Steam has long since become almost synonymous with PC gaming. Many gamers ignore games available elsewhere (like Uplay or the Epic Games Store) if they can't be purchased through Steam. Because of this loyalty to Valve's platform, Steam user ratings are now one of the most important factors for many PC gamers. Steam scores are not always completely accurate, especially over time. Review bombings happen for a variety of reasons, and some reviews are just jokes. Still, they allow players to quickly get a sense of the general consensus, while others highlight highs and lows, technical issues, and more.
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Gamers of all stripes will be delighted by the depth of character development and gear in this massive open-world action RPG.
Of course, as a matter of personal taste, it's rarely wise to rely solely on average scores from thousands of players. Everyone has different preferences, and one person's fault may be another's favorite feature. Sometimes a game's rating slowly improves after a rough launch marked by various issues. This is why some truly amazing games can still go underappreciated and have lower user ratings than they deserve. Today, we're taking a look at some great open-world games on Steam that might be a lot better for some players than their “Mostly Positive” scores suggest.
Steam user reviews for the following are English only as of February 2026. “Mostly positive” is equivalent 70%-79% positive user reviews.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breaking Point
Steam rating: 72% positive
Ghost Recon Breaking Point is the lowest-rated open-world game on this list, and while it's easy to see where the game faltered, it failed to match up in some areas Wildlands (currently Very Positive on Steam), as well as its diverse world, there is no other game as flexible and massive as The breaking point today. It's a true paradise for open world fans who appreciate realistic and tactical gun combat with plenty of options and a truly expansive playing field.
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Ghost Recon Breaking Point has come a long way, introducing changes based on fan feedback and going so far as to offer two distinct game modes: one for looter-shooter fans and a more traditional one Ghost Recon experience. Today, it's an incredibly flexible title that every player can tweak to their preferences, from the shooting mechanics to the difficulty and survival elements. The breaking point The colossal map offers over a hundred hours of gameplay to clear, allowing for leisurely or intense gaming sessions completely solo, with AI bots, or with up to three players in a team. Just don't come here expecting a strong story and narrative.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl
Steam Rating: 77% Positive
STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl the rating is likely to go higher over time, as most of the game's negative reviews stem from the game's somewhat problematic launch, marked by technical issues and poor implementation of enemy AI respawns, which was a far cry from the lofty expectations of the A-Life system from the originals. Several major fixes later, STALKER 2 is in a much more satisfactory condition. More importantly, at its core, it is a unique open-world shooter with engaging gameplay and a perfect atmosphere and feel of the zone, in almost every aspect, true to the legacy of the legendary series.
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When everything works as intended, exploring and surviving the zone can be a real blast with constant danger, unexpected discoveries, interesting quests and lively characters. With UE5 support, the visuals are stunning STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl one of the best-looking open-world games of this generation, giving the zone a strange, unmistakable rusty post-apocalypse feel. It's a world that many players would struggle to let go of even after a hundred hours, continuing to search for every artifact and best gear hidden in abandoned caches.
Outward Definitive Edition
Steam rating: 73% positive
For an open world as special as Externalthe game ranks Steam players surprisingly modestly. It's not just another open-world RPG, but an immersive survival experience embodying the rare principle that each playthrough is completely unique, complete with dynamic defeat scenarios, External is a very deep world of Aurai, full of its own rules, making it so interesting to explore and get to know. Everything in it is dangerous Externalnot just lurking predators, but also dangerous environments, diseases and neglected essentials, while constant auto-save prevents players from avoiding mistakes and forces them to accept and live with every decision, good or bad.
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The game is naturally quite challenging, requiring hours of survival in harsh conditions to fully understand all of its mechanics, while the high entry threshold may explain its current rating, as some players would probably jump away expecting a more traditional open-world adventure. Although it's not everyone's cup of tea, External it just might be yours, especially with how flexible it is, suitable for solo adventurers or a co-op journey with friends, including local split-screen.
Arrange the covers in the correct US release order.
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Arrange the covers in the correct US release order.
Easy (5) Medium (7) Hard (10)
Assassin's Creed Shadows
Steam rating: 78% positive
Released during the most difficult times for Ubisoft ever, Assassin's Creed Shadows is a much better game than the vocal skeptics want it to be. Sure, it's not perfect, but which one Assassin's Creed game of the last decade was? It's important Alternating shadows it's gorgeous, gives its detailed and dynamic Japan a real next-gen feel, is technically flawless, and a lot of fun to play. The idea of two playable characters, the shinobi Naoe and the samurai Yasuke, with their different play styles, proved fruitful, resulting in equally exciting combat and stealth across a vast map that put those skills to the test.
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Alternating shadows it addresses several major issues from its predecessor, with its development feeling like a sandbox, as most of the time players are free to go anywhere and kill their targets in the open world as they see fit. On the other hand, it somewhat detracted from the game's central narrative, which isn't the strongest in the series. Still, it's easy to enjoy Assassin's Creed Shadows for what it is – even if there's always someone to tell you you're wrong to like it.
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Steam rating: 73% positive
Mass Effect: Andromeda he had some really big shoes to fill coming in after the masterpiece that is the original Shepard trilogy. Needless to say, Andromeda failed to match the narrative heights and epic stakes of its predecessors, not to mention coming off as unpolished. However, after the dust settles, if judged on its own terms, as an exciting open-world adventure led by new blood, Mass Effect: Andromeda he deserves a better reputation than his current one. Fortunately, the game has already been re-evaluated by players who have revisited it years later.
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Many will find here a vast new galaxy with diverse worlds to explore; relatable, mostly green characters who are fun to spend time with; exciting combat (easily the best in the series) and plenty of other strengths including visuals, sounds and music. Mass Effect: Andromeda it feels both fresh and familiar as it revisits all the signature elements of the original games, like a drivable rover, with a twist of its own. If only a lot Andromeda the side quests were more memorable rather than often feeling like filler between epic main missions.
Tom Clancy's The Division 2
Steam rating: 79% positive
If there's an open-world game that's squarely in Steam's universally positive camp, this is it Division 2 — and it looks like he already has one foot in there. after many years Division 2 is still one of the best open-world looter shooters out there, offering an exciting story mode perfectly suited for solo players (if they're up for tough endgame challenges) and a wide variety of co-op PvE and PvP game modes. There is so much content and so many reasons to play Division 2 that players can easily expect hundreds of hours of gameplay, launching the game for the first time today.
Division 2 the core gameplay loop and everything around the combat and equipment is simply top notch, but what's particularly surprising is that for a live-action game, it's spectacularly convincing in its world-building, where every location, building, room, or lab hides its own story. The world is rich, with many factions and expeditions to the far corners of the post-pandemic US outside of Washington DC, while creative missions and scenarios Division 2 something more than just another passable open-world grindfest.
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