Best Open-World Games To Switch Off Your Brain While Playing
Open-world games continue to improve beyond belief, providing players with increasingly detailed environments to explore to their heart’s content. But the bigger the map, the bigger the story, and sometimes, the number of mainline and side quests can become overwhelming.
The Biggest Open World Games, Based On The Size Of Their Maps
Open-world games are beloved for their massive maps. Here are some of the biggest open worlds that gamers can explore in the genre.
Thankfully, there are a handful of games that reward the player by taking a step back to enjoy the seemingly trivial things in their open-world environments. While games like Ghost of Tsushima rely heavily on the narrative drive of their stories, they also push the player to explore the world outside the main character’s contained story.
To avoid any misunderstandings, we aren’t saying these games require no thought, but that they can be enjoyed leisurely and without requiring too much attention. Also, some titles are extremely story-driven, but their sandboxes are perfect to just exist within.
11
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
An Expansive Sandbox With No Strings
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom may have provided its predecessor, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, with much-needed tweaks and improvements, but nothing can top the sheer wonder that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild provided when it was first released in 2017.
8 Best Open-World Games That Let You Conquer Areas, Ranked
Take over and control territory in these open-world games that let you conquer areas.
Even now, players are still finding underrated features within the game as they explore the wild and untamed land of Hyrule. Thanks to the freedom to do anything, fans can skip the main story altogether and focus on taking in the sights and sounds of the majestic land. Sometimes, it’s nice to just sit next to a fire in the rain and listen to a beautiful score.
10
Red Dead Redemption 2
Intense Story Matched With A Slow-Paced Adventure
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a revolutionary game in many ways, especially in its design. The open world of Red Dead Redemption 2 is so expansive that players can experience an entirely different game outside of its main story. For example, the process of hunting can take up a large portion of time, from choosing the right weapon to use and the prime spot to take.
Getting sidetracked in this game can lead players to extremely unique situations, ones they may not have found themselves in had they stuck to the linear story of planning heists or helping the Van Der Linde Gang in their exploits. While there are limits to what players can do at a given time, the freedom of exploring the American Frontier is something else.
9
Ghost Of Tsushima
Master The Way Of The Blade & Shut Off Your Mind
There’s an art to Ghost of Tsushima, whether in the midst of combat or just admiring the vibrant scenery. Each area players find themselves in Ghost of Tsushima is unique, whether that’s the lush forests or the fields of Chinese silver grass, dancing in the wind. The immersive wind effects make the views even more atmospheric, providing an unforgettable experience.
8 Best Open-World Games That Everyone Should Play, Ranked
There’s a reason that open-world games are so popular, and while there are countless choices available, these genre entries are must-play experiences.
Even in battle, there’s a flow and a rhythm to Jin’s strikes that helps in switching players’ brains off. It becomes second nature, much like other aspects of the game, like composing haikus, which provide the opportunity to stop and take in the serene scenery.
Ghost of Yotei also qualifies.
The Ultimate Open-World Experience, & The Story Is Basically Optional
Skyrim
- Released
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November 11, 2011
Skyrim may have come out over a decade ago, but players are still finding secrets hidden within the fantasy realm. While it doesn’t have the biggest map in the franchise, Skyrim more than makes up for it in Bethesda’s attention to detail, from its rolling landscape to its memorable characters.
Like many open-world games, Skyrim is full of side quests for players to get lost in. But unlike other titles, the game doesn’t punish players for ignoring side content, meaning they can focus on the story without worrying that they’re missing out on something.
7
Cyberpunk 2077
Replayable & Immersive
Cyberpunk 2077 has an expansive map consisting of different areas, even within Night City itself. These include districts like Watson, Westbrook, Pacifica, and Santo Domingo housing buildings and other facilities like clubs and offices to explore. Even outside of the city, there is an expansive world in the deserts of the Badlands, in addition to hidden gems like the Chram Denya Jinja in North Oak.
Players of Cyberpunk 2077 could quite easily just drive around Night City and the surrounding areas, not undertaking any quests to take their minds off things, while visiting a few of the local spots to take it all in. It’s discovering these parts that make the game so replayable.
6
Saints Row 4
Power Fantasy Frivolity
Honestly, Saints Row is generally a solid pick for mindless open-world games that are just amusing; however, the fourth entry took things a hundred steps further by greatly ramping up the silliness. While the world itself is largely identical to its predecessor, Saints Row 4 shakes things up by transforming players into superheroes that can leap over buildings and run at the speed of sound.
8 Best FPS Games For Feeling Like A God, Ranked
These games make players feel all-powerful as they blast their way through waves of enemies.
Even though they render some classic elements of the franchise obsolete, these mechanics are accessible, fun, and unapologetically over-the-top. Volition seemingly set out to craft a game that does not demand anything from players, largely encouraging them to go with the flow while completing repetitive tasks that are fun enough to be engaging but not unique enough to be memorable.
5
Crackdown
Collect Orbs & Smash
Despite two fairly disappointing sequels, 2007’s Crackdown holds up as an entertaining sandbox romp with an addictive gameplay loop and great vertical design. As agents, players are put in charge of clearing out a city’s Kingpins, all of whom are assigned zones. Although they are given a fair amount of freedom in how they approach this operation, each section largely plays out the same, which is not a bad thing.
Crackdown‘s orb system is arguably its strongest feature since it ensures constant progression, making the simple act of just running around empowering. In a few hours, players go from competent agents to overpowered gods capable of stomping tanks. At that point, the simple act of running around is a blast and supports “turn-off-your-brain” style engagement.
Crackdown is free on Xbox, making this a great option for anyone looking for a dated but awesome open-world game. Crackdown 2 is also available.
4
Forza Horizon 5
Drive, Enjoy The Scenario, & Occasional Jump A Million Miles
Playground’s Forza Horizon is the best open-world racing franchise on the market, and that has been the case for roughly a decade. Compared to the sim-focused Forza Motorsport, Horizon is very much an arcade experience that blends realistic visuals and detailed maps with forgiving gameplay and a penchant for absurd events.
Although capable of presenting a challenge during races, Forza Horizon 5 can easily be enjoyed as a sightseeing simulator, with players driving across Mexico in search of impressive vistas (and there are plenty of them). Just throw on a podcast and drive.
3
Donkey Kong Bananza
An Open-World Game All About Smashing Everything
The simpler a gameplay loop, the easier it is to repeat without any thought. Although it has more depth than might initially seem to be the case, Donkey Kong Bananza‘s core formula is one of the most straightforward in the open-world genre: Punch. While he has a surprisingly vast moveset, DK spends most of his time just smashing the ground and walls in search of collectibles, and the vast majority of Bananza‘s world is breakable.
Longest Open-World Games
Even the most sophisticated gamer will be bewildered by the sheer scale of these games. These are the open-world games that take the longest to beat.
Unlike most of the franchise’s entries, which are fairly difficult, Bananza‘s main campaign is easy, with only a few sections requiring precise platforming or smart planning. You can just keep smashing to your heart’s content; in fact, you should always be punching as you are constantly surrounded by collectibles that have their uses and are not just there to pad out a stat.
2
Grand Theft Auto 5
The Ultimate Open-World Franchise For Switching Off Your Brain
I mean, GTA has to be included, right? We went with the fifth entry since it is the one that most people play nowadays, but all the 3D games have been delivering “turn off your brain” fun for two decades. Rockstar perfected the open-world playground that encourages players to just cut loose and make their own fun. You are allowed to play how you want as well, and you don’t have to be a menace. Some prefer to go crazy and spread absolute havoc across the streets, while others opt to take things slow and just drive across Los Santos (or San Andreas, etc.).
While all the games have pretty good stories that can have challenging missions, GTA‘s success comes down to the freedom that it provides outside those moments. Also, despite the generally realistic visuals, the gameplay has always been very, well, gamey, particularly the driving. GTA is an exaggerated mirror of real life.