Open-world games are one of the most popular genres in gaming for a reason, and that comes from the rich worlds of immense freedom and the interesting characters that inhabit them. However, the one flaw with open-world games is that it takes time to ease you into their settings, especially with the overwhelming sense of wonder and exploration.
While some open-world games take time to adjust you into the marvel of their world, these titles impress in the first 10 minutes, leaving striking impressions that will make you want to continue on. In the case of these open-world games, I was confident that they would be masterpieces thanks to the first 10 minutes.
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GTA 6 is not the only open-world sequel releasing in 2026, and these games might be perfect for you.
Ghost of Tsushima
An Epic Display of Samurai Charging with Honor to Meet Their Invaders (and Their End)
- Released
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July 17, 2020
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity
Set in feudal Japan, Ghost of Tsushima opens immediately with the Mongol invasion of the island of Tsushima. Clans of samurai meet along the coastline to halt the invaders with a class of katanas, only to be wiped out in a slaughter by dishonorable foes. Racing across the beach, seeing friends get murdered, swells the rage within Jin Sakai as the quest to find and kill the Mongol leader remains the top priority.
Even in failure, Jin refuses to die. It’s an opening that’s unforgettable for both the scale of war and building fear in the strength of the Mongol Empire. However, even in a defeated hour, players are shown directly why Jin cannot surrender, for the island of Tsushima is brimming with a vast beauty to explore, grow in strength, and take back what’s been stolen.
Batman: Arkham City
Batman Must Uncover the Truth Behind Protocol 10 in a City Ran By Villains
- Released
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October 18, 2011
- ESRB
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T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco, Violence
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 3
With the fall of Arkham Asylum and meddling from top politicians, the criminally insane of Gotham City have been relocated to Old Gotham, now named Arkham City. Allowing an entire city to be run by Batman’s most dangerous villains is a recipe for disaster, and one that Batman finds himself directly involved in when Bruce Wayne is captured and imprisoned within Arkham City’s walls by Hugo Strange. The reveal of Strange knowing Bruce’s secret identity, and the mystery behind Protocol 10, adds further priority to Batman’s mission here.
These first 10 minutes are a masterclass in storytelling, and after the suit-up sequence at ACE Chemicals, players get to witness Batman in all his glory, along with an aerial shot of what awaits them in the vastness of Arkham City. The satisfaction in upgraded combat and the gliding mechanics make action and exploration feel revolutionary from its predecessor.
Cyberpunk 2077
An Action-Packed Welcome to Night City
- Released
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December 10, 2020
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
After creating a character of your choice and selecting a Life Path of either a Nomad, Corpo, or Street Kid, players are thrust into the start of their V’s story. Whether it’s being fired from Arasaka’s operatives, stealing precious cargo as a Nomad without a clan, or attempting to jack a ride in Heywood, there are consistent elements: Jackie Welles and a strong desire to make a legend of yourself in Night City.
After the first 10 minutes in Cyberpunk 2077, you’ll be hooked on the enthralling neon lights and potential of success in Night City, along with the pure thrill of danger that awaits from every corpo and street gang that lurks within. Night City is dangerous, exciting, and awaits fresh blood. The game does a great job of throwing you into it all, and that’s before you even meet the legendary rocker boy terrorist, Johnny Silverhand.
The Emperor Slain, An Urgent Quest, and All of Tamriel to Explore
- Released
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April 22, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Violence
Within the deep stone prisons of the Imperial City in Cyrodiil, your created character awaits execution. That was, until Emperor Uriel Septim and his guards find themselves in your cell to use a secret passage through the tunnels. With an invite from the Emperor himself, players are thrust into a grand mystery and a chance to reinvent themselves in Cyrodiil. Will you fulfill the Emperor’s dying wish of taking the Amulet of Kings to find the lost son of the Septim bloodline and shut the jaws of Oblivion, or will you make your own adventure?
Freeing from the dungeons underneath the Imperial City, you’re met with the blazing sun, saturated forests, and an overwhelming sense of belonging in such a vast world within Tamriel. Oblivion offers so much within just 10 minutes, and once you’re in the open-world, it’s impossible to start on the same path as anyone who’s been on this journey before.
Grand Theft Auto 5
A Cold Heist Gone Wrong Leads to the Vibrancy of a Fresh Los Santos
- Released
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September 17, 2013
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
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Rockstar North
Grand Theft Auto 5 wastes no time in showcasing what kind of game it’s trying to be. There’s no lengthy cutscene or trudging through snow, as you’re immediately witnessing and partaking in a bank heist. A story of experienced bank robbers is a tale as old as time, but subversion strikes when it’s revealed that this score’s a setup to fake Michael’s death, split him up from his deranged friend Trevor, and start anew in a revitalized Los Santos.
Outside of the prologue, players retreat to the modern day as Franklin Clinton, a young man desperate to make a name for himself in a city that doesn’t care about his place within it. Grand Theft Auto 5 immerses immediately with its wonderful city, extremely satisfying driving and shooting mechanics, and a story built on the innovation of three central protagonists that seamlessly swap and team together for heists.
5 Open-World Games You’ll Play for Hours Without Realizing
These five open-world games can be so absorbing that a quick session can turn into hours.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Search for Yennefer Includes a Battle with Ghouls and Rising Tension with Humans
- Released
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May 19, 2015
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content
An opening cinematic for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt proves the intensity and fantastical elements that await this game, and that truth remains once players take control of Geralt. Even without having played the previous games, The Witcher 3 does a great job at placing players in the midst of an important story for Geralt, as he teams with his mentor, Vesemir, to find the witch Yennefer to track down Geralt’s daughter to ensure this living weapon remains safe and out of the clutches of evil.
Taking the reins of Geralt immediately showcases the fun of The Witcher 3. There’s a showcase of skill against the ghouls you’ll first fight, along with a robust sense of understanding the living world seen in the growing tension among the townsfolk from their hatred of other warring factions and disgust for witchers. From the first hunt against a griffin to the first game of Gwent, The Witcher 3 impresses so early on that it’s impossible to put down. The world is torn by war, monsters infest the lands, and Geralt’s adventure becomes more than just about lining his pockets with the heads of monsters and gold coins.
Elden Ring
Escaping a Dangerous Dungeon Reveals the Lush Freedom of Limgrave
- Released
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February 25, 2022
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
FromSoftware never disappoints with the intensity and design of their titles, which is why Elden Ring was never going to fail once that classic Souls design goes open-world. Once players had created their character, they were pushed out into the world without guidance or any sense of assistance, and that’s exactly what players want from FromSoftware when it comes to forging a legend of their own making.
Whether it’s failing against the first boss and exploring lost catacombs, the outcome is the same, and that outcome is meeting the open world of Limgrave for the first time. Go where you want, speak to who you want, and battle for Runes to evolve your own way. Elden Ring takes the Dark Souls formula all the way up to 11 with stellar boss designs, enemy placements, and exploration, without tutorials eating into the play.
Fallout 4
Witness the Morning of the Great War, the Horrors of Vault-Tec, and the Quest to Find Your Son
- Released
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November 10, 2015
- ESRB
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M FOR MATURE: BLOOD AND GORE, INTENSE VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, USE OF DRUGS
While all Fallout games have thrust players deep into the post-war madness of a nuclear wasteland, Fallout 4 shows the warm glow of privilege in 2077 for the typical nuclear family in America. Fallout 4 does a great job in showcasing your protagonist’s love for their spouse and newborn, Shaun, but this happiness barely lasts 10 minutes, for the Great War begins with a flash of light. Players are immediately rushed to the nearby Vault 101, witnessing an atomic bomb detonate in Boston as they submerge beneath the ground for safety.
There’s an immense trauma in the cold air beneath the surface as you witness the end of civilization, engulfed in hellfire of its own creation. The pain doesn’t even stop for a second, as you’re placed into a cryo-pod, forced to watch your spouse get killed by a scarred man while your son is taken from their cold, dead arms. When you resurface centuries later, you’re met with saturated colors, dead trees, ruins of an old world, and freedom to be someone new in a post-war Commonwealth.
Red Dead Redemption 2
By 1899, the Age of Outlaws and Gunslingers Was At An End…
- Released
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October 26, 2018
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
If there’s one feeling that Red Dead Redemption 2 translates into upon its opening 10 minutes, it’s that of immense cold. There’s a desperate chill within the music, the opening titles that briefly explain the 1899 setting, and the blizzard that takes the Van der Linde gang deeper into the mountains after a robbery gone wrong. Desperation swells within the sound, and players are taken away by the performances and graphics that work in tandem to provide greater mystery on the events that transpired off-screen.
While players might not enjoy the Colter section of Chapter 1, no one can deny that the opening battle against the O’Driscolls is anything but legendary. An intense shootout, a burning home filled with memories, and epic cowboy music — these are the hallmarks within the first 10 minutes that prove that an unforgettable western story is set to unfold.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Become the Light That Shines Upon Hyrule Once Again By Going Where You Please
- Released
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March 3, 2017
- ESRB
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E for Everyone: Fantasy Violence, Use of Alcohol, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
Waking from a healing pool within a darkened temple, a mystery begins, as does an adventure that’s impossible to forget. Within minutes, players are able to grab the Sheikah Slate, explore the temple well enough to gather some clothes and the controls, and finally, exit outside to see what awaits them in the light of Hyrule’s day.
Exiting the temple is filled with immense wonder, curiosity, and joy. The blend of swelling music inspires the beauty in this world, which is aided by the stunning visuals. The title card drops, and the camera pans out to show just how vast this rendition of Hyrule is. You might not know where to go at all times, but subtle guidance will ensure your dangerous journey is one you’ll never forget.
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