Long-awaited Metroidvania sequels notwithstanding, there are a ton of great open-world games that either just got ported to new hardware or have received (or are about to receive) major content updates like story DLC or patches, making them prime fodder for any gaming-related plans players may have this weekend. As a bonus, there are also a handful of great open-world titles that are on a steep discount across multiple digital storefronts as part of some ongoing publisher sales, making now a great time to take the plunge on a new game to occupy yourself with between now and Sunday.
Star Wars Outlaws
Thanks to yesterday's launch of Silksong, it seems like Star Wars Outlaws' arrival on the Switch 2 was all but buried in the gaming news cycle. According to hands-on impressions, though, Outlaws should be high up on any Switch 2 owner's list as a game to keep an eye on, as it reportedly performs well in both handheld and docked mode, maintaining a stable 30 FPS even in the most demanding open-world sections. Star Wars Outlaws is a solid open-world game that's only continued to improve from patches and tweaks that have fixed its technical issues and more frustrating stealth mechanics, and it could end up being a worthwhile option for a new open-world game on Switch 2 if you've already conquered both Zelda titles or Cyberpunk 2077.
Star Wars Outlaws
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 75 /100 Critics Rec: 68%
- Released
- August 30, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Violence, Simulated Gambling, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Massive Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft, Lucasfilm Games
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Snowdrop
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure
Atomfall
This year's Atomfall was a surprisingly unique hybrid of first-person immersive sim and survival game that dropped players into distinct, semi-open world zones that begged to be explored and revisited as you uncovered more of the game's central mystery. It's already received one major story DLC, and it was recently announced that the upcoming Red Strain DLC is now set to arrive on September 16. Ahead of the game's purported final DLC drop, it's a perfect time to check out the very distinct gameplay loop that Atomfall offers.
Atomfall
- Released
- March 27, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen // Blood, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Rebellion Developments
- Publisher(s)
- Rebellion Developments
- Number of Players
- 1
WHERE TO PLAY
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands
Ubisoft is currently hosting a publisher sale on just about every major digital storefront, which brings several of the studio's open-world games down to their lowest-ever prices. But rather than highlight the Far Cry and Assassin's Creed titles that normally get the spotlight from these kinds of promotions, we're turning our attention to Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands. Wildlands is arguably one of the more interesting hybrids between shooters and open-world games, offering a more grounded take on the gameplay loop of titles like Just Cause. That players can currently pick it up for less than $5 makes it a relatively risk-free game to try out this weekend.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 71 /100 Critics Rec: 42%
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- AnvilNext 2.0
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
If you happen to be one of the many players who just finished Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, you may find yourself in the mood for more of Big Boss' adventures. Fittingly, Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain just celebrated its 10th anniversary this week, priming it for plenty of revision this weekend and filling in important lore gaps for players who might be new to the series with Delta. Metal Gear Solid 5 is the only truly open-world game in the series, and it does a great job of giving players all the tools they need to approach missions as they see fit, whether that be by completing ghost-like stealth infiltrations or going in loud with guns blazing.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 93 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
- Released
- September 1, 2015
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
- Publisher(s)
- Konami
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Fox Engine
- Genre(s)
- Action, Open-World
Enshrouded
There's an almost overwhelming amount of open-world survival games vying for players' hard-earned money and time, which can make it difficult to settle on just picking one to really invest yourself in. Keen Games' Enshrouded is one that widespread interest may have cooled on after an initial buzz surrounding the game, but the studio's recent reveal of the Wake of the Water update at Gamescom is already drawing plenty of returning and new players back into the fold. Enshrouded's main draw is the ability to play the game in co-op with up to 16 players in a server, so anyone looking for a less-lonely open-world experience should give it a shot this weekend.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 81%
- Released
- January 24, 2024
- Developer(s)
- Keen Games
- Publisher(s)
- Keen Games
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Holistic
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Open-World, Action RPG