Automotive
Baby Products
Beauty
Books
Business, Industry & Science
Computers & Accessories
DIY, Garden & Tools
Electronics & Photo
Fashion
Grocery
Health & Personal Care
Home & Kitchen
Large Appliances
Musical Instruments & DJ
PC & Video Games
Pet Supplies
Sports & Outdoors
Stationery & Office Products
Toys & Games
Household goods
PC and cameras
Home appliances and electronics
Cosmetics and skincare
Health
Food and drinks
Kitchen supplies
Clothing
Shoes
Accessories
Kids and baby
Interior and furniture
Hobbies
Outdoor
DIY and tools
Sports and fitness
Pets
Books, CDs, DVDs
Games
Cars and motorcycles
Gifts
Housing equipment and renovation
Travel
Smartphones and mobile phones
Music
Smartphone applications
Open world games are truly video gaming at its finest, offering immersive realms into which you can escape, explore and pave your own adventure for hours at a time. The incredible thing is, as gaming technology develops, these virtual worlds only continue to expand and increase in detail, meaning there's never been a better time to get into them.
Before you embark upon hundreds of hours of gameplay, it makes sense to find a world that you're truly itching to explore, whether that's a medieval past, a dystopian future or a good old sandbox. For a perfect escape from the day-to-day stresses of adult life, read on for our top 10 open world games currently available on PC as well as Xbox, Switch, PS4 and PS5.
A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.
It's impossible to fit the scope of an expansive open world game into a front cover or a blurb – finding the right one takes a bit more thought. In our buying guide, we've outlined things to look out for to ensure that you're headed in the direction of an experience you'll never forget.
The primary appeal of open world games is their ability to let you fully immerse yourself in a fictional world, and the scope, look and feel of these worlds is as boundless of the developers' imaginations. That said, most do tend to feature worlds that fit loosely into one of three categories. Read on as we give you a quick rundown.
If video games, and open world games in particular, are designed to offer an escape from the mundane, that might explain why such a large proportion of them are set in fantasy worlds quite unlike our own.
While not a prerequisite, these worlds often take place in a pseudo-medieval setting, replete with swords and noble heroes on horseback, and in which modern technology is replaced by myth and magic.
Part of the appeal of these types of games is surely the lush green landscapes that they present, but then there are also the monsters, the colourful characters and the deep, dark locations just waiting to be found. In short, there's nothing quite like a world in which fantasy can become reality and the fate of the world rests upon your shoulders.
For many developers, open world games offer the perfect opportunity to explore our potential future, which often tends to be a negative future, or 'dystopia'. The story may take place a few centuries into the future in a world ravaged by nuclear war, or even an entire millennium away in a word completely unrecognisable as our own.
They're often not as pretty as fantasy games, usually featuring ravaged landscapes or grim, neon-soaked cities (though this is not always the case – sometimes nature can reclaim its territory, as in Horizon Zero Dawn), but these apocalyptic worlds offer an extra level of threat.
Survival is the name of the game in a world without rules (or with too many rules), and storylines often involve unlocking the mysteries of the past and finding out what exactly lead to the world getting into such a state.
Sometimes it's not about escaping into fantasy or our unrealised futures, but into historical events that really took place – or events that are loosely based on history, anyway. Being open world, you'll be allowed to chart your own course, but you'll do so against the backdrop of real locations and historical events.
In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, for example, you play a Viking raider, and as you invade your way across Anglo-Saxon England you'll get the chance to visit early medieval versions of London and Leicestershire, as well as landmarks such as Stonehenge. In Red Dead Redemption 2, you play an outlaw, fighting back against the decline of the Wild West.
We wouldn't advise using them as revision for your history exam, but for those who want to use open world games to explore real worlds rather than fictional ones, these types of games are a great escape.
Unless you're an avid gamer with multiple consoles, you may want to check that the open world game you're eyeing up is available on your platform before you get too hyped up about exploring it.
The similar performance capabilities of the PlayStation and Xbox One mean that most games that are available on one of these consoles are available on both, though there are exclusives that are only available for PS. Similarly, PC owners will also have the pick of pretty much everything except some first-party exclusives.
Switch owners, meanwhile, may need to be more selective. The Switch's slightly lesser performance capabilities mean that many modern games are not currently available for this platform. That said, Nintendo's preference for first-party titles does mean you get access to some excellent games not available to other console owners.
Open world games can provide hundreds of hours of gameplay, but soon every adventure must come to end. That is, unless there's lots of downloadable content (or DLC) to sink your teeth into.
One of the best things about modern gaming is that with more popular titles, the adventure never really has to be over. They'll come at a price, but sometimes developers will continue to release extra downloadable content that means you can continue to return and interact with your favourite fictional worlds.
The great thing is, many older titles can be bought in special or extended editions that include all the additional DLC right out of the box. Sometimes DLC is as simple as a few new outfits, but it can take more elaborate forms, such as extended side quests that'll take a good few hours to complete, so it's always worth looking out for.
Sword fighting and dystopian futures don't usually make for kid-friendly games, hence why most open world games are intended for adults. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean that younger gamers are completely barred from any type of open world experience.
Minecraft has been an overwhelming hit with kids because it provides a free-roaming experience that they too can enjoy, and Breath of the Wild, while not suitable for children, is restrained enough with its depictions of violence that it can be enjoyed by gamers over 12.
They're harder to find, but open world games for kids do exist – just check out the PEGI rating alongside your own judgement to ascertain which ones would be suitable.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | CD Projekt Red The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt|Complete Edition | £42.95 High Mid | Toss a Coin to Projekt Red for This Unmissable Adventure | ||
2 | Bethesda The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim|Special Edition | £14.99 Low Mid | Explore the Lands Of Skyrim as Your Own Unique Character | ||
3 | Nintendo The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | £49.99 High Mid | Hyrulean Lore Meets Open World Exploration in a Match Made in Heaven | ||
4 | Rockstar Games Red Dead Redemption 2 | £20.00 Mid | Go Rogue or Stay on the Right Side of the Law in the Wild West | ||
5 | Mojang Minecraft | £20.00 Mid | Possibly the Best Open World Sandbox of All Time | ||
6 | Bethesda Fallout 4|Game of the Year Edition | £16.73 Low Mid | Do What You Can to Survive in a Post-Nuclear World | ||
7 | Ubisoft Assassin's Creed Valhalla | £37.99 High Mid | Sneak, Slay and Pillage Your Way Through Anglo-Saxon England | ||
8 | Guerilla Horizon Zero Dawn|Complete Edition | £14.98 Low Mid | Use Arrows and Traps to Slay Rogue Machines in a Decayed Future | ||
9 | Kojima Productions Death Stranding | £20.00 Mid | Immerse Yourself in a Movie-Like Storyline With Incredible Performances | ||
10 | CD Projekt Red Cyberpunk 2077 | £29.99 High Mid | Explore a Dystopian Future Following Recent Bug Fixes |
Since its original release in 2015, The Witcher 3 has dominated lists of the best open world games. The story follows protagonist Geralt through the third and final instalment of the book-based Witcher series, as he battles monsters, magic and formidable foes to find his adoptive daughter Ciri, all the while treading the fine line of morality.
The reasons to play are plentiful: a stunningly rich world that's every bit as breathtaking today as on its original release, hundreds of hours of unsurpassed storytelling and quest lines, beautiful music and memorable characters that you'll grow to love. It's really a no-brainer: come one, come all, this is simply an unmissable game that everyone needs to experience!
You have one goal as the Dragonborn, a character of your own design: to defeat the dragon Alduin, known as the world-eater, who is prophesied to destroy the world. Still loved a decade later, Skyrim raised the expectations of what an RPG could be, giving players a huge amount of control as well as a deeply immersive and beautiful world to explore.
This updated version is available across multiple platforms and includes updated graphics and all DLC. Gameplay is so addictive, you'll find yourself clutching at every opportunity to play, so chances are you're going to lose time, sleep and your social life – but we promise you won't regret a minute of it!
Arguably the greatest game series of all time, The Legend of Zelda's stunning landscapes, unique characters and richly woven lore were always fit for open world exploration, and Nintendo finally made the move with Breath of the Wild.
Follow the main storyline to defeat Ganon, or collect weapons and discover your own recipes as you run, ride, and glide across some of Hyrule's most recognisable locations, as well as plenty of new ones. For those who have always wanted to visit Hyrule, this is your chance, and believe us, you'll never want the journey to end.
It's 1899, and the Wild West is in decline. You play outlaw Arthur Morgan, a gun-toting gang member trying to survive against the threat of government forces and rival gangs as you explore the open landscapes and one-horse towns of Midwest America.
Virtually every aspect of Red Dead 2 has received overwhelming critical acclaim, not least its stunning landscapes, which at several times have been described as the most well-crafted in video games. A true work of art and an unmissable experience.
Minecraft is now so popular that you'd have to have been living under a rock not to have heard of it. It offers a virtually endless world without predetermined goals, across which players can avoid mobs and mine materials to build their own structures.
Minecraft's creative freedom and adventure elements have made it particularly popular with children, but that doesn't mean it can't be enjoyed by grown-ups too. It offers a perfect escape and Minecraft has on several occasions been named the best video game of all time. There's been no better time to see for yourself what all the fuss is about.
The Fallout series has become a bit of a pop culture phenomenon, and the fourth entry swept up several 'game of the year' awards upon its release. Waking up from cryogenic stasis, you'll roam a landscape ravaged by nuclear war in search of your lost child.
The shortcomings of its successor, Fallout 76, mean that Fallout 4 continues to stand as the best in the retrofuturistic series. The main storyline could have been a little more fleshed out, but this game is packed with side quests, and there's enough to do that you'll be kept busy for quite some time.
The latest game in the Assassin's Creed series follows Viking raider Eivor as he journeys from his homeland of Norway to put down new roots in England, defeating challengers and raiding monasteries along the way.
As well as exploring a rich and beautiful world, you'll visit historically significant locations and experience a gripping story full of fascinating characters. There are also plenty of nods to other pop culture titans such as the Lord of the Rings and The Witcher. You'll laugh, you'll despair, you'll be in awe.
A thousand years into the future, technology is limited, and giant machine-like creatures walk the earth. All is well, until these machines begin to turn on their human neighbours. As the female protagonist, Aloy, you'll use arrows, explosives and a variety of traps to defeat the machines and unravel the fate of the planet.
Horizon Zero Dawn features a lush landscape that offers a scientifically backed depiction of how the world might appear in a millennium, as well as addictive gameplay and an unparalleled soundtrack. Best of all, it's now available for a bargain price, so there's never been a better time to play it.
Death Stranding is set in a post-apocalyptic world, ruled by monsters. As Sam (played by Norman Reedus of the Walking Dead), it's your task to sneak your way past numerous threats to deliver vital supplies to survivors, with your stats increasing depending on how adequately you accomplish this feat.
Death Stranding has found criticism for its slow pace – with many derisively claiming that it resembles a walking simulator more than an action-fuelled game – but it does feature a movie-like storyline and incredible acting that are worth experiencing at least once.
Possibly the most hotly anticipated and hyped game in recent times, Cyberpunk 2077 is the latest game from the developers that brought us the critically acclaimed Witcher series. Set in a neon-drenched future, it features character creation with an unparalleled level of detail and a rich world to explore.
There were some issues early on in the game's release, as well as a few bugs, but don't be put off. Many of these issues have now been improved, meaning Cyberpunk 2077 stands as an open world game that's definitely worth checking out.
The second key element of an open world game is an expansive world to explore. Roaming around a small landscape wouldn't be much fun, and so open world games feature some of the biggest and most richly detailed landscapes in video games.
Oftentimes, exploring is just as much fun as completing missions, and you may spend entire sessions just interacting with characters and exploring the secrets that the world has to offer. Of course, these fictional realms differ drastically from each other, and that's what keeps fans coming back for more – no two worlds are quite alike.
Whether you're a Switch, PlayStation or Xbox advocate, you're bound to benefit from knowing a little more about the best games and accessories currently available. We've got lots more recommendations below, including Switch games you can enjoy with the kids, RPGs to sink your teeth into and the best headsets for online play.
We hope this article has helped you find your next open world adventure, be that one full of magic and mystery or one that gives you the chance to explore the ravaged wastelands of an apocalyptic future. The only thing left to do is clear your calendar and tell your friends you won't be available for the next few weeks!
Author: Ben Willimett
No. 1: CD Projekt Red|The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt|Complete Edition
No. 2: Bethesda|The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim|Special Edition
No. 3: Nintendo|The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
No. 4: Rockstar Games|Red Dead Redemption 2
No. 5: Mojang|Minecraft
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
Automotive
Baby Products
Beauty
Books
Business, Industry & Science
Computers & Accessories
DIY, Garden & Tools
Electronics & Photo
Fashion
Grocery
Health & Personal Care
Home & Kitchen
Large Appliances
Musical Instruments & DJ
PC & Video Games
Pet Supplies
Sports & Outdoors
Stationery & Office Products
Toys & Games
Household goods
PC and cameras
Home appliances and electronics
Cosmetics and skincare
Health
Food and drinks
Kitchen supplies
Clothing
Shoes
Accessories
Kids and baby
Interior and furniture
Hobbies
Outdoor
DIY and tools
Sports and fitness
Pets
Books, CDs, DVDs
Games
Cars and motorcycles
Gifts
Housing equipment and renovation
Travel
Smartphones and mobile phones
Music
Smartphone applications