and Miles on a quest that sees them working side-by-side while also dealing with personal conflicts that threaten to pull them apart. If you’re a fan of web-slinging fun, there’s no better Spider-Man game on the market.
Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut
90%
Platforms
PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Sucker Punch Productions
Publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release
August 20, 2021
As a PS4 game, Ghost of Tsushima was stunning. On PS5, it still held up as one of the most beautiful open-worlds ever crafted, but since it came to PC it is easily worthy of your money just to lay eyes on. The fact that it is a tragic and deeply cultural story about honor in the face of death, family, and heritage with some of the best samurai combat you can get only cements its status. Not enough can be said about its brilliant design that forgoes the standard map markers and waypoints for environmental cues to lead you to your next objective or point of interest. No side quest feels like busywork and no collectible is a chore or unrewarding to collect. This game has given us very high expectations for the upcoming Ghost of Yotei to see how it can outdo this masterpiece.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
95%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 3
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
May 12, 2023
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild redefined open worlds when it launched in 2017, but somehow Nintendo managed to make its 2023 follow-up The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom everything a sequel should be and then some. It fixes a variety of tedious aspects from the original, giving players significantly more options for efficiently traversing the world and providing thrilling new powers that change up gameplay in the best possible way. Fans will probably be comparing this duology for decades to come, but Tears of the Kingdom wins our vote and is one of the greatest open-world titles available.
Forza Horizon 5
85%
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One
Genre
Racing
Developer
Playground Games
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Release
November 09, 2021
Yes, you’re in a vehicle for the entirety of Forza Horizon 5, but the latest game from Playground feels much more like an open-world game than a racing simulator. The hills and deserts of Mexico are filled with drifting challenges, ramps to jump, speed traps, and hidden cars to collect, and when you do finally try out a race, many of them take you on cross-country journeys through the some breathtaking environments that look amazing at blazing speeds or when you’re parked. Friends can drop into your game at any moment, as well, and you can drive around tackling the many challenges together.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
88%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher
Bethesda Softworks
Release
November 10, 2011
The standard by which other open-world games have been measured since its release in 2011, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the best Bethesda game ever made — and given the number of ports it has received on everything from the Nintendo Switch to PlayStation VR, the company knows it. Set in an unforgiving and often frozen world filled with undead creatures, giants, and plenty of fire-breathing dragons, Skyrim is so packed full of memorable lore and quests that it’s almost impossible to see the game in its entirety. Of course, that hasn’t stopped players from trying.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
94%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
CD Projekt RED
Publisher
WB Games, Bandai Namco Entertainment, cdp.pl, Spike ChunSoft
Release
May 19, 2015
CD Projekt Red has a knack for telling intimate and grounded stories despite magic and fantasy elements so prevalent in its work, and this has never been more apparent than in The Witcher III: Wild Hunt. Set in an absolutely enormous open world filled with countless quests, The Witcher III somehow avoids having any filler. The characters you meet are all interesting, the smallest side quests have unique and often funny twists and turns, and the environments are stunningly realized. It can be rather overwhelming, but those who only plan on playing one game for the next few years can do a whole lot worse.
Batman: Arkham City
87%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, OnLive Game System, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer
Rocksteady Studios
Publisher
WB Games, DC Entertainment
Release
October 18, 2011
The best-realized version of Rocksteady Games’ Batman adventure, Batman: Arkham City has everything a fan could want in a video game. Gotham City’s closed-off prison has expanded into the streets, with gangs and famous villains free to commit heinous crimes with little repercussion. The odds are stacked against the Caped Crusader, whose battle with the Joker reaches a climactic boiling point. Soaring through the air, throwing gadgets, and just pummeling enemies into oblivion feels amazing, and there are a ton of collectibles hidden in the city’s many nooks and crannies.
Horizon Forbidden West
86%
3.5/5
Platforms
PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Guerrilla Games
Publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release
February 18, 2022
The competition for PS5 games with the best graphics was high right from the start of the generation, but not many can make that claim and also be a fully open-world experience. Horizon Forbidden West is still a technical marvel to behold, which makes it all the more fun to explore. In this sequel, Aloy journeys to an all new land with new mechanical monsters to hunt, biomes to explore, and deeper mysteries to solve. The combat is dynamic and slick thanks to tons of weapons and skills to unlock, but mainly because of how you can use the world itself to your advantage. This is a big play area, too, that is unlike any other you will find at this level of detail and scope.
Grand Theft Auto V
89%
Platforms
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Release
June 15, 2022
Rockstar practically invented the modern open-world game with Grand Theft Auto III, and the series was never better than it was in 2013’s Grand Theft Auto V. Set in the gorgeous Los Santos and surrounding metropolitan area, Grand Theft Auto V features everything from bank robberies to a full-scale tennis simulator, and you can do any of them for hours on end. With three protagonists to switch between at nearly any time, you can jump from destination to destination in a hurry, and the game’s online component lets you cause mayhem with your friends, as well.
Red Dead Redemption 2
92%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Rockstar Games
Publisher
Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games
Release
October 26, 2018
It’s reductive to call Red Dead Redemption II a western version of the Grand Theft Auto series, but that’s only because you get even more freedom in Rockstar’s latest open-world adventure. The prequel offers a massive southwestern world to explore on horseback or foot, with different quest lines emerging naturally as you interact with locals or spot a dangerous outlaw in the wild. Simply heading off in any direction almost always results in finding something interesting to do, whether it be a new animal to hunt, a bounty target to bring in, or a house to burglarize.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
75%
Platforms
Google Stadia, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher
Ubisoft Entertainment
Release
November 10, 2020
Depending on your preference, Assassin’s Creed has defined the majority of open-world game design today. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the biggest the series has gone and is one of the few games most consider too big. However, for those craving a vast world to explore, you will certainly be satisfied here. This entry is all about Vikings so you will be doing a lot more combat in small skirmishes, on boats, and massive raids. Movement is slick and the battles as bloody and brutal as ever, with plenty of platforming and puzzle challenges scattered around to keep things interesting. If you like Norse mythology and lore especially, this is a great way to engross yourself in that culture.
Minecraft
84%
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
Genre
Simulator, Adventure
Developer
Mojang Studios
Publisher
Mojang Studios
Release
November 18, 2011
An open world so large, you’ll never see the entire thing, Minecraft became every child’s obsession because its gameplay loop is so engrossing and addictive. Finding resources while trying to fend off the elements and a variety of spooky monsters, your goal is to continue building a larger and more formidable home for yourself, and just when you thought you couldn’t make it any fancier, you discover a new element or construction technique to take your architectural abilities a step further. Fun by yourself but even more enjoyable with a friend, Minecraft can become your only game – and it will if you let it.
Far Cry 6
71%
Platforms
Google Stadia, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One
Genre
Shooter, Adventure
Developer
Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher
Ubisoft Entertainment
Release
October 07, 2021
Far Cry 3 reinvented the fish-out-of-water shooter series with its focus on charismatic villains, hunting and crafting, and all-out chaos, but it was its sequels that perfected and refined the formula. Set in a fictional tropical nation called Yara, Far Cry 6 is packed full of content like enemy outposts, climbable towers, hidden caves, and side missions as you would expect from the series. There are some cool tweaks and upgrades here that set it apart, but it mostly plays it safe and just tries to be an exception open-world shooter. In that regard, it succeeds.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
85%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre
Shooter, Tactical, Adventure
Developer
Kojima Productions
Publisher
Konami
Release
September 01, 2015
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain de-emphasizes the best aspects of previous games in the series will emphasizing the things no one liked in those games, and it somehow works. An open-world stealth-action game with dozens of ways to approach any situation, Big Boss can sneak into a base completely undetected to steal some intelligence, or he can call in an attack helicopter to support him as he floors it through the front gate on a truck filled with C4. The story is almost nonexistent at points, but the level of freedom Hideo Kojima and his team give to you makes it one of the best stealth games ever made.
Cyberpunk 2077
82%
Platforms
Google Stadia, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
CD Projekt RED
Publisher
CD Projekt
Release
December 10, 2020
Only now that Cyberpunk 2077 has reached its full 2.0 stage can we firmly say it is one of the best open-world games. Previously, it would be a hard one to recommend even on PC where it ran best because of how inconsistent it was. With all the bug fixes, gameplay updates, and even a full expansion added, there’s no reason not to experience the dystopian sci-fi world of Night City. If you liked the realistic take on near-future tech in games like Dues Ex, this game is the continuation of that franchise we never got. The story and world are all its own (and the original tabletop game’s) and is jam-packed with philosophical questions about what humanity even is in a world where it is so closely integrated with technology.
Dragon's Dogma II
78%
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Capcom
Publisher
Capcom
Release
March 22, 2024
The only other game that is daring enough to tie fast travel to consumables and even wipe out every NPC in a town if you don’t notice something odd about your companion besides Dragon’s Dogma 2 is the original. Somehow, for all of its oddities and quirks, they amount to an experience much more than the sum of its parts. A large part of that is how frightful and unpredictable exploration is in a way that most other games smooth over. Just getting between two locations is a quest unto itself when bosses can appear out of nowhere, your Pawns can point out a cave and lead you on a massive detour for loot, and you struggle to manage your inventory’s weight when you find too many valuables.
