They’re some of the biggest games ever made, but which open-world title is the best ever?
Now, you find variations of that concept in many of the best modern blockbuster titles.
Sable
Sableis as much an open-world game as it is a piece of moving art.
The game takes place in a land filled with numerous tribes, each with their own customs.
The gameplay inSablerevolves around exploration and solving puzzles.
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Shenmue 2
The originalShenmuewas a revolutionary title that pioneered many modern 3D open-world concepts.
Well,Shenmue 2is the better (and best) version of that experience.
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Project Zomboid
Unlike most open-world games,Project Zomboiddoesnt have a set objective, mission, or campaign.
Players only have one goal: survive.
Yet, the secret toProject Zomboids success is its persistent nature.
Each time a character inevitably dies, the game continues without them.
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The result is something quite special.
It pushes in a direction that too few games of this size and scope do.
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Yet, so many aspects of the game really do come together to form something surprisingly special.
Thats especially true of the games open-world elements.
Is it awkward to slowly explore a small town for navigate various NPCs real-time (mostly) personal schedules?
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Few games before or since have utilized the idea of destroying the world around you quite likeGuerilladoes.
Its the purest of gaming playgrounds, and we should have gotten so many more open-world games like it.
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However, this sequels biggest draw remains its exceptional campaign and incredible gangster style.
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PreviousBurnoutgames taught us the thrill of crashing, butBurnout Paradisehighlights the joy of driving.
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After all, it may very well be the best open-world zombie game ever made.
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Just Cause 4
TheJust Causefranchise thrives on its physics-based open-world sandbox gameplay.
The more creative the player, the more fun theyll have in this all-time great digital sandbox.
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Exploration in this game certainly isnt limited to discovering new locations.
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This isnt the biggest open-world game, but it might be the open-world game with the biggest heart.
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Players can pilot a variety of planes across a real-time simulation of the planet.
The game even includes a variety of options to make each flight as arcadey or realistic as players want.
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21.Borderlands 2
Looter shooters can be surprisingly difficultto get right, butBorderlands 2downright perfected the formula.
The game offers a sprawling, cel-shaded world packed with glorious loot.
Every nook and cranny hides a new mission, boss, or something entirely unexpected like a talking shotgun.
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It truly is the definitive Spider-Man video game experience.
Of course, that was before we knew the extent of the games brilliant Nemesis System.
It also doesnt hurt that those rivalry-driven combat sequences are bolstered by a brilliantly utilizedArkham-like fighting system.
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The game is, in a word, beautiful.
Its scenic vistas hide a variety of side activities that encourage audiences to absorb the beauty of nature.
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14.Minecraft
InMinecraft, you kind of have to find ways to make your own fun.
Do you strip mine a mountain for diamonds, or do you create a farm?
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13.Shadow of the Colossus
Many open-world titles either dont feature enough content to justify their size.
Each creature is a sight to behold and evokes both fear and pity.
Its also a fantastic example of how open-world games arent limited to the formula theyre sometimes reduced to.
Thats the magic ofSubnautica.
Even the more ambitiousArkham Knightstruggled to recreate the magic of this game.
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10. rather than Where can you go?
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Far Cry 2s world is constantly trying to kill you.
If the various bullets that are flying around dont get you, malaria almost certainly will.
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That question really does tap into the heart of the entireDeath Strandingexperience.
Thats also whyDeath Strandingis such a brilliant example of this genre.
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As a result,Morrowindcan often be confusing, complicated, and remarkably user-unfriendly.
Players can go wherever they want, whenever they want, however they want.
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3.The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3really spoiled us.
Even Gwent proved to be good enough to become its own game.
However, I truly believe that every year sinceRDR 2s release has only cemented its status as a masterpiece.
This is one of the rare open-world games that feels exciting to simply exist in.
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Thats the amazing thing aboutElden Ring.
