For some, any game played after finishing Red Dead Redemption 2 is going to pale in comparison. The open world Rockstar crafted in that game is, without a doubt, among the most fully realized iterations of the concept ever created. Its scope and ambition are all but unrivaled, so to hold any other game to that standard might invite disappointment.
But if you approach most open-world games on their own merits, you quickly learn there are some hugely rewarding and enjoyable games out there. And while quite a few of them might fall short of scratching that “RDR2 itch” for some, that doesn’t mean they aren’t still fantastic games that deserve the hours spent. With most people having completed the single-player aspect of Red Dead Redemption 2 quite a while ago, it’s likely high time to sort out another world to explore.
Updated October 1st, 2020 by Zach Gass: RDR2 took what made the previous title great and expanded upon it in a style worthy of a true titan of western cinema. But supposing players are getting a case of cabin fever in their home where the buffalo roam after blowing away a number of desperados and riding off across the plains? What’s a cowpoke to do? Fortunately, the open-world genre is exponentially growing and there are more than a few places to explore. Cowboys or none, the sun doesn’t just set in the wild west.
15 15. Skyrim
Trade in those six-shooters for a sword and shield in quite possibly one of the most replayed games of all time. The best part about the beloved entry into the Elder Scrolls series is that there’s literally no wrong way to play it. Follow the story quest and become a standard-issue fantasy hero, or go completely rogue and throw caution to the wind in search of treasure, dragons, and maybe a little more than a fair share of trouble. Play by the rules or don’t, it’s all up to the player.
14 14. Borderlands Series
If shooting and looting are more preferred than hacking and slashing, the planet of Pandora has more than enough bullets and bucks to satisfy the greediest of gunslingers.
Fans of RDR2 will find more than just bandits out on the plains of this ravaged wasteland, that much is for certain. As far as the open-world aspect goes, there are few as quirky or as colorful as this one, giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “painted desert.”
13 13. Days Gone
Though not the most populated open-world, Days Gone certainly recreates the action-movie feel that RDR2 created when it was first released. Plus, how can riding a tricked-out motorcycle through the wilderness while being chased by zombies not be cool? Despite its reputation, it has its fanbase and its appeal. While It’s definitely not as filling as its cowboy counterpart, this title certainly isn’t without its thrills. Still, it’s no Undead Nightmare.
12 12. Far Cry 5
Although many hardcore gamers will be quick to include the whole series, it’s the fifth entry in this franchise that hits closer to RDR2’s territory. Taking place in the heartland of America instead of a tropical island, the Himalayas, or a trackless jungle, it’s a unique twist for the series to take.
There’s plenty of gunplay and wilderness areas to explore as the protagonist of a Montana town takes on a gang of religious cultists as they bring mayhem and destruction to the otherwise quaint and tranquil setting.
11 11. Ghost of Tsushima
One of the newest entries in the open-world genre, Ghost of Tsushima is practically the ultimate ninja experience to grace gaming consoles, but there’s certainly enough for RDR2 fans to enjoy. Since the Kurosawa films that inspired the game took more than a few notes from spaghetti westerns, there’s a certain familiar storytelling flavor that will strike a chord with certain players. Although cowboys and ninjas are far from the same breed, nobody should miss out on this title.
10 10. Saints Row Series
While it was hard not to specifically recommend Saints Row 2, the whole Saints Row series is bombastic, over-the-top, open-world madness at its most chaotic and fun. While everyone knows that the Saints Row series is a knock-off GTA clone, by the second game it found a very unique voice. A bit crass, to say the least, but a voice that worked really well at setting it apart from the games it pays homage to.
9 9. Shadows of Mordor Series
Once people got past the “pay to win” model that basically every online game is following now, what you actually have here is a Batman Arkham game series ripoff that somehow works just as well (if not better, because of the Nemesis system) as that series.
But it really is the Nemesis system they’ve implemented in this game that makes it shine. The world stays alive and active, so if you get killed by an Orc, it stays in that world and the next time it sees you it mocks you. Or if you take off a limb or stab them in the face and they survive, they very well could be hunting the map for revenge.
8 8. Assassin’s Creed Series
The Assassin’s Creed series, for all its missteps, is actually a great game series. But the last thing we have to do at this point is explain the Assassin’s Creed series to anyone. The games themselves are pretty fun with lots to explore and do (though the number of bugs in each title could give Bethesda a run for its money).
7 7. Mad Max
This is probably one of the most recent generations’ most underappreciated games. Mad Max may look cliche, but who wouldn’t have a ton of fun driving around Mad Max’s universe, using the frankly sick harpoon gun to tear other cars apart while electrical storms rage around you? While not licensed to recreate the likenesses the actors or anything, it still does a stellar job at making you believe you are in that world.
6 6. Sleeping Dogs
Granted, we’re taking it back a gaming generation right now, but Sleeping Dogs beat Watch Dogs in getting on this list for one, simple reason — Sleeping Dogs is way more fun.
Think GTA with Batman’s combat and in a Yakuza setting. Somehow it merges all those gameplay elements quite well and doesn’t suck or come across as trying too hard in the process. By no means the biggest or deepest game on the list, Sleeping Dogs is still a must-play for any fans of the worlds Rockstar creates.
5 5. Breath of the Wild
Maybe the only game on the list (besides entry number one further down) that can really rival Red Dead Redemption 2 in terms of scope and detail, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is about as close to a perfect game as games can get. So good, in fact, that there are people who bought a Switch just to play this game, and have no regrets whatsoever.
Honestly, non-Switch owners have been jealous up to Red Dead’s release, but they aren’t anymore. The games are actually oddly similar (crafting, cooking, camp, horses), and if you have yet to play BOTW, now you have no excuse.
4 4. Just Cause Games
There really are only slight differences between 2, 3, and 4. Outside of adding balloons and weather effects, Just Cause 4 doesn’t feel any different than JC3, which is far from an insult. Just Cause 3 is the open-world game equivalent of anarchy.
While not having strong missions (or story at all, really), the fun of the Just Cause series is to step into it and “Just Cause” chaos. It is like the old Red Faction games, only way more fun and rewarding.
3 3. Spider-Man
This one held rank until RDR2 dropped, and for good reason. Spider-Man for PS4 is kind of a perfect game. The sense of speed and power you get from being Spider-Man is kind of unrivaled in gaming up to now, and the way New York is realized in the game is just breathtaking. Outside of those factors, the story is fantastic with lots of twists and turns you won’t see coming, and it might be one of the best interpretations (on all fronts) we have seen yet of the wall-crawler — until the PS5 arrives, anyway.
2 2. Yakuza Series
Yakuza might just be the most fun open-world game series out there, with Yakuza 0 being one that shines particularly bright for the series. Yakuza is exactly what it sounds like. An open-world game about, well, being a Yakuza. But this Sega game sets itself apart from all the games on this list by being whimsical, deliberately corny at times, and earnestly, genuinely funny when it wants to be.
Just the mini-games alone are better than some whole games. When in one minute you are in a brutal fight scene with six dudes, then in the next you are at a karaoke bar singing K-Pop and doing your best not to miss a note, you know you are playing something special.
1 1. Horizon Zero Dawn
This is the game that, it’s safe to say, pleasantly shocked the largest number of people in the last few years. A new I.P. that merges concepts of technology with old-world values and aesthetics, Horizon Zero Dawn is about as finely tuned a game and as fully realized an open world as any we have seen in gaming up to this point.
Many people consider Aloy to be one of the best original characters in the last five or so years of gaming, and it’s difficult to argue. Her character arc is amazing to be a part of. Hers is a complex tale woven over a long period that somehow combines the ideals of Vikings with a world where corrupted tech has given birth to a breed of new (animalistic) robots that are taking over the world, and you’re tasked with finding out why and stopping it.
Honestly, this game has the best bow mechanics we have ever played in a game, and that includes Red Dead 2, so if you have yet to pick up Horizon Zero Dawn and you just beat RDR2, you know where to go next.
