I’ll admit, I tend to be quite picky with open-world games. It takes something quite special to keep me engaged enough to want to seek out every little collectible and side story. Ghost of Yotei, for instance, had some of my favorite open-world sidequests I’ve ever experienced. This is because a lot of them were part of the broader story, while telling worthy, emotional ones of their own. As huge and ambitious as a world is, it can lack appeal without a suitably epic story tying it all together.
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These great open-world video games offer players peerless freedom in playstyle, allowing a variety of ways to carve a path through their unique world.
These games, for me, are more than just excellent open-world adventures. They give the journey an emotional impact, a gravity, and a reason to explore, by grounding it all in a great story.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as possible.
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7
Elden Ring
The Sprawling Enigma of The Lands Between
Elden Ring, as is the wont of FromSoftware, takes a different storytelling approach. It’s not about frequent cutscenes with a lot of dialogue and exposition. There are very few interruptions to the gameplay in this regard. Instead, it’s largely about visual storytelling and a wealth of lore bubbling away beneath the surface.
We know that the Tarnished’s mission is to claim the Great Runes that will allow them to restore the Elden Ring. Access to the Erdtree is needed for that, but this is a problem to be addressed a little later in the game. What’s important is that we have a great opening setup for an epic adventure, with these runes being found all across The Lands Between and protected by some fiendish enemies. Bosses, in particular, may seem like just a varied bunch of fascinating (and terrifying) creature designs, but so many of them have critical places in the lore too. Starscourge Radahn, for instance, was one of the most tragic bosses, a former Demigod warrior afflicted by the Scarlet Rot. Radahn is slain by the player in the main game and again in the expansion, where he has been restored by Miquella.
There’s so much to learn about the wider cast of major players, and some details of it are turned upside down by the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. A fuller picture of the realm, its history, and its changeable fate is only offered through multiple playthroughs, thorough inspections of items and lore notes and, in my case, several in-depth YouTube lore dives by the community. This far subtler yet undeniably deep approach to storytelling is part of the series’ appeal, keeping fan discussions and debates alive several years after the release of each game. You’d be surprised by how much effect an action like using the Frenzied Flame to destroy the Erdtree’s thorns rather than the ‘recommended’ course can have on a story.
6
Cyberpunk 2077
An Exciting, Emotional Tale
One of my favorite sci-fi stories and movies is Minority Report. Since I first saw Cyberpunk 2077 in action, the parallels between these two dystopian worlds had me certain that I’d love CD Projekt Red’s narrative too. The game’s launch was troubled to say the least, but the story, buoyed by Keanu “Breathtaking” Reeves, has been a highlight since day one.
Protagonist V is hired as part of an ambitious raid on the Ararasaka Corporation, and though they acquire their prize, they’re apprehended in the process. Reeves’ Johnny Silverhands, in a sense, was the target of the theft, and the interplay between him and V (now effectively sharing a body through Silverhands’ digital presence) is a critical part of the narrative. I really love the combat and the customization of weapons (I exploited the piercing potential of Tech weapons in particular for much of my playthrough), but it was the story that kept me engaged more than anything else. I became just as attached to Johnny as I did to V, and the worsening of V’s condition kept the stakes high. I knew there were multiple endings, but the first time around, I really couldn’t tell where mine was going.
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As it unfolded, the different groups the pair allied themselves with (and fought against) meant that we saw more and more sides of Night City, a location that’s just as much a character in the game as everybody else. Though the ultimate aim is to deal with Arasaka and do what can be done for the pair, the key choices that can be made along the way are impactful enough, and varied enough, to warrant several playthroughs. The Phantom Liberty content extended the universe even further.
5
Ghost of Tsushima
The Path of the Ghost
This former PlayStation exclusive was the first game I played on my PS5, and what a stunning introduction to the system it was. As Jin Sakai gallops along on his horse at the beginning against a glorious backdrop, reaching down with one hand to feel the blades of grass, I immediately knew Sucker Punch’s MO: This would be a game that paid huge attention to both the smallest and the most significant of details.
Sometimes, a “cinematic” game can lean too far into the visual aspect, at the expense of gameplay and story depth. I did wonder if that would be the case with Ghost of Tsushima, but my fears quickly evaporated. The game’s action-packed opening introduces the brutality of the Mongol invasion of Tsushima Island, and Jin’s determination to oppose them and liberate his home. It’s the structure of the experience that kept me hooked throughout my journey to the Platinum Trophy, with Jin gathering allies from different parts of the island and completing optional sidequests with them to learn more about their unique stories. In completing them all, I truly empathized with each one. They’re not just NPCs who’ll help you out a little by attacking nearby enemies, but important characters in their own right, often haunted by the past and resolving to fight just as Jin is. I really felt for Taka and Ryuzo, with the plight of the Straw Hats and the forced duel in particular being heart-wrenching.
Jin’s battle sees him leaving samurai honor behind and utilizing infiltration and other sneaky tactics. This causes a poignant rift between Jin and his uncle, Lord Shimura, which comes to a head at the very end in the most emotionally powerful way. This was probably the hardest decision I’ve ever faced in a game, and such a powerful ending. The narrative was expanded with the Iki Island content, which took the player to a new location for exclusive side-content and some equally poignant storytelling about the tragic death of Jin’s father, as our protagonist faces his past.
4
Batman: Arkham City
Emotional Turmoil Across The Stricken City
It’s difficult enough for developers to create licensed games where the player truly feels like they are that character. To then craft an original narrative worthy of a comic book legend to go along with it is nothing short of remarkable. That’s what the Arkham titles achieved. Of course, every player has their own favorite narrative from the series. Batman: Arkham Origins presents a younger, raw, more untested Batman against rising villains in a thrilling story, but as with many other fans, Arkham City gets my vote for the series’ best story.
In terms of gameplay, I delighted in the freedom to explore the city, in a far more open-ended experience than the previous game. The combat, too, was made more varied, with the new Freeze Blast being my favorite tool to use to mess with enemies. The epic story steals the show, though, with fantastic voice performances bringing the desperate search for a cure to the Titan infection to life. When the Joker suddenly appeared ‘cured,’ I was afraid that things were taking a bit of a cop-out turn, but I didn’t expect the Clayface/Joker fake out at all.
I love this game’s story for the same reason that many hold the Telltale series in such regard. The Joker is probably my favorite character in comic books, and the dynamic he shares with Batman is part of what makes him so fascinating. He’s part brilliant schemer, part mindless violence, and he goes about his plans with all the chaos of Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. These two arch nemeses need each other, really, and Arkham City‘s closing scene of Batman with the deceased Joker says a lot about that.
3
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
More Villains, More Drama
Now, it’s true that I’m still recovering from the emotional damage that Marvel’s Spider-Man‘s ending caused me back in 2018. Between the slow build to Dr. Octavius’ inevitable decline to villainy and the heart-breaking decision to choose the city over Aunt May, I think my heart still needs about four to six more business years to recover. The task for the sequel, then, was to keep the action emotionally impactful while juggling the tales of two different Spider-Men: Miles Morales as well as Peter Parker.
The scale of the action was heightened for this sequel, as the city-smashing early encounter with Sandman made clear. Kraven the Hunter’s invasion of New York City sets the stage for encounters with Lizard, Black Cat, and Mister Negative, among others, with the Spider-Men forced to temporarily work together with some of these villains in order to protect themselves and others from Kraven’s desperation for a powerful opponent. What’s important with a superhero game, I always feel, is to feature enough of a rogue’s gallery to please fans, but not to use them gratuitously. Here, many of them have important plot roles in the quest to stop Kraven and the malignant influence of the Venom symbiote.
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The trick was giving both Peter Parker and Miles Morales important roles and narrative threads of their own, while ensuring that their stories tie in so they come together when they need to. For the latter, it was a chance to demonstrate how he was coping with the Spider-Man mantle after the standalone Miles Morales, while the impact of the Venom symbiote was something new for Peter to worry about and adapt to. The plot’s stakes are a clever mix of the personal and the far broader picture, and elements of it impact the gameplay (such as Peter’s new Venom powers) too.
2
Red Dead Redemption 2
A Fascinating Adventure Amid Inevitable Tragedy
In some great western games, the player feels unstoppable, their gunslinging skills unrivaled as they blast their way through waves of bandits. The legendary Red Dead Redemption 2, however, takes a rather different approach. As formidable as the Van der Linde gang may be, and while the Dead Eye mechanic certainly allows you to do just that, the narrative emphasizes the tenuousness of their position.
The gang is fracturing, faced by betrayal from allies, the threat of the law, and distrust between members. The central tragedy is that they’re seeking a way to set themselves up with one last big job that will allow them to escape this harsh life, but each move towards this is met by misfortune, an inability to cooperate, and another desperate double cross. The moment where Arthur learns of Micah’s betrayal and it becomes a multi-way standoff at the camp, with Dutch trying to determine who’s still on his side, is the culmination of all of this doubt and turmoil. Personally, I grew very attached to Arthur and would ensure my honor level was high enough to avoid giving Micah the satisfaction of killing him, but the inevitability of his death, as well as that of John in Red Dead Redemption, is a heavy emotional blow however many times I play.
It’s difficult to get the pace right with a game so reliant on both guns-blazing action and the deeply personal tales at the heart of the gang’s collapse, but this Rockstar masterpiece never disappoints me in either area.
1
Assassin’s Creed Origins
A Series Highlight of a Story
I’m always willing to give anything that tackles ancient history a go, and so Assassin’s Creed Origins and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey are two of the most appealing settings in the series for me. Of course, the setting alone won’t carry a mediocre story, and I was delighted to find that Bayek of Siwa’s tale was an engaging one from start to finish.
This illicit journey through the Animus sees the Medjay and his wife Aya working to demolish the Order of the Ancients, whose members were responsible for the death of their son. Their vengeful journey sees them temporarily ally themselves with the iconic Cleopatra, who initially fights against (and then alongside) the Order of the Ancients as a means of securing her place as Pharaoh. As has become Assassin’s Creed tradition, other major historical figures and events have a part to play, culminating in the assassination of Julius Caesar himself.
As the game’s name suggests, this title presents the beginning of the Assassins order itself, which the couple establishes as the Hidden Ones. Over the course of the expansions, the group grows and begins to solidify its policies and regulations, which would ultimately become the Order. They continue to combat the Ancients and defend the pieces of Eden.
Origins, in short, is a game that established vital conventions of the series’ lore, while also developing certain aspects (particularly the combat and other RPG elements) that would be further refined in future entries. I was a huge user of bows, myself. In a landscape where open-world games were becoming increasingly ambitious, it was the biggest Assassin’s Creed yet.
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