The best open games these days keep giving and giving. And, even when you start having a feeling that those open worlds fatigue, those games are not going anywhere. Even many game franchises that used to be linear story-based experiences are now switching to the format of an open world - Witcher 3 and Forza Horizon 4 are notable examples. Judging by the fact that converting to open world have helped those games to be successful, it can understand why the best games with an open world have been so popular. 

Not to mention several games series that have originally started with the open world. Games like Grand Theft Auto V and Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey is like the pedigrees of open world games. Even many indie games have converted to the open world design.

But there are so many games with open world available and each of them will consume a lot of time, it is better to spend your time wisely with the best open world games. Therefore, I have spent plenty of time searching for the best open world games for you, and I have picked 11 out of many of my favorite games. So, if you are interested in games with an open world, you definitely should take a look at this list.

1. Minecraft

I guess this is such a popular game that everyone even ones that do not know much about games still have heard of it. Minecraft can be simply described as a game of crafting and exploring in a bright and blocky 8-bit world. And, when you go deeper under the ground or simply when the night comes, monsters may come out and that feature is not only available for the multiplayer mode.

For every platform, you use to play Minecraft, the fundermantel experience this game offer is still very similar to each other. If you really want to make a moving replica of someone’s face or the Seven Wonders of the World, you can make it possible in Minecraft and that is why it is considered as the top open world game - you can make most of anything you want possible.

2. Forza Horizon 4

Yeah, you may think why does a racing game series appear in this list? Yes, it is a racing type of game but the Forza Horizon has always been on the top of the open world game list. Also, the Forza Horizon 4 takes winning formula of the Forza Motorsport series’ off-shoot and perfects it.

Forza developers not only kept the systems of Forza Horizon 3 on this 4th game in the Forza series, but also they also refine the game to make it one of the smoothest racing games with an open world ever created.

The map of this game can be a bit smaller compared to its predecessor but the seasons of Forza Horizon 4’s world are changed every week in the game, changing how each track runs every time you play the game or, at least until you have played the game on four separate weeks. This game is simply one of the best racing games available on the games market with all the content added like randomly placed ramps or collectible cars.

3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The first 2 games on the Witcher series were difficult, compelling and also complex, but it only gained little success. However, it was paid off when the third game on the series -the Witcher 3 was introduced and blew up. It was considered a big step up in quality and many would say it is one of the best Role Playing Games ever. Your role in the game is a mutated monster hunter or witcher whose name is Geralt and search for your daughter in a fictional medieval world which is being ravaged by war.

This game is so deserved to be on this list with its uniquely well-realized world that can crush many popular games like Skyrim. On the game, you can take the role as Geralt and walk, ride as well as sail across the lands of Novigrad and Vel, or sail across the frost-ridden and monster-riddled islands of skellige in the North. And, you can get another whole new place to explore in Toussaint in the second expansion called Blood and Wine.

You can do many things from foraging for herbs or exploring under the cities’ back alleys or under the seas and meet many kinds of creatures and folks.

But that are not the only elements of the Witcher that are polished. Things like limber, agile combat, interesting storylines and also a deep leveling system.

4. Grand Theft Auto V

This sound may be repeating to you but Grand Theft Auto V is another best open world game ever created.

Giving players a lot of freedom is what make GTA V so successful. When you are not going around or robbing some banks or something, it basically allows players to do whatever things they wish even if it may break the game. You can do anything, go to any place and commit the many wicked things you can think of.

There are also many side activities you can do. So, besides creating all sorts of mayhem, you can participate in some yoga, tennis sessions or simply just watch tv. It's no coincidence that GTA V is a big hit.

5. Metal Gear Solid V

This game’s plot may be just as simple as a kid story but the swansong of Hideo Kojima was a masterpiece of layered open world mechanics.

In Afghanistan and Angola’s deserts, Punished Snake aka Big boss has to achieve many types of objects.  He travels across many places on horseback, in many types of ground vehicles or simply just on foot. You can choose between non-lethal as well as lethal weapons and also many AI companions.

Some may say the world in Metal Gear Solid V is bleak, heavily-guarded and weather-torn as well. The game also has a unique feature which can learn from your previous behavior like when you overuse a specific tactic, your enemies will later adapt to it. For example, if you too rely on getting headshots, your enemies will then wear helmets.

You can also stay away from the frontline and develop a Mother Base by getting new facilities and also airlifting prisoners, enemy soldiers, vehicles, resources, animals and all sorts of things you got from the battlefield to develop your base.

6. Fallout 4

Bethesda has been well-known for developing several open-world titles and a notable example is Fallout 4. This game will allow you to travel to a post-apocalyptic Boston, where you will be able to explore the city’s ruins in all retro-futuristic glory of it.

While the main plot will basically revolve around you rescuing your kids from people who kidnapped them, but you will soon forget the core mission as you will have to do many side missions and also plunder a lot of loots from bandits and super mutants.

And, once you complete everything, replaying games of Bethesda can still provide players with interesting experiences due to the fact that different builds of character can interact in a different way with the world around you.

7. Middle Earth: Shadow of War

At the time the Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor was released in 2014, the game was praised for portraying the Mordor of Tolkien and its unique nemesis system. Its sequel, the Middle Earth: Shadow of War has applied the same concept and turns it up to 11, putting players in the only existing stronghold of human in Mordor.

And, after removing the microtransactions that many claimed to plague the game at launch, the Nemesis system still feels just fresh, and also the combat is still exceptionally good, with plenty new skills that you will be able to unlock on your way of going through its campaign.

The game will later start introducing some RTS elements as you will be able to command an army of many dominated orcs to hold and also retake different strongholds. These Middle Earth games have shown real innovations and we cannot wait to see what the Middle Earth developers - Monolith Studios can do in the future.

8. Ghost Recon Wildlands

The famous game developer Ubisoft just took one of its popular shooter series, Ghost Recon and turned the game into an open-world kind of game. You are a character in Bolivia and your task is to take down a drug cartel that pretty much has all power over the place. You are free to do whatever you wish to pursue the goal.

The new open-world of the game called Ghost Recon Wildlands may be on the top of open-world games if you are playing in single player mode, but the game shines even more when you can get your friends to come and join. Because this Ghost Recon game type has always been a tactical shooter that is built around team working with AI companions. So when you can build a team with friends, it can make the gameplay even more fun.

You just need to make sure you need a strong set up as required by the game developer in order to get a smooth experience with the game.

9. Far Cry 5

Far Cry 5 may be the benchmark of what the top open world PC games look like in 2018. This game is unique in the way that it allows players to freely do and go anywhere they like. And you will not be limited in just a small world but many say Far Cry 5’s world can be one of the biggest maps that no one has ever seen before.

You will be dropped into a fictional place called Montana and while the game features a loosely connected kind of plot that involves cultists or something, and that all falls into the background as you go around and get lost in the huge world that Ubisoft created here.

10. Yakuza 0

Now there are many Yakuza games are about to come to PC, gamers are now finally able to experience a unique insanity of the Yakuza series.

The map of Yakuza 0 is not really as large as several other games on my list, but it is packed with many activities. Every step on the way will include a side quest, a mini-game or some kind of activities that you will be able to interact with. If you have never played a game in the Yakuza series, then I would recommend you to try it as it will be a different experience to other games you have played.

Now that a ton of Yakuza games is coming to PC, PC gamers can finally experience the insanity that is so unique to the Yakuza series.

11. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

The last year version of Assassin’s Creed called Origins might already reveal what the upcoming games in the series Assassin’s Creed could be in the future - replacing a lot of the gameplay mechanics with many say organic, engaging and more fun as well. However, Ubisoft has not stopped there, Assassin’s Creed developer has also refined the things that made the 2018 Assassin’s Creed: Origins so good and put it into probably the best title in the Assassin’s Creed franchise so far - the Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey

You will play as either Alexios or Kassandra in the middle of the ancient Greek and take on a mercenary role on the try of looking for their family. The rest is up to you as you will have to find alliances in your own along with your missions.

Moreover, the impressive RPG mechanics from its predecessor are also applied in this game which makes it rewarding to play for a long amount of time. It may even be hard to stay away from the game.