Most Overhated Open-World Games

For those who are not yet aware, “rage bait” is officially the word of the year 2025, so it’s not surprising that online hate levels are what they are today. This is true for gaming, as more and more games become targets for massive hate online or even boycott movements for various reasons — in many cases, even prior to a game’s release. While it’s not always unjustified, the modern audience tends to quickly come up with labels such as “masterpiece” or “trash,” and it can be literally impossible to turn the tide of negative perception once it has been established.

There are many reasons for a game to get a reputation of not being worth spending one’s time on, be it plenty of technical problems due to a rushed launch, overpricing, shallow depth, or lack of clear direction, some controversial decisions by its creators, etc. Here’s a look at exactly these kinds of open-world games that have never managed to fully overcome their infamous reputation despite their unique advantages.

The games below are by no means perfect, and might not be worth their full price even with most of their launch problems solved through updates by now. We try to highlight their positives that tend to be overlooked, looking at their current states, as well as taking into account the big discounts at which players can get them.

Honorable mentions:

• Mafia 3
• Mass Effect: Andromeda
• Star Wars Outlaws
• Monster Hunter Wilds

MindsEye

More Like Modern-Set Mafia Than GTA

Let’s get this out of the way first, shall we? Even today, MindsEye is largely known as “the worst game of the year,” which is pretty far from the truth. True, MindsEye is no GTA killer, and this positioning (coupled with a lack of polish at launch) probably hurt the game the most. Interestingly, the devs never promised anything like that — such comparisons were only driven by studio founder Leslie Benzies’ history as a key producer on GTA 5. With the game’s marketing built around a big modern city, explosive shooting, and driving, it was easy to set the wrong expectations for the title.

Instead, players got a distinct linear narrative (with solid cutscenes) set in an almost entirely empty city — much closer to the Mafia games’ formula. When approaching MindsEye with this in mind, it can be a fun 12-hour experience. Even with its messy story, uninteresting characters, and basic mission design, where most of the time players simply go from point A to point B to shoot some stuff, MindsEye’s core mechanics are all satisfying, which is arguably what matters most.

The driving is great overall, capable of outshining even some modern racing titles; its flying is simple yet exciting (and is something that even Cyberpunk 2077 failed to deliver), capable of generating some moments of sheer awe when cruising around the tallest buildings. There’s also some original toying with FPV drone abilities to elevate otherwise basic combat, resulting in fun moment-to-moment shooting gameplay. With numerous updates released and most technical hiccups out of the way, for half (or lower) of its launch price, MindsEye is a perfectly decent and competent game that isn’t nearly as bad as many still believe.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Tasked to Single-Handedly Save the Company

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is definitely in a league above most other games listed here, launched in an almost flawless technical state and boasting favorable critic scores across the board. Even with all that, AC Shadows is also a glaring example of an ill reputation that still prevents many from enjoying the game and appreciating it for what it is. The entire series has long been criticized for moving away from its core roots, and Assassin’s Creed Shadows is no exception, with a narrative that fails to deliver satisfying moments for long-term fans. Not to mention that the game was released amid some of the toughest times for Ubisoft ever, when its reputation was at its lowest, following a streak of high-profile flops.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows was all but tasked to turn the tide, and it was an uphill battle from the get-go, with increased attention toward even the smallest issues. The Yasuke controversy aside, it seemed that the entire gaming community was hostile toward anything Ubisoft at that point, and even the long-awaited Feudal Japan setting couldn’t compensate, as many other open-world games with a similar appeal had been released earlier and beaten AC Shadows to it.

Distancing from all the noise surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows at the time of its release, what we get is one of the most beautiful games of this generation so far, with a stunningly beautiful world complete with dynamic seasons (which should become a new standard), and two distinct characters that are equally fun to play and embody completely different playstyles. AC Shadows’ stealth is the series’s best for almost a decade, while its combat is approachable, fun, and satisfying. It’s especially puzzling to see how wildly player perception ranges for Ghost of Yotei and AC Shadows, with both games delivering on what they set out to do in their own way.

Need for Speed Unbound

Most Fun NFS in Years, with Disappointing Live-Service Support

Need for Speed Unbound was the first to fully embrace the ever-evolving nature of a live-service project, releasing new content updates on a regular basis and prioritizing its Lakeshore Online mode. NFS Unbound came after several not-so-great Need for Speed titles in a row, tasked with an impossible quest to win back its fans and bring newcomers on board. Needless to say, the game was hardly a success, essentially contributing to the series reportedly being put on hold for the time being.

To this day, it’s not exactly clear what went wrong and why Need for Speed Unbound’s reputation is so bad. On paper, the game has it all: finally, a good and satisfying driving model to make racing actually fun; near-flawless technical execution; an enhanced gameplay loop built upon Heat’s signature day-night cycle; intense police chases (although too persistent and eventually frustrating); and more flexible-than-ever car and character customization options. The game’s bold and unique anime-infused visual style that instantly set it apart proved largely divisive, though, with many fans preferring the realistic grittiness of previous entries like NFS Heat, and so was its diverse soundtrack, but it’s just a matter of personal taste.

While the game received generally favorable critic scores notably higher than any of the past few titles, it was seemingly not enough to convince arcade racer fans to get it, perhaps due to a too-steep launch price and some balance issues in multiplayer. The post-launch support wasn’t great either, as new seasons generally brought too few meaningful changes to keep racers engaged for long. Even with some really surprising new additions, including rideable bikes for the first time in the Need for Speed franchise, it was apparent that Unbound was struggling to move forward, and the game never managed to reverse its perception despite massive discounts.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

A Bold Story Direction That No One Asked For

From the gameplay reveal, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League seemed like a disaster. Many Rocksteady fans were instantly turned off by the game’s arcadey gameplay, seemingly shallow live-service elements akin to recent Marvel’s Avengers, and a total absence of everything that made the Batman: Arkham games so immersive and beloved. Looking ahead, the game never managed to wash off this lackluster first impression, and even a swift delay to address at least some fan backlash wasn’t enough.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was expectedly launched to disappointing critic and player reception, boasting some of the lowest scores for a triple-A title in years. Technical issues aside, Kill the Justice League was a directional misstep, largely criticized for its unsatisfying story beats, where a group of antiheroes — surprise, surprise — kill fan-favorite characters like Batman, Flash, and Superman. What’s more, for its asking price, there was a notable lack of content to keep players engaged, a common issue for live-service games from inexperienced studios (see Marvel’s Avengers and Anthem).

With so many apparent problems, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League could be a tough game to recommend, but today it isn’t as bad as many believe. Given the game’s robust combat system, combining exciting traversal with explosive, fast-paced action, its short but intense story campaign can be a fun ride, especially if players choose the right hero for the job and bring friends. Moreover, the game’s most controversial story decisions were expectedly retconned in the latest content updates that also bring new playable characters to the roster and even more exotic loot to hunt for. As more patches have been released to fix the issues, coupled with regular massive discounts, Suicide Squad is an easy game to finally try out, and who knows, players might just enjoy it for what it is while it’s still here.

Forspoken

Overhyped and Underdelivered

Forspoken is a prime example of a game falling victim to its own hype and false expectations. One of the first open-world games to launch as a next-gen-only title, with a premium $70 price tag for the standard edition, Forspoken was also positioned as one of the most beautiful games players had ever seen. Needless to say, the game largely failed to deliver on that promise, and while its visuals (especially effect-heavy magic abilities) are definitely strong, it was an uneven experience with a clear lack of creative direction and experience from the studio.

With its overall unremarkable story, Marvel-style writing that became a subject for memes, and a painfully standard approach to open-world design, with points of interest scattered across a vast map, Forspoken just couldn’t justify its price and offer enough hooks to stand out from the crowd. That doesn’t mean there weren’t any, though. The game’s magical combat was colorful, spectacular, and effective, if a bit overloaded with spells and abilities, while its refreshing approach to traversal through the “magical parkour” system makes exploring Athia much more convenient and fun. If only the world itself and the story were as fleshed out as Forspoken’s core gameplay.

Nevertheless, with some updates, fixes, and even DLC, as well as constant discounts of up to 70% off, today, Forspoken may well deserve the time and money of open-world enthusiasts who crave a journey into a fresh setting with a unique approach to movement and combat.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Ghost Recon Breakpoint has come a long way since its launch in 2019, becoming a prime example of a redemption arc and almost breaking away from its notorious reputation. Back then, the game was quite literally a hot mess, marking a new low for Ubisoft open-world titles in terms of scores and reception — and undoubtedly justified, given how broken it shipped. What’s more, the decision to make a looter shooter out of a Ghost Recon game proved extremely divisive, with the core fanbase turning their backs on it entirely. While Ubisoft never gave up on Breakpoint after its disappointing launch, it has always been a turbulent journey, to say the least.

While a stream of updates, fixes, and content drops has been quite admirable in the months and years since, highlighting the development team’s dedication to the project and fan feedback, Ghost Recon Breakpoint also became a testing ground for some really controversial gaming trends, including the brief but worrying NFT shift among big companies. In trying to reverse the game’s already hampered reputation, Ubisoft seemingly took one step forward and two steps back, constantly alienating the players who were slowly becoming more favorable toward the improving project.

Nevertheless, some major improvements have been made to salvage Ghost Recon Breakpoint’s enormous potential, including the classic mode without any gear levelling or rarity, which many fans were happy to get. Year after year, Ghost Recon Breakpoint has neared its initial promise of becoming the most flexible and generous tactical open-world shooter with robust options for solo or co-op play, while massive discounts and sizable expansions have made the title even more appealing. There’s simply nothing quite like Breakpoint today — an ultimate playground for methodical map clearing that can be as hardcore as players want it to be.