Open-World Games Worth Playing Just For Their Combat

I absolutely love open-world games! What really draws me in is the freedom to just wander and explore. It’s amazing to get lost in these huge worlds, whether it’s a fantastical place or a futuristic city, and just go searching for treasure and battling enemies. It’s a totally immersive experience!

Many open-world games let you experiment with different skills, weapons, and ways to move, creating unique combat experiences. Some players are drawn to games specifically for the thrill of a challenging fight. If you’re one of those players, here are a few open-world games where the combat is exceptional and truly stands out.

To clarify, we’re not suggesting these games only offer good combat. We’re mainly looking at how well they handle close-up, hand-to-hand fighting.

8. Nier: Automata

Fast-Paced Platinum-Level Combat

Nier: Automata boasts a compelling story and a vast world to discover. However, its defining feature is likely its fast-paced, arcade-style combat. Players can switch between different combat styles, mixing powerful, slow attacks with quicker, more mobile ones to create exciting combos. The heavier attacks pack a punch but are slower, while lighter attacks prioritize speed and agility.

In battles, players can attack from a distance using their “Pod,” a little robot companion. They can also dodge attacks with style and launch powerful counterattacks to take down tough bosses. It’s a really enjoyable game for anyone who likes quick, action-packed fights. Skill is more important than just mashing buttons, and the game features some amazing combo animations. Plus, with 39 weapons to choose from (or 40 if you fight with your bare hands), there are tons of different ways to play.

7. Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning

The Best Combination Of Weapons And Skills In An RPG

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (and its updated version, Re-Reckoning) is known for its excellent combat. The game lets you easily change your character’s build to experiment with different weapons and skills, and features a fantastic finishing move system called Twists of Fate that seamlessly blends into the action. Overall, it provides a very well-rounded experience for players who enjoy open-world games.

Players who like to attack from a distance have a lot of weapon options, combining ranged attacks with melee and magic. The game features some really interesting weapons too, like Chakrams and Warglaives, which are a blast to use. Plus, there’s a built-in stealth system, allowing players to adopt a sneaky, rogue-like playstyle if they prefer.

6. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

A Dynamic Combat/Class System

I’m a huge fan of Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen – it’s the only expansion for the first game that kicked off this amazing series by CAPCOM! You play as the Arisen, basically a hero brought back to life, but with a problem: a dragon named Grigori stole your heart! So, your main goal is to hunt him down and get it back. You start by picking one of three classes, but the cool thing is you can level up and choose from a ton of advanced and mixed-up vocations. There’s the Champion, and my personal favorite, the Magick Archer – she fires these magical arrows that are almost guaranteed to hit! It’s a really unique and fun system.

Beyond its stunning music and expansive world, Dragon’s Dogma truly stood out for its innovative real-time combat – a significant improvement over many open-world games of its time. This updated version refines the original, addressing previous problems. The result is a fully realized and engaging combat system, offering diverse character builds and seamless teamwork between your allies and your own actions. It’s a fantastic game for anyone who enjoys battling massive creatures.

Honorable mention to Dragon’s Dogma 2, which is also mostly worth playing for its combat.

5. No Rest For The Wicked

Merciless, Brutal, And An Absolute Blast

No Rest For The Wicked, created by Moon Studios, is an immersive open-world action RPG with a dark fantasy setting. It blends challenging, Soulslike combat with a compelling story, and offers players a wide variety of weapons and abilities to experiment with.

The game features a wide variety of weapons, each with unique combos. You can also enhance these weapons with runes, granting them special abilities that activate as you build up energy during combat. The combat system is incredibly satisfying and enjoyable, with fluid animations for skills and combos. The Two-Handed Sword, in particular, is a standout weapon – it’s exceptionally powerful and makes short work of enemies.

4. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Come For The Story, Stay For The Gameplay

While Metal Gear Solid games are generally fun to play, the gameplay isn’t usually what makes them special. Typically, it’s Hideo Kojima’s unique and thought-provoking stories that really stand out, sometimes even overshadowing the game itself. However, The Phantom Pain is different. Its story isn’t a focus, and it doesn’t live up to the high standards of storytelling found in other Metal Gear Solid titles.

Okay, so honestly, MGS5 just nails the gameplay – it’s the best in the whole series, hands down. It’s a real sandbox; you can tackle missions however you want, whether you’re a super stealth player or prefer going in guns blazing. The combat is seriously flexible, not just for Metal Gear Solid games, but for open-world games in general. And the world actually reacts to what you do! The enemies aren’t dumb either – they learn from your tactics, so you can’t just keep using the same trick over and over.

3. Mad Max

Specifically, Car Combat

Avalanche Studios consistently delivers fun and engaging combat in their open-world games. The Just Cause series is known for its over-the-top chaos, and Rage 2 successfully brings the fast-paced shooting of DOOM to a sprawling open world. Mad Max is also a standout title, offering a solid story, a compelling world, and impressive car customization. However, what truly sets Mad Max apart is its incredible vehicle combat – even years after its release, no other open-world game has matched its intensity and quality in this area, including more recent games from Avalanche themselves.

Max’s Magnum Opus delivers thrilling chases and intense fights that rival classics like The Road Warriors and Fury Road. Car combat takes center stage, and isn’t just a minor feature. Upgrading your vehicle feels meaningful, offering real improvements beyond just visual changes. Even the hand-to-hand combat is surprisingly solid, reminiscent of the Arkham series.

2. Sleeping Dogs

Best Martial Arts Open-World Game

I’m a big fan of Sleeping Dogs. I revisit it every few years, curious if it will still hold up. So far, it always does, and I’m beginning to think it always will.

One of the main reasons Sleeping Dogs still feels great to play is its incredible hand-to-hand combat – it’s arguably the best in the open-world genre. While games like Yakuza 0 and Arkham Knight are also excellent, Sleeping Dogs’ martial arts system is uniquely satisfying. The combat is quick, smooth, and balanced, whether you’re facing one opponent or many. Plus, the environments play a huge role, making fights feel like elaborate movie stunts.

The gunplay in Sleeping Dogs isn’t particularly impressive, and it’s definitely not a standout feature of the game. But that’s okay, because it’s not the main thing the game is trying to do.

1. Elden Ring

The Ultimate Combat Open-World Game

There are countless reasons to love Elden Ring. FromSoftware’s game offers amazing exploration where being curious is always rewarded, a rich and detailed story, tons of challenging and unforgettable boss battles, and a great multiplayer experience. Plus, its combat system is incredibly deep and offers a huge amount of variety in how you build and play your character, especially compared to other open-world games.

The combat in Elden Ring is truly central to the entire experience – it’s hard to enjoy the game without loving it. Even focusing solely on the main story will give you dozens of hours of satisfying battles. The game’s deep character customization, huge selection of weapons, special abilities, and clever enemy designs all combine to create a combat system that feels incredibly versatile and offers almost limitless potential.

2026-01-05 04:06