The Best Open World Video Games

Source: PXFuel

Is there anything as immersive as slipping on a pair of headphones, jumping into your favourite open world game, and just having a look around? Well, yes, arguably going outside would be a superior option in terms of realism, but you know what we mean…

Just like the games you find at a leading online casino, open world games have come a long way. The very best of them are so incredibly detailed and immersive that they almost defy belief. The simple act of getting from A to B can be a game unto itself in a good open world game, especially when you are given true freedom in terms of mobility.

But with that being said, it is certainly more than just freedom and detail that make an open world game truly great. All the freedom in the world won’t make up for a lousy storyline, or lacklustre side quests, after all, which is what makes this such an interesting subject to investigate.

Join us as we take a look at the best open world games.

The Witcher 3

Let’s just get it out of the way; The Witcher 3 is ranked as the best open world game of all time on numerous lists. In fact, it’s rated by many as the best game of all time, in any genre. The question is; why?

The world looks incredible, first and foremost. Believable countryside stretches off as far as the eye can see, enhanced by dynamic weather and truly impressive lighting effects. But, it isn’t the graphics that make The Witcher 3 so beloved. It is, of course, the characters and stories that truly shine.

An entire 100 page essay could be written about just how good the story and characters in this game are. Each quest, no matter how small and off the beaten track, is handled with as much care as if it was the central storyline, and that truly is unusual as far as video games are concerned.

To put it another way, combining a stunningly detailed open world with incredibly good writing is a winning combination.

Red Dead Redemption 2

What if you took the writing quality of The Witcher 3, added a Wild West setting, and made the open world about 10 times as detailed? Why, then you’d have Red Dead Redemption 2 of course.

The biggest complaint that many have about Red Dead Redemption 2 is that it is, in fact, too detailed for its own good. That is a valid complaint. The game is so obsessed with having individual animations for every action the player can take, and so committed to having great distances travelled in real time that it can, some would say, be a touch drawn out.

With that being said, so much has been done to keep the game world truly believable that it is impossible to not be impressed. It is almost impossible to imagine how much work went into creating the world, and likewise impossible to try and see it all in anything less than a few months of time.

Rockstar, don’t ever change. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a masterpiece.

GTA 5

Now, hang on, don’t get enraged. Yes, most would agree that The Witcher 3 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are on a completely different level to GTA 5. But let’s not forget that GTA 5 is, as of right now, the highest earning entertainment product in history. No, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the game is the best on this list, but it does mean that it at least has to be mentioned.

Grand Theft Auto 5 is still an impressive video game in many regards and does offer an incredible amount of freedom. But lest it be called into question, it certainly isn’t as well written as Witcher 3, or even as close to as detailed as Red Dead Redemption 2.

What it does offer is a user base that is still thriving 7 years after original release. Plus, the game is still getting regular updates, even today. That your experience in the online portion of game will almost certainly involve screaming teenagers that shoot you in the back is something else entirely. Make of it what you will.

Source: PXFuel

Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

As to how high Zelda: Breath Of The Wild should be on the list is a bit arguable, and even bringing the subject up with the wrong crowd would certainly result in a furious argument. Breath Of The Wild, released on the Wii U and Nintendo Switch, is no doubt an excellent open world game. There is an impressively detailed world to explore, a number of intricate side quests to engage in, and a thoroughly in-depth story to unravel.

On the other hand, there is no getting around the fact that the game simply isn’t on the same level as the titles listed above. The limitations of the hardware mean that you won’t be enjoying the same level of detail, and in most cases won’t even be blessed with voice acted dialogue.

Regardless, Breath Of The Wild is enchanting, was clearly made with an enormous amount of passion, and shines in terms of just allowing the player to root around and see what they can discover.

Metal Gear Solid 5

It doesn’t get much more intricate and convoluted than the Metal Gear series. The most recent entry into the franchise, at least the most recent worth acknowledging, is Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. To call this monstrously large video game open ended is an understatement, with so many options and so much freedom that it truly does defy belief.

How would you like to infiltrate this base and free a prisoner? You could sneak in the old fashioned way, avoid conflict, hide in the shadows, and never be spotted. You could also ride in on a pair of mechanical robot legs, unload a grenade launcher at enemies, send in your killer dog, and then have an ally hidden in the hills sniper off any stragglers. Then waltz in and free the prisoner at your leisure.

Yes, there is also the bizarre central plot that involves supernatural military zombie units and other such nonsense, but who cares about all that when there is this much fun to be had?

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Let’s be honest, the only reason that anyone is even still talking about this game is because it has a frankly incredible modding community. From total reworks of the core mechanics, to patches that fully update the graphics on every level, you can just about entirely remake Skyrim from the ground up, as you prefer. This in itself makes it a worthy entry, and likewise well worth checking out.

But what about the game itself? The truth is that Skyrim was great when it came out in 2011, but hasn’t actually aged especially well. Open world games have come a long way since then, and these days Skyrim is more of a respected, but now rather crusty ancestor.

Even still, getting the game just to take a dive into the extensive amount of mods is more than worth it. Just don’t expect the game to look especially good by modern standards until you get a few graphics update packs.

Minecraft

Last we have that old, seemingly immortal gem Minecraft.

Wait a second, can Minecraft even be compared alongside the other games on this list? It has no real story, no driving force, no characters to speak of, and not much in the way of even a plot. If anything, it should be on a survival games list, not an open world game list. Right?

Yes and no. Minecraft is indeed perhaps the ultimate grandfather as far as survival games are concerned, more or less bringing the genre into the spotlight. But then again, it does actually have an end game that can be actively worked towards. Of course, the game itself won’t urge you or push you towards that end game, but there is actually what could be referred to as an ending. That is in contrast to virtually all other survival games, which is what makes Minecraft stand apart.

We’re talking about the Ender Dragon, of course, which can be confronted and killed. You are welcome to keep playing after the immense task has been completed, but for all intents and purposes it is what can be considered a final task.

Either way, if you consider Minecraft a survival game or an open world game, it offers a truly crazy amount of infinite content. Just don’t expect much in the way of actual plot along the way.