Most Fun Open-World Games, Ranked

Summary

• Balancing narratives, world design, and fun is key in open-world games.
• Dying Light offers intense survival horror with unique day-night dynamics.
• Saints Row 4 provides absurd fun with superhero-like gameplay and humor.

The open-world genre is home to some of the best experiences that gaming has to offer, which bridge the gap between reality and fiction by creating living, breathing worlds for the player to play in and become a part of. A large part of what makes a video game with a sprawling landscape successful is finding a fine balance between compelling narratives, unique and interesting world design, and, of course, the game just being fun. Sometimes, a world can be incredibly beautiful and have an expertly crafted narrative but fall short when it comes to the game actually being an enjoyable experience to play as a game.

But there are plenty of other games that strike that balance with perfection, as well as a few others that throw narration out the window and go full-on into the fun and exciting aspects while having a storyline that can sit in the background without requiring much thought or attention. Every year, more and more amazing games are being released, and the bar just keeps getting higher for game quality, with the capabilities of new console technology really allowing developers to push their games to the absolute limit. It may be nice to sit down and enjoy an emotional, heartfelt narrative from time to time, but sometimes, gamers want to have fun, and having a fictional open sandbox to run around in is the perfect recipe for hours of joy and excitement.

8

Dying Light

Zombies And Parkour: What’s Not To Love?

Dying Light blends open-world exploration with intense survival horror, creating a dynamic and often nerve-wracking experience, whilst adding a level of fun through the exploration and zombie-killing that is entirely unique to the game. By day, the game offers a gripping sandbox filled with scavenging opportunities, side quests, and parkour-based traversal across crumbling rooftops and abandoned urban zones. The movement system is fluid and empowering, allowing for seamless climbs, daring jumps, and creative escapes from danger, with each rooftop adventure feeling like a scene straight out of a movie trailer. This verticality and freedom make exploring the city both strategic and thrilling, especially when paired with the crafting system that turns scrap and junk found throughout the world into vital weapons and tools to take on the endless horde that awaits in the night.

What truly sets Dying Light apart, however, is its dramatic shift in tone once night falls. The game transforms into a high-stakes survival challenge as powerful, aggressive infected emerge, forcing players to rely on stealth, speed, and planning rather than brute force. The day-night cycle adds a compelling layer of tension and unpredictability, ensuring the world feels truly alive and dangerous, and those elements are heightened even further when playing as a group, as teamwork and coordination add an extra level of fun that only adds to the level that exists in the solo game. The game’s combination of visceral melee combat, co-op multiplayer, and a richly detailed environment keeps the experience engaging long after the story ends, and although the world might not be as vibrant and bright as some other games, the uniqueness of the gameplay loop and innovative game design cements its status as a standout in the open-world survival genre.

7

Saints Row 4

Just Plain Silly

While earlier entries in the Saints Row series began as a more grounded, albeit over-the-top, take on open-world crime games, Saints Row 4 pushes those boundaries into full-blown absurdity and embraces every second of it. Set in a simulated version of Steelport after an alien invasion, the game hands players god-like powers that turn the entire map into a chaotic playground that removes any level of seriousness and replaces it with raw fun that keeps players engaged for hours on end. From super-speed and wall-running to devastating energy blasts, the tools of destruction are as outrageous as they are fun, making traversal and combat feel more like a superhero game than a traditional open-world title and standing as one of the best entries in the entire series.

The sheer freedom of movement and unrelenting pace of the action makes Saints Row 4 a standout experience, especially when combined with its irreverent humor and bizarre narrative turns. The game’s willingness to parody everything, from sci-fi films to pop culture and even its own genre, keeps the experience consistently surprising. Beneath the wild exterior, the open world is still packed with side missions, collectibles, and enemy strongholds to clear out, all with their own comedic, incredible flair, giving players a satisfying loop of progress and power fantasy. It’s a game that never takes itself too seriously, and that self-awareness is what makes it such a memorable and enjoyable ride. It won’t win any awards for precise and rewarding combat, but the humor and outlandishness of the fights more than make up for that, and it has some of the most ludicrous gameplay sequences found in any game to date that keep a smile on the player’s face long after the screen goes black.

6

Sunset Overdrive

Tony Hawk Meets The Last Of Us

Chaos has never looked this stylish. Set in a hyper-saturated, post-apocalyptic city overrun by mutant energy drink addicts, this game turns destruction into an art form and brings in so much lighthearted humor and vibrance into what is, at heart, a terrifying apocalyptic scenario. Movement is king, and Sunset City is built like a playground, with grindable rails, bounce pads, and wall-runs all encouraging constant motion, and actually add an extra level of power to certain moves and attacks during tense combat sequences. The more creative the action, the greater the reward, encouraging a flow that feels more like a rhythm game than a traditional open-world shooter and blending skillful movement with shooting in perfect harmony.

Sunset Overdrive thrives on its irreverent tone and bold visual identity, combining outrageous weapons, offbeat humor, and fourth-wall-breaking antics in a way few games attempt and even fewer succeed with. Beneath the absurdity, however, lies a deeply refined gameplay loop, hosting tight controls, varied enemy types, and an arsenal designed for maximum chaos. The world is densely packed with both main and side content to complete, all of which feed into a sense of unrelenting momentum that forces and demands players to keep on the go. It’s a game that refuses to sit still, delivering a constant stream of color, movement, and explosive fun that makes every moment feel larger than life.

5

PalWorld

Gotta Shoot ‘Em All

A game that broke records and pushed countless boundaries and conventions, Palworld takes the creature-collecting genre into bold, unexpected territory by merging familiar mechanics found in traditional titles with survival elements and an open world brimming with possibilities and creatures to discover. At its core, the game centers around capturing and partnering with creatures known as Pals, each possessing unique abilities that extend far beyond combat and all having their own unique visual and gameplay-specific characteristics. These companions can be assigned to specific tasks such as farming, crafting, mining, or even operating machinery, turning the open world into a fully functional ecosystem where efficiency and creativity go hand in hand.

What makes Palworld particularly compelling is its tonal range, combining charming creature designs and vibrant environments with surprisingly dark, often dystopian undertones. The result is a game that constantly subverts expectations, offering both lighthearted exploration and moments of high-stakes survival that elicit joy and excitement no matter the circumstance. Players can build expansive bases, automate entire production lines, or engage in dynamic firefights alongside their Pals, blurring the line between genres in a way that feels both fresh and unpredictable and always enjoyable. The game’s open-ended structure, emergent gameplay systems, and sheer variety of activities ensure that no two sessions play out the same, delivering one of the most fun and unique gaming experiences in recent memory.

4

InFAMOUS Second Son

Super-human Carnage

A classic Playstation title that has stood the test of time and certainly deserves a revival, InFAMOUS Second Son is the third installment in the series and arguably the best. Taking on the role of a super-charged Delsin Rowe, players leap, sprint, and fly across a dystopian version of Seattle, taking on groups of armed guards and sloppy street thugs, all in the pursuit of answers and closure. The gameplay is anything but slow, offering some fast-paced melee sequences as well as shooter elements that, when combined, give the player an unmatched level of power and enjoyment that keeps on coming from start to finish.

As the game progresses, the player gains access to more and more cool and amazing abilities and elemental powers that each deliver a different kind of gameplay that can be switched between at the click of a button. Despite being released over a decade ago, the game still stands as one of the best open-world games from a straight fun perspective, as there are few games that allow the player to leap 1000ft into the air and plummet down, completely destroying anyone that’s standing nearby. Another great part of the game is the emphasis on a karma system that actually matters, with each choice and decision dictating whether the player is perceived as good or bad and actually unlocking different ability trees for each. While the story leaves a lot to be desired, it is still a fun ride and an absolute classic in the genre that would be great to see again someday.

3

Elden Ring

Soulslike Dialed To Eleven

It’s easy to see why Elden Ring is so amazing for a FromSoftware fan, but for that same formula to translate so well into an open-world environment was completely unexpected. The world of The Lands Between is simply gorgeous and full of content to explore and conquer however the player chooses. The big factor for why the game is so enjoyable is the amount of freedom the player is afforded right from the start. No missions, objective markers, or quests to lock them into, just a beautiful landscape of mystery and wonder just waiting to be uncovered and explored.

The combat is just as crispy as any Soulslike, and the variety of weapons and class types is nearly endless, giving the opportunity to play the game through several times over and still have more options to choose from. And for anyone who is yet to experience the thrill and joy that comes from defeating a difficult Soulslike boss, then this title is the perfect place to start, offering some more condensed castle-like areas that provide a more linear path, whilst having plenty of secrets and enemies littered across a landscape that is just as enjoyable to ride across as the fights that await the player at every stop along the way.

2

GTA 5

The World Is Your Oyster

A lifelike city full of crime, cops, and a boatload of fun, GTA 5 is pretty much the pinnacle of the open-world genre, gifting the player with a gigantic sprawling city that has so much to experience that players are still jumping into the title for more over a decade later. Even if the game had no missions or main story, it would still be one of the most enjoyable games ever made, as the world simply breathes realism, and pretty much anything the player could think of doing is possible, from flying a jet across the whole world, to getting a nice haircut from a local barber, the world is a sandbox that invites creativity and delivers joy with every play session.

Something that elevates the title significantly is the ability to play with friends. Joining a group for an intense heist or just to drive around and cause absolute mayhem is some of the most fun anyone could ever have in gaming, and the barriers to entry are so low, not demanding quick-reflexes or sharpshooter aim, which means that any player of any age (assuming they are over 18), can hop online and experience this peak gaming achievement and have an absolute blast every time. As the release of GTA 6 looms on the horizon, only time will tell whether the sequel will live up to the success and fun of this installment, and whatever the case, it is almost certain that players will continue to play GTA 5 for years to come purely for the fun and enjoyment that is hard to find elsewhere.

1

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

As Close To The Big Screen As It Gets

Soaring between skyscrapers at breakneck speed, engaging in midair acrobatics, and diving straight into combat without missing a beat, few games capture momentum and fluidity quite like this one. Spider-Man 2 has all the DNA and excellence of the previous titles, as well as a lineage of comics and movies, and brings it all together into a perfect storm of wild movement and rewarding combat that knows no contemporary. New York City feels more alive than ever, expanded in scale and teeming with detail. With the introduction of web wings, traversal becomes not just a means of getting from point A to B but a highlight in its own right, building upon the greatness of the original in more ways than one. The ability to switch between Peter Parker and Miles Morales on the fly adds depth to both story and gameplay, with each character bringing unique abilities and perspectives that keep the experience enjoyable and in constant motion.

Spider-Man 2 builds on the strengths of its predecessors, offering a combat system that’s fast, responsive, and rich in possibilities and gives the player a decent amount of control over how they want to approach each combat scenario. Upgraded gadgets, refined skill trees, and a wide variety of enemy types ensure that encounters remain engaging from start to finish. The narrative weaves together personal stakes and high-concept superhero drama with cinematic flair, balancing large-scale battles with quieter, emotional moments which, when put together, really feel like a movie unfolding right before the player’s eyes. Whether swinging through the city, solving side missions, or diving into the game’s main storyline, every aspect is finely tuned to create a polished, compelling open-world adventure that leans far more into the fun than any other game in the genre.