Freedom in gaming is a concept that has expanded a tremendous amount in recent years, with linear games no longer being the norm, but instead considered a specific style of game that doesn't appeal to everyone.
10 Best Open-World Games If You Want An Escape From Reality, Ranked
Struggling to deal with the real world? These open-world games have you covered, offering expansive worlds and lengthy play times as a distraction.
Many players now want to be thrown into a world where they make the decisions on where they go and what they do, as opposed to having a set path to follow. For players who want the freedom to play however they want, the games on this list are great options.
Minecraft
The Ultimate Sandbox
Minecraft is, in many ways, the ultimate sandbox game. Mojang Studios' 2011 masterpiece throws players into a randomly generated world and gives them all the tools to ensure that imagination is the only limitation, particularly thanks to how much content has been added over the years.
Whether players want to build a house, craft the best equipment, raise animals, fight enemies, or hop in with friends for some imaginative fun, it's all possible in Minecraft.
RimWorld
A Sci-Fi Story Generator
RimWorld is a colony simulator that differentiates itself from the crowded genre by branding itself as a "story generator." Ludeon Studios' game accomplishes this ambitious tag by giving players all the tools to craft their own stories like Minecraft, but also with its AI storyteller that analyzes what the player is doing and throws events at them that it thinks will be the most interesting for the situation and the characters.
8 Best Open-World Games That Everyone Should Play, Ranked
There's a reason that open-world games are so popular, and while there are countless choices available, these genre entries are must-play experiences.
With multiple terrains, survivalist needs, enemies to fight, ships to trade with, structures to craft, and so much more, RimWorld is a game that players can get sucked into the hundreds or even thousands of hours.
Kenshi
A Post-Apocalyptic World to Find Your Place In
Lo-Fi Games' Kenshi is a squad-based RPG that stands out for how little handholding and guidance it offers to players - something that fans of open-world sandbox games often adore.
Kenshi throws players into a post-apocalyptic world that is a challenge to simply survive in, giving the game a constant layer of challenge to think about. Players start out with no skills to speak of, but can develop into a farmer, fighter, trader, thief, or even a slave if they're not careful.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Bethesda's Masterpiece Is Still Worth a New Playthrough
"Hey, you. You're finally awake." Must be one of the most listened to opening lines of dialogue in gaming history at this point, as countless players hear it for a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th, time when they boot up the game for yet another playthrough. While Skyrim has set quests and narrative arcs, players have no obligation to tackle them, and even if they do, the way they complete them can be vastly different depending on their character build.
However, for many players, the joy of Skyrim isn't found in the quests at all, but in living a peaceful life in the medieval fantasy world - building a house, buying and selling goods, working an honest trade, or many of the other possibilities in Bethesda's legendary RPG.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Use Your Imagination to Solve Puzzles and Defeat Enemies
Tears of the Kingdom's predecessor, Breath of the Wild, was regarded as one of the greatest games of all time mere weeks after its launch. The sheer amount of freedom to head in any direction and take on quests in any order was inspired by the first game in the series, and it was able to stand out from other games with similar designs thanks to its ingeniously designed world, which is one of the best in gaming history.
8 Best Open-World Games On Steam Without DRM, Ranked
For those searching for DRM-free open-world games, these titles deliver incredible experiences without the need for an online connection.
The issue with the game's success, however, was that it gave the sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, a tough task when it had to follow it. Thankfully, Nintendo didn't disappoint, as along with the caves that massively expanded the scope of the world, the game also leaned much further into the sandbox elements by giving players a plethora of tools and abilities to craft weapons, machinery, vehicles and more. These additions give players an almost unlimited number of ways to complete quests, which can feel even more satisfying than finding a developer-intended solution.
Hitman World of Assassination
Explosive Rubber Ducks, Homing Briefcases, Cannonballs, and More
One would expect a game about a clone designed to be a ruthless killer to be as serious as it gets, but instead, the Hitman series has often leaned into absurdity, which has made missions so fun to play and endlessly replay over the years.
Hitman World of Assassination, a value-for-money package featuring content from Hitman (2016), Hitman 2, and Hitman 3, is the franchise at its best, with superbly well-designed missions offering numerous methods for completion, many of which have dedicated dialogue and even cutscenes. Disguise as VIPs, use bizarre weapons like the homing briefcase, or try any of the game's countless other mechanics to find the most creative or ridiculous way to complete missions in each level.
The Sims 4
The Iconic Virtual Life Simulator Is Still Best in Class
The Sims series has long been known as the go-to franchise for people wanting to live a virtual life... Or perhaps cause chaos for the characters within.
The series began in the year 2000 with The Sims, which was at one point the highest-selling PC game of all time, surpassing Myst just over two years after its release. The Sims 4 is the most recent entry in the series despite being released in 2014. However, the game is constantly changing thanks to the stream of expansions and updates that have ensured the game retains its crown in the life simulation genre.
Crusader Kings 3
Rule However You Choose
Crusader Kings 3 has a key selling point that makes it stand out among almost every other grand strategy game or even strategy games in general: it's still fun when you're "losing." Losing territory, being overthrown as king or queen, having family members betray you, going into severe debt, and even the death of your character only serve to make the game more interesting, as players see the consequences of their actions play out with changing dynamics, interesting events, and playing as another character if the one they're currently playing as dies.
Whereas most other strategy games put players in control of a faction or country, Crusader Kings 3 puts players directly into the shoes of characters and their heirs when they die, offering an intimate, personal feeling to the game that is hard to find elsewhere and can make for some memorable stories.
Most Must-Play Open-World Games
It's hard to define what makes a game a "must-play," but for open-world fans, these games definitely make the list.