The open-world genre covers a huge range of locations, themes, and gameplay styles. Some games focus on a more methodical progression that requires thought and planning, while others go the complete opposite direction, delivering an experience that forgoes any need for preparation and instead leans heavily into action and chaos. By removing limits and giving players all the tools they need to effectively do anything they want, they manage to create an incredibly satisfying and fun loop that manages to remain compelling right up until the credits roll.
Here are a variety of options for the best co-op games that can be experienced in an open world setting.
There are quite a few different ways of going about this gameplay style, as there still needs to be some semblance of meaning in the midst of the chaos. Many games opt for a more sandboxy feel that turns even the main questlines into opportunities for players to just mess around, but there are also examples where the whole point of the game is to have as much explosive fun as possible, never taking itself too seriously, both in the narrative and the gameplay. Whatever the approach, being able to fly, gun, drive, and leap through these gigantic open worlds will always be fun, regardless of whether players are picking up the game for the first time or revisiting it to capture some of the same excitement they had the first time around.
Just Cause 4
Explosive Action From Start To Finish
Details:
- Absurd mobility that transitions directly into combat
- Less strategy is needed to pull off insane ideas
Just Cause 4 is built around the idea that every single encounter should be approached as if it were a blockbuster action movie being filmed in real-time. The mobility is the standout mechanic that enables this chaotic playstyle, as players can grapple, glide, and fly across the landscape in a matter of sections, quickly dismantling entire fortresses from above and outplaying enemies with speed and unpredictability alone.
There are also so many different weapons and tools that feed into the action-heavy approach, each with its own unique purpose and use case. Explosives can send cars flying and take out huge groups of enemies in one fell swoop, while the guns give players the opportunity to take a more hands-on approach that feels just as enjoyable and absurd as any of the other choices. And, even when things start to go poorly for the player, there are always chances to swing back the other way, ensuring that no matter how rough the situation may be, a healthy dose of action is all it takes to make it through alive.
Grand Theft Auto 5
From Police Chases To Gang Shootouts
Details:
- Open-world sandbox with very few limits
- Spontaneous action that often results in a more successful mission
Grand Theft Auto 5 is practically the poster child for chaotic video games, letting players tackle any of the missions and encounters with as much explosive flair as they could possibly want. A single shootout can quickly turn into a city-wide police chase, but there are no guarantees of a failure screen, as players are free to drive away as far as they need to, in order to successfully pull off their daring criminal heist. The world does a lot of heavy-lifting in terms of making these situations feel more natural, with NPCs reacting to the player’s actions, adding a level of immersion to the world that only serves to boost the enjoyment that comes with wreaking havoc.
5 Open-World Games With Better Stories Than The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3 is among the kings of open-world games, but there are a few titles that manage to arguably tell a better story.
When it comes to the open city, it is almost a requirement that players break every traffic law in the book, cutting off people and swerving across several lanes, causing quite a few traffic jams and crashes in the process. But the most important aspect of all this insanity is the ability to keep the intensity high from the moment the game boots up for the first time, and beyond when players finish the main story. This is made possible by a lack of long-lasting consequences for these stunts, as no matter how many cars are crashed or police cars are totaled, there will always be an endless stream to refill the world and give players another shot at whatever insane maneuver they are trying to pull off.
Saints Row 3
Absurdity Trumps All
Details:
- Overpowered weapons remove the need for planning
- Missions actively encourage excess and experimentation
Saints Row: The Third abandons realism entirely in favor of a relentless sense of excess. Weapons like dubstep guns, explosives, and airstrikes turn even small fights into ridiculous displays of destruction, and the lack of limits in the combat ensures there is never a dull moment, no matter how far into the game the player is. There is also never a need to play smart or be careful, and instead, players are actually encouraged to go all out and create as much carnage as humanly possible, as it is often the only way forward.
The missions themselves are often structured in an escalating manner that starts slow, but quickly turns into insane scenarios with waves of enemies that are simply begging to be completely destroyed. Even the side activities play into this idea, rewarding players for causing maximum destruction rather than completing tasks in an efficient and clean manner. The result is a game where strategies or plans are virtually non-existent, and improvisation becomes the most satisfying and effective way to engage with the absurdity of the world.
Watch Dogs 2
Hacking The World Itself
Details:
- Real-time hacks that disrupt the flow of action
- Executions don’t need to be clean to be successful
Watch Dogs 2 disguises itself as a stealth-focused sandbox, but its systems actually open the door for some of the most manic and crazy situations that can spawn out of literally nothing. Players can hack traffic while on the move, completely destroying anyone chasing them close behind, and police responses can even be triggered, spiraling a small altercation into a larger-scale commotion that can go on for as long as the player chooses. By learning where these hacks are around the city and how to best use them, players can quickly become masters of the map, using every trick in the book to attack, disrupt, and get away without any issues.
7 Open-World Games Worth Playing Just For Their Exploration
Many open-world games reward players for exploring the game map or require exploration for the player to progress.
The world itself reacts to the player’s hacks in both expected and unexpected ways, making each session feel like a completely different adventure, orchestrated by the actions of a single individual. There are even chances to bring in civilians in ways that no other game ever has, using them more as tools than collateral damage, and feeding heavily into the hacker fantasy of being able to see and control anyone in the world. It might not have the borderline fantasy-level dramatics of some other games in the open-world genre, but it has enough cool toys to play with to keep players trying and failing new strategies for countless hours on end.
Prototype
Wielding An Unmatched Level Of Power
Details:
- Every system feeds into the ideas of speed and destruction
- Less need for precision when dealing with huge groups of enemies
Prototype takes the concept of an open-world superhero game and completely flips it on its head. From the moment Alex Mercer gains his powers, the game pushes players to abandon careful positioning or slow engagements in favor of overwhelming force, finding very quickly that there is virtually nothing that can stand in their way. Vehicles are weapons that can be used to great effect, and civilians become resources to fuel the player’s insanely aggressive attacks, which ties the narrative directly into the gameplay loop and creates the perfect embodiment of a true anti-hero.
The combat system is entirely driven by the player, as one minute they can be sprinting up a skyscraper, and the next, gliding down to the street level in order to dispatch their next victim. There are rarely any slow moments or breaks from the action, and the missions themselves often require a focus on momentum above all else, promoting a speedy playstyle that is both super enjoyable but also highly effective. Also, the progression system feeds into the chaotic themes by letting players unlock new abilities faster when causing the most chaos possible. Every act just oozes violence, with anything from the movement to the free-roaming having just as much destructive potential as the actual combat, effortlessly immersing players in their role as a less-than-ordinary superhero.
10 Perfect Open-World Games That Never Stop Surprising You
Discover 10 open-world games that keep surprising players with immersive worlds and unpredictable gameplay
