The scale and scope of most open-world games can make it a bit of a daunting proposition to dive into a new one if time for gaming is limited, but the fast-approaching weekend could present a perfect opportunity to take the plunge. Since games like Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring have changed how we think about open-world games and the elements most crucial in their design, we've started to see more games that place a premium on densely-packed and immersive spaces over pure size and number of things to do. The following open-world games are ones that fit that bill and are worthy of checking out this weekend.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Game of the Year contender Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has one of the best open worlds in gaming, thanks to how much care and attention were paid to making it feel like a real, lived-in space, and its post-launch DLC has only continued to enrich the experience. The recent Legacy of the Forge DLC for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 just dropped this week and is already making waves as the best expansion for the game so far. It's also worth mentioning that the base game is down to a historically low 30% discount right now, so it's a great time to hop back into Medieval Europe as either a newcomer or someone returning to check out Legacy of the Forge.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 89 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- February 4, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Warhorse Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Deep Silver
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- CryEngine
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure, Open-World
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
From one first-person open-world RPG to another, the very Skyrim-like Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon may have slipped under players' radars thanks to the timing of its release, but it's still managed to endear a strong following and "Very Positive" player reception on Steam. The title recently got a massive update courtesy of the Version 1.1 patch on September 9, and a currently active 30% discount only serves to sweeten the deal. Anyone looking for an open-world RPG with some excellent first-person melee combat need look no further.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 71%
- Released
- May 23, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Questline
- Publisher(s)
- Awaken Realms
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unity
- Genre(s)
- Action, RPG, Open-World, Survival Horror
Dune: Awakening
After some initial hype surrounding the game for its immersive open-world and pitch-perfect adaptation of one of sci-fi's most famous settings, Dune: Awakening has fallen off a bit in terms of its reception and player counts on Steam. But this weekend is perhaps the best time to check the title out, with Dune: Awakening enjoying a free weekend from now until September 15, where players can see all the game has to offer and carry over their progress to the full version if they're satisfied. It's a great, risk-free way to see if this open-world base-building and survival game is for you.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Survival, MMO
Borderlands 4
After years of being a semi-open-world series with differentiated open "zones", Borderlands has finally made the jump to fully open-world with Borderlands 4. Coinciding with that shift in framework is a brand-new map system that's the best one in the series by a long shot, which, combined with the awesome new movement abilities (a double jump, jet pack, and grappling hook), makes the act of darting around Kairos just as much fun as looting and shooting your way through it. Best of all, its campaign is one of the best in the franchise, and that's just scratching the surface of what awaits you in the Borderlands 4's open world of Kairos once you crack into the Ultimate Vault Hunter endgame mode.
Borderlands 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- September 12, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
