Summary
- Realism in video games can hinder player fun.
- Unrealistic open-world games like Just Cause 3 attract players.
- The focus on fun over realism in games like Grand Theft Auto 5 is key to their success.
While there's nothing wrong with pushing for realism in video games, this can come at the cost of a player's fun. Adhering to the rules governing real life can go against the escapism players crave when they boot up a game that interests them.
8 Best Open-World Games For Clearing Out Camps, Ranked
Clearing out camps of enemies is a popular trend in open-world games that provides players with plenty of opportunities to test out their weapons.
This is why some of the best video games are ones that are as unrealistic as they come. This is especially true in the context of open-world games that let players go on a warpath and cause unlimited chaos and destruction, breaking numerous laws of physics in the process.
8 Just Cause 3
Explosions And Grappling Hook Shenanigans Galore
Just Cause 3
- Released
- November 30, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Third-Person Shooter
Just Cause is a series known for letting players engage in gleeful chaos throughout its open world, and no game does this better than Just Cause 3. The fan-made mods for the previous game compelled Avalanche Studios to make their grappling hook more versatile than ever, throwing any sense of realism out the window.
The core gameplay loop consists of players exploding everything in sight and throwing a wrench in a tyrannical dictator's plans. The story isn't anything to write home about, but it's the rampant, unrealistic destruction that keeps fans coming back for more.
7 Batman: Arkham Knight
Gotham's Goons Love To Wait Their Turn To Punch Batman
Batman: Arkham Knight
- Released
- June 23, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action
Arkham Knight is a great conclusion to Rocksteady's beloved series that fans love despite its flaws. In a bid to make the combat better than ever, Batman can pull off some of the most over-the-top moves against his opponents that end up looking downright deadly.
That's to say nothing of the Batmobile, which essentially operates as a tank but still takes out goons without killing them, somehow. Batman's aversion to killing is pushed to its very limits here, but fans don't mind since the end result is so fun that they won't think twice about the game's unrealistic mechanics.
6 Burnout Paradise
Nobody Cares That The Cars In This Game Have The Durability Of Wet Cardboard
Burnout Paradise
- Released
- January 22, 2008
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Criterion Games
- Genre(s)
- Racing
Burnout Paradise is one of the best open-world games ever made, allowing players to enjoy arcade racing at a level that other titles can only dream about. The main draw of this game is smashing into cars and turning them into flaming wrecks in a flash.
10 Best Open-World Games With Realistic Ways To Fast Travel
These open-world games don't just impress with their incredible stories and gameplay, but their dedication to realism when it comes to fast travel.
These takedowns are so entertaining that fans will never question why these cars have little to no durability to speak of. Of course, if unrealistic mechanics are to be highlighted here, then seeing wrecked cars come back like everything's normal is even more puzzling.
5 Minecraft
Combining Resources To Make Elaborate Items Turned This Title Into A Phenomenon
Minecraft
- Released
- November 18, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, Survival
Minecraft transformed into one of the most popular indie sandbox games that promoted creativity to a ridiculous extent. The amazing creations in Minecraft make it clear that fans will stop at nothing to bring their vision to life, no matter how gargantuan the scale may be.
The crafting side of things is about as unrealistic as players would expect, with players combining materials to form useful items in the blink of an eye that can help them deal with the terrors of the world. It may be unrealistic, but this simple gameplay is a huge part of what turned Minecraft into a global phenomenon.
4 Sleeping Dogs
The Action-Packed Gameplay Is Unrealistic But Highly Entertaining
Sleeping Dogs
- Released
- August 14, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Sleeping Dogs is an amazing open-world title that more people need to get their hands on. Wei Shen's adventures are more riveting than they have any right to be, and this is mainly because of the game's ridiculous action sequences.
Leaping from one car to another to hijack it, slowing down time while using a firearm as they leap out of cover and using melee combat & grabs to wallop enemies to smithereens never gets old. It may be unrealistic, but who cares about mowing down civilians as an undercover cop when the package is so irresistible that fans can't help but want more of what this game has to offer?
3 Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
Hiding In A Cardboard Box And Using An Inflatable Venom Snake To Bamboozle Enemies Is Hilarious
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
- Released
- September 1, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Action, Open-World
What made the Metal Gear Solid games so iconic is their tendency to be a bit silly from time to time, even if the story took itself very seriously. Such is the case in The Phantom Pain, an open-world title that is a celebration of everything this series achieved.
As Venom Snake, players can participate in some truly death-defying espionage missions where they must use everything from stupid cardboard boxes to inflatable dolls of Venom Snake to sneak past opponents. If players want to make the most of this game's fun yet unrealistic mechanics, then they can always drop a package on an enemy's head to knock them out, too.
2 Grand Theft Auto 5
The Over-the-Top Chicanery In This Title Is Immensely Enjoyable
Grand Theft Auto 5
- Released
- September 17, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the best video games ever made, and a huge reason why this is the case is this title's focus on unhinged chaos. As Franklin, Michael, or Trevor, players can wreak havoc in the world of Los Santos and its surroundings without any long-term repercussions.
It helps that the game gives every protagonist a unique power, just to hammer in the point that realism is not the focus here. If the missions in Grand Theft Auto 6 embrace the chaos of the sandbox, then it'll be the recipe for a near-perfect game.
1 The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Link's Adventures Don't Need To Be Realistic For Fans To Enjoy This Masterpiece
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Released
- May 12, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
It's amazing how the new Legend of Zelda games boasted unrealistic takes on realistic mechanics. Yes, heat can be debilitating for players, although most people won't spontaneously burst into flames the very moment they enter a hot area.
The new powers in Tears of the Kingdom can also break the game if players use them in innovative ways, although these abilities were meant to be unrealistic from the get-go. Nintendo has always prioritized fun mechanics over realistic ones in their games, and Tears of the Kingdom is no exception.