As much as I love RPGs like Skyrim and The Witcher 3, there is nothing quite like a fantastic action-adventure game. Rather than using brain power on minutia like stat progression, character builds, or skill loadouts, the goal is to simply exist within the world, and the fun is entirely reliant on exploration, storytelling, and combat. When done right, open-world action-adventure games can be truly incredible; however, they can also feel directionless, overly long, and undercooked.
With so many nearly-great titles out there, we really need to cherish the ones that do basically everything right, at least as far as can reasonably be expected of them. You know, games that have worlds that are the perfect size, stories that are the perfect length, and combat that has just the perfect level of depth. There aren’t many of these masterpieces, but a few exist.
Criteria For This Article
This is not a list covering the greatest open-world action-adventure games of all time, as that is not the goal here. Honestly, only one of the upcoming games would crack my top 5 (and it is the second one on the list).
These are games that don’t have any notable flaws that detract from the overall experience. They just do everything to a satisfactory level. When I say they are 10/10s, I mean that I wouldn’t knock any points away due to a failure in a specific area. For instance, two of my favorite open-world games of the last 5 years are Crimson Desert and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, but they both have the same issue that stops them from fitting this topic: Uneven stories.
Naturally, this is just based on my opinion, and everybody will have those games that just really land with them. I’ve played all these recently, so they are relatively fresh in my mind.
Finally, no open-world RPGs like Skyrim, The Witcher 3, Yakuza, Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, Nioh 3, etc. Not saying these aren’t 10/10 masterpieces, as most of them are, but I want to focus on action-adventure games rather than role-playing ones.
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Red Dead Redemption
Rockstar’s Tight 20-Hour Masterpiece
Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the greatest games of all time, but it is also 60 hours long and utilizes a control scheme that takes some getting used to (or is a barrier that some people don’t overcome). In comparison, John Marston’s adventure tells a fantastic story in 1/3rd the time, while featuring arcadey gameplay that has a pick-up-and-play quality absent from the sequel. I’m not saying Red Dead Redemption is necessarily superior, but rather that it is the more reliably fun.
Right from the very start, when Marston is forced to confront his former Van der Linde companion, Bill Williamson, the game doesn’t set a foot wrong, as it quickly establishes the outlaw’s motives, personality, position in the world, and morality. We quickly get a sense of who Marston is, who he views himself as, and who society wants him to be. This characterization drives the rest of the campaign, never deviating, even when Marston indulges in silly side quests like helping create a movie.
The gameplay isn’t out-of-this-world deep, but the shooting feels good, the horse riding is simple but enjoyable, and the fast-travel system lessens the repetition that would come from traveling across the same areas. When New Austin begins to overstay its welcome, the story sends us across the border to Nuevo Paraiso, starting a fresh chapter that lasts just long enough before sending us back and into a city that represents the sweeping change that is overcoming the nation.
Heck, even RDR‘s expansion, “Undead Nightmare,” is pretty close to being perfect, and it is a fan little swansong after completing the campaign.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
No Fluff, All Killer
Breath of the Wild adopted the modern interpretation of “open world,” but The Legend of Zelda has always used that design philosophy to an extent, with the original entry in the series being about as open as a competent NES game could realistically be. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds represents the perfected form of that old-school style of open-world design, delivering an experience that gives players complete agency while removing any fluff and retaining the positive traits of linear adventures.
Like BOTW, you are free to tackle the main seven dungeons in nearly any order, although ALBW takes a bit longer to open up than its bigger sibling. Due to the Item Rental System, which lets you decide which tools to pick up first, you are given the freedom to carve out your preferred journey that will eventually end at Lorule Castle. None of this would matter if ALBW didn’t nail its puzzles and gameplay, both of which are among the best in the franchise’s history. The 2D-to-3D wall merging mechanic sounds gimmicky on the surface, but the game uses it brilliantly, and I found myself constantly being amazed by its execution. Although not massive by any means, Hyrule isn’t small either, and every single square has a purpose.
Sleeping Dogs
Brutal, Intense, And Perfect
This one might be a bit out of left field, but my most recent playthrough reconfirmed just how incredibly well-rounded Sleeping Dogs is. Even if it is not the best-in-class in any one area, it never fails to hit the mark. Hong Kong is a fantastic choice for an open world, especially since it is underrepresented and has a distinct personality. Although fairly large for 2012, the map isn’t bloated by any means, and it doesn’t take too long for the roads to start feeling familiar.
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Surprisingly, there aren’t really all that many hard-boiled undercover cop dramas, and Sleeping Dogs‘ Hong Kong action movie slant sets it apart from the few that exist. The story incorporates tropes without succumbing to them, throwing out quite a few moments that question the protagonist’s allegiances while never taking away from his cool factor or likability. The core side quests revolve around police cases, and they are nearly of the same quality as the main storyline. Although not quite on the same level as the Batman games, the Arkham-style combat blends stiff martial arts and environmental attacks to craft a brutal system that, at times, kind of reminded me of The Punisher game from 2005.
Even the driving feels good, and you can ram cars into the next zip code!
Beyond Good & Evil
Before The Days Of The Ubisoft Open-World Formula
2003 was a simpler time, when the rules for modern open-world games were still being written. GTA 3 had been out for a few years by then, and while it got the ball rolling, its ideas weren’t codified to the point of becoming a blueprint. Beyond Good & Evil doesn’t even feel like it is set in an open world by current standards, but it is very much part of the genre, albeit born in a time when that openness was used to enhance stages in a journey rather than as the main selling point. Set on the beautiful Hillys, the world naturally expands as Jade’s tools improve, with her upgradable hovercraft serving as the soft driving force behind the game’s structure.
Considering how its open-world formula would eventually evolve, Ubisoft being responsible for one of the genre’s most perfectly-paced and filler-devoid entries is somewhat ironic, and I say that as someone who loves Far Cry. Beyond the open-world design, Beyond Good & Evil is a masterclass in action-adventure tone and flexibility, with the game swapping between melee combat, (ocean) driving, exploration, and stealth. It introduces enough variety to be constantly entertaining, without throwing so much at the player that it becomes overwhelming.
Mad Max
The Most Mad Max Game To Ever Mad Max
Mad Max
7/10
- Released
-
September 1, 2015
I consider a few of Avalanche’s open-world games to be near-perfect time-wasters, particularly Just Cause 2 and 3. However, if we are talking strictly about a project that completely succeeds in what it’s trying to be, Mad Max might be the best example in this entire article. Can you picture a more “Mad Max” game than this underappreciated gem? Not only does it have an in-depth car customization system that can rival some character creators in RPGs, but Mad Max also has the best vehicular combat in the open-world genre, managing to deliver high-octane action while granting players complete control. Although not as celebrated, the hand-to-hand melee combat feels satisfyingly heavy, and you really feel like a vicious, ungraceful brawler.
Describing most sandboxes as “empty” is usually meant as a criticism, but it makes complete sense for a game set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. In this case, “empty” is a stylistic choice, rather than a case of a world with nothing to do in it. In fact, Mad Max rarely gives you any quiet moments, and few things are more breathtaking than gazing at an approaching Scrotus Storm.
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