Open-world games are for those who love adventure and freedom in worlds that fully welcome player exploration. When these game worlds are well-made and engaging, they can offer up some of the biggest surprises that reward curiosity. If that’s the experience you’re looking for, here’s our list of the best open-world games on PS5.
Assassin’s Cred Valhalla
Best Open World Games on PS5
Valhalla is the latest entry in the long-running Assassin’s Creed franchise, and it brings us back to a time when Vikings were a real force in the British Isles. It’s a significant departure from Odyssey, which took place in ancient Greece, and Origins’ Egyptian setting.
This time around, Eivor is the main Assassin who also happens to be a Viking. Their main initial focus is to get revenge for the death of their parents while expanding and providing for the clan in a whole new settlement.
Death Stranding: Director’s Cut
Best Open World Games on PS5
Death Stranding: Director’s Cut adds a large amount of content that wasn’t in the original version of the game, including new weapons, vehicles, and equipment alongside new game modes, expanded storylines, and additional areas to get lost in. There’s even a leaderboard to compare scores on with friends and other players across the world.
To add to all that, there are visual, audio, and performance improvements as well for those looking to get the full next-gen package while reconnecting a broken America in a post-apocalyptic setting. Those who already own the standard edition can upgrade to this PS5 version with a $10 purchase.
Demon’s Souls
Best Open World Games on PS5
If Elden Ring served as your introduction/re-introduction to FromSoftware’s Soulsborne genre, you might want to look into the Demon’s Souls PS5 remake — a vastly updated version of their first entry in the Souls series.
Bluepoint Games managed to breathe new life into Boletaria, giving it a never-before-seen look that’ll leave both veterans and newcomers in awe of the final product. There’s even a Fractured Mode that didn’t exist in the original. It provides a fresh experience by mirroring the entire game map, including the player character, making their left hand the main hand.
Elden Ring
Best Open World Games on PS5
Elden Ring is one of the very best examples when it comes to a game that allows players to players being rewarded for their curiosity. The Lands Between is a setting that’s full of secrets, hidden paths, and of course, dangerous bosses to discover.
A huge positive when it comes to Elden Ring is that its challenges can be taken on at whatever pace you decide is best for your specific gaming experience. It’s still tough, but being able to venture out in any which way helps keep things fresh if and when any obstacles arise.
Far Cry 6
Best Open World Games on PS5
This series is known for its huge maps and large areas to explore, and Far Cry 6 does not disappoint in that regard. It brings us to the fictional country of Yara where a dictator, Anton Castillo, is exploiting the citizens to profit off of a new drug called Viviro.
As Dani, players will need to join freedom-fighting factions in order to remove the iron grip that Castillo has on Yara. This huge undertaking is filled to the brim with chaos, violence, and a whole lot of explosions. And it can all be experienced in co-op with friends if you don’t want to liberate Yara alone.
Genshin Impact
Best Open World Games on PS5
Genshin Impact has been receiving regular updates for some time now to keep things fresh for those who continue to play, and that includes one that optimized the open-world RPG for PS5. With shorter load times, better visuals, and higher-quality performance, the game feels like a huge step up on the next-gen console.
If you haven’t yet stepped foot into Genshin Impact’s Teyvat, just know that now is as good a time as any with all of the events miHoYo introduces to go along with the free-to-play format. New quests, characters, and storylines are around every corner.
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut
Best Open World Games on PS5
Ghost of Tsushima’s open world is the right one for you if you’re looking to journey throughout a small section of Japan as a samurai. The game focuses on a man named Jin Sakai as he struggles to stick to his teachings of honor as the Mongols invade Tsushima.
Becoming a ‘ghost’ and utilizing stealth combat is one way that Jin learns to defend his home — even if taking down unaware foes from the shadows goes against everything he was taught. And there’s even a multiplayer mode now, for those who want to experience that gameplay with friends.
Horizon Forbidden West
Best Open World Games on PS5
Horizon Forbidden West is another open-world game that launched in 2022, around the same time as Elden Ring. Though, the games couldn’t be any more different in terms of gameplay and narrative focus. This sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn improves upon its predecessor in multiple ways, including better combat mechanics, visuals, and even a more immersive world.
The story of Aloy continues here and it’s got more twists and turns than before as it tackles the issue of humanity’s ignorance and how that affects everything around them. With links back to the real world and solid storytelling, this is a must-play for fans of the first game.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Best Open World Games on PS5
Immortals Fenyx Rising is a Ubisoft title that plants players in the middle of an open world. In this one, there’s a large focus on Greek gods as Fenyx travels across all seven of the game’s main regions while gearing up to take down Typhon.
Typhon has taken and removed the powers from the Olympian gods, which is where Fenyx comes into play. Prometheus uses his power of foresight to predict that the titular character will be able to defeat Typhon in battle, and it’s up to you to make that prophecy come true.
Lost Judgment
Best Open World Games on PS5
Lost Judgment is a sequel that pulls us back into the life of Takayuki Yagami as he investigates a criminal who is accused of both sexual assault and murder. There are a number of twists and turns you won’t see coming as a story involving moral grey areas and a broken justice system unfolds.
Lost Judgment manages to take all of the positives from the first game and only improve upon them while creating an experience that’ll be tough to put down as the Tokyo mystery narrative unfolds at a perfect pace.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Best Open World Games on PS5
This standalone chapter of Marvel’s Spider-Man can also be played on PS4 but, in reality, playing on PS5 provides an experience that you just won’t find on the last-gen console. All of the marketing was shown on a PS5 version and that’s for good reason.
Miles Morales, along with his family and friends, really shine here in this wholesome winter holiday story. You follow Miles as he comes into his own as a second, totally unique Spider-Man. And, of course, you still get to swing around New York City with the best web-swinging mechanics you’ll find in any Spidey game.
No Man’s Sky
Best Open World Games on PS5
No Man’s Sky has changed and evolved an incredible amount since its initial launch back in 2016. It’s become one of the most unique open-world games that you can get your hands on these days, and is definitely worth picking up and playing if you’re looking to fly through outer space, moving from planet to planet.
Also, all updates are completely free as the game continues to grow, making this one of the better live-service games on the market for those who just want to explore a vast world full of discoveries to be made. This procedurally generated universe is just waiting for newcomers to join in on the fun.
Subnautica: Below Zero
Best Open World Games on PS5
Subnautica: Below Zero takes place two years after the first Subnautica, bringing players back to Planet 4546B in order to find the truth behind a dangerous cover-up of a mysterious incident. A number of abandoned research stations are scattered throughout the area and it’s up to you to figure out exactly what’s going on while managing limited resources to stay alive.
Uncharted biomes full of caverns, basins, and other aquatic environments are the settings for Subnautica: Below Zero. One of the big survival twists in this sequel, though, is the freezing temperatures mentioned in the title. Can you solve an underwater mystery while staying warm enough to keep swimming?
The Pathless
Best Open World Games on PS5
The Pathless is another unique pick that stands out among the heavy-hitting AAA titles listed, but instead of an entire universe to get lost in, this indie gem plants players in a mystical wilderness as a quick and agile Hunter.
This is another hit for Annapurna Interactive and Giant Squid — the creators of ABZU. As a Hunter, you and your eagle companion will travel across an island that’s shrouded by darkness. The archery system will have you hitting targets to move at high speed across grassy plains, tall forests, and snowy tundras as you fight to dispel a curse.
Watch Dogs Legion
Best Open World Games on PS5
Watch Dogs Legion is another Ubisoft entry on the list and it’s completely different from the previous ones. Instead of magic and monsters being prevalent, here we have a futuristic London cityscape. You’re back as a member of DedSec but, this time, it’s more like several members at once.
Instead of having one main character, Legion tasks players with recruiting new members from the citizens who roam the streets. They can be switched between and used in a number of ways, depending on their talents, with the end goal of taking down Albion, a military group that has turned London into a surveillance state.
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