Summary
- Open-world games create stunning landscapes, captivating players with breathtaking visuals.
- Games like Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 3, and Ghost of Tsushima provide immersive, visually striking experiences.
- The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Death Stranding 2, and Cyberpunk 2077 offer stunning sights to get lost in.
Open-world games with massive budgets strive to pull out all the stops, leaving viewers in awe of the sights they can enjoy. The sheer amount of love put into breathing new life into these landscapes is not something that should be taken for granted.
10 Best Open-World Games With Very Little Backtracking, Ranked
The time-consuming nature of open-world games means that backtracking rarely holds much appeal. Thankfully, these games got the memo.
Most players will appreciate the hours developers put into these sandboxes the moment these open worlds get a chance to breathe. The sights are breathtaking and ensure that these gorgeous landscapes will spellbind players for a long, long time.
Red Dead Redemption 2
The Sights In This Open World Are Off The Charts
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
When players are stuck in the abandoned mining town of Colter during a thunderstorm, they have no idea what this beautiful world has in store for them. After a few missions that introduce players to most of the gameplay elements in these titles, Dutch and the gang finally leave this place and set up camp in Horseshoe Overlook.
It's normal for players to be in awe of the surrounding sights, so much so that they can spend hours just interacting with everyone in camp and figuring out how things work. Almost every single time players move camp, they'll be treated to yet another gorgeous vista to enjoy.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Continent Is Full Of Amazing Visuals To Gaze At
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
One of the many reasons why The Witcher 3 is considered unputdownable by many is because of its gorgeous landscapes. Even the war-torn landscape of Velen has an eerie beauty that is hard to describe, from the swamps to the battlefields, all of which tell a story with their visuals alone.
Skellige is full of picturesque islands to uncover, but the true highlight of this game comes from a DLC that changes the game's palette for the better. Toussaint is easily the most vibrant and beautiful location to explore in the game and serves as a great way to cap off Geralt's final adventure.
Ghost Of Tsushima
The Vibrant Color And Amazing Art Design Will Leave Fans In Awe Of Tsushima Island's Sights
Ghost of Tsushima
- Released
- July 17, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
The art style of Ghost of Tsushima is one of the biggest reasons why this game is lauded by the masses. The amazing use of colors and the landscape design ensures that exploring this massive world is a treat every single time.
The 26 Best Open World PS5 Games, Ranked (2025)
The best open-world games on the PlayStation 5 push the system to its absolute limits, offering players some of the most stunning locations in gaming.
Even if players feel that the game doesn't innovate much on the standard open-world formula, the beautiful graphics more than make up for it. The gorgeous sights of Tsushima Island will leave players in awe as they use Guiding Wind to make the world dance to their tune in one of the most intuitive guiding mechanics seen in an open world.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
The Nordic Lands Look Incredible, With Modern Releases And Mods Helping These Sights Age Gracefully
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
Skyrim is one of the greatest open-world games ever made, and fans still can't get enough of it to this day. From the moment players leave Helgen, they're treated to the sights of a beautiful sandbox that is full of amazing locations to uncover.
From Lost Valley Redoubt to Eldergleam Sanctuary, there's no shortage of incredible locations that will leave players with their jaws on the floor. Skyrim's sights are great enough as is, and players can use popular texture mods and the like to make the sights even more breathtaking to witness.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
The Sandbox Is Full Of Gorgeous Sights To Get Lost In
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
- June 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Death Stranding 2 is a lauded sequel to the first game. Unlike the divisive reaction to its predecessor, players now know what to expect from Kojima's weird brain and love the improvements made to Death Stranding 2 in every area, ranging from combat to exploration.
It's only a given that the visuals were also improved, with some of the game's sights being in a class of their own. Both Mexico and Australia are incredible to explore and boast unique locations that Sam must traverse to deliver a bevy of packages.
Horizon Forbidden West
The Sights In This Open World Are Off The Charts
Horizon Forbidden West
- Released
- February 18, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Forbidden West is one of the most beautiful video games ever made. It shows just how powerful the Decima Engine is, with Kojima choosing this engine for his Death Stranding games after seeing just how impressive it is.
The 20 Best Open-World Horror Games
Open-world games are often thought of in terms of RPGs, but these horror games make excellent use of the open-world format.
While the game can be overwhelmingly massive at times, that should take nothing away from the beauty of the ruined Western United States. Players will find themselves lost in the game's stunning vistas... That is, until they attract the attention of a hostile machine and things get serious.
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
The Cel-Shaded Visuals And Incredible Art Design Make The Sights Of This High Fantasy World Unforgettable
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
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
For a cel-shaded game, it's impressive just how beautiful Tears of the Kingdom looks. The world may seem desolate at times, but it's brimming with life at perfect moments to really hammer in just how the elements of this video game help the sandbox feel lived-in.
Seeing dragons flying in the distance or finding something interesting, either in the sky or on the ground, feels great every single time. The varied landscapes of the open world and the changes made to Hyrule from the first game ensure that players will love getting lost in this incredible masterpiece.
Cyberpunk 2077
Night City's Atmosphere Is Undeniably Alluring
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Night City is one of the most gorgeous urban landscapes to explore in a video game. Despite this city being a capitalist hellscape at heart, that should take nothing away from how beautiful this metropolis is to behold.
Even the Badlands is riveting to look at in its own right, while Dogtown makes up for what seems like a small district with its verticality and the jam-packed content in this region. Either way, the neon-soaked streets of Night City are so beautiful to behold that players will almost feel guilty painting them with the blood of their enemies.
8 Best Open-World Games With Extensive End-Game Content, Ranked
These open-world games offer near-infinite playtime with content that goes beyond the main quests.