The PS5 launched in 2020, making 2025 its sixth year in operation, and there are plenty of games to play both exclusively and non-exclusively across all genres on Sony's modern console. Hardcore action fans have games like Stellar Blade and Ghost of Yotei, while RPG fans have Elden Ring and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. All of those are good open-world examples.
Best Open-World Games That Let You Tell Stories
Play these games your way by telling a narrative unlike anyone else’s.
Big triple-A games like those examples are great, but one of the nicest things about the PS5 and this current generation is the wealth of free-to-play games out there that are still quality titles, including the open-world genre. These aren’t mobile games that ask for money every two seconds. Sure, they all have microtransactions, but they feel less intrusive, and the games themselves feel like real, high-quality open-world experiences, despite the lack of a pricetag.
Genshin Impact
Anime Zelda
Genshin Impact
- Released
- September 28, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen / Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo)
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action, Adventure, Gacha, Open-World
Genshin Impact is one of the biggest free-to-play games on the planet, and it broke through the mold and became wildly popular on every platform it hit. It was the free equivalent of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in so many ways, complete with a colorful anime style. Players choose their twin at the very start before venturing off into the ever-expanding world.
Players can then explore a vast world filled with action combat, unlocking new characters along the way through the story and through draws using in-game and paid currency. Players can climb surfaces and glide as they explore, just like in Breath of the Wild, and miHoYo has not stopped updating the game with new content since 2020. There is more than enough free content here to keep players occupied for weeks or months on end without having to worry about sinking money into Genshin Impact.
Destiny 2
Shoot To Thrill
Destiny 2
- Released
- August 28, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
Destiny 2 started as a paid experience, but then Bungie decided to turn it into a platform. To keep up with expansions, players must pay to see everything, but there is enough included in the base game for free that players can decide whether or not they want to see more after giving it an extended look. Also, for PS5 players, there are ways with PS+ to unlock more content for free. Models aside, players can choose a class and customize their character at the start.
Best Open-World Games With Science-Based Combat
These open-world games incorporate science and sci-fi into their weapons, ensuring you can zap your enemies to the next life.
They will take on missions at hub worlds, like The Tower, and then venture off to new planets and moons. Missions are more linear events, but there are ways to freely roam these planets alone or with friends online. These planetary environments are smaller than other open-world games, but what Destiny 2 lacks in size it more than makes up for in stellar gameplay. Between the various powers and the sci-fi weapons, the gunplay in this game is second to none.
Infinity Nikki
Dress To Chill
Infinity Nikki
- Released
- December 5, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Papergames, Infold Games
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Open-World, Dress-Up, RPG
Infinity Nikki is a chill game for anyone who wants to play an open-world game just to explore. Players will command the titular Nikki on her quest to unlock new fashionable dresses as she explores Miraland on an isekai adventure. New dresses can unlock new abilities, from attack modes to a glide ability.
There is combat, but it is a very small part of the game, and nothing too challenging will ever come up. It’s a cute game that is all about spreading good vibes. Whether that amounts to hundreds of hours of content is up to players. Infinity Nikki is at least worth a shot, even if it doesn’t look inviting for someone who's not into fashion or non-combat-focused games.
Wuthering Waves
Adding Pokemon To The Mix
Wuthering Waves
- Released
- May 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Kuro Games
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Open-World
Wuthering Waves looks and plays a lot like Genshin Impact between the anime visuals, the action combat, and the ability to glide. Plus, there are tons of characters to unlock with varying degrees of powers. However, there is one mechanic that sets it apart: it is also a monster-catching game. Players can catch enemies and turn them into Echoes, which will essentially make them usable abilities in battle, along with gear to boost stats.
It’s almost like the Materia system in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, as each character in Wuthering Waves has their own unique traits and abilities, but they can be enhanced in battle with Echoes so that players can shape them as they want. Also, switching between characters in combat will create a combo chain that makes full use of the character system more so than other action RPGs.
DC Universe Online
DC Stands For Decades Of Content
DC Universe Online
- Released
- January 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
DC Universe Online has been going strong since 2011, and it has been getting better with each passing year. Players can create their character, complete with stats and abilities based on iconic DC heroes. They can also be a villain, which is a fun route to travel down for fans of rogues like The Joker or Lex Luthor.
Best Open-World Games With Ridiculous Gameplay
Punch rocks, catch humans, and sail like a pirate in these strange open-world games.
Either way, combat plays out in typical MMO fashion, with players able to use a variety of powers and abilities that run on cooldowns. The combat isn’t as exciting as the Batman: Arkham games, but the variety of skills and how players use them will give them a greater sense of ownership, since this is their hero or villain. The open-world areas are more segmented, like Destiny 2, but DC fans will love being able to explore places like Metropolis, Gotham City, Atlantis, and more.
Final Fantasy 14
Free To Start
Final Fantasy 14
- Released
- August 27, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen - Language, Mild Blood, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
DC Universe Online is a fully free-to-play MMO with microtransactions, while Final Fantasy 14 is a good example of a free-to-start experience like Destiny 2. There is a trial version on PS5 that lets players go through the base game and the first two expansions for free, with some restrictions. Some chat options are locked, limitations on Gil, and characters stop leveling at level 70, but otherwise, players have free rein to roam around for as long as they like. They can then port their character into the full game and unlock more expansions if they so choose for cash and a subscription fee.
If they have friends who are already playing the game, then that will make the trial easier on new players, as they can join a party. Calling it a trial may have players thinking it's just a glorified demo, but it is a great free version of the game with a shockingly expansive world and story to explore. It’s one of the finest Final Fantasy games to date, from the world-building to the Job system to the easy-to-learn combat.
Best Open-World Games For Living Your Childhood Fantasies
These open-world games allow players to relive their childhood dreams, be it sailing the seas as a pirate or blasting away outlaws as a cowboy.