Whether single-player or multiplayer, open-world games tend to attract a lot of attention. On paper, the genre sounds ideal since these projects can keep a user engaged for potentially months. In practice, these releases fluctuate significantly in terms of quality and scale; more importantly, bigger is not always better.

2023 is shaping up to be an exciting year for open-world titles. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Starfield, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League are just a handful of projects that might cement themselves among the best open-world games of all time. What does their competition look like?

Updated April 19, 2023 by Mark Sammut: 2023 has produced a couple of great open-world games, and the year's biggest release in the genre, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, is right around the corner.

25 Gothic 2

Since the early 2000s, Piranha Bytes has specialized in open-world games, serving as an AA alternative to their contemporaries. While janky and rough around the edges, the studio's releases have their charm, and 2022's Elex 2 is probably Piranha's most complete package. However, 2002's Gothic 2 holds a special place in the hearts of many people.

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Quaint as the title might seem in this day and age, Gothic 2 was an impressive and ambitious release back in the day. Khorinis is a fully realized world that grants players a lot of freedom in crafting their adventure, and this aspect of the game holds up well.

Also, Gothic 2's The Chronicles Of Myrtana: Archolos mod is fantastic.

24 Dying Light

While an argument could be made that Dying Light 2 Stay Human deserves to be mentioned among the best open-world games, its predecessor is generally regarded as the superior game, particularly the Enhanced Edition that includes The Following expansion. Techland's survival game takes place in Hassan, a city that has been quarantined due to an outbreak. On paper, this is not a particularly original concept for a zombie game; in execution, Dying Light nails its world, characters, and gameplay.

Densely packed and fairly unique, Hassan works beautifully as a sandbox. However, what sets Dying Light apart from other open-world projects is its focus on parkour. Simply put, movement in the game is incredible, and the map takes full advantage of it. The Following features an entirely new area to explore, and it is just as good as the base game's Hassan.

23 Death Stranding

Directed by Metal Gear Solid's Hideo Kojima, Death Stranding envisions a post-apocalyptic world devoid of human civilization. While peppered with a couple of settlements, this version of Earth largely consists of a barren wasteland, and the game specifically concentrates on instilling a sense of isolation through its gameplay and presentation.

Tasked with delivering packages across the United States, Sam also sets out to install a communication network in an attempt to start humanity's recovery. Death Stranding is the definition of an acquired taste; the campaign has an almost contemplative pacing, all the while delivering splashes of Kojima's trademark storytelling.

22 Subnautica

Subnautica and its sequel, Below Zero, stand out from other open-world projects due to their environments. Except for a few locations, the games largely take place underwater, a creative decision that pays off beautifully. Set on an alien planet, Subnautica is a survival game that encourages the player to explore the sea to their heart's content. This journey produces both gorgeous vistas and nightmarish encounters, while simultaneously revealing snippets of lore and plot beats.

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Reflecting the studio's name, Unknown Worlds crafted a constantly-unpredictable sandbox that truly comes across as alien. Both Subnautica titles are great, but newcomers should start with the first game before moving on to Below Zero.

21 Satisfactory

In early access, Satisfactory is already fantastic. Open-world games do occasionally blend together, which is not necessarily a terrible thing if they emphasize components that have proven to be successful. That said, Satisfactory is cut from its own cloth and offers an experience that is fairly unique for the genre. Players take on the daunting role of a company woman who is charged with mining an alien planet for resources.

The process starts reasonably small, but each development allows more and more complex buildings to be developed. In due time, players will be monitoring an expansive factory that can automatically strip this planet of its natural resources. Satisfactory complements its simulation gameplay with exploration and combat. Even though neither of these elements is especially amazing when compared to other great open-world games, they offer a fun change of pace.

20 Cyberpunk 2077

CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 had a notoriously rough launch, to the point that the game was removed from the PlayStation Store. This reception hurt the developer's reputation at the time, but CD Projekt Red has done an admirable job of rehabilitating its name. Rather than just abandoning the sci-fi game, the company set out to right most of the launch version's wrongs, including releasing multiple significant updates.

Nowadays, Cyberpunk 2077 is in a much better state, even if the last-gen versions are still difficult to recommend. Focusing solely on the open-world, Night City is phenomenal, detailed, and dense. The map showcases CD Projekt Red's talent for environmental storytelling and world-building, and Night City's sci-fi aesthetic sets it apart from The Witcher 3's world. While still not perfect, Cyberpunk 2077 has come a long way since 2020 and now deserves to be mentioned among the best open-world games.

19 Far Cry 3

The Far Cry franchise has gotten a bit long in the tooth in recent years, and the series has struggled to fully recreate the magic of its third main entry. Far Cry 3 represents the pinnacle of the Ubisoft formula, an open-world game that expertly blends addictive gameplay with memorable characters (aka villains) and busywork that feels rewarding.

The FPS takes place on Rook Islands, a gorgeous tropical paradise that is not that welcoming of outsiders. The simple act of exploring this terrain is a joy, and the open-world is big without being overwhelming.

18 Outer Wilds

Size tends to dominate conversations relating to open-world games, but it does not determine a map's quality. Outer Wilds is nowhere near as expansive as many other entries in this genre, but the title uses its terrain extremely well. Revolving around a 22-minute time loop punctuated by an exploding star, players must travel to different planets in a solar system in search of information regarding the Nomai race.

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Outer Wilds has an overarching narrative that guides the player's actions, providing some structure to the experience. That said, the game encourages exploration and investigation, rewarding people who are willing to soak in the atmosphere and interact with NPCs who are simply living their lives.

17 Kenshi

Kenshi is a ridiculously ambitious project, not just in the indie sphere but in gaming in general. Set in a Mad Max-style world, the game drops players in its post-apocalyptic world and challenges them to make something of themselves. What that entails is largely left in the hands of the player, and that freedom is Kenshi's greatest feature.

Although not much of a looker, Kenshi makes up for its lackluster presentation by offering quality mechanics that prioritize diversity. The sandbox game has survival mechanics, role-playing potential, base building, and a lot more; in most cases, such a wide scope would result in a shallow overall experience, but Kenshi somehow makes it work.

16 Yakuza 0

Sega's Yakuza (or Like a Dragon) franchise has mastered the art of crafting small but dense cities that deliver immersion without over-relying on realism. Yakuza 0 is generally regarded as the license's best game, and it features two cities in Kamurocho and Sotenbori. These maps can be traversed in a few minutes, but they feel far bigger since each street is packed with minigames, side quests, stores, restaurants, and enemies.

Along with a stellar open-world, Yakuza 0 tells an awesome story that balances action, character growth, tragedy, and epicness. Furthermore, the optional quests do a splendid job of highlighting different aspects of the cities that might otherwise go unnoticed. Everything combines to create a world oozing with personality and substance.

15 Fallout: New Vegas

Except for perhaps Fallout 76, all the entries in this franchise could feasibly rank among the best open-world games ever; however, Fallout: New Vegas strikes the ideal middle-ground between Fallout 1 & 2's player-driven campaigns and Bethesda's 3D entries. Technical issues aside, New Vegas brings to life a post-apocalyptic world that is drenched in culture, history, and socio-political ideologies.

This entry has one of the strongest narratives in the series, and that goes beyond just the main quest. While somewhat rudimentary in a post-Witcher 3 landscape, New Vegas' side quests were a touch above the game's contemporaries and play a crucial role in shaping the world.

14 Hogwarts Legacy

Harry Potter's universe has always seemed like the perfect fit for an expansive game, and Hogwarts Legacy takes advantage of that potential. Unlike most other adaptations, Avalanche's title takes place a century prior to Harry's tale, a decision that permits players to create their own stories rather than rethread an established one. Cast as a latecomer to Hogwarts' student body, players join one of the four houses and set out to explore the school's iconic grounds, along with other famous areas introduced in the books and movies.

Hogwarts Legacy does have a relatively lengthy main storyline, but the game also encourages players to deviate from the beaten path. Immersion is a big selling point of most open-world games, and Avalanche absolutely nails this aspect. For long-time fans of the franchise, Hogwarts Legacy is a dream come true that finally allows them to become wizards and witches.

13 Ghost Of Tsushima

Helping to bring the PS4's time as Sony's main platform to a satisfying close, Ghost of Tsushima is a painfully gorgeous game set during the 13th Century in Japan. After becoming occupied by Mongols, Tsushima Island evolves into a war zone as Japanese rebels try to strike at the invaders. Players are cast as Jin Sakai, a samurai who fails to protect his master but is given an opportunity to make things right when he avoids death.

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Ghost of Tsushima's world is lavish, reasonably big, and filled with gripping content that is just waiting to be discovered. Even though the main story is nothing to write home about, the title makes up for it with an incredible setting.

12 Horizon Zero Dawn & Horizon Forbidden West

Guerrilla Games left behind the FPS genre for open-world action RPGs, and the switch brought out the best in the studio. Set in a post-apocalyptic Earth that is both ancient and technologically advanced, the Horizon games center around Aloy, an outcast who has to carry a massive load on her shoulders.

Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West are equally fantastic, and that is especially the case when it comes to their worlds. These games feature stunning environments filled with monstrous creatures and impressive social hubs.

11 Marvel’s Spider-Man

Insomniac Games created what is arguably the best Spider-Man game ever when they released this PlayStation exclusive. Open-world exploration in Marvel's Spider-Man is a contender for the most fun of all time, as the simple act of swinging through the air is an absolute delight.

In Spider-Man, players are immersed in a version of Manhattan that closely measures up to the real thing. Spider-Man swings effortlessly from building to building, gliding as if for the first time. Spider-Man is an open-world game done (almost) perfectly, and Miles Morales is also great.

10 Forza Horizon 5

Playground Games has been nothing if not consistent as the studio has produced one open-world masterpiece after another. Consequently, this entry's pick is primarily a placeholder for the overall franchise as someone's preference is likely to come down to which setting they prefer. Forza Horizon 5 takes place in Mexico, and the game honors the country by delivering a massive and diverse map.

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The latter characteristic is the sandbox's true achievement; Forza Horizon 5 features 11 biomes, each of which has its own flavor and nuances. This variety heightens the simple act of driving across the country since there always seems to be something new to see and experience.

9 Xenoblade Chronicles 3

The Xenoblade Chronicles franchise consists of nothing but great open-world games, including the Wii U's Xenoblade Chronicles X. Any entry could have made the cut, but the 2022 project gets the nods since its transitions between different areas are the most seamless. The JRPG is built upon a real-time combat system that is overflowing with mechanics and depth, ensuring battles remain engaging throughout the lengthy campaign.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3's world is massive, detailed, and packed with things to uncover and do. The Nintendo Switch does struggle to run the game at times, but XC3 nevertheless accomplishes a lot on the console's limited hardware.

8 Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

Assassin's Creed has an impressive track record when it comes to crafting sandboxes based on historical time periods, even if not every game is a masterpiece. Ubisoft's franchise has produced quite a few epics, quite a few of which would not look out of place among the best open-world games; that said, the series may have peaked with Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag.

The pirate-themed adventure takes players to the West Indies and delivers a unique experience even within its own franchise. This game was so successful that fans have been clamoring for Ubisoft to return to the sea ever since.

7 Elden Ring

Elden Ring successfully expands and opens up the Dark Souls formula, a transition that somehow retains nearly all the strengths of the latter while introducing plenty of new reasons for fans to get excited. Set within the harrowing Lands Between, players are left to their own devices as they explore towering castles, hidden underground cities, and battlefields soaked in blood.

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FromSoftware delivered a flexible combat system, dozens of challenging boss fights, incredible lore that can easily be ignored, and a plethora of unforgettable side quests.

6 Grand Theft Auto 5

Rockstar Games didn't let up with its most recent Grand Theft Auto title. Grand Theft Auto 5 is a behemoth containing a vast open-world set in and around Los Santos, which is inspired by Los Angeles. The sandbox is packed with an abundance of activities to keep players busy.

As an open-world game, GTA 5 is exceptional, presenting players with a lot of freedom on how they would like to leave their mark on the map. It is not just the world that delivers the goods, though, as the game's story and characters are also great, while GTA Online has grown into a massive beast.