Summary
- Skyrim offers unguided exploration with unmarked quests, fostering a sense of unknown rewards.
- Red Dead Redemption 2 creates an immersive world with living NPCs and systemic simulation.
- Dragon Age: Inquisition allows players to shape their own narrative and character development.
If The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the “Game of Thrones” of RPGs—rich, ambitious, and the talk of the genre—then every major open-world RPG since 2015 has followed in its footsteps, eager to take their own swing at greatness. But, here’s the secret of every genre-defining classic: greatness isn’t just a final form; it’s a launching pad. In the years since, developers from Guerrilla to Rockstar have taken up the challenge, pushing past The Witcher 3's focus. Even some predecessors pushed further in their own ways.
Best Games To Play If You Like The Witcher 3
Players who have completed The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt can try out these similar games if they want to go through another action-packed experience.
Some went bigger, others stranger, and a few just plain bolder. This isn’t about knocking the White Wolf off his horse. It’s about seeing how other titles dared to leap further in specific ways—be it the freedom to roam, the depth of simulation, graphical fidelity, or the wild, unpredictable shape of a truly player-driven story. In each of the following areas, there’s a video game giant that did what T he Witcher 3 didn’t set out to do, and, at least in that category, they came out on top.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim (World Exploration)
When Curiosity Writes Its Own Story
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
When it comes to pure, unguided exploration, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is the gold standard. Where The Witcher 3 offers a lush world meticulously mapped with question marks and handcrafted encounters, Skyrim hands players a blank canvas. Unmarked quests, random world events, and an ever-present sense of the unknown make exploration intrinsically rewarding.
By contrast, The Witcher 3, for all its beauty, funnels exploration through narrative signposts and points of interest. It’s less about what might happen and more about what should. Whereas in Skyrim, the philosophy is completely different: the world itself is the quest. There are no nudges, no blinking icons steering gamers to the next must-see location. Players stumble into a bandit hideout or a dragon roost just because something caught their eye, and that’s classic Skyrim.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (World Design & Immersion)
A World That Continues to Live Without Its Players
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
When players step into Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2, they’re not just in a game; they’re in a living, breathing simulation. Here, every NPC has a life, a daily routine, and will remember players’ deeds, attire, and even hygiene. Animals hunt, eat, and flee naturally. Weather patterns transform not just the visuals, but the behavior of entire towns.
The Witcher 3 also crafts an impressive world, which has a dynamic weather system and monsters that appear at night, but it’s nothing compared to the immersion RDR2 offers through its multi-layered simulation. The magic? Immersion isn’t scripted; it’s systemic. Wander through Valentine after a rainstorm, and townsfolk shelter, mud slicks the streets, and new side events emerge. In The Witcher 3, most citizens offer a line or two of flavor text; in RDR2, they can start a bar brawl if patience is pushed.
Dragon Age: Inquisition (Branching Narrative & Character Development)
Where You Can Be Your Own Legend
Dragon Age: Inquisition
- Released
- November 18, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
While The Witcher 3 lets players inhabit the legend of Geralt, Dragon Age: Inquisition hands over the pen. BioWare’s sprawling RPG puts narrative authorship at its core: players create a protagonist, define appearance, personality, and loyalties, then watch the world react in hundreds of ways. From chosen race and background to the values championed, every decision leaves a ripple. The companions befriended (or betrayed), the alliances forged, and the fate of entire nations can swing based on dialogue and in-world choices.
Even party banter changes based on the personal journey, giving each playthrough a unique flavor. By contrast, Geralt is a fixed character, albeit a brilliantly written one; he still has pre-defined relationships and history. Fans shape his fate, but only within the lines of his established identity. Inquisition’s approach offers the ultimate in personal RPG storytelling, where players are not just stepping into a story but becoming its author.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (Realistic Combat)
Meticulously Designed Weapons That Make Every Swing Count
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Released
- February 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Warhorse Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Deep Silver
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Forget flashy swordplay and superhuman reflexes: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 delivers the most grounded and realistic combat in the genre. Here, stamina isn’t just a bar to watch—it’s the difference between life and death. Every strike, block, and feint drains energy. Run out, and vulnerability leaves players gasping for breath as opponents close in. Unlike The Witcher 3’s fluid action, KCD2’s duels are methodical, demanding real timing, patience, and tactical thinking.
The Strongest Weapons in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Many players are returning to The Witcher 3 once again, and here is a rundown of some of the best weapons that players can find in the game.
The combat system uses directional attacks and blocks, simulating the chaos and danger of actual medieval sword fights. Even the armor only protects specific body parts, forcing players to aim for weak spots or use maces to crush plate mail. While The Witcher 3’s battles feel like high fantasy choreography, Kingdom Come turns every encounter into a tense chess match.
Horizon Zero Dawn (Graphics & Visuals)
The Art of Machine and Nature
Horizon Zero Dawn
- Released
- February 28, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Guerrilla Games
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Witcher 3’s dark fantasy aesthetic is moody and atmospheric, but Horizon Zero Dawn, which was released two years later, represented a significant leap in both technical fidelity and artistic originality. Built on Guerrilla’s Decima Engine, the game seamlessly blends lush, natural environments with jaw-dropping, animalistic machines—each rendered with meticulous detail and fluid animation.
This fusion created a visual signature that was more artistically memorable than The Witcher 3's more familiar fantasy setting. Horizon Zero Dawn’s 4K and HDR support deliver scenes that pop with vibrant color and depth. The contrast between overgrown ruins and gleaming robots creates a visual style that’s both novel and instantly iconic. While The Witcher 3’s moody, painterly landscapes hold up beautifully, Horizon Zero Dawn’s technical edge and unique art direction stand out as a new benchmark.
Cyberpunk 2077 (Innovation & Uniqueness)
RPGs That Break Their Own Mold
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The Witcher 3 perfected the third-person fantasy RPG formula rather than reinventing it. Cyberpunk 2077, on the other hand, took a daring new approach. CD Projekt Red traded rolling hills for neon-drenched cityscapes, fusing deep RPG mechanics with a mandatory first-person view and the densest, most vertical urban world the genre has seen. Night City isn’t just a backdrop—it’s an overwhelming, immersive experience designed to be explored up, down, and sideways.
Cyberpunk 2077 puts players directly behind V’s lens by using a first-person view that breaks the traditional mold set by third-person open-world RPGs. This makes every alley, corporate tower, and street market feel claustrophobic or grand, depending on the chosen path. Combine that with robust character customization and shooter mechanics, and there’s an experiment that blurs genre lines.
The Outer Worlds (Replayability)
Unlock a New Story on Every Run
The Outer Worlds
- Released
- October 25, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Private Division
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
For some RPGs, replay value means making different choices for different endings. The Outer Worlds takes it further: foundational choices early on split the story into entirely different campaigns. Ally with Phineas or the Board, and players see new missions, characters, and even locations. The game’s narrative branching is at a structural level, which, unfortunately, is a step beyond compared to The Witcher 3’s approach.
This is then combined with Obsidian’s deep skill system—where dialogue options, quest solutions, and even entire questlines open or close based on player build. There’s always something new to uncover in The Outer Worlds, regardless of who the players choose to be. A second run of The Witcher 3 offers a different version of the same great story, whereas a second run of The Outer Worlds offers a completely different story altogether.
8 Best Open-World Games That Everyone Should Play, Ranked
There's a reason that open-world games are so popular, and while there are countless choices available, these genre entries are must-play experiences.