Summary

  • Mad Max offers fun combat despite lacking top-notch mechanics.
  • Days Gone provides players with challenging hordes and great weapons.
  • Batman: Arkham Knight excels in outstanding combat mechanics and useful gadgets.

The open-world genre is known for combining various elements that players love, such as exploration, storytelling, a broad range of weapons and abilities, and even some experimental aspects that sometimes work and sometimes don’t.

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While many titles double down on subtle storytelling and world-building, there are others that opt to focus on combat and make the experience as thrilling and adrenaline-rushing as possible. These kinds of games are not specific to a certain subgenre such as FPS or RPG, but often have a higher degree of action than others with a focus on the narrative. Here are some of the best open-world games for demolishing hordes of enemies.

7 Mad Max

The Combat Mechanics Aren't The Best, But They're Fun

Mad Max
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Action-Adventure
Open-World
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Released
September 1, 2015
Developer(s)
Avalanche Studios
Platform(s)
PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre(s)
Action-Adventure, Open-World
  • Players can beat up hordes of enemies
  • Decent setting reminiscent of the popular movie franchise

Based on the popular late 70s franchise set in a post-apocalyptic world full of modified vehicles, strange beings and a ton of violence, Mad Max delivers partially on the premise it seeks to communicate and offers a fun experience for the most part.

Granted, the combat mechanics aren't all there and there are other games in the genre that do them a lot better. But if players like the Mad Max franchise and are looking for a game where they can beat up several enemies at once, it could be great to scratch that itch.

6 Days Gone

There's A Total of 40 Hordes In The Game

Days Gone
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Released
April 26, 2019
Developer(s)
Bend Studio
Platform(s)
PC, PlayStation 4
  • Hordes can range between 25 and 500 Swarmers
  • Great weapons to experiment with

Days Gone is arguably one of the most popular post-apocalyptic zombie franchises of the last 10 years. Set in the wilderness of Oregon, this game allows players to explore the world to their liking while encountering various obstacles along the way.

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One of the greatest things about Days Gone is the hordes, which will pit players against vicious groups of Swarmers that can range from 25 to 500 at a time. This, combined with the outstanding melee weapons at players’ disposal, can make for an amazing experience.

5 Dead Rising 3

Zombie Hordes Can Be Quite Challenging

Dead Rising 3
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Released
November 22, 2013
Developer(s)
Capcom Vancouver
Platform(s)
Xbox One, PC
Genre(s)
Action, Adventure
  • Fun combat mechanics
  • Zombie hordes are very entertaining to kill

The Dead Rising franchise has been around for almost 20 years at the time of writing this article, which has made it very popular with fans of all ages.

While the franchise has had some development issues in the last few years and its future is unclear, it's also undeniable that those titles that are already available are a lot of fun and pit players against vicious hordes of zombies. While there doesn’t seem to be a consensus around which of the Dead Rising games is the best, Dead Rising 3 is widely regarded to deserve one of the top spots.

4 Middle-Earth: Shadow of War

Talion Has Many Tricks Up His Sleeve

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
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Released
September 30, 2014
Developer(s)
Monolith
Platform(s)
PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Linux, macOS
Genre(s)
Action, Adventure
  • Great combat mechanics
  • Compelling story

When Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor was released, many fans were doubtful about whether it was going to perform well, as the golden age for Lord of the Rings games had long passed. Luckily, the title managed to deliver a very enjoyable experience that combined fast-paced action and entertaining exploration.

The success continued with Middle-Earth: Shadow of War, which served as a sequel to Shadow of Mordor and allowed players to interact with new and improved game mechanics. As Talion, players can face and decimate hordes of orcs and other enemies in challenging fights.

3 Saints Row 4

The Ultimate Mayhem Experience

Saints Row 4
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Third-Person Shooter
Open-World
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Released
August 20, 2013
Developer(s)
Volition
Platform(s)
PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Switch, PC, Stadia
Genre(s)
Third-Person Shooter, Open-World
  • Thrilling combat
  • Considered to be one of the best in the franchise

Players looking for an exciting experience full of action and tons of mayhem should look no further than Saints Row 4. This title not only offers players a wide range of options regarding how they can play the game, but also pits them against various enemies, which makes combat very enjoyable.

While the game mechanics present are not as hashed out as those in behemoths like Grand Theft Auto 5, Saints Row 4 still manages to deliver a very enjoyable experience that many players agree is the high point of the franchise.

2 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Fighting Legions Of Monsters Is Very Entertaining

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
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Released
May 19, 2015
Developer(s)
CD Projekt Red
Genre(s)
RPG, Action, Adventure
  • Many creatures' danger lies in their numbers
  • Fighting hordes of monsters is very challenging, especially in the "Death March!" Difficulty

While The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will often have players exploring vast cities and quiet forests, there will also be other times and situations where they will be pitted against vicious hordes of monsters. Many creatures find their strength in numbers, meaning that they’re not awfully dangerous alone, but can be deadly in groups. A great example of this are Nekkers.

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To defend themselves against the many dangers on The Continent, players can rely on their sword fighting skills, their Witcher Signs, and some of the best armor sets in the game.

1 Batman: Arkham Knight

This Title Has Some Of The Best Combat Mechanics In Its Genre

Batman: Arkham Knight
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Released
June 23, 2015
Developer(s)
Rocksteady Studios
Platform(s)
PS4, Xbox One, PC
Genre(s)
Action
  • Outstanding combat mechanics
  • Useful gadgets

Lastly, there's Batman: Arkham Knight, which continues to deliver on the amazing game mechanics the franchise is known for while implementing a few new things of its own. Similar to the Middle Earth franchise, Batman: Arkham Knight offers players exciting combat where they can face various enemies at once. And while there's not a final boss, this doesn't impact gameplay or the feeling of high stakes around it.

Combat will put players' reflexes to the test and force them to keep their eyes open while scanning every corner of the screen to avoid sustaining damage. The game also features some amazing gadgets, which can be helpful during tight situations.

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