While many open-world games exist, a few truly shine by offering incredible freedom. These games are perfect for players who prefer a relaxed experience and enjoy immersing themselves in a detailed world, where even minor activities and unexpected moments can be rewarding. Here’s a look at some of the best open-world games currently available that allow you to play at your own speed and always have something interesting to do.
LEGO is well-known for its diverse building sets, which frequently take inspiration from popular movies, games, and franchises like Super Mario Bros., Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pokemon, and anime. So, it wasn’t surprising to see The Lord of the Rings become a LEGO theme. However, fans were amazed by a detailed model of Minas Tirith that was built without official instructions or a pre-made kit.
Among the most powerful characters in One Piece, Gol D. Roger is widely considered the strongest pirate of his time. Though he began his career around 50 years ago as a rising star, recent flashbacks have shown glimpses of his early adventures. Throughout his journey, Roger was consistently a formidable force. However, it was after the battle at God Valley, in the following ten years, that Roger truly cemented his power, becoming one of the greatest and most influential figures the One Piece world has ever known.
Although official details are still under wraps, the next major Zelda game has the potential to significantly change the series. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom were groundbreaking, essentially redefining what a Zelda game could be, so its follow-up on the Switch 2 will have a lot to live up to. After nearly ten years of exploring the Hyrule introduced in those games, Nintendo is probably planning to innovate again, a shift they started with Echoes of Wisdom. A recent leak suggests we may soon learn what those innovations will be.
The intense rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke was a highlight of the entire Naruto series. Throughout the story, they fought many memorable battles, with each of them winning some and losing others. By the end, most fans agreed that Naruto had ultimately become the stronger ninja. This makes sense, as they consistently surpassed each other at different points, but overall remained evenly matched.
For years, viewers of the anime Kaguya-sama: Love is War have eagerly awaited news about a fourth season. After a long silence, many wondered if it would ever be made. Fortunately, fans can now rejoice – a new season is on its way!
I’m mostly going to explain what excites me about each game, not give a full rundown of how they play. I’ve played a few of these already, and even written some early looks at them – I’ll include links to those previews where available.
Monkey D. Luffy is the main character in One Piece, and he’s become an incredibly powerful pirate. When he first started his adventure, Luffy was weak and unknown in a huge world. But through countless challenges, he’s grown tremendously strong. These experiences have made him one of the Four Emperors, and he continues to strive for even greater power and recognition.
French President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly expressed concern about the harmful effects of online platforms on young people. In 2023, following riots sparked by a police shooting, he pointed to social media and video games as contributors to the violence. Now, with these worries increasing, Macron and other French officials are considering stricter measures, potentially including a ban for younger users—similar to what Australia has done.
Persona 5 is the most well-received and beloved game in the Persona series, so its characters have shown up in lots of team-ups with other games and franchises, both from Sega and beyond. The most famous example is Joker becoming a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but there have been many other collaborations over the last ten years.