If there is one thing that almost every great open-world game has its variety. There is always so much content to enjoy and places to see, and some of the most enjoyable parts are being able to create a personalized build, tailored to your tastes and preferences, but in a lot of cases, you can get stuck playing as a single archetype or character for the entire playthrough.
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However, some games remove all the friction in between builds and let you just quickly change on the fly to whatever playstyle you could possibly want. It might be through loadouts, weapon changes, or complete character overhauls, and regardless of how it works, these games manage to make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable with the click of a button.
“Instantly” is a slight exaggeration in some of these cases, as you might need to go through a few steps. Some titles also implement a few restrictions, such as limiting loadout swaps for when you are not in combat.
Outward
True RPG Freedom
Details:
- Quickslots allow for rapid transitions between styles
- Supports dramatically different combat approaches
Outward, like any good RPG, encourages experimentation straight away, by letting players build around magic, melee, ranged combat, or hybrid combinations incorporate abilities from multiple paths. Once abilities and equipment are unlocked, quickslots allow players to transition between completely different fighting styles without creating a new character, something that is incredibly useful given how punishing the world and gameplay can be.
This flexibility is especially valuable during exploration, where different enemies and environments reward different strategies. I found that in certain dungeons, I would favor swords over bows, but in the open plains, I would swap to a ranged setup, altering how each encounter plays out without you needing to reset or backtrack at all.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Historic Setting, Modern Convenience
Details:
- Loadouts let you swap builds instantly
- Changes between warrior, hunter, and stealth setups
Odyssey introduced one of the franchise’s best quality-of-life features through Equipment Loadouts. Instead of manually changing every piece of gear, you can save multiple presets and switch between them almost instantly from the inventory screen, which may take away from the immersion, but certainly makes the gameplay way better.
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The reason the feature is so important is because of how distinct different parts of the game are, as you will find yourself faced with bustling fortresses and quiet villages on the outskirts, each needing a specialized approach that a single build would never be able to offer. I consider the game to be one of the best in the series, and the loadout feature does a lot of heavylifting to make it feel as good as it does.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
No Weapon Too Large
Details:
- Gear slots can be swapped midfight
- Specialization for every activity
Looter shooters are fundamentally built on the idea of gear and items, and The Division 2 is no different. You have access to a huge array of weapons and slots that can each be tailored to create incredibly in-depth builds, but unlike other games where the swapping process can be tedious, here you can trade out builds on the fly with just a few button presses.
During endgame content, where one build may excel at solo exploration while another is designed specifically for raids or PvP, being able to jump about between them makes completing raids and venturing into the dark zone significantly less frustrating than it otherwise would be. I quite like being able to try new things and tailor my builds, and I found this version of build swaps to be one of the best in the entire genre.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint
The Only Limit Is You
Details:
- Multiple gear loadouts can be saved
- Fast move between slots
Ghost Recon Breakpoint gives you enormous freedom over how you approach missions, and its loadout system is precisely what supports that flexibility. Complete equipment sets can be saved, making it simple to swap between sniper, assault, stealth, or close-quarters builds whenever needed, and as many people will know, you almost always need a new gun for the situation.
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Since different missions often reward specific tactics, the ability to change an entire setup without manually equipping every weapon and attachment keeps gameplay flowing and means you never really have downtime despite how large the world is. And, as if that wasn’t enough, the game also hosts one of the widest weapon arsenals of any shooter, making full loadout swaps all the more impressive.
Once Human
Adaptation Is Key
Details:
- Specialized combat builds right in your inventory
- Designed around variety
Once Human’s survival-focused open world constantly introduces new enemy types and challenges, and as a result, you can never get too comfortable with a single weapon in your pocket. Flexibility is incredibly valuable, but also a powerful tool that can be leveraged through equipment configurations that can be saved and swapped between them whenever the circumstances change.
Whether preparing for exploration, world bosses, or high-level encounters, you can instantly move between completely different weapon combinations and armor setups, something that I used in almost every single session due to how much variance there is in the game. In a sense, experimentation isn’t optional, but a core part of the gameplay that you need to make use of, or fall behind in the apocalypse.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Keep The Hunt Going For Longer
Details:
- Two primary weapons in a single loadout
- Combat styles can be swapped in the middle of a hunt
In the past, Monster Hunter games limited how you could engage with a target on a hunt, but in Wilds, a big limit was removed right from the get-go. You now have access to two separate primary slots that can be fitted with basically any weapon combination you can think of, though some will obviously be better than others.
That means it’s entirely possible to open a fight with a bow, switch to a great sword once the monster is weakened, or pair complementary weapon types depending on the situation or the kind of support the group needs. I think this single feature elevates the core gameplay far beyond the previous ones and ensures there is far more variety, both at the start of your journey and all the way past the end.
Fallout 76
Even The Apocalypse Can Be Liberating
Details:
- Loadouts with instant perk and special changes
- Single characters can support radically different approaches
Fallout 76 Punch Card Machine transformed character progression by allowing players to save multiple special and perk loadouts, rather than having to manually switch between items over and over again. Instead of committing permanently to a single build, you can now change your wastelander’s weaponry and passive buffs in seconds, a feature that many people were asking for and now have access to.
Combined with different weapon and armor sets, this makes it easy to maintain dedicated archetypes without creating multiple characters. For a game built around long-term progression, it’s one of the most useful quality-of-life features Bethesda has added, and a bonus that made me come back and really fall in love with the game all over again.
Nioh 3
A Samurai And Ninja As One
Details:
- Always have two builds: Samurai and Ninja
- Swapping constantly between them is almost required
All these games encourage you to explore different loadouts, but they don’t really force you into that situation. Nioh 3 is an exception, as Team Ninja designed the combat system to facilitate two simultaneous builds that complement each other. For the entire campaign, players have access to both a Samurai and Ninja loadout, with certain weapons being tied to only one archetype.
Samurai builds are slower but hit harder, while Ninjas can jump all over the place while using far less stamina. They have different skills and yokai abilities that make them better suited to certain situations or bosses, and ignoring one of them means halving your toolkit. For Nioh veterans, the Ninja build can take a bit of getting used to, but it becomes second nature after awhile.
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