Fly High: 6 Open World Games Where You Can Pilot Planes

Summary

Flying a plane is a relatively rare feature in the open-world genre, but there are some notable exceptions.
Just Cause 3, Far Cry 5, and Saints Row: The Third offer arcade-style plane-flying gameplay, combining ease, fun, and explosive action.
For players seeking a grounded and realistic open-world flight experience, ArmA 3 is likely the best choice.

In many contemporary open-world games, players appreciate the abundance of choices and liberty they are given. These games often include mounts for effortless and swift travel across large maps, as well as more recent transportation methods such as cars, boats, or motorcycles. The possibility to ride or drive these vehicles (depending on the game’s environment) significantly enhances open-world games. Nevertheless, the ability to pilot planes, especially airplanes rather than helicopters, is less frequently found in this genre.

One reason for this approach is to establish a contemporary setting that allows for the integration of aircraft, and another reason is to create an expansive game world to maintain a realistic sense of scale when flying at high speeds. Here, we’ll delve into some exceptional open-world games that offer the exciting opportunity to pilot various planes, such as supersonic jet fighters or smaller yet captivating light private jets, utility propeller aircraft, or turboprop planes.

This piece will zero in on open-world games that don’t require flying planes; instead, it leaves out flight simulators, flight action games, and open-world games heavily centered around air combat.

1. GTA 5

Flying A Plane Is Just As Enjoyable As Driving Any Other Vehicle

GTA 5, famed for its unmatched liberty, stands out as an iconic open-world game showcasing an array of aircraft, including propeller planes and jet fighters, which gamers can skillfully navigate throughout the sprawling cityscape of Los Santos. The flight dynamics in Grand Theft Auto 5 are top-notch within the genre, offering a realistic and entertaining adventure. This creative freedom has sparked numerous breathtaking air stunts and videos that gamers frequently post online.

In Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA 5), airplanes can be used in single-player mode for free roaming or specific missions. However, GTA Online expands this concept significantly by providing a vast array of aircraft options for players to pilot. There are approximately 30 distinct types and models of planes that you can buy, each with unique handling, speed, and capabilities.

2. Just Cause 3

Grappling Hook Combined With Weaponized Planes Creates A Recipe For Explosive Fun

The “Just Cause” series is renowned for offering players an excessively exciting open-world adventure filled with opportunities to instigate mayhem from the skies. Among all parts of this series, “Just Cause 3” stands out as a favorite among enthusiasts who appreciate exhilarating flight gameplay. This installment, recognized for its flexible mission design and numerous enemy strongholds to conquer at one’s own discretion, serves up an abundance of explosive action across one of the largest maps in the genre. Gamers can seize, fly, and create chaos with a variety of armored jets and aircraft.

The unique selling point of this game is Rico Rodriguez’s adaptable grappling hook, which can be employed even while in the air to seize enemy planes during flight. With approximately a dozen distinct aircraft to test out, Just Cause 3 delivers an exhilarating and endless supply of sandbox entertainment for countless hours of thrilling mayhem.

3. Far Cry 5

Introducing Controllable Planes To A Popular FPS Series

In the game Far Cry 5, they added the option for players to control airplanes in the series’ open-world environment, which was also seen in later installment Far Cry 6. The main character can fly different propeller planes, some of which are armed with miniguns, rockets, and bombs, making for exciting aerial battles against adversaries. However, you don’t get access to these planes immediately; instead, they become accessible as you advance through the storyline.

In both “Far Cry 5” and “Far Cry 6”, the aircraft control systems are designed to be intuitive and simple, catering to players of all skill levels. These aircraft can function as either a soothing pastime or an action-packed battle option. Particularly in specific confrontations, enemy planes can engage the player during flight, adding an intense layer of combat.

4. Saints Row: The Third

For Pure, Mindless Aerial Fun, This Is A Perfect Destination

In Saints Row 2, players were given the ability to control aircraft, but according to many, it’s Saints Row: The Third that provides the most thrilling flying experience within the series. Fitting with the game’s humorous tone, its flight vehicles match the extreme chaos perfectly, offering an aerial experience filled with destruction and excitement. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, arcade-style plane action packed with chaos, Saints Row: The Third can compete even with the Just Cause series.

In Saints Row: The Third, a majority of the jets and planes you’ll encounter are purely fictional, boasting extreme weaponry and outlandish features. These aircraft, known for their lightning-fast speed, immense destructive power, and absurdly enjoyable designs, embody the series’ trademark style of unbridled fun, often pushing the boundaries of what’s realistic.

5. ArmA 3

The Most Grounded And Hardcore Battlefield Featuring Realistic Aircraft

As a gaming enthusiast who craves authenticity in open-world games, I’d highly recommend diving into the world of ArmA 3. Known for its hardcore edge and meticulously crafted open-world battlefields, this game stands out as an unmatched military sandbox, playable both solo and multiplayer. The vast collection of vehicles, from planes to tanks, are intricately recreated, but flying these machines or maneuvering ground vehicles demands patience and honing your skills.

To truly savor the pinnacle of aerial adventures, the ArmA 3 Jets DLC is indispensable. It brings a host of potent aircraft and jets, coupled with sophisticated targeting mechanisms, adaptive loadouts for planes, and an upgraded sensor system. These innovations greatly improve the flight dynamics and combat encounters for devoted aviation aficionados.

6. Ghost Recon Wildlands

A Vast Map That Makes Plane Travel Both Practical And Thrilling

In a nutshell, Ghost Recon Wildlands is another open-world game by Ubisoft that lets you control multiple types of airborne vehicles such as helicopters and planes. The vast and varied landscape of Bolivia makes these aircraft invaluable for saving time and moving through the terrain swiftly and effectively.

In this game, you’ll encounter various aircraft types that you can control, with cargo planes being the most frequently seen. Despite their main function as transporters, these planes are also useful for sudden airdrops into hostile territories. When playing in cooperative mode, planes enhance teamwork in Ghost Recon Wildlands, but helicopters tend to excel in combat missions. Helicopters offer the advantage of switching between weapons, inflicting heavy damage from above and offering more tactical choices for synchronized attacks.

2025-01-18 05:34