Best Open-World Games That Let You Run Fast

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Most open-world games today let players explore however they want. But because these game worlds are so large, simply running isn’t always practical. That’s why many games include vehicles or rideable creatures to help players get around faster. However, some games take a different approach, letting players run at incredibly high speeds instead of adding other methods of transportation.

Many open-world games let players run at amazing speeds, usually by giving them powers similar to those of superheroes. Although unrealistic, this makes exploring the game world much more enjoyable, and it can make other games feel slow and limited in comparison.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Move Like a Shadow-Like Ethereal

Middle-earth: Shadow of War builds upon the foundation of Shadow of Mordor, significantly improving Talion’s movement abilities from the very beginning. Because Talion shares his body with the spirit of Celebrimbor, who resurrected him, his movements feel fluid and almost spectral. Celebrimbor gives Talion the ability to move quickly and seemingly glide through the game world.

In Middle-earth: Shadow of War, where you are on the battlefield is often more important than how well you fight, particularly in big battles. You can move around incredibly quickly – dashing across the map in moments, easily overcoming obstacles, and even automatically climbing walls and other objects while you run.

Infamous Second Son

Neon Sprint Is Fast and Beautiful

The Infamous games each have their own way of letting you move around, but Infamous Second Son is particularly innovative and beautiful. As the character Delsin Rowe, you gain new superpowers throughout the game, learning them from other people with powers. One of these is the ability to control neon, gained from Abigail Walker, which lets you run incredibly fast using neon energy.

Once players get the hang of this power, they can dash at incredible speed for extended periods. It becomes a quick way to get around, avoid fights, and even run on walls or float. Later in Infamous Second Son, you can sprint across the whole map without stopping, and it looks amazing – Delsin transforms into a stream of glowing neon as he moves.

Saints Row 4

Unleash Super Sprint for Speed and Damage

Even now, Saints Row 4 is the most over-the-top game in the series. It takes place inside a digital version of Steelport, which allowed the creators to build a wildly chaotic open-world experience. Players get to use completely absurd weapons like the Inflato-Ray, Bounce Gun, and Dubstep Gun, alongside powerful superpowers. Getting around is just as crazy – you can glide, fly, and quickly unlock the Super Sprint ability.

Super Sprint, a feature that appeared in both Saints Row 3 and Saints Row 4, lets players run faster than speeding cars throughout the city. Players can improve this ability with upgrades. In Saints Row 4, sprinting even creates a powerful vortex that pulls in cars and enemies – a unique mechanic not commonly found in open-world games.

Prototype

It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Alex Mercer

The Prototype series is a well-remembered superhero open-world game, similar to Infamous, and many fans would love to see it return. Players control Alex Mercer, who gains incredible powers through biological contamination and mutation. He can take down enemies – even tanks and helicopters – using just his bare hands, and the game gives players a lot of freedom to move around and explore.

Beyond incredible jumps and running on walls, the game Prototype lets you glide—a feature it pioneered in open-world games. Alex Mercer, the main character, is also incredibly fast, able to dash across entire city blocks in just a few seconds. He’s so quick, even Spider-Man would struggle to keep pace with him, whether he’s racing through the streets or scaling skyscrapers.

Sonic Frontiers

Meet Sonic, He’s Quite the Fast Runner

Although Sonic Frontiers was promoted as an open-world game, it’s better described as having ‘Open Zones’ – large areas to explore, but not a completely seamless world. Still, it’s one of the biggest Sonic games ever created, and it definitely deserves recognition. For the first time, players can truly roam freely as the famously fast blue hedgehog.

As you’d expect, Sonic Frontiers is all about speed – and Sonic is incredibly fast, probably the fastest character you can control in a game like this. The game features huge, open areas with challenging obstacle courses, letting players fully utilize his speed and test their skills while collecting rings and other goodies.

Forspoken

Magic Parkour Is Among Its Redeeming Qualities

Considering the mixed reactions to Forspoken, it might be surprising to call it one of the best open-world games, but it does have its strengths. Specifically, the way the game handles movement and getting around is excellent. Forspoken‘s unique “Magic Parkour” system makes exploring the world of Athia feel genuinely exciting and new.

Running in Forspoken is incredibly fast and smooth thanks to magic. Frey seems to glide over the landscape, easily avoiding obstacles like trees and rocks while combining speed with other movement skills. Because of this, you don’t need to rely on mounts to get around the large open world, making travel feel both enjoyable and new.

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2025-11-06 11:35