Best Open-World Games Available For Free On PS5

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The PlayStation 5 (PS5) came out in 2020, so it’s entering its sixth year on the market. There’s a huge variety of games available for it, including both exclusive titles and those available on other platforms, covering all sorts of genres. If you love fast-paced action, check out games like Stellar Blade and Ghost of Yotei. For RPG fans, Elden Ring and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are excellent choices – and they both offer large, open worlds to explore.

While large, expensive games are fantastic, one of the best parts of the PS5 and this generation of consoles is the number of surprisingly good games you can play for free, including many open-world titles. These aren’t the typical mobile games constantly asking for money; they generally have optional purchases that don’t feel overly aggressive, and they still offer full, high-quality open-world experiences even though they don’t cost anything upfront.

Genshin Impact

Anime Zelda

Genshin Impact is a hugely popular free-to-play game, quickly gaining fans on all platforms. It’s often compared to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, offering a similar open-world experience with a vibrant anime art style. The game begins with players selecting one of a pair of twins before embarking on an adventure in a continuously growing world.

I’m absolutely loving this game! You get to run around this huge, beautiful world and get into some really exciting battles. As you play through the story, you unlock cool new characters, and you can also get them through in-game rewards or by spending a little money if you want. It reminds me a lot of Breath of the Wild with all the climbing and gliding! The best part is, the developers are constantly adding new stuff, and they’ve been doing it since 2020! Honestly, there’s so much free content that I’m happy playing for weeks without ever needing to spend a dime. It’s awesome!

Destiny 2

Shoot To Thrill

Destiny 2 initially launched as a game you purchased once, but the developers, Bungie, have since transformed it into an evolving platform. While new expansions require payment, the base game offers a substantial amount of free content, allowing players to try it out and then decide if they want to invest further. PlayStation 5 players may also be able to access additional content for free through their PlayStation Plus subscription. When you start, you can choose a character class and personalize its appearance.

Players will receive missions from central locations, such as The Tower, and then explore new planets and moons. While missions follow a set path, you can also freely explore these planets by yourself or with others online. These planets are smaller than those in many open-world games, but Destiny 2 compensates for this with incredibly engaging gameplay. The game features a variety of powerful abilities and futuristic weapons, resulting in some of the best shooting mechanics you’ll find in any game.

Infinity Nikki

Dress To Chill

Okay, so I just spent some time with Infinity Nikki, and it’s honestly a really relaxing experience. It’s an open-world game, but it’s not about intense action – it’s all about exploration. You play as Nikki, who’s suddenly transported to this amazing world called Miraland, and her main goal is to collect incredible outfits. But these aren’t just for show! Each dress actually unlocks new powers, like different combat styles or even the ability to glide around. It’s a fun little twist, and makes wandering around Miraland even more enjoyable.

While the game does include battles, they aren’t a major focus and aren’t very difficult. Infinity Nikki is a charming game centered around positivity and good feelings. How much time players will spend with it really depends on their personal preference. Even if you don’t usually enjoy fashion games or games without a lot of fighting, it’s worth trying out.

Wuthering Waves

Adding Pokemon To The Mix

Wuthering Waves shares a lot of similarities with Genshin Impact, featuring anime-style graphics, fast-paced action combat, and the ability to glide. Like Genshin Impact, it also has a wide variety of characters to collect, each with unique skills. However, Wuthering Waves adds a unique twist: you can capture enemies and transform them into ‘Echoes’. These Echoes act as special abilities you can use in combat, and can be further enhanced with gear to improve your character’s stats.

Like the Materia system in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, characters in Wuthering Waves have special abilities that can be customized during battle using Echoes. This lets players tailor each character to their preferred playstyle. Plus, seamlessly switching between characters during combat builds powerful combos, making the character-switching system more central to the gameplay than in many other action RPGs.

DC Universe Online

DC Stands For Decades Of Content

DC Universe Online has been a popular game since 2011, consistently improving over time. Players get to design their own character, choosing powers and skills inspired by famous DC heroes. You can even play as a villain, which is a great option for fans of characters like The Joker and Lex Luthor.

The game’s combat is similar to many other online multiplayer games, where players use different powers and abilities that have recharge times. While it doesn’t feel as dynamic as the combat in the Batman: Arkham series, the wide range of skills and how players combine them makes you feel more connected to your chosen hero or villain. The open-world environments are divided into separate areas, similar to Destiny 2, but DC fans will enjoy exploring iconic locations like Metropolis, Gotham City, and Atlantis.

Final Fantasy 14

Free To Start

DC Universe Online is a completely free-to-play online game with optional in-game purchases. Final Fantasy 14, like Destiny 2, offers a ‘free trial’ experience. On PlayStation 5, you can play through the main game and the first two expansions at no cost, though with some limitations. While certain chat features are disabled and there are restrictions on in-game currency, and characters can only reach level 70, players otherwise have full access to the game world. If you enjoy the trial, you can continue playing with your character by purchasing the full game and expansions, along with a subscription.

As a huge fan, I think the best way to jump into this game is with friends already playing – it makes getting started so much smoother. Some people might see the ‘trial’ and assume it’s just a short demo, but honestly, it’s a really generous free version! The world is massive and the story is incredible. Seriously, it’s up there with the best Final Fantasy games ever made – the world-building is phenomenal, the Job system is really well done, and the combat is easy to pick up but still engaging.

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2025-11-09 14:37