Summary
- Open-world games with solid combat focus provide engaging gameplay loops for players to enjoy.
- Players appreciate third-person viewpoints in open-world games for showcasing combat skills.
- Games like Middle-earth: Shadow of War and Ghost of Tsushima offer rewarding combat experiences.
Players love how alluring open-world games are, allowing players to explore massive sandboxes that have a ton of things for players to discover. As one would expect, the vast majority of games in this genre feature combat loops to keep players engaged.
8 Best Open-World Games With A Focus On 1v1 Combat, Ranked
Open-world games sometimes overwhelm players with enemies, but these titles focus on one-on-one combat.
Third-person viewpoints are fairly common in this genre, and fans love the open-world games that let players take on all comers as they show off their skills. When combat clicks for players in these titles, they can have a great time mowing down waves of enemies with upgraded and mastered skills.
8 Middle-earth: Shadow Of War
A Crunchy, Violent Take On The Arkham Formula
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
- Released
- October 10, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
Shadow of Mordor was a pleasant surprise that implemented elements of Assassin's Creed in a game based on The Lord of the Rings, and Shadow of War improved upon this formula. While the grind in this game was unacceptable, the combat made up for this in the eyes of many.
The gorier take on Arkham combat feels great as players lop off orc heads, call on their allies in battle, use ranged attacks to great effect, and launch powerful attacks to obliterate foes in style. Shadow of War's core gameplay loop never gets old and makes up for any faults that fans may perceive in this title.
7 Sleeping Dogs
The Hand-to-Hand Combat Is In A Class Of Its Own
Sleeping Dogs
- Released
- August 14, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- United Front Games
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
An open-world game set in Hong Kong that is inspired by classic martial arts flicks, Sleeping Dogs is a title that oozes style and boasts a surprisingly great story. It helps that the combat is brutal, satisfying, and rewards players for using the environment to their advantage.
It's an odd mix of Arkham and Yakuza, making for a great combination as players counter blows and grab enemies to unleash powerful cinematic attacks. This adrenaline-pumping approach applies to other activities too, with players being able to carry out Action Hijacks to commandeer vehicles that feel surprisingly great, even if it can get a bit janky at times.
6 Ghost Of Tsushima
Jin Sakai Can Switch Stances And Use Powerful Swordsmanship Techniques To Defeat His Foes
Ghost of Tsushima
- Released
- July 17, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Ghost of Tsushima boasts an amazing art style that breathes new life into its open world. Another area of this game that received widespread praise is the combat, where players slowly transform into the legendary Ghost as their suite of abilities increases.
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The best part of Tsushima is how Jin's combat styles slowly expand, allowing him to counter enemy types he was having issues with. Automatically parrying spearmen and taking out brutes in record time is a huge part of what makes Ghost of Tsushima's combat shine.
5 Marvel's Spider-Man 2
Both Miles And Peter Are A Blast To Control In Combat
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Released
- October 20, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure, Superhero
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 allows players to switch between Miles and Peter, unlocking unique powers for them in the process. Thankfully, the base combat moves are mostly similar for both, which ensures that players don't get too confused while switching between these superheroes.
Players will love swing-kicking their foes, nailing perfect counters, and using the environment to their advantage. Quickly being able to unleash abilities and gadgets ensures that players can always bail themselves out of a tough spot and make their enemies pay.
4 Red Dead Redemption 2
The Cinematic Shootouts Of This Game Are Incredible
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Red Dead Redemption 2 may feel a bit sluggish at times, but that takes nothing away from the cinematic flair of this title's combat. Moving into cover and shooting down foes in emphatic fashion never gets tiring.
The slow-mo killcam also lets players witness the beauty in this game's carnage as players kill outlaws and lawmen by the droves. It's easy for both Arthur and John to rack up a massive body count, given how fun it is to nail numerous headshots in Dead Eye to take out a squad of enemies in no time.
3 Batman: Arkham Knight
The Iconic Melee Combat System Has Been Refined To A T
Batman: Arkham Knight
- Released
- June 23, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Rocksteady Studios
- Genre(s)
- Action
The Arkham combat is something that fans can't get enough of to this day, and it's a shame that Rocksteady wasn't able to excite players with the release of Suicide Squad. The final game in their patented series, Arkham Knight, is a refinement of the combat that fans love.
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Magic has been a core part of video games since the beginning, but magic focused open-world games do not appear all that often.
Taking out multiple foes with a Fear Takedown before zipping around the area to punch foes over and over again never gets old. While some people may hate the Batmobile gameplay, there's no denying that the tank combat is pretty riveting in its own right and enhances the title's gameplay variety.
2 The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Link Can Use His Powers To Augment His Effectiveness In Combat
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
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
Breath of the Wild reveled in a simple yet effective combat system that rewarded preparation and skill in equal measure. With the expanded powers in Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo found a golden opportunity to make combat more dynamic than ever before.
Link could use Fuse to add all sorts of effects to his weapon and shield, punishing enemies who got in the hero's face. With Ultrahand, players could also form creative turrets that could aid Link in combat, serving as a valuable mechanical ally along with the Sages.
1 Elden Ring
The FromSoftware Combat Feels As Tight And Satisfying As Players Would Expect
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
Elden Ring is one of the greatest open-world games ever made, taking the amazing level design from games like Dark Souls and applying it in a sandbox. The end result is a fun action RPG where players must be mindful of their build if they don't want to struggle against tough bosses and late-game enemies.
The FromSoftware combat is better than ever before in this title, allowing players to use a variety of moves in combat to take out their foes. Weapon skills, jump slashes, guard counters, and a host of other moves can completely change how players approach combat in this title.
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