Open-world video games have become somewhat of the norm. Nowadays, there are so few truly limited game experiences. This is partly because technology has evolved to make it so much easier to develop these types of games. Loading screens and barriers aren’t necessary anymore.
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The other side of that coin is that gamers tend to appreciate these games. The freedom they give, the exploration they inspire, and the creativity they motivate make up some of the best gaming experiences possible. They still have to be done well, though, or they can be lifeless and lazy. The world can’t be empty, or the open world feels tedious and bland. That’s not a problem with these five games, though.
5. Minecraft
Minecraft is legitimately the only true open-world game out there. Pick up any of the rest of the games on this list, and there is an end to where you can go. You cannot just go on exploring forever, as the developers didn’t create a world that is literally endless. Back in 2011, Mojang did, though.
Minecraft’s never-ending generation makes two things true. First, no two playthroughs are the same unless you specifically try a seed. The random generation makes a new world to explore. Second, the world never ends. You can walk thousands of blocks in one direction, and you’ll continue to see new things. The random generation can mean that most of that is empty and boring, but it’s got the never-ending generation that other games just don’t.
4. Fallout 4
Fallout 4 represents the best of the Fallout franchise’s open worlds, which began really with Fallout 3. It’s the most lived-in world, with something new to find literally everywhere. There are useful items, bottle caps, or enemies to fight at almost every single spot you can fathom. Take a walk from one place to the next and you’ll undoubtedly find yourself moving away from your set mission to explore a run-down home or a battered former diner.
The gameplay enhances this greatly. You almost never have enough ammo or items, so it is imperative to explore these random places. Bethesda rewards you for doing so by putting items, sometimes really good ones, in those places you might otherwise not give a second thought to.
3. Ghost of Tsushima
What sets Ghost of Tsushima‘s open world apart is almost purely the aesthetics. It is a stunningly beautiful world to explore. The graphics are incredible, as is the color palette. Tons of video games look so good we want to live in them, but few are as grounded in reality as this. It’s a world we conceivably could live in.
That’s not all, though. Ghost’s open world has plenty to do, whether it’s collecting useful items or facing off with new enemies/NPCs. It’s not a lifeless open world, even if it is fairly empty on account of the war that ravaged right before the game’s impressive opening level.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a perfect example of an open-world, though to be totally fair, it’s just a slightly bigger version of Breath of the Wild, which could easily be this entry as well. It’s just that Tears of the Kingdom has a little more world to explore in the skies and depths, both of which add new layers of exploration and gameplay.
What makes Tears of the Kingdom such a brilliant open world is not necessarily the design, but the gameplay. When you happen upon yet another group of Bokoblins, it is another chance to try something new. The features you have at your (or Link’s) fingertips allow for a unique encounter every single time. You might try fusing a new weapon together or creating some diabolical machine to take care of the enemies for you.
Plus, there’s so much to explore. With the ability to climb almost anything, you can get anywhere and find anything. There are Korok seeds, which are admittedly only useful up to a certain point, chests, and general items to find. You might only find some mushrooms while exploring a specific area, but those can be exceptionally useful.
1. Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 has the kind of world every game should aspire to. It’s fully lived-in, with characters, landmarks, and more around every possible turn. Some encounters truly liven up the playthrough that are only possible by sheer luck and exploration. The towns, which function as the main hubs in this world, are only part of the picture.
There, you’ll find plenty of missions and NPCs to interact with, but exploring each path and visiting every corner of the available world in Red Dead Redemption 2 is so rewarding. It is no longer frustrating that you have to ride your horse all the way across the map for a mission. There will be plenty on your way to engage with to pass the time.
Perhaps the most perfect way Rockstar did this is with the ability to rob anyone. That wagon you pass as you’re riding to complete Dutch’s latest task is an opportunity to get some money or items. Others might represent a chance to do the opposite and raise Arthur Morgan’s honor.
