As much as I love RPGs Skyrim and The Witcher 3there is nothing quite like one amazing action adventure game. Instead of using brain power on details like stat progression, character building, or skill loading, the goal is to simply exist in the world, and the fun is entirely dependent on exploration, story, and combat. When done right, open-world action-adventure games can be absolutely incredible; but they can also feel directionless, too long and poorly prepared.
With so many near-fantastic titles out there, we really have to cherish those that do basically everything right, at least as far as can reasonably be expected of them. You know, games that have perfectly sized worlds, stories that are the perfect length, and battles that have just the perfect level of depth. There aren't many of these masterpieces, but a few do exist.
Criteria for this article
This is not a list covering the greatest open-world action-adventure games of all time, as that is not the goal here. Honestly, only one of the upcoming games would crack my top 5 (and that's the second one on the list).
These are games that don't have any notable flaws that detract from the overall experience. They just do everything to a satisfactory level. When I say they're 10/10s, I mean I wouldn't deduct any points because of a failure in a specific area. For example, two of my favorite open world games are from the last 5 years Crimson Desert and Marvel's Spider-Man 2but they both have the same problem that prevents them from fitting this topic: Uneven stories.
Of course, this is just based on my opinion, and everyone will have the games that really land with them. I've played all of these recently, so they're relatively fresh in my mind.
Finally, no open world RPGs Skyrim, The Witcher 3, Yakuza, Cyberpunk 2077, Fire Ring, Nioh 3etc. I'm not saying these aren't 10/10 masterpieces, as most of them are, but I want to focus on action-adventure games rather than RPGs.
10 Open-World RPGs with the Best Customization Options, Ranked
What's an open world RPG without the ability to make your character look as edgy or goofy as you want?
Red Dead Redemption
Rockstar's tight 20-hour masterpiece
Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the best games of all time, but it's also 60 hours long and uses a control scheme that takes some getting used to (or is a barrier some people don't overcome). In comparison, The Adventures of John Marston tells a great story in 1/3 the time, while having arcade gameplay that has a pick-up-and-play quality absent from the sequel. I don't say Red Dead Redemption is necessarily superior, but rather that it is all the more reliably fun.
Right from the start, when Marston is forced to confront his former Van der Linde comrade, Bill Williamson, the game doesn't put a foot wrong as it quickly establishes the outlaw's motives, personality, position in the world, and morality. We quickly get a sense of who Marston is, who he sees himself as, and who society wants him to be. This characterization drives the rest of the campaign and never deviates, even when Marston engages in silly side quests like helping to create a movie.
The gameplay isn't out of this world deep, but the shooting feels good, the riding is simple but enjoyable, and the fast system cuts down on the repetition that would come from traveling over the same areas. As New Austin begins to outstay its welcome, the story sends us across the border into Nuevo Paraiso, beginning a new chapter that lasts just long enough before we're sent back and into a city that represents the sweeping change that's about to overcome the nation.
Heck, even RDRs expansion, “Undead Nightmare,” is pretty close to perfect, and it's a fan's little swan song after completing the campaign.
Who is that character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Start
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
No Fluff, All Killer
Breath of the Wild adopted the modern interpretation of “open world”, but The Legend of Zelda has always used that design philosophy to some degree, with the original entry in the series being about as open as a competent NES game could realistically be. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds represents the perfect form of that old school style of open world design, delivering an experience that gives players complete bureaucracy while stripping away all the fluff and retaining the positive qualities of linear adventures.
As BOTWyou are free to tackle the main seven dungeons in almost any order ALBW takes a little longer to open than its bigger sibling. Thanks to the item rental system, which allows you to decide which tools to pick up first, you are given the freedom to create your preferred journey that will eventually end at Lorule Castle. None of this would matter if ALBW didn't nail its puzzles and gameplay, both of which are among the best in franchise history. The 2D-to-3D wall merging mechanic sounds tricky on the surface, but the game uses it brilliantly, and I was constantly amazed by its execution. While not massive by any means, Hyrule isn't small either, and every single square has a purpose.
Sleeping dogs
Brutal, intense and perfect
This one might be a little out of left field, but my recent playthrough confirmed how incredibly well rounded Sleeping dogs is. While not best in class in any area, it never fails to hit the mark. Hong Kong is a great choice for an open world, especially since it's underrepresented and has a distinct personality. Although quite large for 2012, the map isn't bloated by any means, and it doesn't take too long for the roads to start feeling familiar.
The best Open-World games for being a one-man army
If you want to feel like a chosen one who can stop literal armies on your own, these open world games give you the freedom to live that dream.
Surprisingly, there aren't really that many hard-boiled undercover cop dramas, and Sleeping dogs' The angle of the Hong Kong action film sets it apart from the few out there. The story embraces tropes without succumbing to them, throwing out plenty of moments that question the protagonist's loyalty while never taking away from his cool factor or likability. The central side missions revolve around police cases, and they are almost of the same quality as the main story. Although not quite on the same level as Batman game, the Arkham-Combat in style mixes hard martial arts and environmental attacks to create a brutal system that at times reminded me of The Punisher game from 2005.
Even the driving feels good, and you can frame cars in the next zip code!
Beyond good & evil
Before the days of Ubisoft's Open-World Formula
2003 was a simpler time, when the rules for modern open world games were still being written. GTA 3 had been out for a few years by then, and while it got the ball rolling, its ideas weren't codified to the point of becoming a blueprint. Beyond good & evil it doesn't even feel like it's set in an open world by current standards, but it's very much part of the genre, albeit born in a time when that openness was used to enhance stages of a journey rather than as the main selling point. Set on the beautiful Hillys, the world naturally expands as Jade's tools improve, with her upgradeable hovercraft acting as the smooth driving force behind the game's structure.
Considering how its open-world formula would eventually evolve, Ubisoft being responsible for one of the genre's most perfect and filler-free entries is somewhat ironic, and I say that as someone who loves Far Cry. In addition to the open world design, Beyond good & evil is a masterclass in action-adventure tone and flexibility, where gameplay alternates between melee, (ocean) driving, exploration and stealth. It introduces enough variety to be constantly entertaining, without throwing so much at the player that it becomes overwhelming.
Mad Max
The most Mad Max game ever Mad Max
Mad Max
7/10
- Released
-
September 1, 2015
I consider some of Avalanche's open-world games to be almost perfect time wasters, esp Just Cause 2 and 3. But if we're strictly talking about a project that completely succeeds in what it's trying to be, Mad Max may be the best example in this entire article. Can you imagine a more “Mad Max” game than this underrated gem? Not only does it have an in-depth car customization system that can rival some character creators in RPGs, but Mad Max also features the best vehicular combat in the open world genre, managing to deliver high-octane action while giving players full control. Although not as celebrated, the hand-to-hand combat feels satisfyingly heavy, and you really feel like a mean, unhealthy brawler.
Describing most sandboxes as “empty” is usually meant as a criticism, but it makes perfect sense for a game set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. In this case, “empty” is a stylistic choice, rather than a case of a world that has nothing to do in it. In fact, Mad Max rarely gives you any quiet moments, and few things are more breathtaking than watching an approaching Scrotus Storm.
Free Open-World game with the best exploration
These free open world games offer large and beautiful open worlds, amazing exploration, tons of content; there is almost no catch.
