Summary
Over the years, theopen-worldgenre has been constantly changing and evolving. Nowadays, there’s a multitude of open-world video games that players can enjoy on almost every modern-day platform. However, there are also a lot of old-school classics that are still worth checking out on their own.
This beloved genre wouldn’t be what it is today if not for these revolutionary and innovative titles. Though these games were released for the sixth generation of consoles (PS2/GameCube/Xbox) or earlier, they still feel great to play after all these years. The following older open-world video games will always be worth playing.
Grand Theft Auto 3’s rise in popularity during the early 2000s inspired many studios to take a shot at the open-world sandbox genre, with varying levels of success. One of the most noteworthy examples was Vivendi Universal and Radical Entertainment’sThe Simpsons: Hit & Run,which is still beloved and played by manySimpsonsfans around the world.
It’s easy to see why this game appeals to so many gamers. It took theGTAformula and put it in a surprisingly detailed digital recreation of Springfield, full of classic locations and characters from the original show. The driving feels great, the missions are fun, the different vehicles are a joy to collect, and both the humor and the voice acting are on point. It’s no surprise that fans have been asking for a remasterfor so many years.
There’s no denying that Insomniac’sMarvel’s Spider-Mantitles are among some of the best video games Spidey has starred in, and some of the most fun superhero experiences in the open-world genre. However, it’s important to pay respects to the old-school classic that inspired these new games:Spider-Man 2from 2004, based on the Sam Raimi movie of the same name.
This was the first true open-world sandbox game in theSpider-Manfranchise. It let players explore a huge version of New York City, which was quite ambitious for its time. The story, characters, action and missions were all extremely well-made but, of course, the biggest highlight was the web-swinging, which felt wonderfully fluid.Spider-Man 2is one of those games in which going from point A to point B without any real motive feels amazing, and it paved the way for the excellent web-swinging in Insomniac’s modern-day entries.
Back in the early 2000s, Rockstar Games was making huge strides in the industry withGrand Theft Auto. In 2006, the company tried something a bit less ambitious, but way more unique and experimental.That game wasBully, which would become a huge cult classicand now has a huge fan base that keeps begging Rockstar to make a modern-day sequel.
Bullytakes place entirely in Bullworth Academy and its surroundings. While the map is obviously a lot smaller than Rockstar fans might have expected, it’s also a lot more concise, and it’s filled to the brim with characters, mini-games, missions, and collectibles. But this is a high school adventure, meaning that players will have to go to class, befriend other students, face different cliques, and more.Bullyis a unique game with an identity of its own, and it feels like nothing else in the industry even today.
Everybody knows and loves most of the modern Bethesda open-world RPGs, likeThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim,Fallout 3,Fallout 4andThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. However, the studio’s current design philosophy got its start somewhere,and it was in none other than its 2002 masterpiece,The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind.
There’s a reasonThe Elder Scrollsfans barely talk about the first two games in the series.Morrowindhad such a huge impact on the open-world RPG genre that it took the franchise into an ambitious new direction. This is a massive open-world map that players can explore while controlling their own customized character, and it’s so immersive that seasoned fans tend to replay it over and over. WhileOblivionandSkyrimmay surpass it in some areas,Morrowindhas aged masterfully for a game from 2002.
In 2001, Rockstar Games releasedGrand Theft Auto 3, which revolutionized the open-world genreand established what a true sandbox experience should be. Though that game is still enjoyable to play today, it quickly shows its age, especially when compared to its successors. One of them isGrand Theft Auto: Vice City, released just one year later.
Vice Citytook the brand-new (at the time) open-world formula that Rockstar created forGTA 3and improved it. The graphics are more colorful, the controls feel better, the story is more engaging, and the characters are more memorable. The map is not only bigger, it also has a lot more to do. With its vibrant Miami setting, raunchy sense of humor, and catchy soundtrack, no other game in theGTAseries has looked and sounded likeVice Cityat all. The upcomingGTA 6will finally let players go back to the titular Vice City after twenty-four years.
Two years afterThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timecame out, Nintendo released its spiritual successor,Majora’s Mask,and it definitely lived up to the hype. This game reutilizes the semi-open-world action-adventure formula established by its predecessor (which was incredibly ambitious and impressive for its time). However, it takes place in an alternate world called Termina, which has its own cast of characters, locations, races, etc.
The thing that makesMajora’s Masksuch a unique experience is its legendary three-day system. The moon will fall on Termina in three days, meaning that Link will have to use time travel to restart this period over and over in order to stop it. This not only gives the game a bleak apocalyptic atmosphere, but it also lets players experience an excellent open-world adventure with distinct time-traveling elements. The most impressive part ofMajora’s Mask’s gameplay is that the clock actually affects the behavior of NPCs, even when Link isn’t around. Some side quests and events depend on what NPCs are doing at a specific time.
In 2017,The Legend of Zelda:Breath of the Wildrevolutionized the entire open-world genre with its brilliant open-ended design that lets players do whatever they want, however they want. But this wasn’t the first time theZeldafranchise made a big impact on both the genre and the industry. Nintendo had already done something similar in 1998,when it releasedOcarina Of Timefor Nintendo 64.
Compared to more modern adventures likeBreath of the WildorTears of the Kingdom,Ocarina of Timemay seem small or unambitious, but for the late 90s, this was an incredible open-world experience. It offered a fascinating interconnected map, immersive atmosphere, likable NPCs, roaming enemies and bosses, expertly designed dungeons, and fun side quests. Many modern action-adventure games owe their existence toOcarina of Time.Despite a few minor issues, this game still feels amazing to play.
GTA 3redefined the open-world genre andVice Citycemented the franchise as one of its biggest mainstays,butGrand Theft Auto: San Andreasis, without a doubt, the best entry released during the entire sixth generation. Not to mention, it gave fans an ambitious taste of what the franchise would become in subsequent years.
At the time,San Andreaswas the perfect open-world sandbox experience. It had everything fans were asking for: a gripping storyline, interesting characters, many new gameplay mechanics, a gigantic map, a multitude of things to do, and even a secret multiplayer mode. This is one of the most entertaining and addictive games in the series. Even fans that have only experiencedGTA 4and5can easily jump intoSan Andreasright now and enjoy it for hours on end.
