It's hard to believe, but Grand Theft Auto 5 was released in 2013 for the PS3 and Xbox 360, just before the new consoles would launch. Despite this fact, fans still bought the game in droves, and the game has continued to sell, thanks in part to Grand Theft Auto Online.
8 Open-World Games With More Freedom Than GTA 5
GTA 5 is an important open-world game, but it has been surpassed in several areas, particularly in how much freedom the player has.
It’s an important open-world game, but it has been over a decade, and Grand Theft Auto 5 is old hat now. There have been great open-world experiences released between 2013 and 2025, and here are the ones that have been the most influential so far. When Grand Theft Auto 6 releases in 2026, it too will probably create a new change for open-world games.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Endless Possibilities In The Apocalypse
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
- June 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is open in the best ways possible, as there are virtually no bounds between the Mexican and Australian continents that players will explore. As a deliveryman, players are tasked with connecting bunkers together, and in doing so, they can get blueprints to make inventions and have life be easier.
They can gain access to vehicles like a tricycle, exoskeletons that will repurpose package weight, and there is even old architecture to rebuild in the world, like roads. Best of all is the asynchronous multiplayer, allowing players to connect worlds and share progress together.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
An Acquired Taste
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 is a great simulator for anyone who wants to jump into a fantasy-like world but not have any magic or fantastical beasts. It does take some liberties, but the game tries to be as accurate to life in the Medieval era as possible.
Players have to go from rags to riches, and it’s a process that will take hours to make any traction. It can be a hard game to get into, but once those hooks are in, players will never want to be set free.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Cloud’s Back
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Released
- February 29, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is not a seamless open-world game, but the various biomes players can explore, and the amount of set pieces is astounding for an action RPG of this caliber. Players will visit ancient tombs, get caught up in military parades, go for a cruise, and play tons of mini-games.
The action is solid thanks to the magic system, the combo attacks called Synergies, and every character having a unique control style. It’s everything Final Fantasy fans dreamed about having when the first remake was released.
Ghost Of Tsushima
A Samurai Revenge Tale
Ghost of Tsushima
- Released
- July 17, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Ghost of Tsushima is one of the most gorgeous open-world games of the past decade without a doubt. The game takes place on the titular island of Tsushima, where Mongolians invaded, took over, and left a small fraction of resistance behind.
Open-World Games With Maps So Dense They Make GTA 5 Feel Empty
GTA 5's map is impressive, but when it comes to density, these open-world games are on a whole different level.
Jin is one of those resistance members, a former samurai who begins to abandon his noble ways to become a ninja instead, which does feed into the gameplay. Whether players are facing off in traditional samurai battles, hiding in the shadows, or exploring the world on horseback and taking it all in, there’s nothing quite like Ghost of Tsushima.
Elden Ring
My Horse And Me
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Elden Ring is a dense open-world game that is small in scope but filled with danger around every corner. On horseback, players can explore this Soulslike to look for the next big boss, which also typically leads to a nice reward. This could include a new piece of gear or an entrance to a deeper part of the world.
Elden Ring gives old-school vibes from The Legend of Zelda on the NES, which was a game that was not explained to players in any meaningful way and was filled with secrets. That’s the appeal of Elden Ring in a nutshell.
Cyberpunk 2077
Grand Theft Future
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Cyberpunk 2077 is the closest thing to a successor to Grand Theft Auto 5, as it takes place in a giant city with a wide open desert outside. Players can make a name for themselves in Night City by committing cyber crimes, or they can go on an altruistic path and become a savior for the people who are being scammed by the higher-ups and corporate greed.
However, players want to spec their character is up to them as there are numerous cybernetic upgrades that can aid in combat situations and infiltration missions. True to its name, this is one of the most unforgettable cyberpunk adventures since the original Deus Ex.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Daughter Duties
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is another game from CD Projekt Red, like Cyberpunk 2077, and it’s the opposite side of the coin, as it’s a high fantasy game. While it is the end of a trilogy, it’s still an easy enough story to pick up about Geralt, who is essentially a bounty hunter/mercenary who is looking for his adoptive daughter, Ciri.
Through character interaction, players will fall in love with the world and quest system as the branching paths are nearly endless. Also, the bloody, fast-paced action of combat is a sight to behold.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Endless Fields Of Green
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
- Released
- July 29, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Language, Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a great RPG for anyone who enjoys MMO-style combat. In battle, characters will fight automatically, but players can inject abilities that recharge on cooldowns too, and most abilities can be chained together with others to form combos.
7 Games That Are Basically Indie GTA
Blow stuff up, plan and execute epic heists, or drive around causing chaos in these miniature indie adventures that are surprisingly similar to GTA.
The world itself is massive and varied, with dusty deserts, lush forests, and tropical beaches. The story is rich with anime-inspired dialogue and action, and it was a nice sendoff for the series, which doesn’t require past knowledge to enjoy, but it helps.
Red Dead Redemption 2
The Gang’s All Here
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Rockstar outdid Grand Theft Auto 5 with their own production, Red Dead Redemption 2, just a few years down the road. While it lacks the high-tech gadgetry of the modern age, some players prefer the dusty trails in this open-world Western.
Players can live out their life as a gangster or try to enrich their lives by becoming a better man, which opens the doors for a second playthrough. Either way, players are going to have tons of experience exploring on horseback, competing in heists, and duking it out in high-stakes gun battles.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Open-World Perfection
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
As great as those other games are, all of which could keep players enamored for days on end, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is where open-world games truly evolved. The addition of being able to climb nearly any surface and the glider were two things players didn’t even know they wanted until they played the game.
Now, it seems backwards whenever a game doesn’t have those features. As a Zelda game, it was unlike anything before it, offering true freedom and adventure that was easy to get lost in.
8 Amazing Games With Sequels Everyone Tries to Forget
Whether these sequels or spinoffs are bad games or are just embarrassing, fans would rather pretend they never existed.