8 Most Violent Open-World Games

15 July 2025

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8-most-violent-open-world-games — 8 Most Violent Open-World Games

Summary

Many open-world games focus on violent gameplay loops to entertain players.
Games like GTA 5, Red Dead Redemption 2, and The Witcher 3 showcase intense violence.
There are many open-world games where players can engage in brutal combat and dismember enemies.

Many open-world games feature violent gameplay loops to keep players entertained. The idea of engaging in action-packed gameplay and making enemies pay for crossing the protagonist is something that countless gamers just can’t seem to get enough of.

Feature image depicting GTA 5, Mad Max, and Just Cause 4

Vehicles aren’t just for getting from A to B in these iconic open-world video games.

Video game violence has been a hot topic of debate for years, but most people agree that they can separate what’s real from what isn’t. Since video games are meant to be an escape from reality, most people are well aware that the violence featured in games should not be read into too much. For those with the stomach for it, here are the most violent open-world games out there.

8 Grand Theft Auto 5

The Deadly Trio Of This Game Can Cause Untold Havoc In The Open World

Grand Theft Auto 5

9/10

Released: September 17, 2013

ESRB: M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol

Pretty much every Grand Theft Auto game is worth mentioning when talking about games with a focus on violence. The fifth mainline entry is no exception, making the biggest advancements in a GTA game to elevate its violent gameplay and help it feel more meaty and impressive than ever before.

Players can use everything from automatic rifles to explosives in a bid to take out their enemies. Even a single drive from one point to another can turn into a violent rampage, with players destroying everything in sight.

7 Red Dead Redemption 2

Arthur Morgan Can Go Completely Bananas In This Sandbox

Red Dead Redemption 2

10/10

Released: October 26, 2018

ESRB: M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol

Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the most realistic games Rockstar has ever developed. In this title, players must eat and drink at regular intervals while also dressing appropriately to deal with the game’s extreme temperatures, making the experience incredibly immersive.

It also allows players to go on a major rampage and shoot up everyone in sight if they wish, with close-range executions being especially deadly. As long as players pay the bounty and prevent law enforcement from arresting them, most of their violent rampages won’t have any major long-term repercussions.

6 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Geralt Can Dismember Monsters And Humans With Great Finesse

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Tag Page Cover Art

ESRB: M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content

The Witcher 3 is one of the best open-world RPGs that gamers can get their hands on. The combat is especially violent, with players being encouraged to do everything in their power to take out the groups of monsters and human enemies that strive to cut them down.

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These open-world games are not only incredibly long but also feature immersive mechanics to keep players engaged in their virtual worlds for hours.

Geralt can wield his sword like a master, with some of his most powerful moves leading to cinematic beheadings and dismemberments as he hacks down the final enemy of every combat encounter. It’s just one of the many ways that violence is used in this game to enhance the impact of the combat system.

5 Cyberpunk 2077

V’s Array Of Abilities And Weapons Allows Players To Obliterate Their Foes Violently

Cyberpunk 2077

6/10

Released: December 10, 2020

ESRB: M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol

Cyberpunk 2077 made a major U-turn to let fans enjoy a captivating video game after all its bugs were ironed out. With the dawn of Update 2.0, combat has become more tense than ever, with players being able to turn V into a blur of death and destruction.

Shooting enemies from afar is great, but players who get up close and personal can unleash some brutal hits on their opponents and hack them to pieces. This, coupled with various cyberware attacks and explosive weapons, ensures that violence is always a focus of the game’s cathartic combat system.

4 Yakuza 0

Both Kiryu And Majima Can Smash Their Foes To A Pulp With Relative Ease

Yakuza 0

Released: January 24, 2017

ESRB: M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol

Yakuza 0 is one of the best video games ever made, and it helped numerous gamers to get into the series and enjoy its action-packed gameplay. In this title, players witness the rise of Kiryu and Majima as they use imperfect combat styles that reference the moves they utilize as mature yakuza.

The combat is deliciously crunchy and lets players smash their opponents to a pulp, especially with the use of epic Heat Moves to spice up the action from time to time. Witnessing these two legends violently dispatch everyone in their way in a memorable story is a huge part of what makes Yakuza 0 so special.

3 Sleeping Dogs

Wei Shen’s Amazing Close-Combat Skills Allow Him To Bash His Enemies To Pieces

ESRB: M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs

Sleeping Dogs is an underrated and stylish open-world game that more people need to check out. Wei Shen’s undercover shenanigans cause him to witness the underbelly of the Triad, which is full of horrifying executions and brutal interrogations.

Whether players hate violence or simply want to feel the challenge of a pacifist run, these open-world games are the perfect place to start.

The violence isn’t just limited to scripted sequences, with the combat system allowing players to tear their enemies apart in style. Using the environment to land crunchy attacks and take out enemies never ceases to be satisfying, making the violence in this game seem downright necessary in letting fans enjoy the most of what the combat system has to offer.

2 Far Cry 5

The Junior Deputy Can Violently Murder Cultists By The Hundreds

ESRB: M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol

The Far Cry series is known for featuring some of the most brutal gameplay that fans of the series can enjoy, and the fifth mainline entry is no different. Fans will likely love just how fun it is to execute enemies via stealth, use powerful weaponry to take out their opponents, and ask their companions to assist them.

This makes the gameplay loop of liberating outposts a violent affair, with players tearing apart the cultists ravaging Hope County. Countless gamers will love how action-packed this title is, with the violence hammering in the brutality of their actions as they make enemies pay for crossing them.

1 Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War

This Game’s Take On Arkham Combat Features A Lot Of Violence And Dismemberment

Shadow of War is a great sequel despite some issues stemming from its endgame, with Talion’s moveset being incredibly damaging and impactful. He can use his blade and slice apart a ton of orcs during their travels.

This, coupled with his Wraith abilities, makes him a force to be reckoned with in combat as he cuts enemies down to size and makes them pay. The Orc captains he dominates should be incredibly grateful if they survive their encounters with this bafflingly violent figure.