Best Open-World Games That Defined Current-Gen, Ranked

Open-world games continue to be all the rage in modern times. Exploring massive sandboxes with a ton of things to keep players occupied is a huge part of what makes these games feel so special. Players love the idea of investing a ton of hours in these beautiful open worlds that never stop wowing them.

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The current gaming generation, generation 9, is as advanced as they come, and the advent of quality open-world games means that some of these titles are bound to define what current-gen means. The tight gameplay mechanics, amazing visuals, and a suite of modern implementations ensure that these games are a blast to play for players who want to enjoy cutting-edge gaming experiences.

5 Horizon Forbidden West

Looks and Feels Incredible to Play

Horizon Forbidden West was a certifiable hit, but it faced an uphill battle for many players out there. The intrigue from the first game’s narrative, coupled with the novelty of the unique post-apocalyptic world, was a bit lost in the sequel, with the vast open world of Forbidden West making it intimidating for some players to get into. However, once players experience what this game brings to the table in terms of visuals and dynamic encounters, they’ll understand why it’s so groundbreaking.

Exploring the Western United States makes for a great time, and the new enemies in the game make for a refreshing challenge that makes it clear why players love the amazing combat of this title. The visuals alone are so incredible, and the game runs fantastically; players can easily understand why Kojima decided to use the Decima Engine to work on the Death Stranding games.

4 Forza Horizon 5

A Great-Looking Open-World Racing Game

Forza Horizon 5 is an amazing racing game in a series known for featuring incredible visuals. Once players are let loose in the open world of Mexico, they’ll realize why players are spellbound by this title. Completing Horizon Events makes for a great time, and players will find a fast car in no time that they can use to boss most of the game’s races.

This is what makes Forza Horizon 5 such a blast to play. The visuals of this game alone justify it as a current-gen title that pushes the boundaries of open-world racing to new heights. Zooming past rival racers at breakneck speeds and attaining victory by the slimmest of margins is intense and does a great job of conveying why the title’s gameplay is so riveting, no matter how many hours players invest in this title.

3 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Showcases Just How Impressive the Decima Engine Can Be

While some people feel like the emphasis on combat took away from the unique gameplay of the original Death Stranding, there’s no denying that the sequel is one of the most beautiful and riveting games that fans can enjoy. The incredible visuals of this game are in a class of their own and ensure that players will be left in awe as they explore the many amazing biomes of the unique world set up in the first game.

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Death Stranding 2‘s visuals are in a class of their own, and players who want to check out combat scenarios with some similarities to The Phantom Pain will love this title’s focus on eliminating hostiles with incredible flexibility. The fever dream story will keep players engaged for the long haul as they’re wowed by the incredible visuals of a title that screams current-gen from every pore.

2 Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Shows Off the Advanced Features of the PS5

Insomniac is at the very top of their game right now, understanding the strengths of the PlayStation 5 delivering an incredible experience time with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. This game gave players a taste of the amazing tech fans would go on to enjoy in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which is easily one of the greatest superhero games ever made.

From the very moment players fast travel from one location to another, they’ll realize just how groundbreaking the game’s tech is. Loading times are incredible, swinging is faster than ever before, and the expanded New York City of this sequel is a joy to explore. It’s the very definition of current-gen.

1 Cyberpunk 2077

So Current-Gen That it Couldn’t Work on Last-Gen Consoles

Cyberpunk 2077 overcame a horrendous launch to become one of the greatest open-world RPGs players can get their hands on. The game defined current-gen so much that it ran horribly on last-gen consoles, so much so that players were actively discouraged from purchasing a copy of this title for the PS4 and Xbox One.

It helps that the amazing visuals of Cyberpunk 2077 are supported by an incredible story and fun combat that has become even better, courtesy of Update 2.0. On top of this, Cyberpunk 2077 also included an Overdrive Mode to push the game’s lighting quality to new heights, allowing players to enjoy a visual quality that they could barely fathom. Sure, this mode is not available on consoles, but it marks the next step that ray tracing tech will take in the gaming industry.

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