The Best Open-World Games With Swappable Character Loadouts

When gamers think of loadouts, their minds might immediately jump to online shooters like Call of Duty or Apex Legends. Whether it’s adjusting tactics, trying a new skill set, or changing to a completely different build, loadouts can make all the difference in overcoming obstacles and keeping gameplay fresh. But, loadouts aren’t just limited to the FPS genre—they make an appearance in other types of games as well, including open-world.

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While open-world games are often synonymous with player customization, loadouts aren’t always a staple. However, when they are included, they can completely change how players approach challenges. Some open-world games let players swap between loadouts seamlessly, providing a level of flexibility that can come in handy during tougher missions. If a particular strategy isn’t working, these games allow players to switch things up on the fly.

9 Once Human

Once, Twice, Three Times A Loadout

Starting with the most obscure game on this list, Once Human offers players the freedom to switch up their approach with its handy loadout system. Whether gearing up for intense combat or resource gathering, swapping between setups is quick and efficient. This flexibility means players can adapt to the unpredictable world without constantly digging through menus to re-equip items.

That said, the system isn’t front and center, and it’s easy to overlook. Players will need to take a moment to explore the menus and set things up properly—but once they do, switching playstyles becomes a seamless part of the experience.

8 Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Swing Between Two Characters

Okay, Marvel's S pider-Man 2 doesn’t exactly scream loadouts. But, players should remember that in this open-world game, they can seamlessly switch between Peter Parker and Miles Morales thanks to the PS5’s impressive fast-loading capabilities (not so impressive for PC players).

So with Peter and Miles, fans have two distinct characters to mindlessly swing around NYC - each with their own unique and customizable set of abilities, gadgets, and even suits. Peter has some great options with abilities such as Anti-Venom Blast and Spider-Rush, while Miles is bringing the heat with his Chain Lightning and Venom Dash moves.

7 Grand Theft Auto 5

Who Said Three’s A Crowd?

This list wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of GTA V - the pinnacle of open-world games and one of the best-selling pieces of media to have ever graced the planet. This game features not just two, but three playable characters to choose from, each with their own items, skills, and special abilities.

Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips, and Franklin Clinton all come packing with their own arsenal of weapons, unique stats, and “yee yee ass” haircuts. Plus all three characters have their own individual safehouse with their own set of perks. It will be interesting to see how they top this mechanic in GTA VI, but it’s a challenge most players believe Rockstar can conquer.

6 Far Cry 6

Explore Yara With Customizable Loadouts

The sixth installment in the highly popular Far Cry series lets players equip up to four swappable loadouts. This isn’t a surprise for a franchise that is all about freedom of choice and letting players concoct their own chaotic cocktails.

So as players explore the deadly open-world paradise that is Yara, loadouts can be customized to include whatever pistols, machine guns, bows, shotguns, or RPGs their heart desires. It should be noted that this feature can only be accessed once players complete the “Libertad Rises” mission.

5 Guild Wars 2

More Like Build Wars

Guild Wars 2

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MMORPG

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8 /10

Released

August 28, 2012

Developer(s)

ArenaNet

Platform(s)

PC

Genre(s)

MMORPG

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Guild Wars 2 is a free-to-play MMORPG featuring a beloved Build Template system that allows players to quickly switch between specialized setups. By default, each character can have up to three build loadouts and two equipment loadouts with additional slots available via microtransactions, offering plenty of flexibility for tackling PvE, PvP, and WvW content.

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These templates, accessible via the Hero panel, let players seamlessly swap skills, traits, and gear. For even more convenience, Build Templates can be stored in the Build Storage, making them accessible across the entire account.

4 The Division 2

Nothing Is Dividing Players From These Character Loadouts

Next up is The Division 2, a standout in the looter-shooter genre, and a textbook example of how to combine open-world exploration with tactical gameplay. While many games in the genre focus on a single playstyle, The Division 2 lets players switch between 12 specialized character loadouts to tackle missions and challenges any way they please.

To do this, players need to navigate through their menu and select their desired loadout before heading back into action. While it requires a few extra steps, the depth and flexibility offered by this system make it well worth the effort.

3 Terraria

Exploring, Building, Crafting, Fighting, Surviving, and Mining

Terraria, one of the best-selling open-world games of all time with well over 50 million copies sold, gives players plenty of ways to customize their experience—including a handy loadout system. From the moment a character is created, players can instantly switch between three different sets of armor and accessories, each with their own dyes and vanity slots. Whether it's gearing up for exploration, combat, or building, swapping between loadouts is quick and effortless.

With no need to unlock this feature, players can dive straight into experimenting with different setups, making it easier than ever to adapt to Terraria’s ever-changing challenges.

2 Fallout 76

S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Loadouts For Special Dwellers

Fans begged Bethesda to introduce swappable character loadouts to Fallout 76. Bethesda eventually delivered, but not without a few caveats. Introduced in the “Locked & Loaded” update was S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Loadouts which offered Vault Dwellers the ability to modify or completely reboot their S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Attributes.

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Starting at level 25, players can visit a “Punch Card Machine” to change their Perk Card selections and save new custom setups into a slot. The first two loadout slots are free, but the remaining 13 require a fee of 500 Atoms each, a form of earnable currency in-game.

1 Ghost Of Tsushima

Swap Between Armor Loadouts in 13th-Century Japan

Another game where the devs blessed players from on high (in the form of a post-launch patch) is Ghost of Tsushima. In this PlayStation classic from Sucker Punch, followers of Jin Sakai’s story can change their armor loadouts with just a few clicks. With this feature, players can completely shift their playstyle without the hassle of repeatedly resetting skill points just to experiment with new builds.

However, it’s an easy thing to miss as Loadouts are disabled by default in the game’s settings. But don’t fret as it’s very simple to enable.

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