Over the last decade, open-world games have become so ubiquitous that they seem almost passé, and new releases have to push further than ever to make their mark. Otherwise, in 2035, they might find themselves in retrospective discussions of fantastic games forgotten by time and players. Let's take a look at a few open world titles that suffered this fate through no fault of their own.
Naturally, most releases can't stay relevant forever, especially if they aren't part of a franchise that's forever churning out sequels or reach a level of recognition that cements their place in gaming lore. As in most industries or walks of life, you have to be incredibly special to be a footnote in history, let alone a major player. These open world games are great and deserve to be talked about more.
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Driver: San Francisco
One of the most ridiculous yet brilliant mechanics in the open world genre
Remember the days when triple-A open-world games swung for the fences with some truly absurd mechanics? I miss those days.
Driver: San Francisco basically allows you to own any controller. Set in the present day, this open-world driving game has a supernatural twist, putting the player in the role of what is essentially a living ghost with the telepathic ability to jump from body to body. Everything builds around this idea, with players encouraged to creatively use this mechanic to complete missions or races. Ubisoft has kind of revived this concept Watch Dogs: Legionbut San Francisco's version provides a much more fun gameplay loop by focusing on vehicles rather than people. Just an all-around silly game that works surprisingly well.
As will become a trend in this article, Driver: San Francisco cannot be purchased from digital stores due to licensing issues, meaning you must track down a physical copy to play this copy. If you happen to come across a PS3 or Xbox 360 version, I really recommend picking it up. The game is also backwards compatible with Xbox One and Series X/S.
5 epic open world games that let you Rage Against The Machine
As Facebook makes headlines for censorship, these open-world games set in corporate hell seem a little more real. Well, let's tear them down.
Escape
The truest open world game of the early 2000s
Escape
- Released
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December 11, 2002
- ESRB
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M For Adults 17+ // Blood, drug references, strong language, strong sexual content, violence
Admittedly, this is personal and driven by my gaming memories Escape with my dad in the early 2000s. That said, to say this selection is purely driven by nostalgia would be a disservice to Team Soho's underrated PS2 masterpiece, which was the most impressive open-world game of its generation.
While GTA let you into the sandbox and let you run wild Escape casts you in a crime drama and tells you to play the role properly. You carefully drive through a faithful recreation of London, keeping an eye on your turn signals and blinkers to make sure you're staying within the law. Without a HUD to undermine realism, Escape sticks to his vision from start to finish and succeeds in almost everything.
continuation, Black Mondayit's overly hated, but it doesn't really come close to capturing the magic of the original. Still, if you really love Escapedon't skip the sequel. You should just ignore it Gangs of Londonalthough.
Godfather
2006 was a strangely wonderful year for cinematic crime games
The Godfather: The Game
- Released
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March 21, 2006
- ESRB
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M For Adults 17+ // Blood and gore, Intense violence, Strong language, Subtextual themes
- Developers
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EA Redwood Shores, Headgate Studios, Page 44 Studios
Yeah, I'm in the mood to talk about the old open world crime games that are hard to find and play these days. In 2006, we saw bizarre video game adaptations Godfather and Scarwhich both went the open world route. Even more strangely, they're both pretty darn great if you go into it with realistic expectations. Scarface: The World is Yours it lets you indulge your most violent impulses and is definitely worth playing if you want to let off some steam and go wild. However, Godfather is better overall, along with simply being one of the best crime games of all time, even a contender Mafia.
Although it doesn't bring too much new to the table, Godfather delivers a slick and addictive romp that tells a great story that reinterprets the original film's plot from a new character's point of view. Despite taking its story very seriously, the game pretty much allows players to do whatever they want in the world and exercise their power by indulging in a bit of murder and blackmail. Even the combat system was pretty fresh for the time, as players needed to manually control their attacks.
Naturally, Godfather it's now taken down, but you can probably find a copy of the PS3 or Xbox 360 version out in the wild.
Pistol
Before Red Dead Redemption, There Was Gun
Pistol
- Released
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November 8, 2005
- ESRB
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M For Adults 17+ due to blood and gore, intense violence, sexual themes, strong language, use of alcohol
Discussion of open world westerns usually begins and ends Red Dead Redemptionbut Rockstar wasn't the first developer to go this route either. Neversoft surpassed them by 5 years and released Pistol to a mostly positive reception. Telling a classic tale of revenge, this forgotten gem brings the magic of spaghetti westerns to video game form. At the time, open-world games were almost exclusively set in modern urban environments and PistolThe arrival and success showed that the genre could and should experiment with more unique settings. Neversoft took a big gamble that paid off, at least in terms of producing a quality game.
For its era, PistolThe map was quite impressive as it contains two centers that were very different from each other. The side content was pretty good too, including things like bounty hunting and poker. Mechanically, Neversoft's efforts can't be faulted, because the decent shooting was enhanced by the express system and brutal close combat.
Honestly, if you're looking for something to play after the first one Red Dead Redemption, Pistol may actually be a better alternative than RDR2 thanks to its arcade gameplay.
7 Underrated Open World Games That Are Better Than You Remember
Not every open world game can be The Witcher 3, but these critical flops are far better than their reputation and your memories.
Naruto: The Broken Bond
Back then, Ubisoft made two Naruto games
I don't think I can say this for any other IP, but I wish Ubisoft would stick around Naruto license for several more years. Rise of the Ninja and The Broken Bond they've aged better than almost every other anime-licensed game from the 2000s, and they feel like true triple-A projects rather than budget releases that rely on the franchise's universal appeal. Rise of the Ninja he also doesn't get the love he deserves but The Broken Bond improves on its predecessor in almost every way, including its incredible revival of Hidden Leaf Village.
Unlike most anime games that feature a hub world and call it a day, The Broken Bond frames its mechanics around traversal within its environment, requiring players to use character skills to reach specific locations or solve puzzles. Basically, the world is not just dressing up, but a proper, fully developed part of the experience. The combat may not have the depth of some other releases, but it's also well above average.
The best open world games for casual gamers, ranked
Not every open world game needs to be intense and complex. These titles are perfect for casual gamers who just want to relax.
