Summary
- Combat in Days Gone lacks rhythm, but riding the motorcycle is a joyous experience in the Pacific Northwest setting.
- Sleeping Dogs' hand-to-hand combat shines, but the driving steals the show in the neon-soaked Hong Kong setting.
- The gunplay in Rage 2 may lack weight, but the driving mechanics, with varied vehicles and upgrades, create a thrilling experience.
There are open-world games where combat is slick, cinematic, and satisfying. Then there are games where combat feels like a means to an end—a necessary chore that takes place between long drives, wild detours, and physics-defying stunts, and those are the kind of games this list is interested in.
8 Open-World Games With The Best Driving Mechanics
Cruising around an open world can be a lot of fun if the mechanics are pulled off properly.
These are the open-world titles where players aren’t dreaming of the next firefight, but of the next curve in the road, the next jump, or the next excuse to hop back in the driver’s seat and stay there. Because sometimes, it’s not about beating enemies to a pulp—it’s about making the journey feel so good, the destination (and the fights that take place there) doesn’t even matter.
7 Days Gone
The Biker Apocalypse Has Some Smooth Roads
Days Gone
- Released
- April 26, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action, Adventure
Combat in Days Gone never quite finds its rhythm. Guns feel weighty but sluggish, and melee often devolves into awkward shoving matches with the infected. But riding that motorcycle? That’s where the game really opens up. Deacon’s bike is a lifeline. Players refuel it, upgrade it, and even push it manually if it runs dry. The more time spent with the bike, the more it feels like a companion rather than a tool.
The Pacific Northwest setting, drenched in pine forests and winding mountain roads, elevates the experience. Speeding down foggy highways while dynamic weather rolls in is often more memorable than most gunfights. There’s real joy in tuning the bike’s handling and suspension, feeling the difference as Deacon tears through a wet dirt path versus a crumbling highway. Combat may bring the tension, but it’s the freedom of the ride that keeps the engine humming.
6 Sleeping Dogs
Punches Fly, But Tires Squeal Better
Sleeping Dogs
- Released
- August 14, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Sleeping Dogs features some surprisingly brutal hand-to-hand combat, inspired by classic Hong Kong action flicks and built upon the foundation of the Batman Arkham free-flow system. However, while the martial arts system is slick, it’s the driving that steals the show—an ironic twist for a game so invested in fists and slow-motion roundhouse kicks.
Set in a condensed, neon-soaked version of Hong Kong, the city’s compact design and verticality are ideal for arcade-style driving. Cars handle with just enough looseness to drift around corners like a pro, and motorbikes practically beg players to thread through traffic at top speed. Hijacking vehicles from one moving car to another—while standing on the roof—is a regular mechanic, not a one-off set piece. It feels like someone handed the Fast & Furious franchise a controller and said, “Go wild.” Combat might bring the choreography, but the streets bring the thrill.
5 Mafia: Definitive Edition
A Classic Ride Through Classic Crime
Mafia: Definitive Edition
- Released
- September 25, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Combat in Mafia: Definitive Edition isn’t bad—it’s just stiff, and maybe a little too careful. Guns have punch but lack flair, and cover-based shootouts rarely raise the heart rate. What does work is the driving, which feels lovingly tuned to match the game’s 1930s setting. Old-school cars have weight, personality, and quirks. Cornering isn’t effortless—it’s earned.
The streets of Lost Heaven, modeled on a mix of classic American cities, provide the perfect backdrop for these vintage rides. There’s even an optional “Simulation” driving mode for players who want to really feel the friction of 1930s tires on brick roads. Police chases play by period rules, enforcing speed limits and traffic violations unless provoked, giving players a reason to ease up and enjoy the drive. When a getaway sequence hits, it’s the steering wheel that does the heavy lifting, not the Tommy gun.
4 Rage 2
The Guns Are Loud, But The Engines Roar Louder
Rage 2
- Released
- May 19, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Rage 2’s combat wants to be the star. Developed in part by id Software, gunplay is fast, frenetic, and packed with abilities like Shatter and Slam that should feel game-changing. And yet, something about it feels strangely weightless—too quick to satisfy and too chaotic to savor.
But the driving? That’s where Rage 2 finds its swagger. The wasteland is built for traversal, with ramps, off-road trails, and convoy ambushes around every turn. Vehicles are varied and upgradeable, from the beefy Phoenix to hulking tanks and zippy buggies. Vehicle combat feels more tactile than anything on foot, with rockets, machine guns, and EMP blasts turning road rage into an art form. The world might look like a fever dream of magenta and steel, but behind the wheel, it becomes a playground.
3 Mad Max
Mad World, Mad Wheels
Mad Max
- Released
- September 1, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Open-World
Combat in Mad Max is competent, but it rarely climbs above "serviceable." Punching out raiders feels like it’s checking boxes from Arkham's combat flowchart, but without the elegance. What players remember, though, is the Magnum Opus—the custom car that becomes an extension of Max’s survival instincts.
8 Best Open-World Games With Realistic Driving
There have been some incredibly realistic driving games released over the years, from off-road adventures to street racing games.
The post-apocalyptic wasteland of Mad Max is vast, barren, and surprisingly beautiful, and every inch of it is designed with vehicular mayhem in mind. Upgrading the Opus is a game in itself: do players want better armor, more speed, spiked wheels, or a harpoon that can rip the door off enemy rides? Chases are brutal and balletic, with explosions lighting up the sand while Max rams, flips, and tears through convoys. It’s Twisted Metal by way of George Miller, and it’s absolutely the best reason to stay behind the wheel.
2 Watch Dogs 2
San Francisco Treats
Watch Dogs 2
- Released
- November 15, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action, Adventure
Hacking in Watch Dogs 2 is clever and often chaotic, but the gunplay never quite fits the tone. Marcus Holloway isn’t a soldier, and shootouts feel like a Plan C at best. Driving, on the other hand, turns into its own kind of rebellion.
Set in a sun-drenched version of San Francisco, complete with winding coastal roads and tight city streets, driving in Watch Dogs 2 isn’t just about getting from A to B; it’s a tool of creative expression. Players can hijack cars remotely, launch themselves off steep hills, or chain together stunts while the cops scramble to keep up. Add in the electric skateboards and fast little RC cars, and suddenly, traversal is a sandbox all its own. With traffic jams to leap over and trolleys to dodge, combat becomes the last thing on anyone’s mind.
1 Grand Theft Auto 4
Weight, Physics, And Four-Wheel Feels
Grand Theft Auto 4
- Released
- April 29, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
There's plenty to bemoan about the clunky cover system or Niko’s slow aim, but the driving in Grand Theft Auto 4? That’s a love-it-or-hate-it masterpiece. Rockstar dialed in a level of realism that turns every car into its own beast. Weight matters. Wet roads matter. Speeding in a sports car on a rainy day is a gamble, and that makes every sharp turn or near-miss feel alive and high stakes.
Liberty City itself encourages this kind of engagement. Its tight roads, elevated trains, and traffic-packed intersections turn every car ride into something that demands attention. Players swerve through lanes while the radio plays Russian pop or Liberty Rock, chase targets across boroughs, and leave more than a few bumpers behind. Driving isn't flashy—it's grounded, sometimes gritty, but always unforgettable. And compared to the clumsy shootouts? It verges on art.