The Best Open-Worlds In Rockstar Games

Rockstar is famous for creating immersive, open-world games. They practically invented the modern version of this style, and continue to set the bar for others. After the huge success of Grand Theft Auto 3, Rockstar dedicated itself to building increasingly ambitious open worlds that really test the capabilities of gaming consoles. Now, their new games take years to develop – as anyone eagerly awaiting GTA 6 can attest – so revisiting their older titles is a great way to pass the time. Luckily, many of those classic games are still incredibly fun to play again and again.

Rockstar Games is known for creating incredibly immersive and popular game worlds that players keep returning to. While titles like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption are the most famous examples, Rockstar has made many other fantastic open-world games. Let’s explore some of the best worlds they’ve created throughout their history.

9. Grand Theft Auto 3

Revolutionized Open-World Game Design

When Grand Theft Auto 3 came out in 2001, it completely changed gaming. While open-world games existed before, GTA 3 was unlike anything players had ever experienced. Liberty City felt incredibly realistic and alive, packed with small details that were new to the open-world genre.

While fondly remembered, GTA 3‘s map hasn’t aged well. It’s one of Rockstar’s shortest games, and that shows in its open world. Liberty City felt huge when it was first released in 2001, but it now seems quite small compared to modern games. Rockstar cleverly made it feel bigger than it was, but it’s still surprisingly easy to travel across. There’s also less to do outside of the main missions and a few side activities. Due to the technology available at the time, the world lacks detail and feels empty compared to games like Grand Theft Auto 5. If you set aside nostalgia, GTA 3‘s map unfortunately ranks last.

8. Midnight Club: Los Angeles

The Best Open-World In A Midnight Club Game

When talking about the best Rockstar games, Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition is far better than Los Angeles, which isn’t considered a standout title. As the most recent Midnight Club game – and likely the last, given Rockstar’s lack of interest in revisiting the series – Los Angeles boasts the largest open world, and one that genuinely feels like a living, breathing city, not just a place for races. While this isn’t always a good thing – older games are often more enjoyable – it’s technically very impressive.

Like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, Midnight Club: Los Angeles offers a detailed and realistic open world. However, instead of a fictional or historical setting, this game recreates a modern city—and the Los Angeles it presents is remarkably accurate. It feels like a blend of Need for Speed Underground 2 and Forza Horizon, while still capturing the signature elements that make Rockstar games so popular, such as exciting police chases, diverse events, and a sense of freedom. Despite a few flaws, Midnight Club: Los Angeles remains a fantastic racing experience.

7. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Welcome To The 80s

As a huge fan, I think Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is just as amazing as Grand Theft Auto 3, but in its own way. What’s really incredible is that Rockstar managed to release Vice City only a year after GTA 3 – especially when you consider we’ve been waiting ten years for GTA 6! And it doesn’t feel rushed at all. In fact, Vice City really built on what made GTA 3 great, with a ton of noticeable improvements.

First, the world of Vice City is visually more appealing. While the graphics aren’t drastically improved, its vibrant colors are a huge step up from the drab browns and grays of Liberty City. The 1980s Miami setting gives Vice City a lot more personality and makes it feel more alive, unlike the somewhat bland atmosphere of Liberty City. There’s also more to do in the slightly larger world, with interactive businesses, purchasable safe houses, and plenty of side missions. Tommy Vercetti is a memorable character, and his city is just as iconic. Although Vice City has held up a little better over time than GTA 3, its older technology still keeps it from ranking higher on this list.

6. Bully

Small But Densely Packed

Recently, many big game studios have focused on making huge open worlds, often at the expense of detail and quality. Bully‘s open world is different. While it’s small compared to modern games, clever design makes it feel much larger. The game world is divided between the school, Bullworth Academy, and the nearby town.

Both areas in the game are small but full of life and little details, typical of Rockstar Games. Bullworth feels like a genuine town with a strong sense of community. Jimmy can go inside many buildings, and townspeople will give him things to do. Although he’s a kid, limiting Jimmy’s movement actually makes Bullworth feel larger and more expansive. Even for a PlayStation 2 game, Bully’s world was remarkably detailed, with each part of the town and school feeling unique. This immersive open world is a major reason why Bully’s ending is considered one of Rockstar’s best – it makes you care about Jimmy, Bullworth, and everyone who lives there.

5. Grand Theft Auto 4

Detail At The Cost Of Size

Grand Theft Auto 4 is often considered the odd one out in the Rockstar Games lineup. While many players remember it fondly, some at the time felt it didn’t quite live up to previous games in the series. Though its Liberty City map was larger than that of Grand Theft Auto 3, it didn’t feel as expansive as the world offered in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The game essentially restarted the series, and its open world represented a new direction for Rockstar’s game design.

Compared to previous GTA games, GTA 4 put a lot more emphasis on developing its characters and crafting a strong narrative. The game world was also designed to be much more realistic. Liberty City felt incredibly dense and was a much more accurate depiction of New York City than Rockstar’s earlier open worlds. People in the game behaved realistically, and improved technology allowed for sharper, high-definition graphics. However, this focus on realism came with trade-offs. Some players felt the game world was smaller and less enjoyable than previous installments, and it lacked the sheer amount of activities found in San Andreas. Fortunately, GTA 4 features one of Rockstar’s most compelling protagonists: Niko Bellic.

4. Red Dead Redemption

Brought The Wild West To Life

While Grand Theft Auto 4 sparked some debate, it firmly established Rockstar Games as leaders in creating detailed and expansive city-based open-world experiences. For their next big project, they took a dramatic turn, choosing a primarily natural setting with only a handful of small towns. Red Dead Redemption’s huge map could easily have felt empty, but instead, it became one of Rockstar’s most captivating and immersive games to date.

The game featured a huge and varied map, and because fast travel was limited, simply getting around felt like a real undertaking. The open world was packed with things to do, from the main story missions to numerous side quests and enjoyable activities – players could easily lose themselves for hours hunting or working with horses. At the time, Red Dead Redemption was also Rockstar’s most visually stunning game, beautifully capturing the atmosphere of the American Wild West.

3. Grand Theft Auto 5

A Balance Between Size, Realism, And Detail

Grand Theft Auto 5 remains incredibly popular years after its release. It’s the second best-selling game of all time, only behind Minecraft, and has been played across three different generations of gaming consoles. A major reason for its success is its fantastic open-world design. The game’s setting, the city of Los Santos and its surrounding areas, successfully blends the vastness of San Andreas with the more realistic feel of GTA 4, and this combination has clearly resonated with players.

Let’s be direct: the map in GTA 5 is enormous. Covering 76 square kilometers (47 miles), it includes the city of Los Santos and a large area of surrounding rural land. Despite its size, the map is incredibly detailed, and Los Santos feels like one of the most realistic cities ever created in a video game. Beyond the main story, there’s plenty to do, with side missions and fun, unexpected events. However, there’s a problem. While the open world looks impressive, a lot of it feels unused. The main story and most side activities don’t really take advantage of the full map, and there isn’t much reason to explore most of it beyond simple curiosity. GTA Online has added content that’s helped with this, but in many areas, the world still feels vast but lacking in depth.

2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Smaller Than You Remember, But Still Just As Good

It’s still amazing what Rockstar Games achieved with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The game features a huge open world with three different cities, plus mountains and a desert. What’s really remarkable is that it all fits into a map that’s actually smaller than the one in Grand Theft Auto 5.

As a huge fan, I always say that San Andreas isn’t impressive because of its size, but how massive it feels. It’s funny, because a lot of that feeling actually comes from the game’s limitations – the draw distance was pretty short, and while that would bother me in most games, it actually made San Andreas feel bigger! That’s a big reason why the remaster didn’t quite capture the magic. The world isn’t just big, it’s crammed with stuff to do – you could learn to fly, take over neighborhoods, race cars… there was always something around every corner. GTA 5 has a beautiful, detailed world, but sometimes it feels a little empty. San Andreas, even though it’s not as visually detailed, just feels full of life. Twenty years later, the scope isn’t as mind-blowing as it once was, but the fact that it gives you three of the best cities in Grand Theft Auto history? That deserves a ton of respect.

1. Red Dead Redemption 2

Rockstar’s Best Open-World, For Now

While not flawless, Red Dead Redemption 2 boasts an open world that’s remarkably close to perfection. Rockstar Games poured two decades of experience into crafting it, resulting in a stunningly beautiful, incredibly detailed world with a vast amount of content and activities.

The world of Red Dead Redemption 2 is breathtakingly beautiful and easy to get lost in. The game encourages you to pause and appreciate the scenery, from deserts and mountains to swamps. What truly sets it apart is how alive the world feels – it’s less like a typical game and more like a detailed simulation. Animals behave realistically, making hunting a real challenge, and the thousands of characters you meet aren’t just background figures; they have their own personalities and daily lives. It’s an open world that begs to be explored, packed with collectibles and secrets that players are still discovering. Simply put, Red Dead Redemption 2 boasts one of the most impressive open worlds ever created, and it will be hard for any other game to top it anytime soon.

2026-01-19 18:37