The older we all get, the less time we seemingly have available for gaming, which makes weekends one of the best times to dive into a title for extended periods.Open-world gameshave consistently maintained their popularity sinceGrand Theft Auto 3blew the doors open on the genre back in 2001, and more modern entries have found ways to innovate and branch out while still retaining the satisfying exploration and box-checking the best open-world games are known for.
Ahead of the weekend, we’re taking a look at 5 open-world games that are perfect to spend the next couple of days getting lost in, whether that be because they’re currently experiencing surging player counts or because they just received major updates to improve the experience. For the most part, the games on this list aresingle-player titles whose open worldacts as the main draw, though we have included some select titles that feature a multiplayer component if you’re interested in teaming up with a friend or two. Here are 5 open-world games to check out this weekend.
Ghost of Tsushima
It’s almost hard to believe it, butGhost of Tsushimajust celebrated its 5th anniversary, and it’s somehow just as much of a technical showpiece and visual powerhouse now as it was in 2020. WithGhost of Yoteiset to come out in just a few months on October 2, there’s perhaps never been a better time than now to either revisitGhost of Tsushimaor play it for the first time, especially if you’re planning on playing the excellentDirector’s Cutversion.Ghost of Tsushimadoes a great job of ticking all the typical boxes fans look for from a good open-world game, including figuring out ways to make exploration and side content feel more organic, rather than simply a routine checking of boxes.
Days Gone Remastered
Bend Studio’sDays Gonehas finally gotten a fairer shake courtesy of the recentDays Gone Remastered, and it’s perhaps one of the better open-world games available on PC and PlayStation 5. One of the main draws that helps separateDays Gonefrom other titles in the genre is its emphasis onsurvival mechanics, which factor heavily into how players should optimally approach the game’s open-world content and side activities. Especially on higher difficulties,Days Gone Remasteredis a harrowing and often beautiful trek through a post-apocalyptic Pacific Northwest, and the recent patch delivered a laundry list of fixes that should see it in its best state yet.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
For an authentic open-world that feels both real and lived-in, look no further thanKingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Warhorse Studios did a fantastic job making just a few square kilometers of in-game space feel somehow more dense and immersive than open-worlds twice or three times its size, and it’s a testament to how much care went into crafting that interactive space that players are still working through only a first or second playthrough as they stop to smell the virtual roses. Plus,Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2already has one DLCout and two more on the way, making now a great time to check out this authentically realistic medieval life simulator.
Cyberpunk 2077
Somehow,Cyberpunk 2077only continues to get better, with the recentCyberpunk 20772.3 updatedoing some heavy lifting to improve what was already a vastly superior experience compared to the game’s launch. Between all of its post-launch updates and fixes, the phenomenal Phantom Liberty expansion, and the overhaul of the game’s RPG systems and progression courtesy of the massive 2.0 update,Cyberpunk 2077is now much closer to that initial promise that was shown off all those years ago at E3 2018. All told, it’s one of the better first-person RPGs and a stunning open-world rendition of a possible future that feels all the more real as time goes on.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
In many ways,Assassin’s Creed Shadowswas a bit of a return to form for the franchise, taking players back to the newer open-world style ofACgame introduced inAssassin’s Creed Originswhile also trimming back a lot of the bloat ofAssassin’s Creed Valhalla. The result is thatAssassin’s Creed Shadowsfeels as focused and tightly-paced as the best games in the series, and it’s now set to get some DLC via theClaws of Awajiexpansion later this year. As a bonus,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis routinely showing up on digital storefronts at a discount, helping to incentivize any players who may have been on the fence to pick it up and give it a go.
