Summary
- Not all open-world games achieve a perfect score, but a few games offer incredible and unique experiences worth celebrating.
- Baldur's Gate 3 provides a plethora of choices from customization to combat, making it a standout RPG.
- Elden Ring's challenging world design attracted more fans who appreciated the ability to progress at their own pace.
Not every open-world game can hit its mark, but it’s important to celebrate developers who try something new. Anthem didn’t have a huge world to explore, nor did it have a lot of content, but it was fun to fly around in. Biomutant had a great character creator and RPG elements, but lacked a gripping story.
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Those are examples of flawed games, but even the good ones have never met a concise rating across the board, making them achieve a perfect score on Metacritic or any other aggregate sites. Still, the following games have come the closest thanks to everything involved, including their big worlds, stories, and gameplay mechanics.
Baldur's Gate 3
Make Your Story
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Baldur's Gate 3 managed to revive a series that everyone thought was dead and came back with a bang. This game embodies the idea of choice, from character customization to dialogue branching options to party members. It’s a great RPG to jump into with turn-based combat so complex, it’ll start to feel like a strategy game. There are a lot of reasons to replay the game, which is why it has continued to be represented on online accounts, because fans can’t get enough.
Elden Ring
Hard, But Not Impossible
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Elden Ring managed to gather more fans than any other FromSoftware game simply because of the open-world design. This allowed players unaccustomed to difficult games to go at their own pace. It was hard, brutally even, but leveling up, gathering gear, and playing online with friends could help curb the challenge ratings. It’s a dark world, but one that was still mesmerizing to explore and fight in with combat that took place in real time.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
A History Of Ports
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim was released in 2011, and since then, it has been ported to nearly every console under the sun. It was a landmark game on the PS3 and Xbox 360, which may feel a bit dated now over a decade later, but there are still some astounding qualities to it.
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The pure freedom players have is astounding, from the environments to the combat options. The coolest part of the whole thing is still the dragon magic, leading to Fun Ro Dah becoming a meme along with some other funny moments in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
The Middle Fantasy
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
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth hit harder than anyone could have possibly predicted based on the previous remake and the Final Fantasy franchise as a whole. It gave fans what they had wanted for years in one complete package that, yes, did end on a cliffhanger, but it was hard not to, given the subject matter. It had an open world with tons to see, explorable towns, and mini-games galore. The combat was improved thanks to the influx of party members and combo systems, so this is an action RPG that exudes the idea of fun.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Link’s Rebirth
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a game that is almost too good, as it will be hard for Nintendo to top it, even though they have already tried. It’s also hard to imagine a Zelda game not being this open in the future. Players loved the small physics-based puzzles, the pared-down equipment system, and just the sheer magnitude of options. The ability to climb anything with the stamina meter and the paraglider leveled up open-world games as a whole, leading to other developers looking Nintendo’s way, and that’s got to be a nice compliment.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Swinging To Perfection
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Released
- October 20, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure, Superhero
There’s not a dull game in Insomniac Games’ take on the web-crawler ever since they took over in 2018. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 adds a lot of great stuff that the previous two games didn’t have, though.
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Peter and Miles being swappable heroes was great, the web-suit glider made traversal faster, and the upgraded skill system made combat flow even smoother. Without spoiling anything, the story was also an interesting take on some iconic characters within the Spider-Man pantheon.
Red Dead Redemption 2
A Western Paradise
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
The original Red Dead Redemption was a superb game in its own right, and yet its sequel, Red Dead Redemption 2, managed to significantly improve in almost every area. Rockstar Games learned a lot over a decade on how to construct a better world with simulation elements and a story that will make players weep as much as they laugh. It’s a touching story about outlaws being cornered and their loyalty being tested, with Arthur Morgan being at the heart of the matter. Beyond the story is an open world full of deserts and swamps teaming with life and secrets that is begging players to dive in.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Everything You Do Matters
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is exactly how a trilogy should end. It answered questions, gave characters new perspectives on life, and managed to leave things open in a satisfying way without feeling like a cliffhanger. What most fans truly dug was the quest system, as even the tiniest fetch quest could expand into something memorable. Between Geralt and Ciri, players got hundreds of hours of pure action RPG perfection from top to bottom, and then there was DLC beyond that. CD Projekt Red clearly outdid themselves.
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