Over the last decade, open-world games have become so ubiquitous as to almost seem passé, and new releases have to push themselves further than ever before to leave their mark. Otherwise, in 2035, they may find themselves in retrospective discussions of great games forgotten by time and players. Let's take a look at some open world titles that suffered that fate, through no fault of their own.
Of course, most releases can't possibly stay relevant indefinitely, especially unless they're part of a franchise that forever spawns sequels or reaches a level of acclaim that cements its place in gaming lore. As in most industries or walks of life, you have to be incredibly special to become a footnote in history, let alone a major player. These open world games are brilliant and deserve to be talked about more.
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Driver: San Francisco
One of the most ridiculous yet brilliant mechanics in the Open-World genre
Remember the days when triple-A open-world games swung for the fences with truly absurd mechanics? I miss those days.
Driver: San Francisco basically lets you have any driver. Set in the present, this open-world driving game gives a supernatural twist, casting players as essentially a living ghost with the telepathic ability to jump from body to body. Everything builds on this idea, with players encouraged to use this mechanic creatively to complete missions or races. Ubisoft kind of revived this concept too Watch Dogs: Legionbut San Franciscos version provides a much more enjoyable gameplay loop by focusing on vehicles rather than people. Just a stupid game that works shockingly well.
Which will become a trend in this article, Driver: San Francisco cannot be purchased from digital storefronts due to licensing issues, meaning you'll need to track down a physical copy to play this one. If you happen to come across the PS3 or Xbox 360 version, I highly recommend picking it up. The game is backwards compatible with Xbox One and Series X/S as well.
5 epic Open-World games that let you race against the machine
As Facebook makes headlines for censorship, these open-world games set in corporate hell seem a little more real. Well, let's tear them down.
Getaway
The most real Open-World game of the early 2000s
Getaway
- Released
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December 11, 2002
- ESRB
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M for Adults 17+ // Blood, drug reference, strong language, strong sexual content, violence
Admittedly, this one is personal and driven by my memories of playing Getaway with my father in the early 2000s. That said, to say this choice is purely driven by nostalgia would be a disservice to Team Soho's underrated PS2 masterpiece, which was the most immersive open-world game of its generation.
While GTA drop you in a sandbox and let you go wild, Getaway throws you into a crime drama and tells you to play the part properly. You drive carefully through a faithful recreation of London, keeping an eye on your blinkers and blinkers to make sure you're staying within the bounds of the law. Without HUD to undermine the realism, Getaway sticks to its vision from beginning to end, and it succeeds in almost everything.
the sequel, Black Mondayis overrated, but it certainly doesn't come close to capturing the magic of the original. Still, if you really love Getawaydon't skip the sequel. You should just ignore Gangs of Londonhowever.
The godfather
2006 was strangely a great year for movie crime games
The Godfather: The Game
- Released
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March 21, 2006
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, intense violence, strong language, suggestive themes
- Developer
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EA Redwood Shores, Headgate Studios, Page 44 Studios
Yes, I'm in the mood to talk about old school open world crime games that are hard to find and play these days. In 2006 we strangely got video game adaptations of The godfather and Scarfaceboth of which went the open world route. Stranger still, they're both pretty damn good, as long as you go in with realistic expectations. Scarface: The World Is Yours lets you indulge your most violent impulses, and it's definitely worth playing if you want to let off some steam and go wild. However, The godfather is overall superior, along with just being one of the best crime games of all time, even competing The mafia.
While it doesn't bring too much new to the table, The godfather delivers a polished and addictive romp that tells a fantastic narrative that retells the action of the original film from the perspective of a new character. Despite taking its story very seriously, the game largely lets players do whatever they want in the world, and they can exercise their power by engaging in a bit of murder and extortion. Even the combat system was quite fresh for the era, as players had to manually control their attacks.
Of course, The godfather is delisted now, but you can probably find a copy of the PS3 or Xbox 360 version out in the wild.
Gun
Before Red Dead Redemption, There Was Gun
Gun
- Released
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November 8, 2005
- ESRB
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M for mature 17+ due to blood and gore, intense violence, sexual themes, strong language, alcohol use
Discussion of the open world western tends to start and end with Red Dead Redemptionbut Rockstar wasn't even the first developer to go this route. Neversoft beat them by 5 years and released Gun to a largely positive reception. This forgotten gem tells a classic revenge story and translates the charm of spaghetti westerns into video game form. At the time, open-world games were almost entirely set in modern urban environments, and Guns arrival and success showed that the genre could and should experiment with more unique settings. Neversoft took a big gamble that paid off, at least in terms of producing a quality game.
For its time, Guns map was quite impressive, as it has two hubs that were very different from each other. The side content was pretty good too, including things like bounty hunting and poker. Mechanically, Neversoft's efforts can't be faulted either, as the decent shooting was enhanced by a quickdraw system and mean melee combat.
Honestly, if you're looking for something to play after the first one Red Dead Redemption, Gun may actually be a better option than RDR2 because of its arcade gameplay.
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Not every open-world game can be The Witcher 3, but these critical flops are far better than their reputation and your memories.
Naruto: The Broken Bond
That time, Ubisoft created two Naruto games
I don't think I'd say this for any other IP, but I wish Ubisoft had stuck with it Naruto license for a few more years. Rise of a Ninja and The broken bond have aged better than almost any other anime-licensed game from the 2000s, and they feel like true triple-A projects rather than budget releases built on the franchise's universal appeal. Rise of a Ninja doesn't get the love it deserves either, though The broken bond improves on its predecessor in almost every way, including its incredible recreation of the Hidden Leaf Village.
Unlike most anime games that include a hub world and call it a day, The broken bond frames its mechanics around traversal within its environment, requiring players to use characters' skills to reach specific locations or to solve puzzles. Basically, the world is not just set dressing but a proper, fully developed part of the experience. The combat may not have the same depth as some other releases, but it's also well above average.
Best Open-World Games for Casual Players, Ranked
Not all open world games need to be intense and complex. These titles are perfect for casual gamers who just want to relax.
