Long ago, Steam became almost synonymous with PC gaming. Many players ignore games available elsewhere (for instance, on Uplay or Epic Games Store) unless they can be bought through Steam. Because of this loyalty to Valve’s platform, Steam user ratings are now one of the most important factors for many PC gamers. Steam scores aren’t always fully accurate, especially over time. Review bombings happen for various reasons, and some reviews are just jokes. Still, they let players quickly get a sense of the general consensus, with others highlighting the highs and lows, technical issues, and more.
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Of course, when it comes to personal taste, it’s rarely smart to rely only on the average score from thousands of players. Everyone’s preferences differ, and one person’s flaw can be another’s favorite feature. Sometimes a game’s rating improves slowly after a rough launch marred by various problems. That’s why some truly awesome games may still remain underappreciated, with lower user ratings than they deserve. Today, we’re looking at some great open-world games on Steam that could be much better for certain players than their “Mostly Positive” scores suggest.
Steam user reviews for the following are English only as of February 2026. “Mostly Positive” is equivalent to 70%-79% positive user reviews.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint
Steam Rating: 72% Positive
Ghost Recon Breakpoint is the lowest-rated open-world game on this list, and while it’s easy to see where the game stumbled, failing to match some areas of Wildlands (currently Very Positive on Steam), like its diverse world, there is just no other game as flexible and massive as Breakpoint today. It’s a true paradise for open-world fans who value realistic and tactical gun combat with plenty of possibilities and a truly vast playground.
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Ghost Recon Breakpoint has come a long way, implementing changes based on fan feedback, going as far as offering two distinct game modes: one for looter-shooter fans, and a more traditional Ghost Recon experience. Today, it stands as an incredibly flexible title that every player can tweak in line with their preferences, from shooting mechanics to difficulty and survival elements. Breakpoint’s colossal map offers over a hundred hours of play to clear, allowing for leisure or intense gameplay sessions entirely solo, with AI bots, or with up to three players in a squad. Just don’t come here expecting a strong story and narrative.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Steam Rating: 77% Positive
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl’s rating will probably go higher over time, as most of the game’s negative reviews stem from the game’s somewhat troubled launch, marred by technical issues and poor implementation of AI enemies’ respawns, which was a far cry from the lofty A-Life system expectations from the originals. Several major patches later, STALKER 2 is in a much more satisfying state. What’s more important is that at its core, it’s a unique open-world shooter with engaging gameplay and an impeccable atmosphere and feel of the Zone, almost in every aspect, true to the legendary series’ legacy.
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When everything works as intended, exploring and surviving the Zone can be a true blast, with constant danger, unexpected discoveries, intriguing quests, and lifelike characters. The UE5-powered visuals are stunning, making STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl one of the best-looking open-world games this generation, and granting the Zone its special, unmistakable feel of a rusty post-apocalypse. It’s a world that many players would struggle to let go of even after a hundred hours, continuing to look for every artifact and the best gear hidden in abandoned stashes.
Outward Definitive Edition
Steam Rating: 73% Positive
For an open-world as special as Outward, the game ranks surprisingly modestly by Steam players. Not just another open-world RPG, but an immersive survival experience embodying the rare principle of every playthrough being completely unique, complete with dynamic defeat scenarios, Outward is a very deep world of Aurai, full of rules of its own, making it so interesting to explore and get acquainted with. Everything is dangerous in Outward, not just lurking predators, but hazardous environments, diseases, and neglected basic needs, while constant auto-saving prevents the players from avoiding mistakes, forcing them to accept and live with each decision, be it a good or a bad one.
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Naturally, the game is quite challenging by nature, requiring hours of surviving in harsh conditions to fully grasp all of its mechanics, with a high entry threshold potentially explaining its current rating, as some players would probably bounce off, expecting a more traditional open-world adventure. Even if it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, Outward just might be yours, especially given how flexible it is, suitable for solo adventurers or for a co-op journey with friends, including local split-screen.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Steam Rating: 78% Positive
Released amid the most difficult times for Ubisoft ever, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a much better game than the loud skeptics want it to be. Sure, it isn’t perfect, but which Assassin’s Creed game of the past decade has been? What matters is that AC Shadows is gorgeous, giving a true next-gen feel to its detailed and dynamic Japan, technically flawless, and very fun to play. The idea of two playable characters, shinobi Naoe and samurai Yasuke, with their distinct playstyle, proved fruitful, resulting in equally exciting combat and stealth across a vast map to put these skills to the test.
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AC Shadows addresses several big issues from its predecessor, while making its progression feel sandbox-like, as most of the time, players are free to go anywhere and to kill their targets in the open world however they see fit. On the other hand, this somewhat hampered the game’s central narrative, which isn’t the strongest in the series. Nevertheless, it’s easy to enjoy Assassin’s Creed Shadows for what it is — even if someone will always show up to tell you that you’re wrong for liking it.
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Steam Rating: 73% Positive
Mass Effect: Andromeda had really big shoes to fill, coming after the masterpiece that the original Shepard trilogy is. Needless to say, Andromeda failed to match the narrative heights and epic stakes of its predecessors, not to mention that it was released unpolished. However, after the dust has settled, when appreciated on its own terms, as an exciting open-world adventure led by new blood, Mass Effect: Andromeda deserves better than its current reputation. Fortunately, the game has already been re-evaluated by players revisiting it years later.
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What many will find here is a sprawling new galaxy with diverse explorable worlds; relatable, mostly green characters that are fun to spend time with; exciting combat (easily the best in the series), and plenty of other strengths, including visuals, sounds, and music. Mass Effect: Andromeda feels both fresh and familiar, revisiting all the signature elements of the original games, like a drivable rover, with a flair of its own. If only many of Andromeda’s side quests were more memorable, rather than often feeling like filler between epic main missions.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Steam Rating: 79% Positive
If there’s an open-world game that fully belongs to a universally positive Steam camp, it’s The Division 2 — and it looks like it’s already one-footing there. After many years, The Division 2 is still one of the best open-world looter-shooters, packing an exciting story mode perfectly suitable for solo players (if they are ready for severe challenges in the endgame), and a wide array of co-op PvE and PvP game modes. There is so much content and so many reasons to play The Division 2 that players can easily expect hundreds of hours of play, booting the game today for the first time.
The Division 2’s core gameplay loop and everything about combat and gear is simply top-notch, but what’s especially surprising is that for a live-service game, it’s spectacularly convincing in its worldbuilding, with every place, building, room, or lab hiding its own story. The world is rich, with multiple factions and expeditions to distant corners of the post-pandemic USA outside of Washington DC, while creative missions and scenarios make The Division 2 something more than just another passable open-world grindfest.
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