Creating an open worldfrom the ground up is a hard thing to do. You have to create a compelling setting, establish the culture of the various regions, and brainstorm an ecosystem of flora and fauna. Honestly, that’s only the foundation of what is a spectacularly audacious project.
8 Best Open World Superhero Games
Open world games have been the perfect fit for the superhero genre to be explored and it has resulted in some fantastic games.
However, if you’re a developer who hasaccess to an established entity, a lot of that is already taken care of. The world is already established, the key players are already baked into the bread, and all you have to do is be true to the source material to get the fans onside.
It can be a little easier said than done, as fans of these franchises tend to have very high expectations of anyone working with their beloved special interest. But, despite this, these developers have all managed to take popular IPs and make equally fantastic open-world games.
9Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Pure Box Office
Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora
While I’m not always super-keen to talk upUbisoft formula gamesin any capacity, I have to concede that while this one is nothing you haven’t seen before in terms of its make-up, I can see why an Avatar fan would fall in love with this game.
Mainly because the game is visually breathtaking, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in Pandora, using vines to swing or Irkans to fly to your next point of interest.
It does have some shortcomings when it comes to narrative, as the story really doesn’t match the cinematic brilliance or the gripping on-screen action of Cameron’s movies. Not to mention, it all becomes Ubi-style busywork by the end. But to exist in this world as an Avatar fan is worth the price of admission for sure.
8Scarface: The World Is Yours
Bury Those Cockroaches
Scarface: The World Is Yours
Back in the PS2 era, everyone and their mother were trying to swim in the same circles as Rockstar Games, as their monumentally successful GTA open worlds were selling like hot cakes and defining the sixth generation.
This naturally led to some great clones, such as Hit & Run and True Crime, among many others. However, the best of the bunch by quite some distance has to be the Licensed Scarface endeavor, The World Is Yours.
Playing as Tony Montana, having survived the end scene of the movie in this alternate tale, you need tostart from the bottom to rebuild your empire, and naturally, that means shady dealings and a whole lot of bloodshed.
It’s a game that has no right to be as good as it is, and yet, it’s a cult classic and deservedly so. Which means that, if you haven’t played this one before, it’s time to say hello to my little friend.
Embrace The Anarchy
When it comes to open-world wastelands, you might think that the Fallout series has a monopoly on things, but to think that is to overlook Mad Max, an action-packed IP wonderfully adapted into an action-packed open-world hit.
There’s a lot to love about the game’s world, as it nails the quentessentially bleak and desolate feel of Mad Max. Plus, the game also offers Arkham-esque combat to make each brawl feel super-satisfying. However, let’s face it,the vehicle is the star of the show here.
Picture Borderlands and its catch-a-ride vehicles, but given a massive upgrade to offer tighter driving mechanics, more upgrades, and destructive additions that feel akin to something like Burnout.
In short, it’s the depraved, desert action that Mad Max fans know and love, but in this game, you’re in the driving seat. So, get behind the wheel and cause some carnage.
6Conan Exiles
You’ll Be Under Its Thrall
Conan Exiles
Fextralife Wiki
Unless you’ve seen the work of esteemed Austrian muscleman Arnold Scwartzeneger, it’s likely that you’ll have no idea who or what Conan the Barbarian is.
However, despite this IP not being a household name to most, it’s one that has a lot of deep lore, making it ideal for a developer to take and shape into a memorable gaming experience.
This is exactly what Funcom did, allowing players to start with nothing, cooking in the hot desert sun, and shape their legacy from there. Within the Hyborian Age, you can carve out your ascent from exile to legend, and it all starts with mastering basic survival skills.
However, before long, you’ll be crafting expansive bases, uncovering rare finds, and battling the gods and beasts that help make up the rich tapestry of Conan’s lore. It’s a game that still boasts a strong community to this day, perhaps showcasing why Funcom will feature yet again on this list.
5Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Does Whatever A Spider Can
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
All the way back on the PS2, we saw firsthand that an open-world Spider-Man game was like printing money, as the Licensed movie tie-in for Sam Raimi’s second film offered some of the finest web-swinging fun, killer missions, and pizza-delivery theme tunes on record.
However, as much asI love that PS2 gem,I can’t objectively say that any game deserves to represent the webhead more than the latest in the Marvel’s Spider-Man saga.
Offering a dual approach to storytelling thanks to Miles and Peter’s overlapping narrative, Spider-Man 2 is a masterful cinematic epic, complete with tight combat, incredible web-swinging, and even more gadgets and gizmos to make getting around the Big Apple feel amazing.
We have no idea where the story will go from here, but rest assured that when the time comes to go back to NYC and our Spidey sense is tingling, we’ll be ready and waiting.
4Hogwarts Legacy
No Potter, No Problem
Hogwarts Legacy
I know I won’t be the only one out there who had an insatiable obsession with the movie tie-in games tied to the Harry Potter franchise. However, despite these games having memorable moments, genuinely rewarding exploration, and fan service in abundance, it always felt like there was another step that could be made to truly give players the full Hogwarts experience.
Then, along came Hogwarts Legacy. The game that would makethe wizarding World an open world, offering one of the most incredible renderings of areas like Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and the surrounding Highlands, while also offering all the bells and whistles that come with attending the school as a student.
Whether you’re attending classes, learning new spells, visiting your dormitory, or riding around on your broom, everything feels authentic and further immerses you in the world of magic.
Admittedly, the game does get more repetitive and cookie-cutter as time goes on. But for the feeling of awe that comes within the first ten hours alone, it’s worth boarding the Hogwarts Express.
3Dune Awakening
All Aboard The Ornithopter
Dune: Awakening
While a lot of us have been long-time fans of Frank Herbert’s work, it’s always felt like we would be destined to be offworlders forever, never truly given the chance to become the Lisan Al Ghaib and walk the sands of Dune.
However, buoyed by the survival success of Conan Exiles, Funcom would be given the keys to the esteemed franchise and smash it out of the park.
Their rendering of Dune is true to the source material and packed with interesting,contextually appropriate survival mechanicsthat truly make you feel like a survivor trying to forge a life on this hostile desert planet.
But above all, this game is also fun as a multilayer experience and has a lot of qualities of an MMO, making for a very rich end-game experience that means you can stay immersed in this world for as long as you like.
Stakes are high, and you are only ever some quicksand or a visit from the Sandworm away from devastation. But that’s part of the fun, and what makes Dune Awakening such an authentic experience.
2Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
OneDoesSimply Walk Into Mordor
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
There are practically endless intellectual properties out there that could benefit from the open-world treatment. But it would be hard to argue that any fantasy world would be more ready-made for the format than Middle-earth. Which is exactly why this iconic action-adventure hit blew everyone away over a decade ago.
Not only was the game a looker despite relying on Mordor’s palette of earth tones, but it also had a unique story to tell within the realm crafted by Tolkien. Not to mentionthe patented Nemesis systemthat makes even the most basic encounter with a fodder enemy a potentially pivotal one for your entire campaign.
It’s essentially prime Assassin’s Creed, but set in the world of LOTR, complete with parkour, Arkham-style combat, and a ‘conquer-the-map’ format. If that doesn’t get you excited, then I don’t know what will.
1Batman: Arkham City
The Hero This City Deserves
Batman Arkham City
After two very successful outings in the Batman Arkham series, it always felt like there was only one way to push the series to new heights, and the next step would come courtesy of Arkham City, as players were finally allowed to explore Gotham as a bona fide open-world.
It’s truly an all-killer, no filler open world where verticality and satisfying traversal take precedence over land mass and map markers. Yet, despite this, you always feel like there’s something to engage with at every turn, whether that be a Riddler riddle, or something thugs to pound on.
Everything feels very intentional in this open world, from the dark and foreboding atmosphere of Gotham, to the variety of environments that force players to adapt their playstyle.
Of all the games in the series, it’s the one that makes you feel most like Batman on his daily beat. So riddle me this, why haven’t you played it yet?
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