The Best Open World Games of This Gen!

There are no good open world games, but you can find the least crappiest one.

Red Dead Redemption for sure.

That's a laughably closed minded statement, Lulu.

@ SirWander

You essentially proved my point by nominating Grand Theft Horsy. Open World and fatally boring.

I didn't nominate it, I voted for it.

I'm not sure if you're aware, but Arkham Origins is considered an open world game. You're contradicting yourself by stating that "There are no good open world games," and lauding one as being good enough to be game of the year.

I think RDR looks amazing but once I finished the SP I never went back so have to go with Skyrim as I spent the most time on that game.

@ SirWander

I nominated it for being a good game, not for being a good Open World game. Big difference. Lets be honest, what did the massive city contribute the gameplay besides being big and pretty, Rock Star games the so called kings open world have the same problem.

It's a game that happens to be open world, you can't disassociate it. Fact of the matter is you think an open world game is good.

More opportunities to explore, and to play. It's content that is non-essential to the core experience, but it adds to it. That's always a positive as far as I'm concerned.

I thought the open enviroment was wasted actually its not a thought, the open world aspects were wasted, for me the Hilight of Batman games has always been the challenge modes.

Also Mass Effetc was a third person shooter with crappy RPG elements, me nominating it as a good game doesn't mean I think its a good RPG. You take the good with the bad but that don't make the bad good, ya know what I mean ?

"You take the good with the bad but that don't make the bad good, ya know what I mean ?"

I do, though that doesn't have much relevance to what is being discussed.

What you think was wasted in the game doesn't stop Arkham Origins from being an open world game. Disassociating it away from the elements you did not like won't change the games genre, Mass Effect is still an RPG with tacked on third person shooter elements.

@Lulu_Lulu: I actually understand what your saying. I do not know if you thought RDR was good at all though. In my opinion, that side stories really fit in to the narrative, and they were heavy and tragic.

@ cooolio

and Mechanically boring !

@ SirWander

I never said Origins was not an Open world game. I said it was not a Good open world game, but it was a good game none the less, the open world didn't add to that, it was just there, like a lost ugly puppy.

Also Open World is not a Genre, let me say that again just in case, Open World is not a genre, its a formula that is applied to other genres, most of which can't even take advantage of the formula.

Even though far cry 3 did not last the longest in terms of gameplay it had the best interactions with the environment around you

I thought you didn't play Arkham Origins? How can you speak to it's quality without playing it?

Lulu_Lulu,

That you didn't say, you just like to ignore that it is an essential part of the game.

I suppose you're right, it's not a genre. I was using the word a bit too liberally.

Skyrim followed by Assassin's Creed 2. Red Dead Redemption is a great game but the story drags midway through Mexico. It's like 'when the hell will John stop running errands and finally reunite with his family?' By the time I got through 3/4's of the game, I hated everything about Blackwater including the narcissistic technology driven antagonists but I guess that was the point.

@ SirWander

The open world was definately part of the game, but it wasn't essential, Batmans cape is his only feature that makes use of the open world, his other features were designed to be used in controlled limited enviroments, the open aspects were forced and don't allow Batman to use any of his features on a larger scale, it was essentially just clusters of linear sections woven together.

@ ZZoMBie13

Twas critisized for being more of the same, I'm basicly complaining about Arkham City and substituting The word City with the word Origins, lol you may have also noticed I havent said a word about the Plot. ;)

I'm slick like that.

GTA V

Problem was not that it was more of the same. More of Arkham City would have been quite welcome. Origins issues were that it felt like less of the same. Next to nothing new, and what was added did more to detract from the formula than to build on it, or even keep the status quo.

Origins was a good game. But a good game following 2 great games is always going to suffer for the comparison.

I'll put Asylum and City on any "10 Best of the Gen" list. Origins however, I wouldn't put in the top 30 games of the last 5 years.

Lulu_Lulu,

You didn't even play Arkham Origins? You do know that wasn't the only criticism levied against the game.

Considering the effort that went into constructing the open world aspects of the game, I think it is. It was an addition that expanded the gameplay, giving players more options and things to do.

Hmm, what are Mafia doing on the list and not GTA IV?

But the best in my books is GTA IV not V, V is 75% wasteland and a LA that doesn't really feel like a million pop city , not in the same scale Liberty city did.

Also some of those games on the list didn't really have a open world, they had one big area which i wouldn't really call open world. In fact the term is being highly misused.

I've only played about half of the nominees so I'm going with Skyrim which is easily one of my favorite games ever.

@ SirWander

and What are these "options and things to do" ? Riddler trophies ? Randomn Encounters ? Side Quests ? Gliding ?

@ ZZoMBiE13

You mean the multiplayer ? Well sure I guess.

Other than that Everybody else thinks it was Arkham City all over again.

Lulu_Lulu,

You just answered your own question. Or are you implying that the content included detracts from the quality of the overall product?

It didn't, just in case you were wondering.

@ SirWander

yeah sure it adds. But it doesn't improve or degrade the the rest of the game. GTA has a simular problem, the open world adds a fuckton of content but it definately doesn't improve the game.

Lulu_Lulu,

It may not improve the game, but it does give people incentive to keep playing. There some people that largely ignore the main campaign, opting to explore and play around in the open world provided. So to them, I suppose, it's an addition that improves it.

@ SirWander

Who are these people ?

Probably the same people that liked skyrim. Also those incentives are limited, the world becomes Baron and lifeless when they're all done, also If Arkham City has taught me anything its that they are also scripted can only be accessed after completing a certain main mission or getting a certain gadget.

also subjectively, anything can improve the game for some people. But we can't argue subjective stuff, I can't those things weren't fun, they were. But what does that do for it being open world

@Lulu_Lulu: Why are you going around "nominating" a game you haven't played for Game of the Year?

For my part, I picked Just Cause 2 off of the list, but I've still got to call Mercenaries 2 my favorite open world game of the gen.

Lulu_Lulu

People that enjoy open world games.

Open world, doesn't imply that players are given complete freedom over how the game unfolds. They seem limited, but they are welcome additions to the game. I suppose that does impede, but that is only to make players focus on the main campaign. Certain things can only be done with certain gadgets, but that just opens up more possibilities and it keeps the player from progressing beyond from where the story wants them.

But subjectivity is the only thing we can truly argue about. Facts cannot be argued but opinions can be. As an example: saying that people need oxygen isn't something you can attest to, but saying there are no good open world games can be. What it does is just let people play.

This.....

This is why people mistake open world so many times, open world means open world, it doesnt mean open half world with a traintrack story.

I think you're confusing open world with sandbox.

Not really, what many do tend to do like you did is confuse open world with a set area that is just bigger than normal.

Damn ! why in the hell Batman Arkham is not in the list ?! it's kinda ironic that I've created the topic :D

But seriously dunno why they haven't added the Arkham City ...

Seeing Skyrim at top makes me feel ...jealous !

@Lulu_Lulu What's your ideal open world game ?

Jacanuk,

Open world games can have restrictions placed on the player, either for narrative or gameplay purposes. The term is broadly used, and shouldn't conform to a set definition.

methinks someone is trying to be clever.

Where's New Vegas ?? It was better than Fallout 3 & Skyrim.

Yes i know that is what is accepted today.

But its still a misconception of the open world term in my book and the org. understanding.

Like with Arkham City, the area is simply too small and restrained to be a true open world game.

@ SirWander

@ Lulu_Lulu

Lol, I may have been descredited but I'm still not wrong. More of the same, remember ?

So long as I stick to game play then all critisism of of City can be recycled and applied to Origins. Just like Call Of Duty ! :D !

@ mjorh

God games, like Black and White or Simcity. It is still open world right ? Hehe !

In terms of how large a map could be,in my whole opinion,Skyrim works a bit fine(I rarely explore them now because of the damn bugs) To my taste in RDR, I can feel the old-fashioned heavy graphics in it. Exploring Panau in Just Cause 2 serves the best for me,even til today,I have more fun doing the "Spiderman" stunts just about everywhere I wanted.

There are some good games on that poll.

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Top 3 would have to be Just Cause 2, Sleeping dogs and Far Cry 3.

Closed world ! :D!

+

Seriously Just Cause 2 can't even come close to AC II !

@mjorh: You're right, Just Cause 2 is miles better than AC 2.

I enjoyed both games immensely but I think people give AC2 way too much praise.

@Lulu_Lulu: Except that it isn't. That's exactly why you are wrong, and will continue to be wrong until you do play it. If Arkham Origins HAD been a simple copy/paste job, it would have been an excellent sequel to an excellent game. Instead, it's a poorly implemented entry in an otherwise excellent series.

@ El_Zo1212o

I have no leg to stand but I'm definately not wrong.

Your opinion of the game contradicts that of the critics. So All I have to do is side with them untill I get around to playing Origins. ;) beautifull isn't it ?

@ mjorh

Well then in that case I have no ideal Open World game.