Open-World Games With 90+ Scores On Open-Critic

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Open-world video games have become incredibly popular recently. Thanks to improvements in technology, developers can now build huge, detailed game worlds and push the boundaries of what’s possible. It’s a fantastic time to be a fan of this type of game.

With so many excellent video games available, it can be tough to pick just one to invest your time and money in. Luckily, Open Critic is a helpful website that collects reviews and lists some of the best games from the last few decades. Many of the highest-rated games are open-world titles, and here are ten with scores of 90 or higher – a clear sign of their quality and impact.

The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild / Tears Of The Kingdom

Open Critic Scores: 96 (BOTW), 95 (TOTK)

It’s clear that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild had a huge impact on open-world games. Nintendo brilliantly designed a gameplay experience where players have total freedom to explore and tackle challenges however they choose. Along with its stunning visuals and charming characters, it’s no surprise that Breath of the Wild consistently ranks among the highest-rated games, currently holding the third spot on Open Critic.

Following closely behind Breath of the Wild is its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom. This game built upon everything players loved about the original, featuring a larger map with three interconnected areas and an innovative Ultrahand ability. This allowed for incredible creativity, letting players build vehicles, tools, and weapons. Both of these recent Legend of Zelda games are considered two of the best open-world video games available, offering hours of engaging gameplay.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Open Critic Score: 95

Rockstar Games dramatically changed and improved open-world games in the early 2000s, so it’s no surprise many of their titles are considered among the best, according to Open Critic. Interestingly, it’s not Grand Theft Auto at the very top – Red Dead Redemption 2 actually has Rockstar’s highest score of 95, sharing the top spot with Tears of the Kingdom.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a truly stunning and captivating game that puts you in the boots of an outlaw roaming the American West. Beyond the immersive adventure, it features a deeply emotional and complex story, anchored by Arthur Morgan – a remarkably well-developed and unforgettable character. From beginning to end, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a near-perfect achievement, and rightfully considered one of Rockstar’s greatest titles.

Grand Theft Auto 4 / Grand Theft Auto 5

Open Critic Scores: 95 (GTA 4), 92 (GTA 5)

The GTA series is also incredibly popular; Grand Theft Auto 4 ranks as the sixth highest-rated game on Open Critic. This is somewhat unexpected, as while GTA 4 is a fun and innovative game that demonstrated the potential of open-world sandbox games on older consoles, many consider Grand Theft Auto 5 to be the better title.

Despite scoring slightly lower than previous installments – likely due to its connection with Grand Theft Auto Online and being the only major Grand Theft Auto release in over a decade – GTA 5 remains the definitive open-world urban sandbox game. It’s packed with so much content that a single playthrough can’t possibly uncover everything. Now, fans are eagerly anticipating the score GTA 6 will receive when it’s released in November 2026.

Elden Ring

Open Critic Score: 95

Elden Ring is a critically acclaimed game, ranking as the seventh highest-rated on Open Critic. It’s also FromSoftware’s most highly-rated game ever. What makes it stand out is its emphasis on challenging and skillful combat, drawing inspiration from the popular Dark Souls series, rather than typical open-world game features.

Like Breath of the Wild, Elden Ring gives players a lot of freedom to explore the world and go wherever they want to find gear. If you encounter an enemy that’s too tough, you can simply leave and come back later when you’re stronger. This straightforward but effective gameplay makes the game’s difficulty feel less intimidating. This smart design is a key reason Elden Ring has received so much praise, including being named Game of the Year at the 2022 Game Awards.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Open Critic Score: 93

The huge success of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim strongly influenced western game developers, leading many to create their own expansive fantasy role-playing games. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is widely seen as the most successful game to come out of this trend. While CD Projekt Red had developed previous Witcher games, Wild Hunt was a breakthrough title that truly established both the game series and the studio itself.

When The Witcher 3 first came out, it quickly became incredibly popular thanks to its immersive and atmospheric world filled with frightening monsters. Players take on the role of Geralt of Rivia, a compelling hero who hunts these creatures. Beyond the main story, every side quest is engaging, and the game features a memorable narrative. The Blood and Wine expansion is particularly outstanding, earning a 92/100 score on OpenCritic on its own. The Witcher 3 revolutionized fantasy role-playing games and influenced many open-world titles that followed, including CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077.

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

Open Critic Score: 93

It might seem strange to combine stealth and open-world gameplay, but acclaimed game designer Hideo Kojima successfully did just that. The result was Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, a truly unique game and the last Metal Gear title Kojima created before leaving Konami.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain has a clever and engaging core idea: players control Venom Snake as he explores two expansive maps packed with heavily guarded bases. You have a huge range of gadgets, weapons, and allies to help you sneak in, but what’s really special is that the enemy AI learns from how you play. This makes for a truly innovative experience, particularly within the stealth genre, and it feels surprisingly similar to the freedom players would enjoy in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which came out two years later.

Forza Horizon 5

Open Critic Score: 92

As a racing game fan, I have to say that combining racing with open-world design has been amazing, and Forza Horizon 5 really nails it! You get to drive a huge variety of real cars and explore this massive, beautiful map. You can just race around if you want, or dive into the campaign – it’s a ton of fun either way.

As a huge fan, I have to say the map in Forza Horizon 5 is just perfect for the way the game drives. It’s like a giant playground where you can really push the limits and try out all sorts of cool techniques. And, as always with Forza Horizon, the attention to detail is incredible. The cars look unbelievably realistic, but it’s the environments that really blew me away. Even four years after it came out, the graphics are stunning – everything just looks so beautiful and lifelike. It’s seriously impressive!

Shadow Of The Colossus

Open Critic Score: 92

Shadow of the Colossus is widely considered a masterpiece and a truly artistic video game, with the original PS2 release being hugely influential. Thankfully, the 2018 remake by Bluepoint Games preserves everything fans loved about the original, and dramatically enhances the visuals with stunning HD graphics made possible by thirteen years of technological progress.

Shadow of the Colossus is a truly unique game. Unlike many open-world titles, it doesn’t emphasize exploration. Instead, the game centers around sixteen massive battles against colossal creatures. While the large world might seem unimportant at first, it actually provides a welcome break from the intense fights. Riding across the landscape on horseback offers moments of calm and allows players to prepare for the next challenging encounter.

Satisfactory

Open Critic Score: 91

In 2024, the game Satisfactory, created by Coffee Stain Studios, was everywhere online. The open-world, base-building game rapidly became a hit with both players and critics, and quickly built a large and dedicated fanbase.

Satisfactory offers enjoyable combat and exploration, but its real strength lies in building. The game is incredibly rewarding as you gather resources and construct huge, automated factories – especially when playing with friends. It’s like a more detailed and challenging version of Minecraft, making it a great choice for anyone who loves engineering and building things.

Minecraft

Open Critic Score: 90

It’s no surprise that Minecraft, the incredibly popular indie game that revolutionized open-world sandbox games, has a 90 score on Open Critic – it really shows how strong the site’s top games are. But the score is well-deserved, considering the game still boasts a huge and dedicated player base who continue to enjoy its endlessly generated worlds.

Minecraft remains incredibly popular for two main reasons: its vast, explorable worlds filled with creatures, landscapes, and materials, and the freedom it gives players to build anything they can imagine. It’s more than just a great open-world game; it’s a powerful creative outlet for inventive players.

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2025-11-29 08:36