Best open world games to play right now and completely forget real life exists

When it comes to the best open world games, the vast sweep of contenders matches the size and scope of the worlds they encompass. Being dropped into a massive map is always exciting, whether you're a staunch fan of the best RPGs where exploration is king, unravelling mysteries in one of the best adventure games, or aiming down your sights and getting into all the nail-biting, bullet-flying action that the best FPS games can offer. In the case of the best open world games, a blend of all these factors and more is to be expected.

The titles on this list all feature expansive lands to discover, each framed by unique quirks and lore to create the semblance of truly vibrant, living digital spaces that you'll want to return to over and over. But with so many exciting open worlds to uncover, which games do you even start with? That's where this list comes in.

We've scoured the length and breadth of open world games to pick out the very best of the bunch, meaning you get to save time and money in sussing out your next big adventure. Below, you'll find modern classics as well as some of the biggest video game releases of the year. Get your map ready; let's dive into the best open world games ever made.

The 25 ultimate and best open world games are...

25. Dragon's Dogma 2

Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, PC

Dragon's Dogma 2's open world is sometimes a little too open. It's so easy to get lost and just stumble across something else en route to whatever you were meant to be doing, but that really is part of its charm. While fast travel is an option - or jumping on an oxcart - you'll want to go exploring in this world.

It's massively immersive, to the point where if you get too distracted, you can fail or miss out on some missions because there's a time pressure attached. Your Pawns will encourage you off the beaten track, giant enemies will pursue you where you roam to pose a new challenge, and it always feels good to explore because there's a reward at the end 99.9% of the time. As we mentioned in our Dragon's Dogma 2 review, this game is doing open worlds right.

24. Terraria

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, PSVita
(Playable on Xbox Series X and PS5)

Terraria is so full of possibility that it verges on the sandbox/open-world boundary. Build your home and defend it from the icky things that will try to knock the door down and suck your brains out of your nose. If you'd rather, you can ignore those beasties and delve deep into the earth to find valuable resources or just explore to your tiny, pixelated heart’s content.

Craft better armor and weapons, and even a jetpack, then once you're feeling strong enough - and probably a little bit cocky - wait for one of the game's bosses to spontaneously attack you. There's always something better to build, a new cavern to dig into, or another story of your house to be built. In fact, in our Terraria review, we point out how this may be one of the most replayable open world games ever made!

23. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
(Playable on Xbox Series X and PS5)

Because journeying around a massive world on your own is just no fun at all, Dragon Age: Inquisition gives you a bunch of companions to run around with and a ton of side quests to use them in. You wouldn't want to waste their talents, after all. Not only that, but the companions are some of the best party members around (I'm looking at you, Dorian Pavus).

At first, it's easy to get overwhelmed with the number of sidequests that saturate its lush fantasy world, but as long as you remember to take advantage of the fact that - like many of the best open-world games out there - there are multiple areas to explore from the very beginning (don't just stick to one), you'll slowly be able to gauge which ones are worth doing asap. The story will also keep you gripped throughout, so while it might claim many hours of your life, it's worth the time investment. If you couldn't tell already from our glowing Dragon Age: Inquisition review, we love this title, and chances are you will as well.

22. Minecraft

Available on: Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
(Playable on Xbox Series X and PS5)

Okay, okay, so Minecraft is technically a sandbox game, but hey, that still counts as an open-world game. Punch trees, mine deep into the mountains, and try to avoid falling into lava in this phenomenally large exploration extravaganza. Your imagination is truly the limit in Minecraft, as people have created entire cities, working computers, towering statues, and so much more on its blocky landscape.

Achievable, er...achievements provide a loose framework in case you want a bit more structure in your games, and when you start to get bored with the ordinary world, you can start to explore the Nether and make your next stronghold there. So, technically, there are two open-world environments at your disposal. Talk about value for money! For more information, be sure to read our five-star Minecraft review as well.

21. Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
(Playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X)

Going in with all guns blazing isn't everyone's cup of tea, so if you're thirsting for a stealth action open world game, Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain should be your hot beverage of choice. Encouraging non-lethal playing styles rather than killing indiscriminately, the degree to which all the different systems interweave is astonishing, and you're free to roam and dispatch with enemy soldiers however you see fit.

However, don't get too used to a set group of tactics - the enemies will adapt if you repeat the same approaches too much. Keeping you company in the world is D-horse and D-Dog, a wolf raised to help you in the field, and the dynamic weather system is just as helpful, as it periodically makes you harder to see and hear.

20. Fallout 4

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
(Playable on Xbox Series X and PS5)

Ok, this time someone's taken your baby, and you need to get him back. Mind you, it's not really that big a deal. Hear me out: Fallout 4's potential is just too tantalising to ignore for long, making it one of the best open world games for sheer breadth of stuff to busy yourself with. There's a reason we gave it five stars in our Fallout 4 review after all.

Its surprisingly colourful world of Boston, MA is stuffed with quests: follow the freedom trail, investigate mysteries with the unforgettable synthetic detective and sassmaster Nick Valentine, try and liberate synths with the Railroad, explore a haunted house, or just loot everything (and everyone) in sight to build up a mountain of caps. Play however the heck you want and see how it influences your followers, adding an extra layer of depth to this post-apocalyptic open world game. Just don't set the world on fire. Yet.

19. Far Cry 6

Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC

Far Cry 6 takes us to the fictional locale of Yara, a politically corrupt and infinitely dangerous country in South America, where you're charged with becoming a guerrilla fighter called Dani and toppling the dictatorship led by the Castillo family. Namely, a chap called Anton, played by Breaking Bad uber-baddie Giancarlo Esposito.

The whole Far Cry series is a veritable feast for exploration nerds, but Far Cry 6 is one of the best open world games when it comes to how reactive a world Yara is to explore. One of the things we loved in our Far Cry 6 review is that there are plenty of activities to tick off while you're delving into dicey socio-political underbellies. This, paired with emerging narratives to stumble upon by accident, mysteries to solve, races to complete, companions to find, and citizens to help... there's a lot to do in Yara.

18. Halo Infinite

Available on: Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC

In our Halo Infinite review, we said that it is "the best Halo has been in quite some time", and that's still true today. Halo Infinite really did put the infinite in Halo. Well, not literally, but it more than deserves a mention among the best open world games. 343 Industries' iconic Halo title doesn't have the largest map to explore on this list, instead harnessing that space to make every square inch count.

Halo Infinite's campaign mode encourages you to explore and progress through each nook and cranny, unlocking new areas along the way to reveal a sci-fi, futuristic world that feels much bigger than it really is. It's a really great world to exist in, even between set pieces and narrative moments, with plenty of reasons to return to the story or delve into the game's fine-tuned online multiplayer component instead.

17. Days Gone

Available on: PS4, PC, PS5

Days Gone is another fantastic horror-filled entry among the best open world games, with a horde of literally hundreds of zombies rallying en masse to cut you down where you stand with the help of their gnashing, undead jaws. You play as Deacon St John, and although it's a terrible name, this biker has quite the story to tell.

The world of Days Gone is an alluring one, infinitely bleak though it may be, with human stories to balance out the horrors of the zombies (or freakers as they're known). There's a lot more to Days Gone than shambling corpses and the apocalypse. Poke into every corner and you'll be rewarded, just as you'd hope from a well-crafted open world endeavor fit to rival even the best zombie games nipping at its ankles.

16. Starfield

Available on: Xbox Series X, PC

Starfield isn't just one of the best open world games, it's one of the best open universe games of the generation. Spanning countless planets and solar systems, Bethesda's ambitious RPG sees players exploring the vastness of space with their own spaceship, crew, and all the roleplaying opportunities to discover in between.

Whether you're farming planets for resources or stumbling upon a new faction, Starfield puts a focus on exploration in that quintessential Bethesda way to keep you on a near-constant quest of discovery. Our Starfield review called this game "the best thing Bethesda's done since Oblivion", and we still stand by that statement. I just hope you don't get motion sick; some of those spaceship combat controls make my head spin.

15. No Man’s Sky

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, PS5, Xbox Series X

No Man's Sky has turned into a fulfilling voyage around the star system that'll have you trotting through procedurally-generated planets like the interstellar explorer you are. It's now got 30 hours of story content, new lore, different ways to interact with its NPCs, portals to make jumping between planets a ton easier, and terraforming.

The No Man Sky's Beyond update brought even more features and changes, including rideable aliens, a new social system, and VR support. And updates since have added more features, more story, and even more reasons to get lost in space. Forget open world: No Man's Sky is an open galaxy, and you should absolutely jump into it if you look good in a spacesuit and love discovering exotic alien wildlife.

14. Forza Horizon 5

Available on: Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC

The only racer on this list of best open world games, but Forza Horizon 5 more than earns its spot among the best open world games (read our Forza Horizon 5 review for more on that) - even if you aren't cutting about on your own two feet. This arcade racer has you exploring Mexico: specifically, the latest Horizon festival. It's a huge celebration of all things on four wheels and all the places they can take you, with seemingly endless winding roads to cruise along.

That might sound a little on the dry side to non-gearheads, but with plenty of surprises laying in wait for the curious racer, Forza Horizon 5's open world has a lot more to offer than meets the eye. It's stunning to behold, has a banging soundtrack, and constantly offers you something new to do. And of course, the range of cars on offer is staggeringly huge.

13. Sea of Thieves

Available on: Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC

Sea of Thieves offers you an open world playground, which is just waiting for you to create your own stories within it. Become a legendary pirate, build your crew, discover treasures, and more in one of the best open world games for the intrepid would-be pirate keen to sail the seven seas and cause some mayhem while you're at it.

This is a game that's come a long way since it first launched in 2018, with ongoing updates and additions coming along all the time. It's expansive exploration zones truly mean that the horizon is the limit, and with it stretching ever further ahead, that's a lot of adventuring to get under one's pirate belt. If you are after more details on this ocean-filled open world, check out our Sea of Thieves review!

12. Genshin Impact

Available on: PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, PC

What if you took Breath of the Wild and added JRPG elements and a little sprinkling of anime? Well, welcome to Genshin Impact, one of the best open world games for JRPG nerds with adventurous spirits. The world of Teyvat is full of mysteries, not only about who you are and why you're there, and with constant updates and more characters being added at regular intervals, there are so many reasons to dive in. Oh, and did we mention it's totally free?

What makes Genshin Impact's open world so appealing is the fact that all the daily quests really keep you invested in exploring the game. In fact, some of us on the team here at GamesRadar+ have spent thousands of days in the title, logging in longer hours here than in other genre greats. While there is a gacha system, it doesn't stop the story or your time in the massive world. It's rare to find games like Genshin Impact, so it's wholly deserving of a place on our list.  

11. Marvel's Spider-Man

Available on: PS5, PS4, PC

As we pointed out in our Marvel's Spider-Man review, Marvel's Spider-Man was one of those rare games that reinvigorated superhero games as a whole. Launching initially on PS4 and later getting a PS5 patch, Insomniac's game has us swinging through a beautiful recreation of New York, filled with epic side quests and other activities to balance out the equally memorable story. Spider-Man, admittedly, doesn't offer much innovating in terms of open world mechanics. However, despite how you can swing to a new location with ease, each discovery or side-path is worth doing.

It may be simple, but it's still immensely rewarding as well. So yeah, it's not hard to see why both it and sequel Marvel's Spider-Man 2 are some of the best open world games to play right now, each providing a thriving New York City that's so vibrant you can almost smell it. I mean that in a very good way, I promise 

10. Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X

Skyrim's world doesn't revolve around you, and that's partly what makes it one of the best open world games ever. Somewhere in the wilds, there's a necromancer trying to animate a skeleton. At the same time during the day, you'll find a pack of bandits taking on a giant (R.I.P.), or wander into a nearby village only to have a dragon attack it when you're stumbling out of the inn.

The game is made for storytelling, and it's so eager for you to sample its delights that even if you were to avoid every major settlement, you'd still run into 30% of its quests out in the wild. The map is just filled with stuff to do, bizarre things to see, creatures to impale with sharp implements, NPCs to pickpocket, creepy Dwemer ruins to explore...oh, and dragons to fight. Even after playing it for a casual 100 hours (those are rookie numbers), there are still quests that you won't have found, and hidden bosses waiting to be slayed. It's hard to overestimate the impact Skyrim has had on the lives of gamers everywhere, but to get a good idea of its effect and just what Elder Scrolls 6 has to live up to, you're best off jumping in and starting your new life in its world.

9. Assassin's Creed: Shadows

Available on: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X

While Assassin's Creed: Shadows isn't the best Assassin's Creed game ever made, it is the greatest open-world experience in the franchise, beating out Valhalla for a place on our list. The main reason for our choice is looks. Shadows is one of the prettiest games to come out in 2025, and its depiction of Japan is stunning. From intricate temples, lush forests, and snow-kissed mountains, you'll spend hours just admiring your surroundings, and you take the time to explore.

The game also pushes you to engage with its map if you aren't a typical open world player, giving hints to your next quest location instead of a direct path. Real-world geography is also used as part of the experience, as rivers and mountains become very real obstacles that you'll have to face and plan for. The only note against Shadows is that it'll be a few hours before you really get to enjoy the full freedom on offer here. However, we can forgive it since it's easily one of the best Japan-based open-world games on the market today. Read our Assassin's Creed: Shadows review for more details on this gem!

8. Elden Ring

Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC

Perhaps one of Elden Ring's greatest assets as an open world is the air of mystery that shrouds almost everything in it. Good open world games thrive on their power to make you wonder 'what's over there?', and all too often, repeating mechanics like towers to climb and enemy bases to clear mean you already know. That's assuming it hasn't been marked on the map for the last few hours you've been playing. FromSoftware's location gives little away and adds a genuine thrill to its exploration. Every door or new location is as much a thrill as a threat, and the lack of obvious references or origins to its world often means that even when you can see something, you're still not sure what to expect.

The open world structure has also softened From's usual style of game design. I won't say it's more accessible because there are still hard to beat bosses and high level areas that will hand what's left of your ass back to you in seconds. The freedom to explore, however, removes the grind of more linear games like the Dark Souls series - letting you wander off and explore, levelling up at a more leisurely pace and adjusting to the challenges ahead. Head over to our Elden Ring review for more information.

7. Ghost of Tsushima

Available on: PS4, PS5, PC

Although you may be surprised to find a samurai game full of swords, blood, and violence in a list of the best open-world games to play right now, hold back your shocked faces. Away from the sword clashing, Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima is surprisingly zen. Craft haikus whilst you marvel at a peaceful lake, contemplate the death of your father in a hot spring, follow a fox through the wilderness to a hidden shrine, or just go and see what that smoke in the sky is all about.

A minimalist UI, waypoints pointed out by fluttering yellow birds, and the wind make for one of the most interesting, natural open-world experiences to date. Of course, helps that the combat and story are really great too. In our Ghost of Tsushima review, we rightly called this game "a work of art". So yeah, it's not one to miss out on.

6. Horizon Forbidden West

Available on: PS5, PS4, PC

Horizon Forbidden West has done what many sequels have failed to do before: bettered its original to provide one of the most stunning, diverse, and best open world game experiences of modern console gaming. Delivering a much larger and far richer open world than Zero Dawn, with every side quest offering something new and interesting to the one you've discovered before.

Aloy's latest adventure is stunning and utterly memorable, with quite the graphical display of what the PS5 can do if you can play it on the latest hardware. Author Sam Loveridge wrote in our Horizon Forbidden West review, "Regardless of whether the next quest you find is a smaller errand or core story mission, there's a depth and breadth to each one that's consistently surprising." Everything in this game feels phenomenal, and you won't regret a second of experiencing it for yourself.

5. Cyberpunk 2077

Available on: PC, Xbox Series X, PS5

Among the best open world games and RPGs out there, there's nowhere like Cyberpunk 2077's madcap metropolis: Night City. Whether you're kicking it in Japantown shopping for the preemest threads, knocking a few gonk heads together out in the Badlands, or sleuthing your way through the Phantom Liberty-exclusive warzone environs of Dogtown, there's always something happening CD Projekt Red's futuristic metropolis.

It's a playground for the rich, famous, and totally lawless, the perfect backdrop for a cybernetic race against time as V grapples with their impending death - with the help of a wisecracking headmate by the name of Johnny Silverhand. So take that Porsche for a spin, light up a cigarette at the top of a ramshackle apartment block, and soak in the mayhem; you'll never be bored in the city that never sleeps, and where some never wake up.

4. Grand Theft Auto 5

Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, PC

Come on, GTA 5 was always going to be in the top five best open world games (I mean, just look at our stellar GTA 5 review). You know it. I know it. It's the most successful entertainment product of all time, for Christ's sake! Driving through the winding streets, taking advantage of certain adult clubs, skydiving, stabbing sharks with knives, tracking a serial killer, running from the police (or fighting them if you're thirsting for that 5-star wanted rating), going full Trevor and causing as much chaos as possible, and do I really need to carry on listing all the stuff you can do?

Grand Theft Auto is a web of criminal exploits and mind-boggling potential, with every single inch of the world filled with NPCs to manipulate, missions to hunt down, or just colossal heights of shenanigans to engage in. It'll swallow you whole, spit you out, and have you itching for more.

3. Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Available on: Nintendo Switch

Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom just pips its predecessor to being the better open world game. It's bigger, for one thing, but also has a lot more fun with letting you be creative within its vaster Hyrule. This is a glorious open world that's partly a playground for your own imaginative inventions and part a rich canvas of quests, secrets, and lore to discover.  

You can unironically spend hours completely ignoring the main story of the game in favor of completing shrines, unlocking different towers, or just taking in the beautifully animated sights. And what makes a great open-world experience is that these tasks are just as entertaining as the central mission. Obviously, the game also has Nintendo's signature level of polish and charm, but it's also a complete evolution of Breath of the Wild in every way, taking everything that people loved and made of that first game to the next level. It's glorious and easily a contender as one of the best Zelda games of all time. For more, read our The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom review!

2. Red Dead Redemption 2

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
(Playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X)

Doesn't matter if you want to hunt. Doesn't matter if you want to try and help Dutch achieve his elusive goals, and it definitely doesn't matter if you'd rather just try to own the fanciest rootin' tootin'-ist wardrobe in all America: Red Dead Redemption 2 is absolutely packed full of activities to keep you busy as soon as you step foot in its world. On its own, the story tells the tale of Dutch Van Der Linde's efforts to keep his gang afloat while trying not to succumb to his own ego, all watched by his loyal friend Arthur Morgan. It's a tale of a gradually disappearing age of outlaws as civilization comes to the Wild West means there are plenty of people who need your help.

Although you could always rob them instead...Each different region is so stunning it actually hurts your eyes a little bit as you try to drink in every detail: Rockstar's game will have you hunting for dinosaur bones, trying to solve a murder mystery, or even summoning that infamous Red Dead Redemption 2 vampire. The sheer variety of choice as well as things to do easily makes Red Dead Redemption 2 one of the best open world games to play right now, so what are you waiting for, partner?

1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch

Geralt isn't perfect. His surroundings aren't perfect either. War ravages most of the countryside, with bloodthirsty creatures who don’t even stick to the shadows anymore preying on innocent civilians, while others try to keep their identity secret in the human-dominated landscape. Yet that's what makes The Witcher 3 the best open world game to play right now.

Because everything is broken in its own special way, there's always something plastered on peeling notice boards for Geralt to do (for gold, of course). Stick to the dirt country roads and help villagers with the monsters baying at the door while they look at you and your yellow eyes with suspicion, negotiate with a well-meaning poltergeist in the middle of a city, or just uncover all those mysterious question marks dotted over the map. The Witcher 3's imperfect world makes for a perfect game, meaning it’s set an incredibly high bar for the future of open-world games.

For more information on the best open world game of all time, read our The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt review!