Best Open-World Games With Heist Missions

Open-world games offer a wealth of content, be it the sprawling land masses, the plethora of NPCs, or the overall immersive nature of the given setting. Open-world games often offer freedom and sandbox environments, whereas the individual levels provide action-packed set pieces.

There are few better video game set pieces than heists. They allow for a mix of action and strategy that fills players with a sense of tension, be it from stealthily approaching the objective or fleeing after a daring infiltration. Heist levels allow for a change of pace in open-world games, swapping the sprawling and open-ended sandbox for an unforgettable adrenaline-fuelled experience. Many players consider heist levels as the highlight of the respective games, especially in the following titles.

8 Dishonored: Death Of The Outsider

A Standard Bank Heist With Supernatural Abilities

Dishonored: Death Of The Outsider is a standalone expansion for the open-world stealth title, Dishonored 2. It gave players more of the fan-favorite open locations and gameplay opportunities, allowing for fast-paced loud combat or brilliant stealth, all while taking the reins of a new protagonist.

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One of the most enjoyable and well-received levels in Dishonored: Death Of The Outsider is The Bank Job. Players must navigate and steal from a bank, all while avoiding or fighting the plethora of armed opponents. The open level design in Dishonored: Death Of The Outsider allows for multiple avenues of exploration and approaches to the objective, whether it be a stealthy approach through the rafters or a full-frontal assault.

7 Saints Row: The Third

Don't Steal From The Vault — Steal The Vault Itself

Saints Row: The Third is the third title in the Saints Row series. Originally maligned as a Grand Theft Auto clone, the Saints Row games managed to carve out their own identity in the open-world crime genre. Compared to GTA, Saints Row opted for a far more comedic and wild approach by the time the third game released.

The introduction to the open world in Saints Row: The Third comes in the form of a heist mission. In true Saints Row fashion, the unexpected takes place, as players attach the vault to a helicopter and steal the vault itself. Players find themselves flying through the area, blasting enemies and helicopters all whilst standing on top of the vault itself, dangling from a helicopter. This wild variation on the heist mission formula is the typical Saints Row experience. It opts for crazy action rather than the simplistic approach, to the joy of the playerbase, of course.

6 Fallout: New Vegas

Searching For Gold In A "Haunted" Casino

Fallout: New Vegas is often considered the fan-favorite Fallout title, offering a unique setting and an open-ended approach to both the world and storytelling. The first expansion to Fallout: New Vegas, Dead Money, continues the trend of a unique location and intriguing plot.

Players are introduced to the Sierra Madre casino and resort, a long-abandoned locale that was set to be the biggest casino in the West. Players find themselves exploring the remains of the dilapidated casino, with the promise of a hoard of gold awaiting them. They must fight through the "ghostly" mutated people that inhabit terrifying hazmat suits, as well as a whole host of other threats, all at the whim of the mysterious Father Elijah. New Vegas: Dead Money offers a unique approach to the heist genre, presenting a far more scary and unnatural heist experience.

5 Thief Simulator

Heist After Heist

Thief Simulator is a compelling title that sees players take the role of a novice thief, building their way up in the crime world. The game takes place in an open-world suburb, with plenty of houses to break into.

By the very nature of Thief Simulator, the open-world is simply a vessel for a series of heist objectives. The game takes a very open and sandbox approach, allowing players to scope out and break into any house in order to increase their wealth and skills. Players build up their tools and skill set, eventually being able to tackle full-fledged heists on large mansions with security systems. Thief Simulator fulfills the heist fantasy and allows for a steady increase in the scale of the heist and thus the risk, providing an addictive and tense stealth gameplay loop.

4 Cyberpunk: 2077

Not The Smoothest Heist

Cyberpunk: 2077, despite its rocky launch, has reinstated its popularity in the realm of modern RPGs, providing players with a compelling story and incredible settling. The broad open world is incredibly immersive and allows players the freedom to explore, while the skill tree and assortment of weapons allow players to carve out their identity for V in Night City.

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Very early on in Cyberpunk: 2077, players are tasked with pulling off a dangerous and daring heist. They team up with Jackie and T-Bug, at the behest of Dexter Deshawn, to infiltrate Konpeki Plaza and steal a mysterious bio-chip owned by Arasaka Corporation. This ultimately ends poorly, despite the promising start. V inserts the biochip into their head whilst escaping the hail of gunfire, thus setting in motion the plot for the rest of Cyberpunk: 2077.

3 Mafia 3

Breaking Into The Federal Reserve

Mafia 3 is the third entry in the Mafia series, set 17 years after Mafia 2, now in the fictional setting og New Bordeaux. Mafia 3 continues the formula of giving players a realistic and immersive open-world that sets the stage for the intense crime story.

It's no surprise that in a game set around organized crime, players can expect to take part in a heist. In the opening, players take control of Mafia 3 protagonist Lincoln Clay, and alongside Georgi, attempt a robbery of the Federal Reserve. All is well until an alarm is triggered, resulting in a gunfight, escape, and ending in a boat chase. The action lulls until the main crew ends up in a bar, with a shocking betrayal setting the plot of the game in motion.

2 Red Dead Redemption 2

Classic Wild West Heists

Red Dead Redemption 2 is the critically acclaimed sequel to Red Dead Redemption. Taking place before the events of Red Dead Redemption, players take control of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw in a world that is moving on too fast. The game provides what many players consider the best and most immersive open world in gaming, a sprawling landmass that is filled to the brim with detail.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is no stranger to heists, given its plot and setting. The open-world gameplay allows for the robbing of stores, as expected, but the true heists come within the main story missions. Be it train robberies or the daring robbery of a bank in the heart of Saint Denis, Red Dead Redemption 2 allows players to live out that cowboy fantasy, gunning down lawmen whilst attempting to flea with cash and bonds alike.

1 Grand Theft Auto 5

From Jewelry Stores to Government Agencies

Grand Theft Auto 5 is a title that needs no introduction. The 5th entry in the long-running Grand Theft Auto series, Grand Theft Auto 5 built on the formula laid by its predecessor to create a critically acclaimed open-world crime experience.

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As the name would suggest, and as players have come to expect, Grand Theft Auto 5 has its fair share of robberies and heists. The main story starts small in its heists, having players rob a jewelry store. This doesn't last, however. Before long, players are preparing for robberies of private military organizations, government agencies, and, of course, banks. Grand Theft Auto 5 does not just have heists in its single-player mode either. The online mode also has a plethora of heists, ranging from breaking into prisons to infiltrating and orchestrating a heist on a cartel-owned private island. Grand Theft Auto 5 provides the premier heist experience in open-world gaming, offering many diverse and compelling heists to take part in.

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