There’s nothing better than getting lost in an utterly gorgeous open world, and there are plenty of them for us gamers to choose from. But what are the best open world games to play?
No matter what genre of video games you’re into, there’s probably an open world that you can jump into. Spread across several different genres, here are ten of the best open world games of all time, updated for 2021.
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BEST OPEN WORLD GAMES
1. ELDEN RING – best open world games
FromSoftware’s latest action RPG throws you into the Lands Between, where you seek to restore the titular Elden Ring and become Elden Lord. The main thing that separates this from the Dark Souls series is the open world format. Now, if you get stuck on a boss there are plenty of options to leave and level up a bit, only to come back stronger. This makes it much more approachable than previous titles in the series, and one of the best open world games to play right now. Whether you’re a Soulsborne veteran or a complete newcomer to the genre, Elden Ring is definitely worth a stab for that alone.
2. Halo Infinite – best open world games
I know this one literally just released, but it’s already cemented itself as one of the best open world games in recent memory. The visuals harken back to those of when we first emerged out onto a Halo ring back in 2001. When you factor the Grapple Shot into the mix, it’s easily one of the most fun to traverse, too. And nothing beats that feeling of looking up into the sky and seeing the Halo ring extend up into the horizon. Pure sci-fi goodness.
3. Outer Wilds – best open world games
Outer Wilds is special for so many reasons, not least of which because the solar system it presents is rendered with correct physics and in real time. It’s impressive to experience first hand, but even more so when you look behind the scenes and learn how difficult the thing must have been to code. Each planet in this vast solar system feels totally unique and a joy to explore. Once again, I am asking you to play Outer Wilds.
4. Forza Horizon 5
2021 really has been a cracking year for open worlds, hasn’t it? The Horizon festival makes the trip back across the Atlantic this time to settle down in the lush environments in Mexico. There’s dense jungle, arid deserts, and tumultuous volcanic terrain to traverse in whichever vehicle you desire. Fancy bombing a McLaren P1 down a mountainside? Be our guest. In Forza Horizon 5, Mexico is whatever you want to make of it.
5. Minecraft
Speaking of worlds being whatever you make of it, Minecraft is exactly that. Minecraft has always been pretty in its own way, but it’s really taken the cake with recent updates. On Windows 10, you can now experience the whole thing with ray tracing enabled. Combine that with the recent Caves and Cliffs update, Minecraft has enough gorgeous terrain to make a geographer drool.
Click the next page to read about the rest of our best open world games list!