Open world game like Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are some of the best out there. They are guided experiences though, as far as players not being able to have much of a say when it comes to telling Venom Snake's or Link's story. They can perform different actions and make alternate gameplay choices, but overall their stories will be like any other player's in the end.
However, these other open world games are different. They have branching stories or karma systems to make their characters, created or otherwise, stand out. Players can't literally create their own story in these examples, but they can forge their own path so that the story of their playthrough is always unique.
Baldur's Gate 3
Turn based stories
Baldur's Gate 3 is full of choices from the beginning of the game all the way to the end. It all starts with character selection where players can choose race, background and then completely customize their experience. After that, it's all up to the players, from who they choose to ally with, to who they want to fight. It's a huge turn-based tactical RPG that asks players to create their own experience and then try it all over again with a brand new path.
Fallout: New Vegas
More like Faction: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas begins with players getting shot in the middle of the desert and then waking up next to a bed, sour from the whole experience. Without any sort of gate, the entire waste will be open for players to explore. There is a karma system that keeps track of decisions, and more than in others Fall-out game, there are factions to adapt to. Will players choose to be a savior in the desert, to be ruthless, or to be something in between?
Avowed
Gods among mushrooms
Avowed
7/10
- Released
-
February 18, 2025
Avowed is a first-person action RPG that features a character creator where players can input a large amount of data, ranging from divine origins to special traits. Players take on the role of the envoy, who is sent to a foreign country plagued by a disease.
Players can align themselves with multiple factions and allies, all of which have valid motives and reasons for existing. Avowed companions will help players establish themselves in the world and advocate the best path forward, but they don't have to listen to them, as everything is always up to character choice.
The legacy of Hogwarts
Hocus Pocus
The legacy of Hogwarts will give fans what they've been wanting ever since Harry Potter the series began in 1997. Players will be sorted into a house (although they can choose manually if they want), which will dictate class allies. The main story progresses linearly, but there are choices if players want to be academic, average, or downright nasty.
More than the school, players get access to the area around Hogwarts. There they can explore, take quests from random NPCs and zap monsters with magic. It's not the most extensive set of choices, but there's enough for players to feel like they're getting to tell their story within Harry Potter universe.
Cyberpunk 2077
Create your cybernetic path
Cyberpunk 2077 is a futuristic cyberpunk story where players can decide their story. Their character model and background can be dictated, but no matter what, players will start in the dirt with high ambitions.
Night City is a large place with many possibilities, from main quests to side quests, plus there are wastes outside the city. Players can even decide how cybernetic they want their body to be. Going for minimal parts will make the game harder, while a full cyborg will open up more doors, literally and figuratively.
Final Fantasy 14
The Ultimate Life Sim
Final Fantasy 14 is an MMO set within Final Fantasy universe, and the genre is a great way for everyone to express themselves in a variety of ways. In addition to character customization, including different races, players can choose to participate in several classes called jobs that expand over time.
Starting out as a Gladiator will set players on a different path than a Thaumaturge, for example, and there are so many branching jobs to follow. Final Fantasy 14 has an almost endless amount of choices and content that will keep players busy until the end of time, or at least until the next MMO.
Rise Of The Ronin
A wanderer's life
Rise of the Ronin is nearing the end of the age of the samurai, after Japan began to loosen its borders and let in foreigners and new technology. Players can feel conflicted as a samurai without a master, a ronin, choosing to nobly follow the righteous path or forge their own path through bloodshed and corruption. They can also choose to be less of a samurai and more of a ninja, relying on stealth to sneak past enemies or kill them from the shadows. As a wanderer, the beautiful Japanese countryside awaits players to create their story.
Dynasty Warriors 9
Forge Your Empire
Dynasty Warriors 9 has a staggering amount of player choice as an open-world game, and is the first entry in the series to be this expansive. Players can choose to rise to power within multiple dynasties and conquer the land, one fort and one kingdom at a time. They can stick with their chosen character and default weapon or play with allied characters and also choose and master different weapons. It might not be the prettiest open world to explore, but there's no denying that the possibilities within will give players a great customizable story.
