Best Open-World game with instant loads

If there's one thing almost every great open-world game has its variation. There's always so much content to enjoy and places to see, and some of the funnest parts are being able to create a personal build, tailored to your tastes and preferences, but in many cases you can get stuck playing as a single archetype or character for the entire playthrough.

However, some games remove all friction between builds and just let you quickly switch to whatever playstyle you might want. It could be through loadouts, weapon changes, or complete character overhauls, and no matter how it works, these games manage to make the whole experience a lot more fun at the touch of a button.

“Immediately” is a slight exaggeration in some of these cases, as you may need to go through a few steps. Some titles also implement some restrictions, such as limiting loadout swaps to when you're not in combat.

Outwards

True RPG Freedom

Details:

• Quickslots allow quick transitions between styles

• Supports dramatically different combat methods

Outwardslike all good RPGs, encourages experimentation right off the bat, letting players build around magic, melee, ranged, or hybrid combos that incorporate abilities from multiple lanes. Once abilities and gear are unlocked, quickslots allow players to switch between completely different fighting styles without creating a new character, which is incredibly useful given how punishing the world and gameplay can be.

This flexibility is especially valuable during exploration, where different enemies and environments reward different strategies. I found that in some dungeons I would favor swords over bows, but in the open plains I would switch to a ranged setup and change how each encounter plays out without you having to reset or backtrack at all.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Historic setting, modern convenience

Details:

• With loads you can switch builds instantly

• Changes between warrior, hunter and stealth settings

Odyssey introduced one of the franchise's best quality of life features through Equipment Loadouts. Instead of manually switching each gear, you can save multiple presets and switch between them almost instantly from the inventory screen, which can take away the immersion, but definitely makes the game much better.

The reason the feature is so important is because of how distinct different parts of the game are, as you'll be faced with bustling fortresses and quiet villages on the outskirts, each needing a specialized approach that a single building could never provide. I consider the game to be one of the best in the series, and the loadout feature does a lot of heavy lifting to make it feel as good as it does.

Tom Clancy's The Division 2

No weapon is too big

Details:

• Gearboxes can be swapped mid-fight

• Specialization for each activity

Looters are fundamentally built around the idea of ​​tools and items, and Division 2 is no different. You have access to a huge variety of weapons and slots, each of which can be tailored to create incredibly deep builds, but unlike other games where the switching process can be tedious, here you can switch builds on the fly with just a few button presses.

During endgame content, where one build may excel at solo exploration while another is designed specifically for raids or PvP, being able to hop around between them makes completing raids and venturing into the dark zone far less frustrating. I really like being able to try new things and customize my builds, and I found this version of build swaps to be one of the best in the entire genre.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint

The only limit is you

Details:

• Multiple gear loads can be saved

• Quickly move between locations

Ghost Recon Breakpoint gives you enormous freedom in how you approach missions, and its loading system is exactly what supports that flexibility. Complete equipment sets can be saved, making it easy to switch between snipers, assaults, stealth builds or when needed, and as many know, you almost always need a new gun for the situation.

As different missions often reward specific tactics, the ability to change an entire setup without manually equipping every weapon and accessory will keep the game fluid and mean you'll never really have downtime despite the size of the world. And as if that wasn't enough, the game also has one of the widest weapon arsenals of any shooter, making full-load swaps all the more impressive.

Once human

Customization is key

Details:

• Specialized battle builds directly in your inventory

• Designed around variety

Once man's survival-focused open world constantly introduces new enemy types and challenges, and as a result, you can never get too comfortable with a single weapon in your pocket. Flexibility is incredibly valuable, but also a powerful tool that can be leveraged through equipment configurations that can be saved and switched between whenever circumstances change.

Whether you're gearing up for exploration, world bosses, or high-level encounters, you can instantly switch between completely different weapon combinations and armor sets, something I used in almost every single session due to how much variety there is in the game. In a sense, experimentation is not optional, but a central part of the game that you must use or be left behind in the apocalypse.

Monster Hunter Wilds

Keep the hunt going longer

Details:

• Two primary weapons in a single charge

• Fighting styles can be switched in the middle of a hunt

Previous, Monster Hunter games limited how you could engage with a target on a hunt, but i Wildernessa large border was removed right from the start. You now have access to two separate primary slots that can be equipped with basically any weapon combination you can think of, although some will obviously be better than others.

This means it's entirely possible to open a fight with a bow, switch to a good sword when the monster is weakened, or pair complementary weapon types depending on the situation or what kind of support the group needs. I think this single feature elevates the core gameplay far beyond the previous ones and ensures that there is a lot more variety, both at the beginning of your journey and all the way after the end.

Fallout 76

Even the Apocalypse can be liberating

Details:

• Loaded with instant benefit and special changes

• Single characters can support radically different approaches

Fallout 76 Punch Card Machine transformed character development by allowing players to save multiple special and perk loadouts, instead of having to manually switch between items over and over again. Instead of permanently tying yourself to a single build, you can now change your scavenger's weapons and passive buffs in seconds, a much-requested feature that is now available.

Combined with different weapon and armor sets, this makes it easy to maintain dedicated archetypes without creating multiple characters. For a game built around long-term progression, it's one of the most useful quality-of-life features Bethesda has added, and a bonus that kept me coming back and really falling in love with the game all over again.

Nioh 3

A Samurai And Ninja As One

Details:

• Always have two builds: Samurai and Ninja

• Constantly switching between them is almost necessary

All of these games encourage you to explore different loadouts, but they don't really force you into that situation. Nioh 3 is an exception, as Team Ninja designed the combat system to facilitate two simultaneous builds that complement each other. Throughout the campaign, players have access to both a Samurai and Ninja loadout, with some weapons only tied to one archetype.

Samurai builds are slower but hit harder, while ninjas can jump anywhere while using much less stamina. They have different skills and yokai abilities that make them better suited for certain situations or bosses, and ignoring one of them means cutting your toolbox in half. For Nioh veterans, the Ninja build may take some getting used to, but it will become second nature after a while.