Although it is more than ten years old, Skyrim is still cited as one of the best open world games of all time. But this recognition did not come from its stellar storytelling, as many players found the pacing a bit off, the main antagonist too average, and critics argued that an RPG of this scale should have far greater implications for player actions and character interactions in the world.
The longest open world games
Even the most demanding player will be confused by the scope of these games. These are the open world games that take the longest to beat.
The game's mediocre plot didn't do much to detract from its legacy, yet there are other open-world titles that do a much better job of telling a compelling story. Over the years, players have been gifted with heart-wrenching adventures across historical landscapes, sci-fi journeys that explored the deepest parts of the mind, and even games within The Elder Scrolls franchise to reach a higher level of narrative excellence.
Red Dead Redemption 2
An emotional journey through the wild west
Red Dead Redemption 2 is the gold standard for open-world storytelling, revered as one of the most emotionally wrenching and immersive video game experiences ever created. Its slow-paced story follows Arthur Morgan's moral unraveling within the crumbling Van der Linde gang, placing a strong emphasis on loyalty and tragedy as the story builds to an incredibly powerful climax that is hailed as a signature effort in the open-world genre.
Where Skyrim takes the player on a wider journey, RDR2 places a significantly higher narrative weight on the individual characters. Each mission feels purposeful rather than just filling in the gaps between locations, and what really elevates the story are the performances of the actors who really bring the characters and story to life in a way that no other open world game has ever experienced.
Ghost of Tsushima
To fully enter the spiritual realm
Ghost of Tsushima tells a deeply human story that keeps things anchored in an authentic Japanese setting that's as beautiful as the storytelling itself. Players follow Jin as he wrestles with his inner struggle for honor, forced to choose between tradition and his people in the midst of a brutal Mongol invasion, where many decisions will result in the sacrifice of either a part of himself or someone close to him.
8 games that let you go everywhere without limits
Exploration limitations are never fun. These games take this to heart and let you explore anywhere, anytime, any way you want.
Skyrim decides to scatter his narrative over a series of seemingly unrelated quests that connect at certain points, but Tshuhima manages to maintain a constant thread that connects each mission to the main story. And the story itself doesn't just play out in a select set of quests around the world, but in almost every action the player takes, where smaller side quests play a small role, and even the world itself seemingly plays a role in Jin's development into the character he becomes at the end of the game.
Death Stranding
Stuck in my own thoughts
Death Stranding takes a completely different approach to storytelling that sets it apart from almost every other game in the open world genre. Entering a haunted world, players must slowly make their way from place to place, dropping packs and learning more about the current state of humanity and the potential future that awaits them.
Where the game goes dark Skyrim is in how ambitious yet well-executed storytelling is. The story can be quite convoluted at times, but the acting, cinematic presentations, and creative world-building make every moment meaningful, meaning that the player's actions have far more meaning than a series of fragmented events.
Fallout: New Vegas
A Journey Amidst Conflict
Fallout: New Vegas is widely regarded as one of the best examples of true branching storytelling in an open world setting. Set in a morally gray wasteland, players find themselves caught between warfare and political unrest, with all the freedom they need to control the outcomes of individual characters and the ultimate fate of the world itself.
Compared to Skyrima more direct heroic path, New Vegas delivers a much more nuanced story that values ideologies and philosophical choices over spectacle. Players can side with evil or good, or even take a path that is completely unique to them, but no matter what choices they make, the conclusions will always feel cohesive, even if things veer far from the typical beaten path.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Finding meaning through others
The Witcher 3 takes the player on a journey into one of the most impressively designed open worlds, coupled with an equally impressive narrative. Geralt's quest for Ciri provides an emotional backbone that remains throughout the story, underpinning each quest with a sense of personal importance, but even when players embark on side quests, things always feel like they are there.
What does it set above Skyrim is its narrative focus that keeps the player on a constant path to a set goal, whether they're deep in the woods or exploring a bustling city. Each path leads to a new branch of the same story, and as players progress, so do the world and characters, making the game feel more like a living storybook than a linear narrative experience.
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
Actions always have consequences
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
10/10
- Released
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February 4, 2025
- ESRB
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Adults 17+ / Use of alcohol, blood and gore, sexual content, strong language, intense violence, partial nudity
- Developers
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Warhorse Studios
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 builds on its predecessor's dedication to realism and historical accuracy by elevating every minute of action and interaction to a new level of authenticity. The story is a grounded tale of revenge that follows the player on a journey through peasant towns and royal courts, each showing the harsh reality of real medieval life.
6 Best Open World Games With A Focus On Realism, Ranked
Not everything has to be real, but these fantastic open world games are ridiculously realistic.
Far from fantastical quest lines Skyrimit finds its strength in its humanity as the drama feels personal and the players' decisions carry weight as they feel close to reality. This focus allows the game to feel like a rebirth of the RPG genre, taking players on a journey that is an exploration of what it means to be human rather than an escape from the real world.
Cyberpunk 2077
What is real and what is manufactured
Cyberpunk 2077 has proven to be one of the most powerful open-world games ever made, with CD Projekt Red demonstrating that their talents extend far beyond the world of medieval fantasy. The Journey Through the Night City is both intimate and epic, exploring identity and freedom in a world dominated by corporations and technology.
The script does a lot of heavy lifting, especially between the characters, allowing the cutscenes and bits of dialogue to feel much more impressive than those in Skyrim. Also, NPC relationships play a much bigger role than in other open-world games, giving players more incentive to pay more attention to small interactions, as any fine detail can be important later.
The pinnacle of Fantasy Storytelling
Before Skyrim, Morrowind delivered one of the most complex and mysterious stories in RPG history. Set on the strange island of Vvardenfell, it tells a story of corruption and rebirth that intertwines with religion and politics, tying all the characters together in the same central plot. Each character has a story to tell, and there never seem to be any sections that don't have a purpose in the larger context of the story, which something with later entries often suffers from.
Where Skyrim Simplifying its narrative for accessibility, Morrowind embraced complexity by demanding a certain level of engagement and curiosity from the player. It never holds the player's hand, instead inviting them to discover the meaning of the world through exploration in a way that feels more natural and rewarding, tying the story directly to an organic sense of discovery.
Open world games that are still hard to come by
Despite the constant technological evolution of the gaming industry, these open-world games have remained virtually untouchable for years.
