You know that feeling when you’ve got hours to burn but no idea which world you want to get lost in? Well, I’ve done the hard work, meaning I sat around playing games and calling it research, and I’ve got a list of the 26 best open world games you can play right now. These aren’t just huge maps, they’re worlds that feel alive, places you can sink into, whether you’re here for the chaos, the exploration, or just riding a horse into the sunset for no reason. So let’s get into it.
Table of Contents
Red Dead Redemption 2 – A True Living World
Let’s start with one of the most immersive worlds gaming has ever seen. Red Dead Redemption 2 isn’t just about cowboys and shootouts. It’s about living in a believable, breathing world. You’ll find yourself stopping to feed your horse, skin a deer, or just admire the sunrise over the mountains. The level of detail is insane, everything from the mud clinging to Arthur’s boots to the way NPCs remember your past actions. Sure, you can mainline the story, but half the fun is getting sidetracked by fishing or helping a stranger who’ll probably try to rob you later.
The Witcher 3 – Pure Storytelling Bliss
If you somehow haven’t played The Witcher 3 yet, you’re in for hundreds of hours of pure storytelling bliss. Geralt’s journey through war-torn kingdoms is packed with incredible side quests. And I mean actual stories, not just “collect 10 wolf pelts.” The world feels alive with bustling cities, creepy swamps, and monster-infested ruins. And every choice you make sticks with you, often coming back hours later in ways you don’t expect. Toss in both expansions and you’ve got enough game to last you months.
Ghost of Tsushima – Beauty in Every Frame
Few games make exploration feel this beautiful. Ghost of Tsushima drops you into feudal Japan, and instead of a mini map telling you where to go, the wind literally guides you. It’s cinematic without feeling forced. You’ll ride through golden fields, duel under cherry blossoms, and free villages from Mongol invaders. The combat is sharp and satisfying, blending stealth, swordplay, and some sneaky bow work. And if you play in Kurosawa mode, you can feel like you’re in an old samurai film the whole time.
Cyberpunk 2077 – A Sci-Fi Masterpiece
Yes, it had a rough launch, but after updates in the Phantom Liberty expansion, Cyberpunk 2077 has grown into one of the best sci-fi open world experiences out there. Night City is dense, vibrant, and absolutely dripping with atmosphere. You can go from high-tech skyscrapers to grimy back alleys in seconds, meeting colorful characters and taking on missions that range from intense shootouts to emotional, story-driven moments. It’s a world that rewards exploration — and occasionally punishes you if you poke around the wrong place.
Horizon Zero Dawn – Robot Dinosaurs Await
I’ll sell you for stress. Robot dinosaurs. Need I say more? Horizon Zero Dawn’s mix of post-apocalyptic wilderness and high-tech machines is a perfect playground for exploration. Aloy’s bow-based combat feels amazing, especially when you’re ripping components off a giant Thunderjaw mid-fight. The world is stunning — snowy mountains, lush forests, and ruined cities all waiting to be explored. And beneath all the combat and exploration is a surprisingly deep sci-fi story that’ll keep you hooked.
Elden Ring – A Dark Fantasy Sandbox
Elden Ring takes the brutal, rewarding gameplay of Dark Souls and throws it into a massive open world. You’re free to go anywhere and get destroyed anywhere right from the start. The Lands Between are packed with secrets, hidden bosses, and strange little side stories you might miss entirely if you don’t explore. The best part is that you make your own adventure. You might spend hours fighting through a castle, then wander off to find a random cave full of treasure — and probably death. This is one of those games where the open world isn’t just for show, it’s a sandbox for your creativity.
Metal Gear Solid V – Endless Replay Value
Whether you want to sneak in silently, drop in guns blazing, or float everything back to your base, MGSV lets you approach missions however you want. The maps are massive and varied, and the way time of day, weather, and enemy AI react to your choices makes every mission feel different. It’s easily one of the most replayable open world games ever made.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – A Journey Through Ancient Greece
If you’ve ever wanted to live out your ancient Greek fantasies, Odyssey is the one. You’re dropped into a sprawling recreation of Greece during the Peloponnesian War, and it’s packed with quests, sea battles, and enough landmarks to make a historian happy. The RPG elements let you shape your character and story, and the sheer scale of the world is breathtaking. You’ll be sailing between islands one minute and battling mythological beasts the next.
Spider-Man 2 – Swinging Into Perfection
If swinging through New York in the first game felt amazing, Spider-Man 2 cranks it up even higher. You can swap between Peter and Miles, each with their own abilities, and the new web wings make traversal even faster. The story is engaging, with Venom stealing the spotlight, but it’s the sheer joy of movement that keeps you hooked. The city feels alive, full of crimes to stop, collectibles to grab, and people to help, all while you’re flipping through the air like it’s second nature. Some jerks are trying to break into that building. God, did you lose your keys? Happens to me all the time.
Breath of the Wild – Freedom Without Limits
Breath of the Wild redefined open world design with its go anywhere, do anything approach. You’re free to climb mountains, glide across valleys, and experiment with physics-based puzzles in ways the game never explicitly tells you. It’s no wonder that when people ask, “What are the best open-world games on PS5?”, this gem still gets mentioned alongside modern titles, even if it started on Nintendo.
We’re going to talk about a brand-new console, the PS5. What are the best open-world games on PS5? Well, there are many that deliver stunning worlds, gripping gameplay, and unforgettable adventures.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Every corner of Hyrule has something interesting—a hidden shrine, a puzzle, a Korok giving you that smug little look. It’s one of those worlds you don’t just play through, you live in.
Grand Theft Auto V
It’s been around for over a decade, yet Los Santos still feels like one of the most alive and chaotic open worlds ever made. Whether you’re sticking to the story or just wandering around causing trouble, there’s always something to do—races, heists, stunt jumps, or just pushing the physics engine to its limits. The three-character system keeps things fresh, and GTA Online can easily steal hundreds of hours if you fall down that rabbit hole.
No Man’s Sky
This game went from one of the most controversial launches ever to one of the best redemption arcs in gaming. Now it’s a massive space exploration experience where you can land on any planet you see, build bases, upgrade ships, and just get lost among the stars. Every planet is procedurally generated, so you’ll see strange creatures, weird landscapes, and alien civilizations—sometimes friendly, sometimes not. It’s the ultimate relax-and-explore game if you’re in the mood.
Days Gone
If you want your open world with a heavy dose of zombie apocalypse, Days Gone delivers. Riding across Oregon on your motorcycle feels great, and the weather and day–night cycle actually matter for gameplay. The Freaker hordes are the standout—hundreds of zombies swarming you at once, forcing you to plan traps, use explosives, and stay mobile. The story might be slower paced, but it grows on you, and by the end you’ll genuinely care about Deacon and the people he’s trying to protect.
Mad Max
Mad Max nails that wasteland vibe—rusty vehicles, brutal combat, and endless desert stretching to the horizon. The car customization is deep, so you can turn your Magnum Opus into an armored beast. The open world is packed with bandit camps, hidden treasures, and storm events that are equal parts beautiful and deadly. It’s one of those games where the atmosphere is so strong you almost feel the dust on your face after playing.
Sunset Overdrive
Sometimes an open world doesn’t need to be gritty or realistic—it can just be pure chaos. Sunset Overdrive is loud, colorful, and absolutely ridiculous in the best way. You’re grinding rails, bouncing off cars, and blasting mutant hordes with the weirdest weapons imaginable. The movement system makes simply getting from point A to point B a blast, and the humor is so self-aware that it’s impossible to take anything too seriously. So, boy, there’s one thing I don’t get—why would FSCO poison their own customers? You got it wrong. The whole thing was an accident. The FSCO execs were…
Far Cry Primal
Far Cry Primal takes the series back to the Stone Age—no guns, no vehicles, just spears, bows, and tameable wild animals. It’s surprisingly refreshing to explore an open world without modern tech. You’ll hunt mammoths, raid enemy tribes, and try not to get eaten by saber-toothed tigers. The world feels wild and untamed, and surviving it feels like a constant, satisfying challenge. It’s one of the most unique open-world games ever made, and also one of the most divisive.
Death Stranding
Death Stranding is about traversing a post-apocalyptic America, delivering packages while dealing with supernatural threats. On paper, it sounds slow, but in practice it’s weirdly meditative, with stunning landscapes and a haunting soundtrack. If you’re wondering What are the best open-world games on PS5?, this title is definitely among the most unique.
Final Thoughts
From the sprawling wilderness of Breath of the Wild to the chaotic streets of Los Santos, the PS5 offers players a huge variety of immersive open worlds. Whether you want zombie survival, space exploration, or post-apocalyptic delivery routes, there’s something here for everyone. In the end, What are the best open-world games on PS5? comes down to personal preference, but this list covers some of the most unforgettable adventures you can experience today.
Building structures to help other players creates this strange sense of connection, even in such a lonely world. What are the best open-world games on PS5? This question often leads to unique titles where cooperation plays a role even in single-player adventures.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
If you’ve ever wanted a medieval game without magic, dragons or fantasy tropes, this is it. Kingdom Come Deliverance is grounded, realistic, and brutally unforgiving at times. You’re not a legendary hero, you’re just a blacksmith’s son trying to survive in 15th century Bohemia. The combat has weight, the survival elements keep you on your toes. And the historical detail makes it one of the most authentic open-world experiences out there, making it a strong contender when asking, What are the best open-world games on PS5?
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
This game expands on everything Shadow of Mordor did, especially the Nemesis system. Enemies remember you, taunt you, and sometimes come back from the dead for revenge. The world of Mordor is bigger and more varied, with fortresses you can siege and armies you can build. The mix of stealth, brutal combat and orc politics makes it a unique spin on the open-world formula, especially if you’re a Tolkien fan.
Batman: Arkham Knight
Arkham Knight is Gotham at its most atmospheric — rain-slick streets, neon lights, and criminals lurking around every corner. The combat and stealth are as satisfying as ever, and now you’ve got the Batmobile to tear through the city in style. The open world is packed with side missions, Easter eggs, and Riddler challenges for the completionists. It’s still one of the best superhero open worlds to explore, period.
Dying Light 2
Parkour and zombies go together better than you’d think, and Dying Light 2 proves it. The city is huge, vertical and full of ways to traverse it, running across rooftops, swinging from poles and gliding through the air. The day-night cycle changes everything, with infected becoming far more dangerous after sunset. Add in a branching story that changes the world around you, and you’ve got a survival experience that keeps you on your toes.
Just Cause 3
Sometimes you don’t need realism. You need a grappling hook, a parachute, and endless explosives. Just Cause 3 is pure chaos in the form of a game. The Mediterranean islands are your playground, and your job is basically to blow up as much military hardware as possible in the most ridiculous ways you can think of. Tether two helicopters together? Sure. Surf on a moving jet? Why not? It’s the definition of sandbox fun.
Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs is an underrated gem that blends open-world action with martial arts combat. Set in Hong Kong, you play as an undercover cop navigating the world of organized crime. The hand-to-hand combat is crunchy and satisfying, the driving feels great, and the city itself is packed with personality. It’s like GTA, but with a heavy dose of Kung Fu and a surprisingly gripping story.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Even after all these years, Skyrim is still one of the most addictive open worlds out there. You can follow the main quest or completely ignore it to spend hundreds of hours crafting, exploring dungeons and shouting dragons out of the sky. Mods keep the game fresh forever, and the sheer variety of play styles, from sneaky assassin to battle mage, means every playthrough feels different.
Fallout 4
Fallout 4 drops you into a post-nuclear wasteland full of quirky characters, dangerous mutants, and factions vying for control. The exploration loop is addictive. You never know if that distant building holds loot, a story, or a deathclaw waiting to ruin your day. The settlement system adds another layer, letting you create safe havens, or weird contraptions, in the middle of the apocalypse.
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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Rebirth takes the iconic JRPG and blows it up into a sprawling open-world experience. The regions are huge, filled with side quests, mini games and hidden bosses. The combat blends real-time action with strategic elements and the story hits hard. Whether you’re a long-time fan or totally new, it’s one of the most polished and content-rich open worlds in recent years. Many players asking What are the best open-world games on PS5? will find this at the top of their list.
Conclusion
I got your number. So there you go, 26 open worlds you can dive into right now. Some are realistic, some are fantastical, and some are just straight-up ridiculous. But they all share one thing — they make you want to explore every inch of them. Whether you’re hunting monsters, toppling dictators, or just riding off into the sunset, there’s a world here waiting for you. if you’ve been wondering What are the best open-world games on PS5?, this list gives you plenty of worlds to start your journey.