The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Grand Theft Auto 5, and Far Cry 3 are some of the most important open-world games of the early 2010s. They helped shape the genre, leading to sequels, spinoffs, and spiritual successors. Open-world games are some of the most popular right now, but even dedicated fans are liable to slip up every once in a while.
10 Open-World Games With Weather Systems That Completely Change How You Play
Be it rain, snow, sand, or anything in between, the weather in these games can be tricky and will directly affect gameplay.
Because open-world games are lengthy, usually clocking in around forty to eighty hours, it is seemingly impossible to play them all. So, while these experiences may have slipped past the first time, they are still worth playing even though they may not have scored as well as some of the aforementioned greats.
Red Faction: Guerrilla
Make Or Break
Red Faction: Guerilla
- Released
- June 2, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
Red Faction: Guerrilla is the perfect game for anyone who wants to let out a little steam. Set on Mars, players join a resistance movement to take back the planet from corporate overlords, with one heck of a physics system. Players can use any manner or weapons to destroy buildings in their revolution, and seeing a building topple over dozens of hours in is just as satisfying as in the beginning. Mars may not be the prettiest open-world setting, but it is a good sandbox to play in.
Judgment
Phoenix Wright Meets Yakuza
Judgment
- Released
- June 25, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Judgment is a spinoff that most Yakuza fans tend to forget about, since it’s not in the title, yet it takes place in the same world, uses the same martial arts gameplay system, and features a series of wacky side quests to chase after. As a former lawyer, protagonist Yagami is now a private detective who investigates cases for the downtrodden. There are some interesting investigation elements at crime scenes, but as a Yakuza game, there’s still a lot of action to take in, too.
Far Cry Primal
Back To B.C.
Far Cry Primal
- Released
- February 23, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Far Cry Primal is one of the strangest Far Cry spin-offs, taking place thousands of years before modern society was established. As a tribal hunter, players will go through the prehistoric era and hunt all manner of strange animals like Saber Toothed Tigers and Woolly Mammoths. The story and weapon system may be lacking from other entries, but the historical value is unmatched. It’s worth checking out just for this reason, as there aren’t many games like it on this scale.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
Build Me Up Buttercup
Dragon Quest Builders 2
- Released
- July 12, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Adventure
It seems like no game can ever compete with Minecraft in terms of popularity, but if more players checked out Dragon Quest Builders 2, it might reach Minecraft heights. The characters and monsters are more detailed, but the world is made out of the same basic building blocks.
Best Open-World Games That Let You Tell Stories
Play these games your way by telling a narrative unlike anyone else’s.
Players can dig and look for materials to their heart’s content to craft new gear and rebuild society. Dragon Quest Builders 2 has two advantages over Minecraft. There is a story, which is a bit cliché, but at home for Dragon Quest fans, and the combat is more engaging.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Kid Icarus 4*
Immortals Fenyx Rising
- Released
- December 3, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Immortals Fenyx Rising was like Ubisoft’s attempt to make a lighthearted action-adventure game on the scale of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but in a Greek-inspired fantasy world akin to a lesser-known Nintendo property, Kid Icarus. Players can create their character and then get dropped into a world of mythical monsters like cyclops and Minotaurs to fight and explore freely. This is one of the best examples of a game that came out at the wrong time, at the end of the year in December 2020, which is usually a bad release time.
Cat Quest 3
Kitty Konnections
Cat Quest III
- Released
- August 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
The Cat Quest series overall is something that players may not think will be fun because they look like they are aimed at young children, but they are. Cat Quest 3, in particular, is a great game for open-world enthusiasts who also like pirate adventures. Players will get their ship relatively quickly and can set sail across the world, and can even participate in ship battles. On land or in dungeons, players can hunt for loot in action-based combat, and the game does support two-player couch co-op.
The Good Life
Transformative Countrysides
The Good Life
- Released
- October 15, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Life Simulation
The Good Life is a Swery65 game, the same unhinged mind that brought fans Deadly Premonition, which is another underrated open-world game. While the story is not as weird, the premise is certainly strange. As a reporter, players will come to a seemingly sleepy village in the countryside, wherein they will soon gain the power to change into a dog or a cat. With their spare time, players can investigate the citizens to find clues leading to a murder and other suspicious activities, in either their human or animal forms.
Sand Land
Anime Fallout
Sand Land
- Released
- April 26, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Language
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Sand Land was the last major project the father of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama, worked on before his untimely death. Set in a world devoid of water, an alliance of humans and demons band together to solve this problem once and for all.
Best Open-World Games With No Real Objective
If you want fewer goals, these open-world games aren’t that pushy with a main quest, instead letting you leisurely explore at your own pace.
Players can engage in action-based combat with the demon prince protagonist, Beelzebub, or they can pilot a number of vehicles, like tanks and robots. The inventive gadgets, machines, and quirky characters will please Dragon Ball fans and even Fallout fans who have been looking for a more action-packed post-apocalyptic experience.
Mad Max (2015)
The Phantom Game
Mad Max
- Released
- September 1, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Open-World
Mad Max came out at the wrong time twice. First, it didn’t release next to the biggest summer blockbuster of 2015, Mad Max: Fury Road. Then, when it did finally launch, it was next to Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. Mad Max seemingly couldn’t win, and while it isn’t as action-packed as the film, which it does tie into, it’s still the best game based on the franchise to date. There’s great car combat, a world full of sickos, and the gunplay isn’t bad either.
Rage 2
One Last Chance
Rage 2
- Released
- May 19, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- FPS
The world was not set on fire with Rage in 2011, and after waiting almost a decade, Rage 2 was released to try and capture the post-apocalyptic magic once again. This time, the world was a bit more fun and wacky, almost like a response to Borderlands. The weapons, characters, and enemies were more unhinged, giving the world a bit more flavor. Whether players were shooting raiders in hideouts or battling them on the road, things could get pretty intense.
Upcoming Open-World Games That Will Let You Do Anything
These upcoming open-world games are packed with a ton of activities and gameplay features for players to enjoy.