Open-world games vary greatly. Some, such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Red Dead Redemption 2, focus on creating incredibly realistic worlds, characters, and gameplay experiences. Others, like Elden Ring and Outward, are set in fantastical realms and are known for being very challenging. Then there are games that let you feel incredibly powerful, allowing you to play as a hero capable of amazing things and defeating large forces. These powerful characters are often superheroes or one-person armies, but sometimes they’re just regular people with extraordinary abilities.
Open-world games don’t require characters with superpowers to make players feel powerful. A compelling main character is enough. Some of the most satisfying experiences actually come from playing as ordinary people in extraordinary situations.
Here are some criteria:
- To qualify, the protagonist has to be human and, more importantly, not superpowered. The focus is on open-world games that make you feel powerful while using an “ordinary” human, or at least somebody who is not blessed with extraordinary abilities within the context of their universe. This eliminates Prototype, Infamous, and Saints Row 4; that said, these titles all make you feel like a god, so give them a try.
- Building on the last point, no superheroes with powers.
- Finally, only proper open-world games. No semi-open stuff.
Quick Picks: Find Your Superhuman Power Trip
| If you want to feel like… | Play This | The “Superhuman” Part |
|---|---|---|
| The Apex Predator | Batman: Arkham Games | Batman has the gadgets, the skills, and the fear factor. |
| A 1980s Action Hero | Just Cause 3 | Rico Rodriguez takes down military dictatorships almost single-handedly. Also, the grapple and wingsuit make you feel like you can fly |
| An Unstoppable Mob Boss | Saints Row: The Third | You unlock upgrades that make you almost invulnerable. |
| A Martial Arts Legend | Sleeping Dogs | Wei Shen’s arms and legs are deadly weapons. |
10. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
Time To Feel Like The Boss
Although challenging, Metal Gear Solid 5 makes players feel strong not through brute force, but through strategy and preparation. The game’s hero, Venom Snake, becomes incredibly capable thanks to intense training, advanced equipment, and sheer determination. He doesn’t feel like an invincible character, but consistently appears to be in command. This sense of control comes from the gameplay itself – players are empowered to plan missions and dominate the battlefield with detailed intelligence and clever tactics. You carefully observe, identify, and study enemies from a distance, essentially understanding them before they even realize you’re present.
Venom Snake’s prosthetic arm is incredibly powerful, almost like magic. It can detect everything nearby within a 100-meter radius and even launch surprise missile attacks. While the slow-motion ‘Reflex Mode’ isn’t unique, it highlights Venom Snake’s skill as a highly-trained soldier. Plus, the ability to quickly extract enemies with the Fulton Recovery system feels almost superhuman.
9. Sleeping Dogs
What Is More Superhuman Than A Martial Artist In A Hong Kong Action Epic?
Released in the 2010s, Sleeping Dogs is a fantastic open-world game that still holds up today and deserves to be experienced. It brilliantly blends the exciting action of Hong Kong films with the satisfying combat system of the Arkham series. While the story of an undercover cop isn’t entirely original, it’s engaging and feels like a movie, and you’ll likely find yourself rooting for the main character. But the real standout feature is the incredible hand-to-hand combat, which is some of the best you’ll find in any open-world game.
The fighting in this game is fast-paced and brutal, mixing acrobatic moves, attacks using the environment, vehicle chases, and realistic martial arts. You play as Wei Shen, a regular guy who’s surprisingly dangerous and doesn’t hold back. He fights like a blend of Donnie Yen and Jackie Chan, but with even more impactful and bone-crushing strikes.
8. Far Cry 5 (& Most Of The Series)
Spreading Death Through Hope County
Love them or hate them, Far Cry games consistently deliver a powerful sense of freedom and capability. The characters themselves are usually just regular people, but the gameplay lets you feel extraordinary. Starting with Far Cry 3, the games consistently put you in the role of a highly skilled operative – someone who can take a lot of damage, drive anything, swim for days, and rally an army to fight against overwhelming odds and oppressive leaders.
Okay, so if you’re looking for a good Far Cry game, I’d definitely recommend Far Cry 5. It’s the most recent one that everyone seems to really enjoy, but honestly, most of the games in the series are solid. For me, Far Cry 5 is the best – I had so much fun causing chaos in Hope County and taking down that cult. Plus, it’s not super difficult, and that’s totally fine with me – sometimes you just want a fun, easy game to play!
7. Yakuza 0 (& Most Of The Series)
The Dragon Of Dojima Begins His Journey Of Superhuman Feats
It’s easy to forget Kazuma Kiryu is technically a normal person, considering he’s defeated over 100,000 criminals and gang members throughout his life. For decades, the ‘Dragon of Dojima’ has mostly used his strength – and sometimes a weapon – to effortlessly take down groups of skilled fighters, and he always does it with flair.
While many Yakuza games are excellent, Yakuza 0 stands out as the perfect starting point for new players and is possibly the best game in the series. You play as two powerful characters, Kiryu and Majima, who become even stronger as they learn new abilities and fighting techniques. Unlike some other titles, like Yakuza Kiwami, Yakuza 0 offers a consistently challenging but fair difficulty level, avoiding frustrating moments.
6. Saints Row: The Third
The Road To Becoming A Superhero
Before the over-the-top superpowers of Saints Row 4, Volition already embraced wildness in Saints Row: The Third – while still keeping the main character somewhat grounded. The Third is like a cartoon, and that’s a good thing! Everything is exaggerated for fun. Instead of simply opening a car door, you’ll kick the windshield. Forget punching – you’re doing over-the-top wrestling moves. And you’ll be leaping from jets and speeding cars without a second thought.
By the time players gain access to most of their powers, they’ll be beyond human, able to withstand things like fire and explosions. The game recognizes just how powerful you become, and responds by introducing some uniquely skilled enemies who are almost superhuman themselves.
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5. Cyberpunk 2077
Night City’s Death God Comes In Many Builds
It feels a little unfair to compare V to other characters, because Cyberpunk 2077 lets you create incredibly powerful, almost superhuman builds. Still, V relies on technology that’s generally accessible, and isn’t inherently stronger than the toughest opponents they face in the story.
Cyberpunk 2077 lets you build V into an incredibly powerful character, practically a walking tank, who can easily defeat enemies. It’s actually quite simple to become overpowered, and the game allows you to customize your playstyle. Whether you prefer close-quarters combat with a blade or long-range destruction with guns, you can create the character you want.
You could say V has enhanced abilities, but he’s definitely not the only one with mechanical enhancements in this world.
4. Dead Rising 3
A Superhuman Mechanic Vs. All The Zombies
The entire Dead Rising series fits the bill: each game throws an ordinary person into a zombie outbreak and challenges them to fight off the undead with whatever weapons they can find. While the first two games are challenging and deliberately paced – which suits them well – they don’t have the over-the-top action of some other zombie games. Dead Rising 4 suffers a bit because its version of Frank Castle feels more like a cartoon character than a believable person.
Then there’s Dead Rising 3, a sequel that fans have mixed feelings about. It greatly expanded the game world to an entire town and threw in tons of zombies. It’s much easier than the first Dead Rising, and plays a lot like a ‘Musou’ game – you use whatever weapons you can find to fight off huge hordes of zombies. While it doesn’t have the same stressful atmosphere as the original, Dead Rising 3 is still a satisfying, action-packed experience, though its main character is arguably the most forgettable in the series.
3. Ghost Of Tsushima (& Yotei)
More Than A Samurai; More Than A Ronin; A Ghost
As a fan, I’ve been completely blown away by both Ghost of Tsushima and Yotei. Ghost of Tsushima is honestly one of the best open-world games I’ve ever played, and Yotei might actually surpass it! What really stands out is how Sucker Punch brought these unique settings and time periods to life, telling stories full of revenge, sadness, and fascinating myths. The world is absolutely gorgeous, and everything just feels right – the combat is fluid, and the controls are super responsive.
Ultimately, the most striking thing about Jin Sakai and Atsu is how legendary they seem. While they’re skilled samurai, their fighting style is anything but ordinary – they move with incredible grace and precision, effortlessly defeating large groups of enemies.
2. Just Cause 3 (& Most Of The Series)
Go Berserk On A Whole Island
Don’t underestimate the power of one person! Rico Rodriguez, the star of the Just Cause series, has toppled governments on numerous islands, and he usually prefers to work solo. With its rocky start behind it, Just Cause 3 is arguably the most enjoyable game in the series – perfect if you’re looking for a massive, open world to cause some explosive chaos.
Rico doesn’t have any superpowers, but he acts like an action hero from the 1980s, similar to John Matrix in the movie Commando. He loves explosions and uses all sorts of gadgets, weapons, and vehicles to create them. He’s also incredibly skilled at flying, spending so much time in the air that he’s become a master, and his use of a grappling hook and wingsuit is over-the-top.
1. Batman Arkham City
The Best Open-World Game With A Superhuman MC
It just makes sense that Batman would be like this, doesn’t it? He’s a superhero, of course, but he’s also the most well-known crime fighter who doesn’t have any superpowers. While Gotham City doesn’t usually face threats from outer space, Bruce Wayne often battles villains who are just as skilled as he is, or who possess seemingly supernatural powers.
Despite this, Arkham City excels at making Batman feel incredibly powerful – a terrifying presence that strikes fear into criminals (and utilizes some impressive technology). Although boss battles are generally well-matched, most regular fights in Arkham City involve Batman expertly handling a dozen enemies at once, defeating them through skill and strategy rather than relying on superpowers. Bruce Wayne’s human side is what makes him relatable, but as Batman, he operates on a superhuman level.
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2026-03-24 18:37