Critics and players don't always see eye to eye, and in a lot of cases, they actually have different opinions about how great a video game is. Open-world games are often among the most hotly debated because, as high as the highs can be, they can just as easily have some pretty major pitfalls due to the ambition and scale associated with a much larger environment.
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Despite their strengths and plenty of promise, some open-world series are very unlikely to make a comeback.
Sometimes critics pick apart major gameplay mechanics that players adore, and other times they are simple nitpicks that the masses normally overlook. Whatever the gripes may be, there are certainly quite a few games out there that have been widely praised by players while being criticized by the critics.
These scores are based on the percentages on OpenCritic and the Steam pages for each respective game.
Palworld
Hardcore Survival Meets Whimsical Creatures
Palworld
- Released
- January 19, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- Developer(s)
- Pocket Pair, Inc.
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Shooter, Survival
- Steam Review Percentage: 95% positive
- Top Critic Average: 71%
- Critics Recommend: 58%
Palworld was instantly dismissed by many critics as a chaotic blend of survival crafting and monster catching, but players saw something special beneath the memes. The concept was pretty out there, mixing base-building, creature management, and open-world exploration, but the execution managed to captivate a huge audience right from the start.
Many critics questioned the tone and originality, drawing similarities to the obvious Pokemon inspiration, yet players leaned into the absurdity and sent the game to the top of the Steam charts. What made Palworld even more fun for so many was the amount of freedom afforded to the player, which made the game feel more like a survival sandbox than a strict linear path, helping the experience feel more unique and fun.
Mad Max
Driving Across The Dusty Wasteland
Mad Max
- Released
- September 1, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Avalanche Studios
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Open-World
- Steam Review Percentage: 91% positive
- Top Critic Average: 69%
- Critics Recommend: 28%
Mad Max didn’t make a huge critical splash, but it’s become a cult favorite among open-world fans. Bringing the iconic universe to the gaming world was a bold move, but the game manages to capture everything that made the movie series so iconic, from the visceral car-on-car action to the apocalyptic atmosphere that simply drips from the screen.
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Critics labeled it repetitive and formulaic, stating that the world felt empty and uninspired, yet players found depth in its simplicity. Every outpost, wreck, and dust storm added to the immersion, while the driving and melee systems felt weighty and satisfying. Over time, fans came to appreciate Mad Max not as a blockbuster hit but as a gritty and personal adventure that perfectly encapsulates the soul of its world.
Pathologic 2
No Easy Escapes From The Horror
Pathologic 2
- Released
- May 23, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Steam Review Percentage: 92% positive
- Top Critic Average: 70%
- Critics Recommend: 34%
Few open-world games have divided opinions quite like Pathologic 2. The gameplay itself is controversial to say the least, almost forcing players to fail through its punishing mechanics, and the surreal narrative structure forced many critics to lower their review scores far below those of the players. It's definitely not a welcoming game, but it's also fascinating in a way that few other games are.
In fact, the haunting, emotional descent into madness is what many players say is the best part of the game. The originality of the setting and the gameplay make Pathologic 2 stand out from the rest of the horror games on Steam, and despite the negative perception from the critical audience, it is still revered as one of the most interesting open-world games ever made.
Far Cry Primal
Replacing Guns With Bows And Arrows
Far Cry Primal
- Released
- February 23, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
- Steam Review Percentage: 85% positive
- Top Critic Average: 77%
- Critics Recommend: 60%
When Far Cry Primal was released, critics saw it as a major step back for the franchise, citing it as a spin-off that stripped away a lot of the identity that made the series so iconic. However, this change was what drew many players into the world, giving them an experience that felt familiar in a lot of ways, while offering something completely new at the same time.
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The more tactile feel of the combat has a sense of weight that was often missing in the mainline Far Cry games, and the prehistoric setting was praised for its detail and unique identity that set it apart from many other games releasing at the time. It might not have been the reinvention that many were looking for, but Far Cry Primal was a great experiment that many still enjoyed.
Days Gone
Avoiding The Undead On The Open Road
Days Gone
- Released
- April 26, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Bend Studio
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action, Adventure
- Steam Review Percentage: 92% positive
- Top Critic Average: 72%
- Critics Recommend: 54%
Days Gone was met with lukewarm reviews, mainly receiving criticism for some narrative pacing issues and a repetitive gameplay feel, yet the wider playerbase connected with the story and world on a much deeper level. Deacon's journey across apocalyptic Oregon was far more emotional than expected, which was aided by some strong voice performances that really brought the characters to life.
There may have been some technical flaws cited by critics, but they were not severe enough for players to feel removed from the overall experience. Instead, they focused on the excellent world-building and unique horde mechanics that helped ensure every moment was filled with either tension or action, no matter how far into the story they were.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands
Bringing Tactical Combat To The Open Field
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 71 /100 Critics Rec: 42%
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
- Steam Review Percentage: 80% positive
- Top Critic Average: 71%
- Critics Recommend: 42%
Ubisoft’s Ghost Recon Wildlands was seen as yet another formulaic open-world shooter at launch, and from a critical standpoint, the story and repetitive objectives were positioned as its biggest weaknesses. Players, on the other hand, found the game to be incredibly enjoyable, delivering an endlessly replayable co-op loop brimming with detail and player freedom.
The open-world setting served as a giant tactical sandbox for players to explore and clear however they chose. And, because of how satisfying the stealth and cooperative elements were, many players chose to focus on the excitement of the adventure, rather than the narrative elements that many critics cited as reasons to dismiss the game.
The Long Dark
Completely Alone In The Wilderness
The Long Dark
- Released
- August 1, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Hinterland Studio
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Steam Review Percentage: 88% positive
- Top Critic Average: 78%
- Critics Recommend: 71%
The Long Dark took a quieter approach to survival, trading violence and enemies for isolation and hunger. The fight against the environment was hailed as a great concept, but critics found it to be quite repetitive in practice or too slow to be enjoyable for long periods of time.
However, players fell in love with the more meditative tone that the survival loop offered, praising the tension that came from simply trying to stay alive. The lack of clear direction and the brutal nature of every playthrough made it a challenging yet rewarding journey, allowing the game to feel distinct in an otherwise crowded genre in a way that was lukewarm with critics but adored by players.
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