The Top 10 Open World Games To Play Right Now

FromSoftware proves its punishing yet satisfying style of action RPG absolutely works in an open-world format. Brimming with mystery and danger, Elden Ring allows players to make their own way, providing little guidance or hand-holding, making every discovery feel like a genuinely exciting and well-earned reward. Unlike traditional Souls games, slamming against a difficult boss isn’t the end of the line. You can simply explore elsewhere and fall down the rabbit holes of breaching an impregnable fortress, surviving a treacherous swamp, or taking down dozens upon dozens of other imposing enemies. Quality-of-life additions such as free fast travel and friendlier checkpointing before boss fights alleviate some stress, further encouraging you to hop aboard your spectral mount and uncover every secret of this incredible world. | Our Review

Forbidden West stands as a staggering technical marvel boasting one of the most graphically impressive worlds we’ve ever seen. Eye-candy leaps out at every turn, from ruined desert casinos, snow-capped mountain villages, and of course, jaw-dropping machines old and new. Guerrilla makes getting around easier thanks to more streamlined traversal mechanics and Aloy’s glider-like Shield Wing lets players descend from great heights with style. Overflowing with more meaningful side quests and a variety of activities, from combat pits to underwater dungeons to kart-racer-inspired mount racing, it’s easy to lose dozens of hours trekking across this post-apocalyptic playground. | Our Review

The Witcher 3’s gritty fantasy world is as beautiful as it is deadly. We would never want to actually live in it, though, due to its densely packed population of supernatural monsters, tyrannical rulers, and (typically) backstabbing citizens. The Witcher 3’s Continent keeps you on your toes thanks to the impact of its choice-driven gameplay. Small choices often come back around hours later in more significant ways than you expect, making every shifty thief, sultry mage, or cowardly would-be-knight worth engaging. With a compelling main storyline, dozens of meaningful sidequests, and boatloads of treasures, The Witcher 3, as well as its phenomenal expansions, succeeds in making its gargantuan setting worth uncovering. | Our Review

What makes Breath of the Wild magical is that it unclutters years of triple-A open-world design. Instead of littering Hyrule with icons telling you where to go, it allows players to forge their own paths. It only has one mandatory mission: destroy Ganon. Since you can do that right away, everything else is optional. Even the largest games force you to adhere to the path of a main linear narrative. In BOTW, one player’s approach to slaying Ganon can be totally different from another’s. Do you complete the four primary dungeons? Seek out the Master Sword? Build up your hearts? The beauty of it all: there’s no wrong answer. 

Link can climb any surface, meaning that, provided you have the stamina, you can reach the summit of any mountain and concoct numerous paths to your destination. Hyrule also operates on realistic physics and principles for players to experiment with (i.e., all metal objects conduct electricity). It boasts hundreds of shrines with concise, entertaining puzzles and numerous mysteries, be they majestic dragons or an island that’s more than meets the eye. Breath of the Wild rocks for promoting improvisation and creativity more than anything. Its legacy has been cemented thanks to a growing number of titles borrowing from its playbook, such as Genshin Impact and Immortals Fenyx Rising. | Our Review

Open world? Try open universe! No Man’s Sky lets players freely explore entire solar systems worth of randomly generated planets. Each planet is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get. Strange animals, bizarre plant life, wild weather conditions, and valuable resources await your scanner. No Man’s Sky infamously launched as a solid game that underdelivered on its grander promises. In the years since, the game has done a complete 180 with numerous expansions and updates that have added, among other things, base-building, true multiplayer, creature taming, actual storylines, underwater exploration, VR support – all for no extra charge. No Man’s Sky has miraculously transformed from a punchline to one of the most content-dense and beloved games out there. If you haven't entered the cockpit of your ship since 2016, you're in for a pleasant surprise. | Our Review (circa 2016)

Few studios craft worlds that feel as lifelike as Rockstar Games, and Red Dead Redemption 2 might be their crowning achievement. Every inch of this wild west drips with immaculate detail and feels like you’ve stepped into a time portal to the 1800s. Survival elements such as cooking, camping, and hunting allow players to role-play as a trail-worn gunslinger effectively – and it’s more fun than you’d expect. Emergent side missions mean a fascinating story or memorable stranger can pop up at a moment’s notice, and there’s plenty of diversity when it comes to the strange sights you’ll stumble upon. Tack on an incredible story led by a deeply compelling protagonist in outlaw Arthur Morgan, and Red Dead Redemption 2 rivals not only the greatest games but the classic westerns that inspired it. | Our Review

The greatest trick the Forza Horizon series pulls is fooling players into liking racing games by disguising them as open-world RPGs. The latest entry, Horizon 5, serves as the pinnacle of that Trojan Horse-style design. Set in a stunningly beautiful rendition of Mexico, players sit behind hundreds of vehicles to compete in a seemingly endless number of wild races. Whether you're speeding against other cars or a 747 airplane, the sheer variety of events and an over-the-top tone make Horizon more lighthearted compared to most pure racing sims. In addition to traditional races, you can enjoy Horizon 5's entertaining take on battle royale, a zombie-infection mode, and absurd story-driven scenarios (like driving a parade float). A staggering collection of unlockable cars, purchasable homes to store said vehicles, plus cosmetics and goofy dances for your avatar create powerful incentives to score the winner's purse. Best-in-class driving mechanics solidify Horizon 5's first-place standing | Our Review

Exploring a wonderfully realized replica of Marvel’s Big Apple rocks for one reason: web-swinging. Spider-Man’s primary mode of transportation is a blast and arguably the most entertaining form of traversal in any open-world game. It may be the only title in which you’ll never want to fast-travel. For New Yorkers, it’s cool to crawl up landmarks such as the Empire State or Chrysler Building. For comic enthusiasts, spotting Avengers Tower, Doctor’s Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, Jessica Jones’ Alias Investigations office, The Bar With No Name, and other recognizable hotspots is a thrill. Challenges such as Harry Osborn’s science experiments, busting random street crimes, or catching pigeons (yes, pigeons) offer solid fun, as does collecting backpacks filled with charming mementos documenting Peter Parker’s decade-long superhero career. | Our Review

Per the title, Sucker Punch’s samurai epic unfolds on the real-life Japanese island of Tsushima during the Mongol invasion of 1274. Warrior Jin Sakai must liberate his home by any means necessary, whether dueling enemies face-to-face or stealthily picking them off from the shadows. The overwhelming beauty of Tsushima is breathtaking. Copious flower fields, tall grasses, and bamboo forests that dance in the wind create the sense of living in an idealized version of every samurai movie ever made. Smart and subtle guidance in the form of a summonable wind current points players in the right direction without breaking immersion. The game boasts plenty of side quests, but the most substantial consists of narrative episodes following the exploits of Jin’s primary allies. Following a fox to a hidden treasure or meditating by a waterfall to compose a haiku captures a whimsy and serenity that few games offer. | Our Review

The Assassin’s Creed series offers an exciting line-up of historical destinations: Renaissance Italy, Victorian London, and Ptolemy-era Egypt, to name a few. If we have to pick one, we’re going with Odyssey’s jaw-dropping take on ancient Greece. If you’re looking for a game to get absolutely lost in, Odyssey overflows with content. Multiple main narrative threads, countless side quests, fortresses to conquers, naval battles, mythical animal hunts, and much more await hero Kassandra/Alexios. Odyssey feels more fun to explore because it embraces being a video game more than any entry, letting you climb almost any surface. It even has an ability that negates fall damage (so long, hay piles). If spending a hundred hours clearing out the base game isn’t enough, DLC expansions such as the fantastic Fate of Atlantis extend this big fat Greek adventure. | Our Review