Summary
Open-world gamesoffer a huge variety of settings for players to explore. Entirely fictional worlds that combine the most unexpected elements,popular fantasy realms, grounded and realistic destinations set in the past, futuristic worlds, and everything in between —players have no shortage of optionswhen selecting their next open-world adventure.
Some of the most popular open-world games feature modern-day settings, often including either real-life countries or cities (or something very closely inspired by them), striving to capture the aesthetic and feel of real places. With that in mind, this list aims to celebrate some of the best open-world games with contemporary settings that allow players to travel all around the world and visit some of the most iconic real-life locations.
For players who value the scope of an open-world game the most,Ghost Recon Wildlandscan be a great pick. Set in the modern-day country of Bolivia,Wildlandsoffers one of the biggest contemporary gaming maps for players to freely explore, coupled with a great variety of biomes and memorable locations.
Even years later, Bolivia remains stunning, captivating with its scale,impressive dynamic day-night cycle and weather system, and the sheer variety of places — such as mountains, forests, deserts, settlements, and anything in between. Given its size,Ghost Recon Wildlandsalso stands as one of the few open-world games whereplayers can fly planesfor much faster traversal across the game’s sprawling map.
One of the most underappreciated open-world titles ever,Sleeping Dogsis among the bestGTA-like games, with enough distinct charm of its own. Set in contemporary Hong Kong,Sleeping Dogsutilizes its unique setting to deliver a truly bustling urban environment worth exploring, sprinkled with charismatic Asian crime bosses to face and defeat.
While there is plenty to see and do inSleeping Dogs, the game is surprisingly focused on its relatively compact story, almost reminiscent of theMafiaseries, with little to no meaningless filler, meaning it might not suit playerslooking for a game to sink dozens of hours into. Nevertheless, coupled with robust driving and strong combat mechanics, a gorgeous soundtrack, and visuals that have stood the test of time (especially in theDefinitive Edition),Sleeping Dogsdeserves to be on any open-world fan’s list who missed this title.
Established as a seemingly direct rival to theGrand Theft Autoseries, theWatch Dogsfranchise has been reinventing with each new entry, withWatch Dogs 2probably standing as the most successful. While some fans might prefer the original game for its darker tone and more focused story, in terms of approach to open-world design and mission variety, the sequel is simply much more fun.
Energetic, lighthearted, and oozing with style,Watch Dogs 2’s contemporary world of San Francisco with a slightly fictionalized hacker edge is beautiful and brimming with small details, unnecessary interactions, and memorable inhabitants that make it feel lively. Evenoutside of missions or map activities, simply wandering the streets of the city can be a worthwhile experience.
As one of the most recent games,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2mostly impresses with its technical execution, delivering an expanded andgorgeously detailed map of New York Cityon a truly grand scale. Coupled with advanced traversal techniques and plenty of new moves and tricks for both Spider-Men, fans of the iconic Marvel superhero can spend hours mastering movement and enjoying the beautiful scenery while soaring above the sky-high buildings and bustling streets.
However, first and foremost,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is a cinematic, story-driven adventure, with a shorter list of side activities and less of the typical open-world “filler” content — something to keep in mind when deciding whether to dive into its gorgeously rendered world.
Set in the fictional Hope County somewhere in Montana,Far Cry 5’s rendition of rural USA proved a winning setting for the series, resulting in the game becomingone of the best-selling titles in Ubisoft’simpressive open-world portfolio. With years of experience in the genre, the studio delivered a tight package featuring everything fans of open-world shooters might wish for: refined combat, plenty of vehicles, an intriguing map, a strong story, as well as a memorable villain and solid supporting characters.
The unique setting and characters are where the game’s biggest strengths lie, bringing a much-needed breath of fresh air and touching upon more complex themes than previous entries. The success ofFar Cry 5was so significant that the game even received a direct continuation inFar Cry: New Dawn. Theonly gripe is the silent protagonist, who doesn’t quite fit the game’s narrative.
Almost any game from the expansiveYakuzaseries could qualify as a great modern-day open-world destination, but even by the franchise’s own high standards,Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealthstands out. Bringing together two of the iconic protagonists, Kazuma Kiryu and Ichiban Kasuga, the game also expands its world to feature not only Yokohama, Japan, but also Honolulu, Hawaii, delivering perhaps the largest and most diverse explorable maps in the series to date.
While the essentials of the series' new direction, like turn-based combat, remain intact,Infinite Wealthalso introduces dozens of new activities and mini-games, as well as a captivating story, offering hours upon hours ofvaried gameplay, unpredictable scenarios, and hilarious character interactions.
Even after almost 13 years,Grand Theft Auto 5remains an essential open-world game set in the modern day, withonly the upcomingGTA 6potentially capable of dethroning it. Rockstar Games is truly in a league of its own when it comes to creating immersive open worlds brimming with freedom, which is why few GTA-like games in recent years can match the absorbing experience offered byGTA 5to this day.
What setsGTA 5apart from almost every other game on this list is that, aside from its lengthy story campaign, it also offers an expansive Online mode with a plethora of activities and rich role-play opportunities. Rockstar has supportedGTA Onlinefor years, continuously adding and expanding content and player freedom, and it’s safe to say there’s nothing quite like it available in gaming today.
