Best Open-World Games That Let You Tell Stories

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Games with large, open worlds, such as Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, are highly acclaimed. Despite the freedom they offer, these games still follow a set story path. While players can choose how they play and what actions they take, the overall story experience remains largely the same for everyone. You can’t really change the main story of Venom Snake or Link.

Unlike some open-world games, these titles offer choices and consequences through branching stories or karma systems, making each player’s experience feel personal. While you can’t completely write your own story, your decisions shape the narrative and ensure every playthrough is unique.

Baldur’s Gate 3

Turn-Based Stories

From the very beginning to the end, Baldur’s Gate 3 lets you make meaningful choices. You start by creating a unique character – choosing their race, history, and appearance. After that, the story is truly yours to shape, as you decide who to befriend, who to battle, and how to progress. It’s a huge, strategy-focused RPG that encourages replayability, inviting you to experience a completely different adventure each time.

Fallout: New Vegas

More Like Faction: New Vegas

In Fallout: New Vegas, the game begins with your character being shot and left for dead in the desert, then waking up disoriented. From that moment on, the vast wasteland is completely open for exploration. The game features a karma system that reflects your choices, and offers a wide range of factions to join. Players can choose to be a heroic figure, a villain, or forge their own path in the desert.

Avowed

Gods Among Mushrooms

I’m really excited about Avowed! It’s a first-person RPG where you get to create your character with tons of customization – everything from their background and heritage to unique abilities. You play as an Envoy sent to a land that’s suffering from a terrible plague, and I can’t wait to see what adventures await!

In Avowed, players will be able to join different factions and form alliances, each with their own understandable goals. The companions you meet will offer guidance and suggest the best course of action, but ultimately, your choices determine the story’s direction.

Hogwarts Legacy

Hocus Pocus

For years, fans of the Harry Potter series have dreamed of a game like Hogwarts Legacy. The game lets you experience life as a student at Hogwarts, starting with the Sorting Ceremony (you can even choose your House yourself!). While the main story follows a set path, you’ll be able to shape your character’s personality – choosing to focus on academics, be generally well-rounded, or even lean towards mischief.

Players spend more time exploring the grounds surrounding Hogwarts than inside the school itself. They can wander around, accept quests from various characters, and battle monsters using magic. While the options aren’t endless, there’s enough freedom to feel like you’re creating your own story within the world of Harry Potter.

Cyberpunk 2077

Forge Your Cybernetic Path

Cyberpunk 2077 is a futuristic game where you create your own story, starting from humble beginnings and working your way up. You can customize your character and their past, but everyone begins as an underdog with big dreams.

Night City is a massive and diverse place, offering players a ton to do – from a central storyline to optional side quests, and even exploration of the surrounding wastelands. You also have a lot of control over how much cyberware you install in your body. Choosing to have fewer cybernetic implants makes the game more challenging, but going all-in with cybernetics unlocks new possibilities and access to previously unavailable areas.

Final Fantasy 14

The Ultimate Life Sim

Final Fantasy 14 is an online multiplayer game set in the popular Final Fantasy world. It’s a great way for players to express their creativity. You can customize your character’s appearance and choose from a variety of classes, called Jobs, which are regularly updated and added to.

Choosing to begin as a Gladiator will lead to a different gameplay experience than starting as a Thaumaturge, and there are many different career paths you can take. Final Fantasy 14 offers a huge amount of content and options, providing players with something to do for a very long time – at least until the next big online game comes out.

Rise Of The Ronin

The Life Of A Wanderer

Set at the end of the samurai era in Japan, as the country began opening up to the outside world, Rise of the Ronin puts you in the role of a masterless samurai – a ronin. You’ll navigate a conflicted world, choosing between an honorable path or one built on ambition and corruption. The game also lets you embrace the skills of a ninja, focusing on stealth and subterfuge. Explore the stunning Japanese landscape and create your own unique story as a wandering warrior.

Dynasty Warriors 9

Forge Your Empire

Dynasty Warriors 9 offers players incredible freedom thanks to its open-world design – a first for the series. You can choose a dynasty, build your power, and conquer territory piece by piece. The game lets you stick with a single character and weapon, or switch between allies and master a variety of fighting styles. While the graphics aren’t the most impressive, the sheer number of options allows for a uniquely personalized story.

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2025-10-29 07:35