Summary
- Open-world games shine with satisfying 1v1 combat encounters against powerful foes.
- Titles like Dragon's Dogma 2, The Witcher 3, and Horizon Forbidden West prioritize solo combat.
- Games like Elden Ring and Ghost of Tsushima offer tough yet rewarding boss fights and duels.
A lot of open-world games feature a combat loop that fans will love to mess around with. To let players enjoy a power fantasy, the bulk of these titles overwhelm players with numbers, forcing the heroes to thin enemy mobs before eventually coming out victorious.
However, some of the best open-world games let players head out in the world without any backup and obliterate powerful foes that honor the player by entering into combat alone, too. While this isn't a guarantee in the vast majority of open-world games, the ones that do get the memo end up being oh-so-satisfying to play as players master the combat system and defeat their opponent in satisfying one-on-one clashes. These are the best open-world games with frequent and engaging 1v1 combat.
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8 Dragon's Dogma 2
Explore Solo & Climb On Top Of Massive Monsters
Dragon's Dogma 2
- Released
- March 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Dragon's Dogma 2 lets players create original pawns or enlist the help of existing ones to explore the world efficiently. However, players who don't want any help in this game can choose to explore the world on their own.
The Arisen will have their work cut out for them if they go solo, but players who get over the early difficulty spike will love how satisfying it feels to take out massive monsters by themselves. Enemy mobs are plentiful, but it's the amazing battles with massive monsters where the gameplay shines, rewarding players for their skill.
7 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Best Monster Hunts & Boss Fights Are One-On-One Encounters
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
Geralt is a monster slayer who must deal with groups of enemies frequently. This is where fast attacks can be such a huge help, but there are numerous instances where a well-placed strong strike will deplete a single enemy's health bar considerably.
Most of the bosses and special hunts that Geralt can take on are as powerful as they come, forcing them to lock on to their foes and prioritize both defense and offense. These scintillating duels are a highlight in The Witcher 3, where Geralt must be at the top of his game to beat his foes in 1v1 encounters.
6 Horizon Forbidden West
Slowly Dissect Huge Monsters Until They're Down For The Count
Horizon Forbidden West
- Released
- February 18, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
The combat in Zero Dawn was great when players took out mobs of weak enemies, but it was when Aloy had to deal with a single huge monster that battles took on a life of their own. Forbidden West clearly got this memo and ensured that players face off against several massive machines who prefer to explore by their lonesome.
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Aloy must prioritize dodging and use an array of weaponry to deal with these tough foes. It's only then that Horizon Forbidden West will click for players who will love tearing through the armor of these massive mechanical beasts before hitting them for major damage.
5 Monster Hunter Wilds
Players Can Tackle Huge Monsters All By Themselves
Monster Hunter Wilds
- Released
- February 28, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Monster Hunter Wilds is the first fully open-world game in the series, with its scope being clear for everyone to see. As one would expect, this game features a satisfying progression loop where players acquire stronger gear to take on bigger monsters.
While co-op is a major part of the experience, there's nothing stopping players from going solo on hunts of their own to take out these behemoths by themselves if they want a challenge. It may be more frustrating, but dedicated players will cover this skill gap in no time and lay waste to gigantic monsters with the weapon of their choice.
4 Elden Ring
The Bosses Are Tough Yet Rewarding To Beat
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
The FromSoftware formula worked perfectly for Elden Ring, allowing players to explore the world and get stronger at their own pace. The game has its fair share of mobs, but combat truly shines when players step into combat against powerful bosses.
The Tarnished's one-on-one combat skills should be polished to perfection if players don't want them to die in record time. Some regular enemies are also very powerful and should be aggro'd one by one so that players aren't overwhelmed by the combined might of these foes, with Elden Ring encouraging players to stick to 1v1 combat encounters as much as possible.
3 Absolver
The Focus Is On 1v1 Melee Combat
Absolver
- Released
- August 28, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
A huge part of what makes Absolver such a captivating experience is its focus on pulse-pounding melee combat. Battles are far from easy, and require that players be on top of their game if they don't want to be taken out by a foe they underestimated.
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Mastering this system is easier said than done, but fans will be left deeply satisfied after they manage to school enemies that were giving them a tough time. It's a huge part of what makes Absolver one of the most unique open-world games fans can get their hands on.
2 Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Melee Combat Is Designed For One-on-One Fights
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Released
- February 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure, Open-World
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was bound to be a magical experience, and Warhorse Studios didn't disappoint. The combat system had a ton of promise in the first game, and feels slightly more intuitive in a sequel that understands why one-on-one combat encounters are so much more satisfying.
Players should try and use stealth to thin enemy ranks if they don't want to be pulverized by a group of enemies. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a great sequel with a combat system where players will love deflecting blows and hitting enemies from multiple angles in a fun dueling system.
1 Ghost Of Tsushima
The Beautiful, Cinematic Duels Are The Best Part Of The Game
Ghost of Tsushima
- Released
- July 17, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Ghost of Tsushima has its fair share of regular enemy encounters, but there's no denying that a lot of work was put into the game's duels. Fans love how great it feels to master Jin's stances and use the appropriate one against a tough foe.
Unlocking more moves gives players more options to choose from in combat, allowing skilled enemies to school their enemies without being hit even once. These duels look beautiful, feel perfect, and help Ghost of Tsushima stand out as the perfect game for fans who enjoy 1v1 battles.
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