Summary

  • Open-world games encourage player immersion through exploration and custom storylines.
  • Titles like Conan Exiles and Skyrim allow players to embody the Barbarian class.
  • Games like Diablo 4 offer opportunities to play as a powerful Barbarian with customizable builds.

Open-world games rely on the immersion of their players, with many of them encouraging the player to delve deeper into the world they are a part of, from exploring areas away from the main quest line to even creating a storyline that will keep the player hooked.

While the exploration aspect may be of the most importance in open-world games, some players may be interested in those titles that allow them to take on the role of a primitive character, especially one that tends to use their brutish strength to deal with problems. Commonly known as the Barbarian, these open-world titles are great for players who are looking for a great world to explore while wearing furs and usually carrying a ginormous axe.

4 Conan Exiles

Survive Like Conan The Barbarian In His World

Conan Exiles
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Survival
Action-Adventure
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Released
May 8, 2018
Developer(s)
Funcom
Genre(s)
Survival, Action-Adventure

Conan Exiles is an open-world survival game that is set in the same world as the Conan the Barbarian franchise. This gives players the freedom to build their survival character in this multiplayer, like the past hero, Conan.

As players learn how to dominate the exiled lands, they will create not only a home for themselves but a kingdom too. This is made much easier when players work together in the hopes of surviving while building their character into an impressive Barbarian, just like Conan was, though Conan Exiles can be enjoyed in many other ways too.

3 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Build The Dragonborn Into A Brutal Barbarian

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
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Released
November 11, 2011
Developer(s)
Bethesda Game Studios
Genre(s)
RPG, Action, Adventure

Open-world role-playing games, as expected, are some of the best for players who are looking for an open-world game where they can play like a Barbarian. While it is a common class in a variety of RPGs, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim leaves players to build their own classes through a variety of skill trees, as players are able to make their own custom classes where they don't have to fit into a particular category.

Masked character from Pathologic 2
Strangest Open-World Games

There's a small crop of open-world games that have gone out of their way to be sincerely strange to stand out from the crowd.

However, in Skyrim, a player can still make their Dragonborn into a class like a Barbarian by wearing particular clothing that looks like the bandits of Skyrim, or putting more skill points into two-handed weaponry and increasing their amount of health to give them a better chance at survival. Players are then able to fully embody what it means to be a Barbarian as they recklessly take on foes in the world of Skyrim, with their Dragon Shouts mimicking the rage of the class too.

2 Diablo 4

Experiment With Various Abilities As A Barbarian

Diablo 4
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Action RPG
Hack and Slash
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Released
June 5, 2023
Developer(s)
Blizzard
Genre(s)
Action RPG, Hack and Slash

As mentioned, there are a variety of open-world RPGs that possess an assortment of classes for the player to choose from. Diablo 4 is an incredible action RPG with an open world to explore, but first, the player must decide from one of several classes, one of these being the Barbarian, an incredible damage-dealing tank class that has been popular for many of the games in the Diablo franchise.

Skyrim, Dragon's Dogma 2, 9th Dawn 3 collage
Best Open-World Games To Play As A Battle Mage

These games let players swing might and magic in full measure.

Diablo 4 allows the player to customize their build entirely no matter what class they play, but being a Barbarian means they will likely be creating a tank-like character that can easily stand against the hordes of enemies without the fear of dying. Not to forget to mention the impressive armor options the player is likely to uncover from the heaps of loot to be gained while playing Diablo.

1 Elden Ring

An Assortment Of Strength Weapons Can Help Create A Barbarian

Elden Ring
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Released
February 25, 2022
Developer(s)
From Software
Genre(s)
RPG, Action

Like Skyrim, games that allow players to create their own classes are arguably some of the best open-world titles that have immersed the player. Elden Ring not only brings a challenge but also has an assortment of weaponry, armor, and spells to allow a player to replicate all sorts of classes, including something that feels exactly like a Barbarian.

Strength builds are a perfect way to start a Barbarian build in Elden Ring that can then be expanded upon the further a player explores the open world. The starting classes of Elden Ring can also help a player find a starting place for their Barbarian, with the likes of the Hero having the look of the class as well as the suitable weaponry. However, players are likely to quickly move away from Hero or Bandit as they find other weapons that scream Barbarian to them.