The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The best open-world games make exploration or play change what you can do next: develop a character, master combat, unlock new ways to travel, build something useful, or uncover a story. These ten recommendations take different approaches, so this is an editorial selection rather than a universal ranking. Choose based on the kind of progress you find satisfying—not map size or task count.
How these games make progress feel rewarding
Progression in an open world does not have to mean leveling up. It can come from improving a character or equipment, learning a combat system, gaining traversal tools, experimenting with objects, or discovering new context for a story. The list below highlights what drives advancement in each game, what that advancement changes, and the kind of player most likely to enjoy it.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Open World: Video Games and Contemporary Art | $53.58 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Ghost of Tsushima - PlayStation 4 | $22.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Mad Max - PlayStation Hits (PS4) | $18.64 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Just Cause 4 - PlayStation 4 | $11.80 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Elden Ring - PlayStation 4 | $33.15 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
| Game | What advances you | What changes | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring | Combat and exploration | Combat capability and access to hidden locations | Players who enjoy discovery and challenge reinforcing each other |
| The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | Experimentation and exploration | How you solve problems and move through the world | Creative, self-directed explorers |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | Story, side stories, and time spent in the world | Narrative understanding and immersion | Players who value a gradual, story-led journey |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | Quests, monster hunting, and character development | Abilities and progress through a long-form story | Fantasy fans who want narrative and combat abilities together |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Character enhancement, story, and city activities | Character capabilities and the experience of Night City | Players looking for a city-based RPG |
| Ghost of Tsushima | Combat, stealth, and side activities | How you approach encounters and engage with the setting | Players drawn to swordplay and atmosphere |
| Horizon Forbidden West | Exploration and encounters with machines | New challenges and places to explore | Players who want varied environments and machine-focused action |
| The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition | Exploration and freely chosen activities | Your role in a flexible, mod-supported sandbox | Players who want to define their own character and path |
| Dying Light 2 | Exploration and unlocking traversal tools | How you move through the city | Players who want mobility itself to improve |
| Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 | Quests and exploration | Progress through a grounded medieval role-playing experience | Players who prefer historical role-play to fantasy power growth |
Platform, edition, and regional availability can vary. Check the current store listing for the version you intend to play; the references below describe specific editions or expansions where noted.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
1. Elden Ring
Elden Ring is the strongest fit here for players who want discovery and combat mastery to feed into each other. Its open world can be explored on foot or horseback, and wandering beyond obvious markers can lead to caves, dungeons, and hidden bosses. The reward for curiosity is often a new challenge rather than a simple checklist completion, making exploration part of learning how to survive.
#1 Best Overall
The trade-off is that challenging combat is central to the experience. Players who want a forgiving power curve or frequent explicit directions may find its approach less welcoming. The official PlayStation guide also describes the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion as adding territories, characters, and foes; it is an expansion, not a prerequisite for the base game.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Tears of the Kingdom rewards experimentation. Its Ultrahand ability lets players combine objects into structures and vehicles, so solving a problem can mean inventing a way through it rather than finding a single prescribed tool. Exploration spans the surface, sky, and underground, giving curiosity room to lead in several directions.
It is a particularly good choice if you enjoy making your own solutions and setting your own goals. Its progression is less about a conventional character build and more about expanding your options through creative problem-solving; players looking primarily for tightly directed upgrades may prefer a more structured action RPG.
3. Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 is for players who want advancement to feel like spending time in a living story rather than climbing an upgrade ladder. Side stories, horse travel, everyday needs, and unscripted encounters all contribute to a gradual sense of immersion. Roaming can reveal events and human details that deepen the narrative instead of simply furnishing a character build.
Rank #2
- Available Now - Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, a new cooperative multiplayer experience inspired by Japanese folk tales and mythology.
- Beyond war, ancient beauty endures: Uncover the hidden wonders of Tsushima in this open-world action adventure.
- The rise of the Ghost: Forge a new path and wage an unconventional war for the freedom of Tsushima.
That makes it a different kind of progression recommendation from an action RPG: its appeal is story and world interaction, not a conventional level-and-build loop. Its slower, more immersive rhythm is best suited to players willing to let the journey unfold.
4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3 suits players who want a long fantasy quest journey anchored by monster hunting. Quests and encounters move the story forward while magical abilities provide a direct character-development dimension. The world gives the player reasons to roam, but narrative and the work of a monster hunter remain central to that exploration.
The Complete Edition includes the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine add-ons, according to PlayStation’s game page. Treat that edition as a version that bundles expansions, not evidence that the add-ons are needed to begin the base story.
5. Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is a city RPG for players who enjoy developing a character while taking on activities across Night City. Cybernetic enhancements, the main story, and other city pursuits give advancement a mix of character-focused and narrative dimensions. The Phantom Liberty expansion adds another story destination for players seeking more of that setting.
Rank #3
- Be Mad Max - Become the iconic post-apocalyptic warrior, crafting and upgrading Max's equipment and weapons to survive by combining melee combat, gunplay and tactical techniques. Gamers must form alliances as they work towards the goal of building their "Magnum opus."
- Immersive savage Wasteland - Explore the gritty, dynamic world while braving the treacherous landscapes, hostile weather patterns and deadly marauders.
- survive the open-world landscape - Staying alive isn't easy. Players clash with deadly factions and gangs through scores of dangerous side-missions and quests in the dynamic open-world full of exploration.
- intense vehicular combat - Engage in dynamic inter-vehicular combat, taking down enemy vehicles with a range of powerful weapons. Car combat is entirely physics-based, so no two battles are ever the Same.
- build the ultimate survival machine - Players design, customize and upgrade their ultimate vehicle-the Magnum Opus-choosing from different car chassis and a slew of upgrades including mounted weapons, armour and engines to survive another day
Its systems have changed over time: PC Gamer notes that the 2.0 update transformed the game. Because update-sensitive details may differ by platform and current version, verify the version and edition on the store or platform you plan to use rather than assuming every older description reflects today’s build.
6. Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima is a good fit for players who want progression to mix sword combat, stealth, and quieter interaction with the setting. You can approach action through different combat styles, while side activities such as composing haiku and bamboo cutting create a slower counterpoint to fighting. That variety makes its world appealing even when the reward is atmosphere and engagement rather than another combat encounter.
Its progression is less about freeform role-building than about enjoying a focused action-adventure journey. Players who want to define a radically different character role may want a more flexible sandbox.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
7. Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West rewards players who want exploration to lead into encounters with robotic beasts and new machines. Its open world spans varied environments, while alliances and discoveries give the journey a story dimension alongside its machine-focused action. It is a strong choice when the appeal of a new area is both seeing what is there and learning what kind of encounter it holds.
Rank #4
- Day One Edition includes Neon Racer Pack with these DLC items Neon Racer Supercar, Neon Racer Wingsuit, Neon Racer Parachute; see description for full details
- Bring The Thunder Soar through the skies with your wingsuit Skydive, Base Jump and Free Dive, as you fight your enemies harnessing extreme weather to your advantage
- Rico’s Ultimate Mission Spearhead the rebellion and defeat a hi tech private military organization; Face off against the most capable adversary yet; Uncover the mystery behind Rico’s Father’s past
- Huge South American World 100 square kilometers to explore from rainforest to desert, and across snowy mountain peaks as you explore the world of Solis from bustling cities to rural grasslands
- Creative destruction at its best Customize your new grapple hook with evolved and new capabilities; Experiment with military jets, helicopters, turbo fueled sports cars, and construction vehicles
PlayStation describes Burning Shores as an expansion. Check the specific edition and platform listing for its inclusion rather than assuming the add-on comes with every copy.
8. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
Skyrim Special Edition is the pick for players who want freedom to decide what kind of person they are in the world. You can travel broadly and take on very different roles, from thief to wizard-guild leader. Its user-made mod library can further alter the experience, giving players a way to customize a familiar sandbox.
That breadth is the draw, but it also means progression is less tightly directed than in a story-led game. If you prefer a strongly guided sequence of upgrades and quests, the freedom to choose your own priorities may feel diffuse.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minute9. Dying Light 2
Dying Light 2 makes traversal a visible form of advancement. Tools that unlock over time include wall-running, grappling, zip-lining, and gliding, so the city becomes more navigable as your movement options grow. This is a particularly satisfying loop for players who enjoy seeing a familiar environment change because they can now reach or cross it in a new way.
Best Value
- ELDEN RING is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki—creator of the influential DARK SOULS video game series; and George R.R. Martin—author of The New York Times best-selling fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire
- Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to-date
- HIDETAKA MIYAZAKI: President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls
- GEORGE R. R. MARTIN: the #1 The New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire—A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons
The day-night cycle also changes the danger of moving through the city. If you want a low-pressure exploration game, the risk attached to when and how you travel may be a drawback rather than a source of excitement.
10. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is for players who want exploration and quests in a grounded medieval setting. Its world includes villages, castles, wooded ravines, and hidden caves, offering places to discover without relying on fantasy creatures or powers as the main attraction.
Its historically grounded approach is a different fit from games built around rapid fantasy power growth. Choose it for the appeal of role-playing and exploring a medieval world, not for the promise of an especially fast or fantastical upgrade curve.
Quick Recap
Which progression style should you choose?
- For discovery tied to difficult combat: Elden Ring makes hidden places and combat challenges part of the same loop.
- For creative problem-solving: Tears of the Kingdom lets experimentation with Ultrahand reshape how you travel and solve obstacles.
- For story-led roaming: Choose Red Dead Redemption 2 for gradual immersion or The Witcher 3 for a fantasy quest and monster-hunting journey.
- For city RPG development: Cyberpunk 2077 combines character enhancement with Night City activities.
- For a world that opens up through movement: Dying Light 2 makes traversal tools an obvious part of progression.
- For freedom to choose your own role: Skyrim Special Edition offers a flexible sandbox, with mods able to further change the experience.
Sources
- PlayStation: Elden Ring
- GameSpot: Best open-world games
- PlayStation: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- PlayStation: Horizon Forbidden West
- PC Gamer: Best open-world games
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
