Summary
Open-world games are always at the forefront ofcurrent gaming trends and technologies. In fact, during most of the 2010s, theywerethe gaming trend to look out for, with every major developer having their own spin on a sandbox or open-ended game, hoping to have struck gold with their own take on the genre. With such a wide breadth of titles within this genre, it’s no surprise that the ante is almost always being raised in terms of what the ‘best’ open-world game is.
Owing to theconstant push of technology, a good deal of player feedback, expanding developer ambitions, and, of course, the unceasing march of time, open-world sequels often find themselves better received than their predecessors. These games in particular definitely outshine the game or games that came before them, but it’s important to note that this is by no means saying the original games are ‘bad’. Simply that the series' most prominent and celebrated feature came after the first installment.
Starting out this list is a truly exceptional title. What puts it this far up the list is that - while an amazing title and certainly the peak of quality for the series to many players -Fallout 3isa contested top entryfor the series as well, as are the original isometric CRPGs, which were also open-world, technically, albeit in a far more limited way.
Fallout: New Vegasoutshines these other entries, however, because it’s simply the most potent synthesis of all the amazing things that make this series so iconic. The wit, depth, and narrative emphasis from the earlier games meet the expansive open world ofFallout 3. Anyone looking at the best RPGs or open-world titles of all time will most definitely hear aboutFallout: New Vegasbefore too long, and that’s a title that, among its peers, it’s rightfully earned.
TheAssassin’s Creedseriesis a staple in gaming, even for those who have never picked one of the titles up. While the first and second games are considered high quality and well-remembered,Assassin’s Creed: Black Flagoutshines them, partially for being a more unique take on the series, and also for being remembered as the last uncontroversially good title this series would have for a while.
NoAssassin’s Creedgame before or since has really produced the same level of expansiveness and freedom, even as the maps grew in size - thatBlack Flagdid, and that’s why it stands out in the series today.
There is no denying thatBatman: Arkham Asylumwas the ground-breaking title that set the scene for open-world and action games to take on an entirely new form. But when looking at the best remembered andmost beloved title in the series, the honor has to go toBatman: Arkham City.
With an amazing story and gameplay that’s greatly enhanced compared to its predecessor, this was the game that took theArkhamseries from being great to iconic. Its status as the best game in the series remains even today, after two (four if you count the live service anomaly,Gotham Knights,and the new VR game) subsequent titles have been released.
The originalShadow of Mordorpioneered one of themost ingenious systemsto open-world gaming yet, the nemesis system. Unlike theArkhamseries, however, where a ground-breaking original was outshone by a truly iconic sequel, this is a case of a decent game with a bright idea getting blown out of the water by a much more comprehensive, dare we say fantastic, title, that innovates on that smart idea in pretty much every way.
Sans the disastrous microtransaction system,Shadow of Warhas earned itself a die-hard following years after its release, and is fondly recognized as a staple among open-world andLOTRgames.
While a hugely popular book series with a legacy of video games spanning a decade,The Witcher 3is truly what put this franchise on the map. Rubbing shoulders with various huge games in terms of who was the biggest award winner of 2015, few games had the same explosive impact as this one had.
One of the game’s biggest draws is that, if players enjoy it, they can go back to play the first two titles, similar to how manySkyrimplayers would go on to enjoyOblivion(or shelfOblivionand wait for its remaster to come out).
Many players prefer the tighter, more focused narrative sandbox thatGrand Theft Auto 4offered, which took a more grounded approach to the crime-simulator series than its predecessors. Alas, ‘many’ players don’t hold up much against the millions and millions of people who have played this game for over ten years now, and don’t plan on stopping any time soon.
The way this game opens up compared to GTA 4, with more interesting terrain to explore, a more RPG-like skill system, and a greater variety of characters, all contribute to its reputation asthe best gamein the series. For now, anyway.
This isn’t just a good Western game. This istheWestern game. A high-stakes, emotional, incredibly memorable game with a huge amount of depth and substance to it,Red Dead Redemption 2utterly blew the first game out of the water in terms of its realism, graphics, and gameplay.
A very tall bar to pass, considering how good the first title is, but RDR2 is seen as one of the best video games - full stop - and that’s the kind of praise that will be very hard for any other open-world game to match.
MaybeSkyrimcould have rounded off this list, but the difference in quality between it andOblivionis nowhere near the difference betweenDaggerfallandArena.Arenawas a game that outgrew its own scope and got theElder Scrollsthrown in front of its title.Daggerfallis the game that grewintothat scope, and gave players so much of what’s remained iconicin Elder Scrollsin every game since.
This is the foundation that every mainline gamefromMorrowindonwardshas sat on, and the title that turned an obscure and slightly generic fantasy setting into one of the most memorable series of all time.DaggerfalloutshinesArenain almost every way.
