Best Open-World Games That Make You Think, Ranked

Many detractors of the industry call video games mindless entertainment, but there are a lot of high-quality titles out there that don’t fit that description at all. As video games have evolved, developers have found new ways to challenge players, be it through intellect or emotion. There are many games that let players turn off their brains and unwind, but there are just as many that keep them on their mental toes.

The open-world genre is full of titles like this. Wide, nonlinear worlds often challenge players to forge their own path and make their own decisions in a world that fights against them at every turn. These games reward attentive and thoughtful players who are willing to meditate on what a game requires of them.

10

Red Dead Redemption 2

A Sweeping Tragedy

Rockstar’s epic Western tragedy centers around the downfall of the Van Der Linde Gang, a close-knit band of outlaws who fracture and fall apart under the stress of struggling to survive in the Western frontier. Despite the vast scope of the game, RDR2‘s writers keep the story personal and extremely moving.

By the time the credits roll on Arthur Morgan’s tale, players will have been given a lot to think about. The doomed quest of the Van Der Lindes makes players question everything from their sense of right and wrong to their ideals of justice. They’ll also have ample opportunity to reflect on the inevitability of death and the inherent value of life.

9

The Witcher 3

A Carefully Choreographed Hunt

The Witcher 3 submerges players in a complex world of political intrigue and war, with monsters lurking in the shadows around every corner. Protagonist Geralt’s role as a Witcher puts him on the front lines of defending humanity from the creatures that threaten them. Each encounter is a complex hunt, requiring players to plan ahead when choosing gear and mutagens.

On top of the strategic requirements of monster hunting, multiple quests require difficult choices as well. The Witcher 3‘s Continent is a realm of deep moral ambiguity, where very little is as it seems. The decisions Geralt must make will often have deep, far-reaching consequences, and players should never take any of them for granted.

8

Horizon Forbidden West

Technical Teardowns

The Horizon franchise is best known for its tremendous robotic beasts, and Forbidden West delivers richly on this front. These dangerous creatures can be challenging to engage in combat, especially in groups. Players must learn to approach every encounter carefully and strategically, targeting weak spots and disabling weapons whenever possible.

The story of the game also offers plenty of material for deep reflection. Like its predecessor, Horizon Forbidden West is concerned with themes of posthumanism, artificial intelligence, and the costs and demands of perpetuating humanity in the post-apocalypse. These are weighty themes, and ones players will be thinking about long after the credits have rolled.

7

Cyberpunk 2077

Staying Alive In Night City

Cyberpunk 2077 is based not only on the tabletop RPG Cyberpunk RED, but on a genre of speculative fiction stretching back decades. The Cyberpunk genre deals with burning questions about the danger of corporate overreach and its insidious role in the advancement of technology. These troubling themes are brought to life in Cyberpunk 2077‘s dystopic iteration of Night City, where injustice and tragedy can be seen around every corner.

Many of the sidequests V undertakes in their race to save themselves from the malfunctioning computer chip in their skull challenge the character’s preconceived notions of life in Night City. They will leave the player with questions about the nature of society, the human cost of modern pop culture, and the risks of unchecked technological progress.

6

Elden Ring

A Struggle For Survival

Elden Ring is not a game players can stroll through without effort. If players don’t pay close attention to enemy placements, movesets, and dungeon layouts, they will not succeed. The game boasts some of FromSoftware’s most punishing bosses yet, and fans who don’t study these foes for weaknesses to exploit and risks to punish will not prevail.

It’s also a struggle for fans who are interested in learning Elden Ring‘s lore. The game is not straightforward in any respect, and players who want to learn more about the history of the game will have their work cut out for them, studying item descriptions and cryptic lines of dialogue in order to piece together the story. While a casual observer might look at Elden Ring and see nothing but sweeping boss fights and violent combat, it is in every respect a deeply cerebral game.

5

Death Stranding 2

Taking A Walk

The original Death Stranding was a divisive game, infamous for its slow and methodical gameplay and for its avant-garde approach to storytelling. Death Stranding 2 has made considerable improvements to its predecessor’s gameplay, making it more engaging for fans to explore and experiment with the various traversal tools on offer.

This also makes it easier for players to focus on the story. While creator Hideo Kojima is notorious for his bizarre stories, convoluted plot twists, and outlandish character designs, he’s also well-known for discussing serious and heavy topics. Death Stranding 2, which was reworked to touch on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, is no different. It offers players a deep meditation on the cost of keeping communities connected in the face of overwhelming tragedy.

4

Shadow of the Colossus

The Harder They Fall

Shadow of the Colossus bucks many of the trends that usually define an open-world game. While the game’s map is expansive, it’s almost entirely empty of creatures, dungeons, and treasures. Instead, players must track down 16 massive colossi, majestic beasts who must be slain in order to resurrect a mysterious princess.

While the combat itself has earned the game exceptional praise, the thing that really makes Shadow of the Colossus stand out is its grim, reflective tone and subject matter. The long stretches of wandering alone through the game’s world give players ample time to reflect on their violent deeds and the cost of their character’s devotion.

3

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Building A Better Bridge

Tears of the Kingdom iterated on its predecessor in a staggering number of ways. Its expanded world boasts countless new opportunities for exploration and puzzle-solving, and the new powers at Link’s disposal give him nearly infinite options. The Fuse and Ultrahand abilities allow players to cobble together ad-hoc solutions to any problem they face, be it a challenging environmental puzzle or a powerful monster.

The moment-to-moment combat remains as fluid and reactive as ever, but the introduction of new fusion options for weapons adds considerable depth. Players can assemble a collection of unique and distinct weaponry, giving them an option for every enemy encounter, no matter how outlandish. If fans plan ahead and take time to think through their constructs, they can truly take Hyrule by storm.

2

The Witness

Figuring It Out

The Witness isn’t what most people picture when they think of an open-world game. This mysterious game takes place on a small island, which surrounds players with countless line puzzles and no clear guidance on how to solve them. Fans must explore their surroundings for clues not only about how to solve the puzzles, but how the puzzles actually work, deepening the mystery at every turn.

The game’s eerily tranquil setting and atmosphere were inspired by Myst, one of the most foundational puzzle games out there. The Witness proves itself an excellent successor in terms of mystery, intrigue, and challenge. Gamers will have to pay close attention to their surroundings if they want to discover the island’s many secrets.

1

Fallout: New Vegas

Playing For Keeps

Fallout: New Vegas depicts a tense, multilayered political struggle in a region rife with conflict. As players wander the desert in pursuit of the man who shot them in the head, they’ll find themselves inexorably drawn into the brewing war for control of the Mojave, and into the lives of the people who call it home.

The world of Fallout: New Vegas is complex and reactive. There are conflicts large and small throughout the region, and solving problems is rarely as simple as killing some random lizards. Players will have to make difficult decisions with severe ramifications and without an objectively right answer. Succeeding in Fallout: New Vegas requires thinking carefully about what the best solution is in a sea of bad options.