FromSoftware
Justin's foray into gaming started with classic Resident Evil 3 and has only expanded since then. He graduated from RIT in 2021 and aspires to have his name in the credits of a video game one day.
Reviewed by Benjamin Barr
In relatively recent years, open-world games have exploded in popularity. And with the technology going into games improving, so too are the worlds being made. Pair that with an engaging narrative and you’ve got a great time in the making.
In this article I’ll be going over the best open world games on the Xbox Series X/S. This list will be in no specific order and will be made from games I’ve personally played. So if there’s an amazing game you don’t see on this list it’s probably because I haven’t gotten to it yet. These games are massive after all.
Hogwarts Legacy
My experience with the Harry Potter series goes as far as the movies and the first couple books. So as someone who is only lukewarm towards the series, I was surprised by how easily I was sucked into the world of Hogwarts Legacy.
The developers did an amazing job of transporting players into the wizarding world and filling me with the same awe I had when I watched the first film. Combine this with a competent narrative and you get an enjoyable experience through and through. I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoyed or still enjoys the world of Harry Potter.
Elden Ring
It’s no surprise that Elden Ring would make the list for best open world games. The awarding winning souls formula put on a vast open world is like putting peanut butter and chocolate together. A recipe for success.
Challenges and difficulty dot the entire map of Elden Ring. And with a rich magical world, and interesting lore to uncover, this game got something even for people who might not be familiar with the Souls franchise. I would recommend this game for anyone who wants the excitement of true open-world exploration.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Although not made specifically for the Xbox Series X/S era of consoles, it’s hard to deny that Red Dead Redemption 2’ open-world is one of the best on the market. There is an impressive amount of depth and detail put into this world that makes exploring it an absolute treat.
Rockstar Games made a world that anyone can enjoy with secrets, hilarious encounters, and random events that make it so easy to get lost in this cowboy simulator. I recommend this game for anyone who likes a wacky, but grounded historical setting.
Cyberpunk 2077
Everything and more has been said about the launch and redemption of Cyberpunk 2077, so I won’t say it again here. What I will say however is that CD Projekt Red’s efforts to fix the world they promised on launch have succeeded.
As someone who was able to get through the game on launch, I was instantly sucked into the grim future of Cyberpunk. It was my first real introduction into the genre and it fascinated me. So much so that I even delved into the TTRPG that inspired it. Night City is a living breathing character in its own right and there’s a lot to discover and uncover in the neon city. Especially now with Phantom Liberty putting a nice bow on the game. I would recommend this for anyone interested in the Cyberpunk genre or fans of the TTRPG.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord
The much anticipated prequel to the original Mount & Blade, Mount & Blade II offers a unique gameplay experience of creating your own medieval kingdom. While not open world in the traditional sense, this game allows you to roam the continent of Calradia, interacting with the many established kingdoms.
What makes this open world so interesting is the sheer amount of power given to the play in affecting it. While the game world is already split up between the different kingdoms with their own citizens, lords, and cultures, you can change that. You can rewrite the map of Calradia, gaining land and taking over settlements for whatever kingdom you’re sided with.
Bannerlord offers a gameplay experience that anyone with an interest in medieval politics or knightly intrigue shouldn’t miss.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Capping off this list is the game that probably helped shape many open-world games after its release. It’s hard to argue that The Witcher 3 didn’t have an impact on the climate of video games with its roaring success. The world given to us is meticulously crafted, beautiful, and brimming with detail.
Unlike a lot of open-world games that came before, and after The Witcher, this game seems to miss many pitfalls that tend to infect the genre. Even the smallest quest is interesting and purposeful, and rarely are fetch quests used to help justify the game world.
Add in a narrative that keeps you hooked from beginning to end, and acts as a perfect ending for any fans of the books, and you get a true masterpiece.
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