Review scores, in the grand scheme of things, don’t matter a whole lot. If a game is good, or even if it fascinates one player, then it is valid. Deadly Premonition is a solid example of a game that received middling to bad reviews on review aggregates like OpenCritic and Metacritic, yet it has a loyal fan base and has earned cult-classic status.
There Are Almost No 10/10 Open-World Games, But These Masterpieces Come Close
These open-world games surpassed even the highest of expectations to reach near-perfection - a difficult thing to do in a genre that demands so much.
That’s an example of an open-world game, but there are plenty of games within that genre that have graced the coveted 90+ review score realm on OpenCritic. Numbers, again, shouldn’t mean everything, as players should know more about a game before jumping in than just its review score. That said, players can at least rest assured that these games are beloved by a larger group of gamers, which means they will probably like them too.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Deliver It Your Way
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
- June 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- OpenCritic Score: 90
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a better game than its predecessor from a gameplay perspective. Players are given more ways to deliver their packages, and more tools to aid in traversal and combat, and it feels good connecting with other players through the game's asynchronous multiplayer.
Players can build roads to drive on, restore and ride railway systems, surf on a coffin, and the list goes on. Death Stranding 2 can still be brutal at times, but the quality of life additions are great, and it’s still a full-blown Hideo Kojima game with all the expected wacky fixings in the story.
Donkey Kong Bananza
A Destructible Open-World
Donkey Kong Bananza
- Released
- July 17, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- OpenCritic Score: 91
Donkey Kong Bananza is unlike every other Donkey Kong game that came before it, and that’s a good thing. No game has demonstrated DK’s strength this well, even in fighting games like Super Smash Bros.
Donkey Kong's ability to smash through stone is unprecedented, and every biome within the game is almost fully destructible. As fun as it is to play, it’s also a cute little adventure featuring DK and Pauline, who share a dream and get into plenty of antics along the way.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Reborn And Ready For Action
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Released
- February 29, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- OpenCritic Score: 92
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is quite possibly the best Final Fantasy game of the past decade, perhaps even since the PS2 era. Even though it’s only the second part of a three-part story, it features an open world that fully recreates and enhances what previously only existed as simple polygons on the PS1.
Best Open-World Games That Make You Happy
It’s hard not to smile while playing these open-world games.
The Junon area in particular is a fun one to explore, thanks to the battlefield ruins and the giant sunken pirate ship found within. The story is equal parts cool, dramatic, and funny, the gameplay is action-packed, and there are plenty of mini-games that fans have missed for ages in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Grand Theft Auto 5
Steal Your Way Through Los Santos
Grand Theft Auto 5
- Released
- September 17, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
- OpenCritic Score: 92
Grand Theft Auto 5 rocked the world of many fans when it launched in 2013, and players are still engaged with it thanks to the stellar online multiplayer mode, Grand Theft Auto Online. It was Rockstar’s biggest world at the time, as players could do and see more than in any other entry in the series.
They could drive cars in the city or countryside, fly planes or helicopters, or even swim underwater. The biggest gameplay gimmick allowed players to swap between the three core characters at any time. They all played the same except for one character-specific special ability, but their personalities were quite different.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Monster Hunter (And Tracker)
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- OpenCritic Score: 93
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt wrapped up the original Geralt trilogy with a bang. The world was fully open, and Geralt controlled much better than in previous entries, between his sword fighting and magic usage.
The world was vast, perhaps even daunting to some players, and there was danger around every corner. The quest system and overall character interactions are what players took away from this game the most, which elevated RPGs to a new level.
Elden Ring
The Fields Of Horror
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- OpenCritic Score: 95
Many Soulslikes have come for the crown of FromSoftware, and some genuinely good ones followed games like Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls. However, Elden Ring is a whole new ballgame. It takes the genre into the open-world realm and gives players the freedom to tackle objectives in any order they choose.
Best Open-World Games Where You Can Invade Another Player's World
From Soulslikes to shooters, these game worlds are dangerous because of invading players.
There are a few caveats to progression in the game, but for the most part, players can explore and fight as they please. The coolest part of exploration is the horse, Torrent, who can double jump, something that is not a typical horse trait in games. So, what will be the first true open-world Soulslike to follow Elden Ring, and will it become as beloved?
Red Dead Redemption 2
Explore The Old West
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- OpenCritic Score: 95
Grand Theft Auto 5, and the series as a whole, may have a larger fanbase, but Red Dead Redemption 2 is Rockstar’s crowning achievement. For a game about cowboys, criminals, and the old West, Rockstar managed to pull on the heartstrings of players through tough narrative choices and strong character development.
The story isn't the only beautiful thing about this Rockstar game; their recreation of the Old West and the lush forests of the South is truly remarkable. Whether players engage with it linearly or treat it as a cowboy simulator, Red Dead Redemption 2 will not let fans down.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Nintendo Did It Best
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- OpenCritic Score: 96
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is not just considered a great open-world game; according to OpenCritic, it is one of the top three best games of all time, and it ranks highly on other aggregate sites, too. It redefines what an open-world game can be thanks to Link's gliding and climbing abilities. Hyrule is more dangerous than ever before, as players can die easily if they explore too far in a certain area.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, its direct sequel, is a bigger game with more gameplay mechanics to tinker with, but there’s something pure about Breath of the Wild. As a Switch launch game, this was THE game that everyone had to buy, and it remains infinitely replayable almost a decade later.
Best Open-World Games On The Nintendo Switch 2
These giant open-world games can now be taken on the go thanks to the enhanced hardware in the Nintendo Switch 2.