The Best Open World Games You Can Play on the PS5

It can sometimes feel as though open-world games are a dime a dozen these days, which can in turn make finding a good one incredibly challenging. This is because designing an interesting setting is just the first of many small steps toward making a great open-world game, with developers also needing to fill their worlds with engaging and worthwhile content and then find ways to tie them into the narrative.

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Thankfully, there are many developers who have mastered this art, and, collectively, these studios are responsible for some truly phenomenal games. The best open-world games on the PlayStation 5 push the console to its absolute limits, offering players some of the most stunning locations in video game history. They’re well worth a visit, particularly for those who are fans of adventure.

15 Dying Light 2

• Is Dying Light 2 available on PS Plus?
  No.

• Is Dying Light 2 available on Xbox?
  Yes.

Both of the Dying Light games offer up a refreshing take on the open-world formula, with the ever-present threat of zombies helping to completely transform the way that players interact with and explore their surroundings. The fluidity of the game’s parkour system and the paraglider help a lot in this regard, allowing players to remain on their toes and escape from danger at just a moment’s notice.

Sure, there are plenty of great open-world games where players need to worry about their surroundings, with the likes of Fallout 4 and Elden Ring being some of the first to spring to mind. However, while these games tend to promote the idea that there could be danger around every corner, Dying Light 2 players are instead conditioned to believe that there more than likely is.

• Is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Anniversary Edition available on PS Plus?
  No.

• Is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Anniversary Edition available on Xbox?
  Yes.

It would be difficult to talk about the best open-world PS5 games without at least mentioning Skyrim, even if the game’s PS5 port did come as a bit of a letdown. Much like its predecessors, the game helped to push the boundaries of what many thought possible in open-world titles, with its wonderfully well-realized setting offering deeper immersion than anything that came before it.

A lot of this stems from the fact that just about anything is possible in Skyrim, particularly with the help of mods. Unlike a lot of other console games, the PS5 and Xbox Series ports of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition do actually feature fairly robust mod support, though those with access to a powerful PC would probably be better off playing the game there instead.

13 Street Fighter 6

• Is Street Fighter 6 available on PS Plus?
  No.

• Is Street Fighter 6 available on Xbox?
  Yes.

Street Fighter 6 remains a fighting game first and foremost, but the introduction of World Tour Mode could prove to be a real game-changer in the long run. The idea of being able to run around the streets of a fictional city and start fights with just about anybody is simple enough on paper, but the execution here is really quite masterful, and there’s still plenty of room for growth.

That the developers were somehow able to integrate a coherent story into all of this is no small feat and deserves a tremendous amount of credit. Granted, this type of open-world Shenmue-esque experience is never going to replace the genre’s traditional Arcade Mode, but it does complement it quite nicely and has the potential to deliver a much more enjoyable narrative without having to dilute the combat.

12 Grand Theft Auto 5

• Is Grand Theft Auto 5 available on PS Plus?
  No.

• Is Grand Theft Auto 5 available on Xbox?
  Yes.

These days, Grand Theft Auto 5 is nowhere near as revolutionary as it was when it first was first released back in late 2013, but that’s not to say that it isn’t still a fantastic open-world game. Each new iteration brings with it a series of noticeable improvements, with the PS5 version of the game allowing players to explore the fictional city of Los Santos both in 4K and at 60 FPS.

Aside from Yu Suzuki’s Shenmue series, it’s difficult to think of a franchise that has had quite as big an impact on the open-world genre as Grand Theft Auto has, and a lot of the reasons for that can be seen throughout this incredible game. For instance, many of the locations that players can visit are based on real-world LA landmarks, helping to add some additional sparkle to what is already a truly stunning setting.

11 Ghostwire: Tokyo

• Is Ghostwire: Tokyo available on PS Plus?
  Yes (Extra & Premium).

• Is Ghostwire: Tokyo available on Xbox?
  Yes.

Though its combat is a little shallow and its main story leaves an awful lot to be desired, Ghostwire: Tokyo boasts one of the best open-world settings in all of gaming. Its pixel-perfect portrayal of Japan’s capital city is an absolute joy to explore, and some of the side quests and characters that players will come across while doing so help to enrich the overall experience.

Another area where Ghostwire: Tokyo shines is through its enemy design, with many of the foes that Akito and KK encounter being inspired by Japanese folklore. It’s a little on the short side, but for those looking for a game that combines horror, open-world mechanics, and Japanese culture into a single, well-presented package, it’s definitely worth checking out.

10 Death Stranding Director’s Cut

• Is Death Stranding Director’s Cut available on PS Plus?
  Yes (Extra & Premium).

• Is Death Stranding Director’s Cut available on Xbox?
  No.

A lot of open-world games find themselves facing criticism for the cookie-cutter approach that’s typically taken when it comes to populating their open worlds, while others are condemned for feeling far too empty. At a glance, Death Stranding might seem like a game that’s destined to fall into that second category, but there’s actually something delightfully deliberate about its dreary and desolate world.

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The uninhabitable wasteland does a wonderful job of capturing the isolation felt by the game’s protagonist Sam. It’s not much to look at and exploring it rarely yields rewards, but there’s a strange sense of satisfaction that can come from successfully navigating a particularly unhospitable piece of terrain. The setting’s sparsity also helps to emphasize the unique nature of the game’s Social Strand system, which does an excellent job of highlighting the importance of personal connections.

9 Diablo 4

• Is Diablo 4 available on PS Plus?
  No.

• Is Diablo 4 available on Xbox?
  Yes.

Diablo 4‘s open world is a bleak one, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable to explore. In fact, the ever-present threat of Goatmen, Cannibals, and Cultists helps to keep players on their toes as they explore Sanctuary in the hopes of finding more altars, strongholds, and dungeons. In short, its uninviting nature is one of its biggest strengths.

The game itself is one of the best Diablo games in years with a satisfying gameplay loop and a fairly well-balanced approach to farming. Being able to tackle its many challenges with others only serves to sweeten the deal, with the game’s full crossplay support making it easier than ever to party up with a few friends and cause a bit of chaos.

8 Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

• Is Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales available on PS Plus?
  Yes (Extra & Premium).

• Is Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales available on Xbox?
  No.

New York has served as a setting for many great video games, including both Marvel’s Spider-Man and its 2020 sequel, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Some will perhaps argue that creating a compelling video game world from scratch is a far greater achievement, but recreating a real-world location with such meticulous attention to detail is an incredible achievement nonetheless, and one that is worthy of a lot of praise.

Not content with creating a phenomenal sandbox for players to goof around in, the team at Insomniac Games then set about crafting one of the best map traversal mechanics in video game history. Swinging through the streets of New York feels immensely satisfying and allows players to see the Big Apple from a whole other perspective. The rest of the game is fantastic too and well worth checking out for fans of the open-world genre.

7 Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered

• Is Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered available on PS Plus?
  No.

• Is Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered available on Xbox?
  No.

Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered comes bundled with the deluxe edition of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and applies an extra glossy coat of paint to an already exquisite work of art. However, despite the remaster first becoming available in late 2020 and then receiving a PC port a few years later, it wasn’t until May of 2023 that it finally got its own standalone PS5 release.

Though this delay frustrated a lot of players, it was arguably worth the wait, as this is undoubtedly the best way to experience the 2018 classic on the console. It’s one of the best PlayStation-exclusive games of all time, and, thanks to the increased power of the former, looks considerably better on the PS5 than the original did on PS4. Those who played the original can probably skip it, but for anybody who didn’t, it’s well worth checking out.

6 No Man’s Sky

• Is No Man’s Sky available on PS Plus?
  No.

• Is No Man’s Sky available on Xbox?
  Yes.

Perhaps more open-universe than open-world, No Man’s Sky boasts one of gaming’s ultimate redemption arcs. Released amidst an ungodly amount of hype and expectation, to say that the game was initially a massive disappointment would perhaps be a bit of an understatement. To Hello Games’ credit, though, the developer refused to give up on what was clearly a very promising idea.

Fast forward seven years or so, and a series of patches have completely transformed the experience, bringing with them many of the missing features that were promised pre-launch as well as plenty of others that weren’t. In its current state, No Man’s Sky is an incredibly enjoyable game and is more than worthy of its place among the very best open-world PS5 games.

5 Horizon Forbidden West

• Is Horizon Forbidden West available on PS Plus?
  Yes (Extra & Premium).

• Is Horizon Forbidden West available on Xbox?
  No.

Horizon Forbidden West is one of the best-looking games on the PlayStation 5 and boasts a huge open world full of interesting characters, enemies, and locations. As alluded to by the game’s title, the further west players travel, the more dangerous their surroundings become, with powerful machines and an army of rebels and devotees standing between Aloy and her goals.

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The base version of the game is fantastic in its own right, but just like the Frozen Wilds DLC did with the game’s predecessor, the Burning Shores expansion takes Horizon Forbidden West to a whole other level. Rarely does a game manage to successfully blend so many ideas and gameplay mechanics together this seamlessly, nor are there many sequels that manage to improve on their predecessors quite so definitively.

4 Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut

• Is Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut available on PS Plus?
  Yes (Extra & Premium).

• Is Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut available on Xbox?
  No.

Prior to 2020, most people had never even heard of Tsushima Island; including many of those living in mainland Japan. The release of Ghost of Tsushima changed all that though, with Sucker Punch Productions’ open-world epic helping to put the small war-torn island firmly on the map. The development team did an incredible job of capturing the natural beauty too, particularly when it comes to some of its more rural locales.

The director’s cut of the game offers even more impressive visuals and comes bundled with the Iki Island DLC. Most people will never get an opportunity to visit either of the two islands in person, but those who’ve played the game will in some ways feel as though they already have, such is the level of detail that went into creating the game’s stunning open world. The story is fantastic too, particularly for those with an interest in history or the ways of the Samurai.

3 Cyberpunk 2077

• Is Cyberpunk 2077 available on PS Plus?
  No.

• Is Cyberpunk 2077 available on Xbox?
  Yes.

Cyberpunk 2077 was another game that experienced a rocky start to life, with the futuristic RPG’s launch being about as catastrophic as they come. The developers still have some way to go if they hope to reach No Man’s Sky levels of redemption, but there can be no denying that the game is infinitely better than it was at launch, with crashes and weird graphical glitches now a lot less prevalent than they once were.

Even now though, Cyberpunk 2077 is far from being the perfect game, but its open-world setting is about as good as they come. Night City is an absolute joy to explore, with secrets waiting around every corner. Granted, some of those corners may also be hiding an angry gang member who won’t think twice about blowing V’s head off, but that’s arguably all part of the fun. Night City feels more alive than most video game locations, and, if nothing else, CD Projekt Red deserves a lot of credit for that.

2 Elden Ring

• Is Elden Ring available on PS Plus?
  No.

• Is Elden Ring available on Xbox?
  Yes.

FromSoftware games have always featured incredible world-building, so the thought of Miyazaki and co-teaming up with the writer of the A Song of Ice and Fire series was a tantalizing one to many people. Unsurprisingly, the partnership between George R.R. Martin and the Japanese studio proved to be an incredibly fruitful one, as evidenced by the critical and commercial success of Elden Ring.

The Lands Between break free from a lot of the tired tropes that plague so many of the game’s peers, daring to be different at a time when others would rather play it safe. The world of Elden Ring is also wonderfully well-defined, with Martin serving up the kind of lore that helped to make Game of Thrones such a huge success. Unlike Game of Thrones though, Elden Ring manages to stick the landing, providing an engrossing and engaging experience from start to finish.

1 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

• Is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt available on PS Plus?
  No.

• Is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt available on Xbox?
  Yes.

The Witcher games have always been renowned for their fantastic settings, but The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt takes things to a whole other level. The continent on which the game takes place is just begging to be explored and rewards those who oblige with some of the best side quests and character interactions in the history of gaming. It’s not only one of the best open-world games on the PS5, but one of the best open-world games of all time.

Few games rely on the excellence of their open worlds quite as heavily as The Witcher 3, with most of the game’s peers using their settings to pad out their length or provide players with something to do in their downtime. At times though, it genuinely feels as though The Witcher 3‘s gameplay and story were designed around the game’s world rather than the other way around. In that sense, it’s much more than just a video game setting. It’s a living, breathing world.