There’s nothing better than getting lost in an utterly gorgeous open world, and there are plenty of them for us gamers to choose from.
No matter what genre of video games you’re into, there’s probably an open world that you can jump into. Spread across several different genres, here are ten of the best open world games of all time, updated for 2021.
BEST OPEN WORLD GAMES
1. ELDEN RING
FromSoftware’s latest action RPG throws you into the Lands Between, where you seek to restore the titular Elden Ring and become Elden Lord. The main thing that separates this from the Dark Souls series is the open world format. Now, if you get stuck on a boss there are plenty of options to leave and level up a bit, only to come back stronger. This makes it much more approachable than previous titles in the series, and one of the best open world games to play right now. Whether you’re a Soulsborne veteran or a complete newcomer to the genre, Elden Ring is definitely worth a stab for that alone.
2. Halo Infinite
I know this one literally just released, but it’s already cemented itself as one of the best open world games in recent memory. The visuals harken back to those of when we first emerged out onto a Halo ring back in 2001. When you factor the Grapple Shot into the mix, it’s easily one of the most fun to traverse, too. And nothing beats that feeling of looking up into the sky and seeing the Halo ring extend up into the horizon. Pure sci-fi goodness.
3. Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds is special for so many reasons, not least of which because the solar system it presents is rendered with correct physics and in real time. It’s impressive to experience first hand, but even more so when you look behind the scenes and learn how difficult the thing must have been to code. Each planet in this vast solar system feels totally unique and a joy to explore. Once again, I am asking you to play Outer Wilds.
4. Forza Horizon 5
2021 really has been a cracking year for open worlds, hasn’t it? The Horizon festival makes the trip back across the Atlantic this time to settle down in the lush environments in Mexico. There’s dense jungle, arid deserts, and tumultuous volcanic terrain to traverse in whichever vehicle you desire. Fancy bombing a McLaren P1 down a mountainside? Be our guest. In Forza Horizon 5, Mexico is whatever you want to make of it.
5. Minecraft
Speaking of worlds being whatever you make of it, Minecraft is exactly that. Minecraft has always been pretty in its own way, but it’s really taken the cake with recent updates. On Windows 10, you can now experience the whole thing with ray tracing enabled. Combine that with the recent Caves and Cliffs update, Minecraft has enough gorgeous terrain to make a geographer drool.
6. Death Stranding
Though it might appear a little plain, Death Stranding is gorgeous in its own melancholic way. I feel that this game was especially poignant when playing during last year’s lockdown. The vast expanses of land that resembled the tundra of Iceland bring their own unique charm. It almost gives the gameplay an excuse to be a bit boring – at least the views along the way are stunning to take in.
7. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
I might be slightly biased here as a Brit, but I absolutely adored my time exploring medieval England in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Most of the time when the UK is depicted in video games, the location is restricted to London. It’s so refreshing to see some of my Northumberland homeland depicted in a video game, and learning about the area’s history was a pleasant aside from all the stabbing and slicing.
8. Red Dead Redemption 2
We’re getting into the obvious ones now. But to be fair, who can blame us? Red Dead Redemption 2 remains one of the most gorgeous open worlds to date. Not least because it has some of the greatest visuals, breath but the world includes a painstaking amount of detail. I’m sure we’ve all seen the videos of horse testicles shrinking in the cold, and the way that adverse weather rolls around is just incredible. This depiction of the American West straddles the line between photorealism and video game graphics, and it’ll likely hold up for years to come.
9. The legend of zelda: Breath of the Wild
From a game with hyper-realistic visuals to one of the most stylistic games of the generation, you can’t not include Breath of the Wild in this list. There’s not much more praise you can sing about Breath of the Wild at this point. The way that it encourages player exploration to uncover its secrets and story is second to none. It’s easily the best open world on Nintendo Switch, if not across all platforms.
10. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
You all knew this was coming. Even ten years on, we still can’t seem to get enough of exploring what Skyrim has to offer. There’s just something so cosy about wandering these roads. The soundtrack might have something to do with it, which has become a writing staple for me. Nostalgia aside, there’s something about Skyrim’s art style that makes it continuously approachable. No matter how many times we say a playthrough will be our last, we’ll likely always keep on coming back to it.
If you enjoy open world games, you should also check out our favourite best action games and best platformer games.
What are some of your favourite open world video games? Let us know across our social channels.
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[Featured Image Credit: Rockstar Games]