Open-world games are all about exploring vast environments – after all, what’s the point of a big map if you don’t get to roam around? Games like Breath of the Wild, Subnautica, Outer Wilds, Ghost of Yotei, The Witcher 3, Elden Ring, Nioh 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, and GTA 5 all encourage players to go off the main path, and they reward that curiosity with extra quests, new items, or even challenging boss battles. These games really showcase what open-world design can be, though not every open-world game gets it right.
Some open-world games deliberately focus less on letting players freely explore. Surprisingly, this often works to their benefit, as a more focused story can be more powerful and consistent. Here are some of the best open-world games that prioritize story over exploration.
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8. The Getaway
One Of The Most Realistic Games On The PS2
The Getaway plays a lot like a Guy Ritchie film, such as Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels or Snatch, with its quick dialogue and breakneck pace. The game features 24 missions set in a detailed, open-world London, and players will spend a good amount of time driving around it. The developers really focused on making the game feel realistic, even removing much of the on-screen interface and using natural cues to guide players.
Players can’t explore the game’s world openly until after completing the main story, and the game is quite straightforward until then. While the story campaign does offer brief opportunities to drive around, there isn’t much to discover or engage with during those moments.
7. Assassin’s Creed
Before The Series Indulged In The Open-World Format
Recent Assassin’s Creed games offer huge open worlds packed with content, often taking over 50 hours to complete for players who want to experience everything. But the original game was much more focused. It centered around finding and eliminating targets one by one, with the story unfolding after each assassination until the end.
The first Assassin’s Creed game has one collectible that only unlocks an Xbox achievement, because it came out before PlayStation 3 had trophies. While the original game might feel a little dated now, many players recommend starting with Assassin’s Creed 2. However, the original campaign offers a surprisingly straightforward and simple experience.
6. Red Faction: Guerrilla
A Playground Of Destruction
The third Red Faction game moved away from the straightforward, on-rails shooting of the previous installments, choosing instead to let players explore an open-world version of Mars. Although this was a significant change that some players might not have liked, Guerrilla still managed to stay true to the series’ roots with its story and continued focus on environments that could be completely destroyed.
While the game has optional objectives and side quests hidden around the world, they’re easily found through the menus – you won’t need to spend time searching for them. However, the side quests are still enjoyable because they let you unleash your creativity by demolishing structures.
5. Far Cry 2
The Precursor To The Ubisoft Open-World Formula
The original Far Cry shares similarities with Crysis, offering large areas for combat. Far Cry 2 was the first game in the series to really embrace an open-world design, but it’s different from the style seen in Far Cry 3. Far Cry 2‘s world feels more contained and is best experienced by focusing on completing missions one after another, rather than exploring aimlessly.
Taking over outposts in Far Cry 2 isn’t as fun or rewarding as it would become in later Far Cry games. Although it’s not a fan favorite, this installment pioneered many features and systems that shaped the future of the series.
4. The Godfather
Relive The Classic Movie In An Open-World Game
Released in 2006, this game is based on the classic 1972 film and is surprisingly good. While it doesn’t look cutting-edge today, The Godfather was a well-made open-world game for its time. It successfully creates its own atmosphere and isn’t simply a GTA clone with a different coat of paint.
Honestly, the world just didn’t feel that inviting to explore – it lacked those little secrets that make you want to wander off the beaten path. And if I tried to just go wild and cause chaos, it wasn’t nearly as fun as in a game like Grand Theft Auto. The extra stuff you can do is pretty cool, though. It’s all about getting involved in the criminal underworld – things like shaking down businesses and taking over territory from rival gangs – and it fits perfectly with the main story.
3. Mafia
The Antithesis of Grand Theft Auto’s Liberty City
The original Mafia stands apart from games like Grand Theft Auto. Instead of over-the-top action, it offers a realistic and gritty depiction of organized crime in the 1930s. Even small traffic violations will get you noticed by the police, a stark contrast to the freedom found in other open-world games. Mafia prioritizes a believable and immersive world over spectacle. While you can freely explore, it’s more of an added bonus than the core focus of the game.
Although Mafia 3 features a completely open world, the earlier Mafia games (and even their updated versions, which play quite differently) primarily use their city environments to create a strong sense of atmosphere and realism. In those games, players mostly follow a set storyline instead of being free to explore and cause trouble in a truly open sandbox.
2. Shadow Of The Colossus
An Artful Open-World Experience
This game, spiritually related to Ico, has a straightforward structure: follow the path indicated by the hero’s sword and defeat the giant creature at the end. While set in a vast, empty world, it’s not an open-world game like Breath of the Wild. Players are meant to head directly to each boss without wandering off the path.
Besides the main goal, players can hunt lizards to increase their stamina and health, and there’s a hidden collectible at a high location. Adding lots of small details and creatures would clash with the core design of Shadow of the Colossus, which intentionally creates a sense of loneliness. The thought of players killing what might be the last creatures alive in this world is a bit sad.
1. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
The Most Flexible Gameplay In The Series
The fifth installment in the acclaimed Metal Gear series embraced an open-world design, but still maintained the series’ unique approach. Instead of free exploration across a large map, players return to a central hub after each mission and choose their next objective. They typically start a few miles from their target, requiring them to travel across a desolate landscape to reach it. While players can explore the open-world environments of Afghanistan and Africa outside of missions, there isn’t much to do besides gathering resources and personnel.
Rather than filling the world with hidden collectibles, the game’s open structure lets players tackle missions however they choose. While the large map in Metal Gear Solid 5 can sometimes feel empty, it actually fits the story – Venom Snake is focused on his assignment and wouldn’t spend time aimlessly exploring.
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2026-02-26 03:37