Many games have open worlds, but only a few of them stand out from the rest. The feeling of freedom is exhilarating while playing a game with an open world. It allows you to explore magical worlds as a player, which can only be experienced inside a video game. So what makes games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim so unique and timeless?
Note: The games below are listed in no order.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has a huge world filled with lots of interesting activities and places like caves, small villages, factions you can join and many more. It's great at creating atmosphere and letting you play the way you want, which is a real imprint on the role-playing aspects of the game.
The gameplay is mostly geared towards melee combat or spell casting, but you can also shoot with a bow and arrow. There are many mechanics like stealing, hiding, bartering, trading and more to immerse yourself in any class in the vast world of Skyrim.
Disponible sur : PC, Xbox One X/S, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch.
Fallout 4
Fallout is an old school classic series that has been a massive hit with every installment. Fallout 4, in particular, introduces new mechanics to the series, such as camp building.
Fallout 4 features a huge post-apocalyptic desert world with many factions you can join or betray, improvised weapons, weird NPCs (like Whitechapel Charlie or Cricket) that are very quirky and interesting. You can influence the world and characters in a variety of ways, from dialogue choices to more complex chains of actions.
The gameplay is based on classic ranged gun combat, with some melee options as well as hammers or blades. A flagship of the series is the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (VATS). It allows players to pause the game, search for enemy weak points, and calculate the probability of a hit. Staying in the atmosphere, there are specific radiation weapons. Each piece of equipment is rustic and fits perfectly into the post-apocalyptic world destroyed by nuclear wars.
Available on: PC, Xbox One X/S, PS4 and Xbox Series X/S, PS5 via backwards compatibility.
Related: What Does RPG Mean in Video Games?
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the best games ever made, with incredible stories and narration, and memorable characters. You can really feel like a witcher in this world, who travels from village to village, fighting various monsters and fighting them for money.
The Continent (name of the world of The Witcher 3) is filled with a Slavic atmosphere. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is also full of pop culture references like Tyrion Lannister (a Game of Thrones character) in an open prison cell, Monty Python's rabbits and the Holy Grail, and much more to discover.
After completing the game, there are plenty of additional lore and DLC to explore, such as the Hearts of Stone and Blood & Wine expansions.
Available on: PC, Xbox One X/S, PS4 and Xbox Series X/S, PS5 via backwards compatibility.
cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 might not have been the game everyone wanted due to technical issues, but over time it has become more playable than when it was released. However, we can't rule it out being one of the best open-world RPGs ever made, due to the characters, the story, and mainly the world itself.
Cyberpunk 2077 is set in the future and emphasizes the division between social classes. The story focuses on V and Johnny Silverhand, the latter played by Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves. You encounter various characters filled with futuristic body modifications. Some of them just live their lives without the expensive technology, and others devote their lives to body customization.
Night City is definitely the highlight of the game with huge skyscrapers, bustling streets and a world full of neon lights. Each neighborhood is very unique and represents other social class groups, from diverse gangs to just plain lucky people, and up to the upper levels of corporate scum.
The world can feel a bit empty at times, but the artistic aspects and deep lore of the entire universe make Cyberpunk 2077 worth trying.
Available on: PC, Xbox One X/S, PS4 and Xbox Series X/S, PS5 via backwards compatibility.
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Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Zelda is an amazing series that has sold many Nintendo consoles in the past, and Breath of the Wild is no different. The action takes place in the kingdom of Hyrule and follows the adventures of Link, the main protagonist of the series. It has a gorgeous open world which is very enjoyable to explore.
What stands out the most is the freedom given to you in this game. You get to know your main goals, but the approach you take is totally up to you. There are even ways to complete the game quickly with enough skill and game knowledge by skipping most of the world and reaching the final boss. It just shows how much control you have of the game.
One of the most notable additions to the gameplay of this Zelda game is the introduction of the paraglider, which started quite an evolution with many games after the release of Breath of the Wild introduced a paraglider to make traversing easier, even the next Horizon: Forbidden West.
Available on: Wii U and Nintendo Switch.
The outer worlds
The Outer Worlds is created by genre veterans Obsidian Entertainment (known for Fallout New Vegas or Pillars of Eternity). It's set in a retro future, and while it doesn't have a huge open world, it does consist of smaller planets that are quite large and open for exploration.
It is full of lively and colorful characters, plants and animals. You will stand between many factions vying for power. The world of Outer Worlds culminates here with a grand original vision of the future, without the technological advancements of the past decades.
Available on: PC, Xbox One X/S, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X/S, PS5 via backwards compatibility.
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Grand Theft Auto V / Red Dead Redemption 2
Grand Theft Auto V has been a huge success, and the ongoing GTA Online is an incredible place to roleplay thanks to the endless possibilities of the player's imagination. There are many servers and groups that just roleplay in this game, which is just inspiring. The modern setting of the game allows a lot of creative freedom for everyone.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is very similar in terms of gameplay but takes us to a completely different time, the American Old West. It's a massive western open-world game, and Red Dead Online was expanded on the concept of being a cowboy after the game's release.
Available on: PC, Xbox One X/S, PS4 and Xbox Series X/S, PS5 via backwards compatibility. GTA V was also released on PS3 and Xbox 360.
For more articles and lists, be sure to check out Top 5 Best Dinosaur Games on PC (2021) on Thekingplayers.
