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#5 Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto always featured a big map to explore, especially after the developers brought out Grand Theft Auto 3. However, once we got Grand Theft Auto V, the development team really outdid themselves with how large of an area they gave players to explore. From the lively city of Los Santos, older suburban neighborhoods to the deserts off the grid settled in the north, there’s enough scenery changes in Grand Theft Auto V to give players a means to visit locations around the map.
While there are several missions to do at any given time, the game also brings in random encounters, similar to the previous video game release, Red Dead Redemption. With Grand Theft Auto V, players will find random strangers in need of help such as hunting down a thief that robbed a store. Even though there’s a big area to explore, once you complete the campaign, you may find yourself getting a bit bored over visiting the same areas over again. That’s where the multiplayer component comes into play.
Grand Theft Auto Online brings players together on Los Santos. There you can wreak havoc among each other, compete in races, go through multiplayer campaign missions, visit the casino, among other challenges that will put you in different areas of the map together.
#4 Horizon Zero Dawn
For a good while, Horizon Zero Dawn was a PlayStation 4 exclusive, but the game has since been announced for the PC platform as well. This title is set in a world after an apocalypse. The once-thriving cities are in ruins and whats left of humanity has resorted back to an ancient tribe with unique rituals. Meanwhile, the world has since become dominated by these massive machines that are no longer under control of mankind and it makes traveling quite dangerous. Players in this game will take on the role of a young woman named Aloy who was exile from childbirth. Raised by another exile member of the community, Aloy has grown up learning the necessary skills required to hunt, gather resources and ultimately live on her own.
While fans are diving into this game with the purpose of finding out the reasons behind her exile, you’ll easily find yourself getting lost into this world. Keep in mind this game is based around small tribes and the fact that humanity is mainly a scarcity today. As a result, venturing into the open will mainly be a means to see how beautiful nature has taken over. There are also side quests and content that you can go through, but most will say that the real charm to the storylines is simply sticking towards the main campaign.
#3 Marvel’s Spider-Man
Spider-Man video games tend to do well, there’s a lot of love for players having the ability to swing through the city and make quick acrobatic flips in the air. However, Marvel’s Spider-Man really was a phenomenal hit that was made exclusively for the PlayStation 4. Developed by Insomniac Games, the studio crafted up a new storyline that followed Peter Parker being Spider-Man for nearly ten years. As you can guess, this game is based around protecting New York City from the wide range of villains that have popped up over the years.
As a result, you’ll be exploring the city and surrounding areas as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. There’s plenty of side quests that come up as well from thanks to common thugs and petty crimes. Additionally, the game really gives you the sense of being this famed hero as walking on the streets will cause NPCs to react with cheers. You’ll even have the ability to wave, point, and high five. While some of the side quests can feel a bit repetitive, there’s a real joy of just web-swinging around the city and leaping off buildings. You might find yourself free-roaming endlessly without even touching main campaign missions.
#2 Fallout 4
The Bethesda studio knows it has two massive IPs readily available that will turn a big profit. That’s The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. Each mainline installment for those franchises tends to do very well and Fallout 4 happens to the be latest mainline installment available. It’s a game that will be familiar if you played any of the previous Fallout video game installments. Players step into a customized protagonist set moments before the big war. As a result, you and your family are taken to the Vault where your partner is murdered in attempt to kidnap your son. This triggers your adventure out into the Wasteland in hopes of finding your child.
Just like Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas, this is a big apocalyptic world you’ll have to endure. With certain areas too radiated for comfort, mutated creatures, new factions, and settlements established, finding your son will be a difficult task while freely exploring the world. With several side quests and extra content to go through outside of the main campaign, this title is quite rewarding to those that decided to go off the designated pathway.
#1 The Witcher 3
The Witcher franchise is certainly well known right now. After expanding from a novel series to being adapted into a video game franchise and later transformed into a Netflix series, everyone is practically familiar with the IP. Of course, when it comes to the video game titles, there is a ton of love over the third mainline installment. This game not only helps wrap up some storylines but it provides players with a living world to explore. Not to mention that the development team over at CD Projekt Red had released a few expansions and updates to really add more content for players to go through.
As mentioned, this game is quite popular but after the release of the Netflix series and the game being ported to the Nintendo Switch platform, more players are either finally getting their hands on a copy of this game for the first time ever or replaying the title all over again. This game is filled with quests and stories to uncover though the open world aspect is mainly divided into large areas. Still, you’ll have the ability to fight off different creatures, enter new towns, take on quests, and overall feel like you play a massive part in how the world changes in The Witcher 3.
