8 Best Open-World Games for Endless Exploration
Open-world games are more popular than ever. But it’s not just about how massive a map is; it’s about setting the right tone throughout the player’s travel, including interesting and beneficial discoveries through the land, and adding story in hidden places. These are by far the best open-world games that encourage players to lose themselves in side quests, stop and watch the scenery, and more. From classic sandbox open-worlds like Minecraft to the vast, yet dangerous lands of Elden Ring, these are the best open-world games ever.
8. Minecraft
As mentioned, Minecraft is a classic sandbox adventure game that boasts its massive map. But it’s not just a massive, bland world. At every turn, there are new discoveries, including mansions, mines, villages, ocean monuments, and more. The game also works incredibly well with mods, adding a plethora of content; however, it’s unlikely you’ll ever get truly bored of spawning in a new Minecraft world.
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7. Fallout New Vegas
Fallout is one of the leading apocalyptic genres in the gaming world, and New Vegas is known for having one of the best open-world experiences. The game drops players into an immersive story that perfectly reacts to players’ choices. This instalment has some of the best Fallout characters, and starts with a simple quest, but quickly leads to you dealing with a three-way war between the New California Republic and an immortal casino magnate to determine the fate of New Vegas. It’s immersive, rich in story, and full of personality and great humor.
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6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Another classic franchise that is known for one of the best open-world games of all time is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Also known as one of the best RPGs in history, The Witcher 3 spoiled players with an open-world full of side quests with an immersive story, a beautiful setting that makes you want to stand and appreciate, and an addictive minigame that will make you forget that you haven’t even started the main story yet. Fight creatures that ravage the land, play Gwent for hours on end, or just simply explore the rich land and get lost in the beauty.
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5. Grand Theft Auto 5
It would be wrong to create a list of the best open-world games ever without mentioning Grand Theft Auto 5, a game that still has an immense follower base. It’s one of the biggest titles ever conceived, bringing Los Angeles to life in the fiction of Los Santos. The sandbox game is packed with an abundance of activities and side quests, while presenting players the freedom to leave their mark however they choose.
4. Elden Ring
Can you ever really pick the number one title? There are several of the best open-world games that deserve the number one spot, like Elden Ring. They did everything right. Not only did they produce a massive map for players to enjoy, but it’s immersive and rich with things to do. For countless enemies that roam the world, so bits of story that you can explore throughout. That game is still as difficult as the other From Software games, but with an open-world experience unlike any other.
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3. Red Dead Redemption 2
You could probably put both the first and second game on the list, but the second installment of Red Dead Redemption comes out on top. The game follows Arthur Morgan in this sequel, with an even more compelling, invigorating world that captures fans immediately. Outside of the main story, there are plenty of NPCs to meet, random events that occur, and exploration that you can do, even hunting.
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2. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Going back to another classic RPG, we have Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. The Elder Scrolls franchise is already one of the best franchises, but Skyrim takes the medal for being one of the best open-world games ever. Since its first release in 2011, the game has been full of content. With various guilds to join featuring dozens of guests, side quests, along an immersive story with compelling characters, Skyrim is the perfect world to spend hundreds of hours on. To this day, it remains one of the best games to play.
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1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Finally, the number one spot for best open-world games ever goes to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Not only is Zelda one of the biggest franchises in the world, but it consistently provides a memorable story that keeps players enthralled. The visuals are stunning with bright colors and beautiful designs. The characters are memorable and compelling. And the story, along with the side quests, is plentiful, creating an overall amazing experience for those who want to get lost in a world.
