Most open-world games focus on some form of combat to let players enjoy some action-packed moments as they explore a beautiful sandbox. While taking on enemies by getting up close and personal is rewarding in its way, there's something about good ranged combat that fans can't get enough of.
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This is especially true if fans get access to a bow or any other ranged weapon that helps them perfect their archery skills. Riddling an enemy full of arrows is something that fans will love no matter how many times they engage with this combat loop.
Games will be ranked on how satisfying and integral ranged combat is to the overall experience.
8 Assassin's Creed Origins
Players Can Use Various Types Of Bows To Take Out Their Opponents
Assassin's Creed Origins
- Released
- October 27, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Franchise
- Assassin's Creed
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia
The Assassin's Creed open-world RPG trilogy is something that split fans down the middle. However, one area of these games that fans loved was the many options fans had in combat.
Most people agree that Assassin's Creed Origins boasted the best ranged combat of the lot, giving players a wealth of bows to choose from as they took out their targets from a distance. As long as players were at an agreeable level, they could clear out a camp without ever putting themselves in harm's way.
7 Ghost Of Tsushima
Jin Can Use A Bow To Take Out Distant Enemies With Ease
Ghost of Tsushima
- Released
- July 17, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
While Ghost of Tsushima is a game where melee combat feels great, there's something to be said about using a bow to take out enemies from a distance that fans can't get enough of. While the Half Bow is great for quick shots with a bow, players must resort to a Longbow to take out heavily armored enemies.
This variety ensures that the game's archery feels great, especially when players take out an entire camp from a distance without raising the alarm. This variety in combat ensures that people will love Ghost of Tsushima no matter what kind of play style they experiment with.
6 Dragon's Dogma
The Archery Is Overpowered And Arguably Better Than The Sequel
Dragon's Dogma
- Released
- May 22, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Franchise
- Dragon's Dogma
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
The beauty of Dragon's Dogma stems from the variety players can enjoy in combat, ensuring that both melee and ranged builds feel great to use. While the sequel is a marked improvement in most departments, fans feel that archery is more powerful and reliable in the first game.
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Striders, Rangers, Assassins, and Magick Archers can obliterate enemies from a distance without ever putting themselves in harm's way. Magick Archers are especially popular in Dragon's Dogma and let players use specialized magical ranged attacks to deplete health bars with ease.
5 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Playing As A Stealth Archer Is Wildly Entertaining
Many people love Skyrim for the variety of builds players can pursue, even if they resort to becoming stealth archers after a point. It's a great way to land sneak attacks from a distance and take out enemies without any problems.
Despite being a play style that most Skyrim players will try out at least once, it's amazing that being a stealthy archer never gets old. Of course, players should be ready to switch to a melee weapon set if they get spotted during their sneaky hunting activities.
4 Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
The Realistic Archery And The Addition Of Different Ranged Weapons Makes For A Great Time
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
- Developer(s)
- Warhorse Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
The improvements made to the gameplay of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 are something that fans have noticed from the very moment they started the game. Combat feels tighter without losing its strategic roots, while archery is expanded, letting Henry wield crossbows in battle too.
With the lack of a reticle, players must get some practice and take their time with each shot. This is easier said than done, but players who master archery in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 will love how their enemies crumple to the ground after being hit with a deadly arrow.
3 Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
In The Late Game, Archery Is Hilariously Overpowered
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
- Released
- October 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- TaleWorlds Entertainment
- Franchise
- Mount And Blade
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Strategy
The Mount & Blade series is known for featuring tough-as-nails combat, and Bannerlord is no exception. Using melee attacks is fun in its way, but players who don't want their character to put themselves in harm's way can use ranged attacks to make things easier for themselves.
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These open-world games are impressively immersive when players enter crowded areas thanks to their high-quality NPCs.
This is where archery comes into the picture, letting players take out hordes of enemies from a distance in style. Players who build up their archery skill will love how manageable late-game combat encounters are as long as their aim is true.
2 The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Link Can Fuse Various Materials To His Arrows For Many Special Effects
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Released
- May 12, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Franchise
- The Legend of Zelda
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
The new Legend of Zelda games feature simple yet compelling combat where players can use three types of melee weapons along with a bow that can be ridiculously powerful based on the modifiers applied on it.
Tears of the Kingdom takes things a step further by letting players fuse items to arrows, enhancing the number of effects they can apply from a distance. It may be time-consuming to navigate a menu and fuse items over and over again, but players won't mind as long as they enjoy the dynamic ranged combat in Tears of the Kingdom.
1 Horizon Forbidden West
Aloy Is A Master Of The Bow And Uses Various Ranged Attacks To Take Out Robotic Enemies In Style
Horizon Forbidden West
- Released
- February 18, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Guerrilla Games
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Franchise
- Horizon
Horizon Zero Dawn had a major focus on archery to take out the robotic dinosaurs standing in Aloy's way, and Forbidden West is no exception to this rule. Players love how great it feels to wield the many kinds of bows Aloy has access to in this game.
Crippling enemies by hitting their weak spots and using special arrows for disastrous results is a huge part of what makes Forbidden West so special. Players will love how much fun it is to take out massive robotic creatures with Aloy's ranged skills, especially if said enemy is massive and poses a major threat.
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