22 Best Open World Games For PC You Can Play (2020)

Among all gaming genres, open world experiences consistently capture my deepest admiration. These virtual realms span from meticulously crafted galaxies to desolate post-apocalyptic landscapes, each offering unique adventures waiting to be discovered. The current gaming landscape presents exceptional opportunities for newcomers to explore these expansive digital universes. After extensive hands-on experience with numerous open world titles, I’ve compiled this essential guide to the most outstanding games worth your attention.

What distinguishes exceptional open world games is their ability to balance freedom with purpose. The best titles provide vast spaces to explore while ensuring every location serves meaningful gameplay or narrative value. Understanding this balance will help you appreciate why these particular games stand out from the crowded field of open world offerings.

Many gaming enthusiasts regard Red Dead Redemption 2 as the definitive benchmark for open world excellence, and I wholeheartedly endorse this perspective. The narrative centers on Arthur Morgan, an outlaw navigating the declining days of the American frontier in 1899. As a key member of the Van der Linde gang, you participate in a desperate escape from “Blackwater” following a disastrous robbery attempt. This initial setback launches an emotionally complex story spanning dozens of hours of compelling gameplay.

Rockstar Games has crafted one of their most vibrant virtual environments in Red Dead Redemption 2, perfectly capturing the atmosphere of the Wild West era. The game’s enormous map overflows with intricate details and meaningful environmental interactions that reward thorough exploration. For dedicated open world enthusiasts, this title provides an unmatched level of immersion. If you seek a gaming experience where you can simply exist within a living, breathing world, this represents the pinnacle of that concept.

Pro Tip: Master the hunting and crafting systems early – they provide essential upgrades and valuable income sources. Avoid rushing through main story missions; instead, dedicate time to random encounters and side activities that significantly enhance character development and world immersion.

While perhaps not the single most famous game ever created, Minecraft certainly ranks among the most universally recognized titles in gaming history. Featuring a distinctive block-based visual style, Minecraft presents an open world containing virtually limitless possibilities within its generated landscapes. The game unlocks creative potential in ways few other experiences can match. What makes Minecraft particularly remarkable is its elegant simplicity combined with deeply engaging gameplay mechanics.

The core appeal of Minecraft lies in its complete absence of prescribed objectives. Upon entering the world, players enjoy absolute freedom to construct anything imaginable using the game’s comprehensive building systems. However, newcomers should prepare for nocturnal dangers including explosive Creepers, skeletal archers, and the legendary Ender Dragon. The game’s open-ended nature is so comprehensive that players frequently debate whether “completing” Minecraft in any traditional sense is necessary or even possible.

Advanced Strategy: Establish a secure base near valuable resources but avoid building directly over cave systems. Create automated farms early to ensure sustainable food and material supplies. For combat efficiency, master the critical hit timing mechanic and always carry a water bucket for emergency mobility and environmental manipulation.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt stands as one of the most acclaimed open-world RPGs of its generation, achieving significant cultural impact beyond gaming circles. Based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s literary universe, this title has become essential playing for any serious gamer. While its open world may not emphasize environmental interaction to the same degree as some competitors, it delivers a beautifully realized and thematically consistent fantasy realm.

The narrative unfolds following the events of the previous installment, during a period of intense conflict between two warring nations. Players control Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster hunter navigating political intrigue and supernatural threats. Your primary objective involves locating your protege Ciri while preventing the spectral Wild Hunt from unleashing catastrophic destruction across the Continent.

Quest Optimization: Complete side quests before advancing main storylines in each region – they often provide essential level-appropriate gear and experience. Master the dodge and counterattack mechanics rather than relying solely on standard attacks. Prepare specifically for each monster encounter by studying bestiary entries and crafting appropriate oils, potions, and bombs.

As Rockstar Games’ flagship franchise, the Grand Theft Auto series has earned widespread recognition for its compelling narratives and richly interactive open-world environments. Grand Theft Auto V represents the series’ crowning achievement, featuring an innovative triple-protagonist structure that weaves together three distinct criminal narratives across Los Santos.

Players can invest countless hours exploring the game world without engaging in structured missions, thanks to the remarkable depth of environmental interactions and emergent gameplay possibilities. The addition of Grand Theft Auto Online creates an endlessly engaging multiplayer experience that continues to evolve years after release. With Grand Theft Auto VI still in development, now represents an ideal opportunity to revisit this masterpiece or experience it for the first time.

Los Santos Mastery: Rotate between characters frequently to access unique side activities and special abilities. Invest in property early to establish passive income streams. For online play, focus on heist preparation missions with a dedicated team rather than random matchmaking for more efficient progression. Our Class Guide discusses similar team composition strategies that apply to coordinated multiplayer activities.

The Elder Scrolls franchise has maintained dominance in the RPG genre for decades, deservedly praised for its masterful integration of narrative, character development, and gameplay systems. Skyrim represents a refinement of the series’ formula, streamlining certain mechanics while expanding world-building and player agency. Unlike previous entries, Skyrim eliminates mechanics like acrobatics skill-based movement in favor of more grounded exploration and combat.

Skyrim’s enduring appeal stems from its unparalleled freedom of approach and deeply customizable character progression. The game world reacts meaningfully to player choices, creating a personalized adventure for each playthrough. The vibrant modding community continues to expand and enhance the experience years after release, adding everything from visual improvements to entirely new story content.

Character Building: Specialize in complementary skill combinations rather than spreading points too thinly. Complete faction questlines early for unique rewards and training opportunities. Utilize crafting skills (smithing, enchanting, alchemy) in combination to create exponentially more powerful equipment. For comprehensive progression systems similar to Skyrim’s depth, check our Weapons Unlock guide that details advanced equipment strategies.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain redefines stealth-action gameplay within an open world framework, offering unprecedented freedom in mission approach and execution. The game’s sprawling environments across Afghanistan and Africa serve as elaborate playgrounds for tactical experimentation, where every guard patrol, security camera, and weapon emplacement can be manipulated to your advantage.

The innovative Mother Base management system adds strategic depth beyond core stealth gameplay, allowing players to develop their private military organization through resource gathering, personnel recruitment, and research development. This meta-game directly influences your capabilities in the field, creating a compelling progression loop that rewards both careful planning and improvisational brilliance.

Stealth Mastery: Use daytime missions for long-range sniping approaches and nighttime operations for close-quarters infiltration. Prioritize Fulton extraction of skilled soldiers over lethal eliminations to strengthen your base capabilities. Experiment with diversion tactics like magazine throws and cassette player distractions to create optimal infiltration routes.

Forza Horizon 5 elevates open world racing to spectacular new heights, transforming Mexico into a vibrant automotive playground spanning deserts, jungles, cities, and ancient ruins. The game celebrates automotive culture while providing unparalleled freedom in how players engage with its diverse landscapes and racing disciplines.

The seasonal event system ensures continuous content refreshment, with changing weather conditions and new challenges that transform the environment quarterly. From intense road racing to chaotic playground games, Forza Horizon 5 accommodates every racing preference while encouraging experimentation across its extensive vehicle roster and customization options.

Racing Excellence: Tune vehicles specifically for different terrain types rather than using universal setups. Complete seasonal championships early each week for exclusive rewards. Master the rewind feature to perfect difficult sections without restarting entire events. For competitive multiplayer strategies similar to racing line optimization, our Complete Guide covers advanced tactical positioning concepts.

Batman: Arkham Knight delivers the definitive Dark Knight experience, combining free-flow combat, investigative detective work, and seamless vehicular navigation across a rain-swept Gotham City. The game represents the culmination of Rocksteady’s trilogy, refining every aspect of the superhero fantasy into a cohesive open world adventure.

The Batmobile integration transforms traversal and combat, adding tactical depth to both predator encounters and direct confrontations. Gotham’s districts each present distinct architectural styles and criminal ecosystems, encouraging varied approaches to crime-fighting and exploration. The Riddler’s elaborate challenges test both puzzle-solving skills and mastery of Batman’s complete moveset.

Crime-Fighting Strategy:

Chain combat variations (strikes, counters, gadgets) to maintain high experience multipliers. Use environmental takedowns in predator sequences to eliminate armed enemies efficiently. Master the Batmobile’s battle mode transitions for fluid movement between traversal and combat scenarios.

Watch Dogs 2 revitalizes the tech-thriller concept with a brighter, more optimistic tone and significantly expanded hacking mechanics. Set in a vibrant recreation of the San Francisco Bay Area, the game empowers players to manipulate the city’s interconnected infrastructure through their smartphone, creating emergent gameplay possibilities unavailable in traditional open world titles.

The hacking systems allow creative problem-solving approaches to missions, whether through direct confrontation, stealthy infiltration, or remote manipulation of enemies and environments. The diverse mission design encourages experimentation with different playstyles, rewarding players who master the full spectrum of hacking tools and combat options.

Hacking Expertise: Use camera hopping to scout locations thoroughly before entering. Combine environmental hacks (steam pipes, electronics) with direct distractions for optimal stealth approaches. Research and unlock the quadcopter early for superior reconnaissance capabilities in complex missions.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War expands upon its predecessor’s foundation with the enhanced Nemesis System, creating dynamic enemy hierarchies that remember and react to player interactions. The sprawling realms of Mordor serve as brutal playgrounds for combat, conquest, and character-driven storytelling unique to each playthrough.

The fortress assault mechanics introduce large-scale strategic gameplay, allowing players to build their orc armies and conquer strongholds through careful preparation and tactical leadership. The loot and skill systems provide meaningful progression that complements the emergent narratives generated by the Nemesis System’s ever-evolving cast of uruk captains and warchiefs.

Domination Strategies: Recruit captains with complementary strengths to create balanced assault teams. Exploit enemy fears and weaknesses during fortress assaults for quicker victories. Use the market system judiciously to fill specific roster gaps rather than random recruitment.

Fallout: New Vegas represents the pinnacle of choice-driven RPG design within an open world framework, set in the desolate yet vibrant Mojave Wasteland. The game’s narrative complexity stems from its intricate faction system, where player decisions create lasting consequences across the political landscape of post-apocalyptic Nevada.

The survival elements and hardcore mode options provide additional layers of challenge for experienced players, emphasizing resource management and strategic planning in the hostile desert environment. The diverse weapon modifications and crafting systems allow extensive customization of gameplay approach, supporting everything from stealthy sniping to explosive-heavy combat styles.

Wasteland Survival: Align with factions based on your preferred ending rather than trying to please everyone. Stockpile weapon repair kits and maintain your best firearms in optimal condition. Invest in speech and barter skills early for more favorable outcomes in diplomatic encounters and economic transactions.

Mastering open world games requires understanding universal principles that apply across different titles and genres. Efficient exploration involves systematic area clearing rather than random wandering, ensuring you maximize content discovery while minimizing backtracking. Resource management becomes increasingly important in survival-focused titles, where careful planning often proves more valuable than reactive gameplay.

Progression optimization demands understanding each game’s specific systems – whether focusing on essential skills, strategic equipment upgrades, or economic investments that provide long-term benefits. The most successful open world players develop situational awareness that allows them to recognize emergent opportunities and potential threats within these expansive virtual landscapes.

Universal Tips: Create personal objectives beyond main story missions to enhance engagement. Use in-game maps and journals systematically to track progress and identify overlooked content. Balance structured gameplay with spontaneous exploration to maintain freshness throughout extended play sessions.

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