With the recent release of the blockbuster game Elden Ring, the open-world video game is back in the spotlight. These games have been popular for a long time, stretching back to the origins of video games themselves. Some of the mainframe text-only games came from the late 1970s and later The Legend of Zelda (1986).
Let’s take a look at some of the best and most popular open-world games of all time. We know we’re going to miss some fan favorites here, so just enjoy the ones we chose to highlight.
What is an Open-World Video Game?
They are basically what that sounds like. Players are presented with a large (potentially huge) virtual world to explore. While they typically include missions and a main storyline, they also allow players to wander around the map and explore. Often, there will be locations, quests, and other exciting elements to the game that players will only uncover by exploring outside the main storyline.
Elden Ring
We’re not going to say a ton about this one as it just came out in recent weeks. The graphics are incredible, the monsters and bosses are horrific and memorable, the magic and combat systems are excellent and it is incredibly challenging. We may have a full review down the road, but it is getting raves from early players and critics, who are hailing it as one of the best open-world games of all time.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
This is the one that really turned me on to modern open-world games. I still play it from time to time and it holds up even now, 11 years after it was released. It is a true open-world experience where the swords, dragons, and magic-filled story has a main plotline. But it also offers players hundreds of hours of non-essential gameplay that make it an easy game to return to even years later and find new aspects.
It provides a more than memorable RPG gaming experience, where your choices matter. In fact, some of the most interesting reasons to go back and play it a second (or third) time involve changing a key decision (joining a different side in a civil war, etc.) and then watching the game unfold differently. The game also has a hugely dedicated modding community that has created an immense amount of game mods. Those have allowed it to add new gameplay features to take it to heights even the developers never considered. It’s an all-time classic.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Building on the legacy of all the Legend of Zelda games that have come before, this game from 2017 sits atop many all-time great lists. The game truly embraces the open-world concept, allowing players to experience the world in whatever sequence they want. The story isn’t as rigid as even some other open-world games and many players ignore the ‘story’ and just explore. The visuals lend themselves to simply getting out and experiencing as much of the virtual world as possible.
Red Dead Redemption 2
The original Red Dead Redemption brought the Western to the open-world video game and was a big hit. But, the sequel is the one that really takes a place on many all-time best video game lists. Players take on the role of a wanted outlaw, who is part of the Van der Linde gang. While the gang’s fate is sealed, players keep trying to escape their date with the law. The open world is huge and detailed, with a vast and diverse landscape ranging from frozen lakes and snowy mountains to stagnant swamps, and everything in between. NPCs are responsive and react to your presence depending on how you’ve played the game. Westerns are underrepresented in video games, and certain in open-world games, so RDR2 has a special place on this list.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
With the success of Netflix’s The Witcher series, it’s no wonder people flock to the video game as well, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt does not disappoint. The open world is actually split up into a series of smaller, contained open-world environments, but they work together well in making it seem like one cohesive world. Players can track monsters across the plains of Velen, explore the streets of Novigrad or visit ancient woodlands. Exploration is rewarded with new quests, exciting battles, and adventure. If you’re waiting on the next season of The Witcher on Netflix, you could do a lot worse than spending some time in this open-world game.
Grand Theft Auto (Series)
Basically, GTA has been one of the powerhouses of open-world gaming since the first game was released in 1997. In more recent years, entries like GTA San Andreas, along with GTA IV and V have just kept the juggernaut moving forward. Each game presents players with a huge modern city as a sandbox to let them take out their dreams of auto theft and other criminal activities. The characters are typically rich and memorable and the gameplay keeps people coming back for more.
Fallout (Series)
Another hugely popular series, Fallout brought the open-world game to a post-apocalyptic America. Recent entries like Fallout 3, 4, and Las Vegas upped the gameplay features, while still letting players wanter the dusty, destroyed plains, scavenge for hidden resources, build a base, and hope to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world. Each game offers well over 100 hours of gameplay where you will constantly discover new locations, fight new creatures, and find new ways to survive.
