The 50 Best Open World Games for PC in 2017

open world games
Updated:
22 Aug 2024

The Best Open World Games Worth Playing Right Now in 2017

Many gamers love to explore the world that developers have created for them.  It allows us as players to truly delve into the video game, and take on the role of our character.  Whether it be a crime syndicate boss or a stealthy assassin, we all want to imagine that greatness for a while.  Having expansive, open environments for us to take in helps with that feeling.  Some games have so much to explore that a gamer may spend hours playing without actually touching the storyline.  And that can be an amazing thing.

1. Bless Online

Enter a world that is at constant war.  There is the Holy Empire Hieron to the north that defends their territory for hundreds of years.  In the southern part of the continent is the Union Alliance, a military faction that has rivaled its neighbor to the north.

In this MMORPG, players will choose a race and class, which will ultimately determine which of the two factions they belong to.  There are ten races to choose from, each with their own strengths and skills available from the start.  Upon choosing a race, it is time to pick a class.  With six class available and two more on the way, a player can craft their character the way they see fit, following a Dungeons and Dragons style of creation.

Depending on the kingdom they are delved in, players will have to either defend their homeland or help the other side bring it down.  Adventure along on various quests given by the game to follow the storyline, and perhaps turn the tide in this century-long conflict.

The game is currently in Closed Beta.  Open Beta is scheduled to be released soon.

Fight against colossal beasts with dozens of other players

2. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

In the aftermath of Ground Zeroes, Big Boss falls into a coma.  Nine years later he reawakens to help a new mercenary group Diamond Dogs.  Taking the codename “Venom Snake” he ventures into Afghanistan to track down the men responsible for the events of Ground Zeroes.  Snake soon unearths a plot by the Cipher Organization to develop a new model of Metal Gear.

Take on the role of Snake in an open world environment.  Given a repertoire of gear, including binoculars, pistols, and explosives.  The game encourages players to traverse the open game world without killing enemy combatants.  Travel with cars and tanks, and the occasional horseback through the mountains.  Have companions join in on the missions, like Quiet, the silent female sniper with supernatural abilities.

There is a base-building system that allows players to develop weapons and items for their home base.  Recruiting enemy soldiers and prisoners also make a return from previous installments to help guard the location.  Players have the option to access their base from their smartphones or other devices through an application.

Money is available by collecting objects found all over the map, such as diamonds.  It is needed to upgrade the base-defenses or to upgrade the abilities and weapons of snake’s equipment.  Even his prosthetic arm can be modified with features like a remote control to fly it as a drone.  New to the series is a night-and-day cycle that runs in real-time.  Traveling from one location to another will affect the time of day a player arrives at said destination.  The cycle can be quickened by a device known as the “Phantom Cigar”.  The passage of time enables players to analyze enemy movement in areas and can shift sentry patrols through patrol routes.  Weather can also take effect, with sandstorms and rain that can shift the environment.

Travel through the desert with style.

3. Grand Theft Auto 5

Nine years after the botched robbery at Ludendorff, former bank robber Michael Townley lives under the witness protection with his family in Los Santos, San Andreas.  Under the alias of Michael De Santa, he becomes indebted to a drug lord, and is forced to go back into a life of crime.

Taking on the same classic “GTA” style of gameplay, players will have to run, jump, swim, or drive their way through San Andreas.  New vehicles have been introduced that were absent in the prequel like fixed-wing aircrafts.  Flying over the city brings new perspective and exploration to the world.  The game world has grown since previous installments, and can be fully explored after the game’s tutorial area without any restriction.  Although story-based missions will allow more gameplay content to be unlocked.

Missions will get violent so get ready for some combat.  Melee attacks may work from time to time, but it is often the firepower that makes the difference.  Auto-aim and a cover system can be used to get a leg up against enemies during shootouts.  Health will regenerate only to half when too much damage is taken.  Jump between three different characters as you progress through the story, each with their own set of eight skills.  Certain expertise is unique to the character, and an eighth “special” skill determines the effectiveness in performing certain feats.  For instance, Michael can enter “bullet time” in combat, which slows his perception of time.

While free roaming the game world, players have the opportunity to engage in specific activities like scuba diving or BASE jumping.  Smart phones allow for contacting “friends” and start activities or access the internet for stock market play.  Use the money collected from missions to buy homes and business to create your very own criminal empire.

Reports show that the game will be receiving some downloadable content, including new bikes, and a biker group.

Duck and cover during a firefight.

4. Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord

Set 200 years before its predecessor, it is the decline of the Calradian Empire.  In its downfall, kingdoms have begun to form and territories have started to expand.

In this single-player, action-oriented RPG, it is time to build an empire in the lands of Calradia.  Taking a hold of the sandbox style play, utilize a point and click program to design your castle as well as its defenses.  Build the best structure to fend off invading forces.  And once the kingdom has been secured, it is time for the player to go on the offensive.  Recruit one of the six major factions that are composed of different fighting clans scattered across Calradia.  Each group has their own army of different classes of fighters.  Northern Empire specializes in heavy cavalry, spearmen, and archers.  Meanwhile the Battanians make use of their woodlands to develop ambush tactics with archers.

Join into the multiplayer with up to sixty-four players and have your own character and class based on military units among the faction ranks.  Upgrade your army in campaign mode to become the ruler of a faction.  Spend gold on more powerful equipment, using a balanced system that makes combat more exciting without giving an advantage to the leading team.

The game is currently under development, but is said to be released sometime this year.

Watch the sun rise on the dawn of battle

5. Rust

It is time to survive the harsh elements of the open world video game.  Players start with nothing other than a rock and a torch, and are forced to rebuild in order to live.  While wolves and bears are threats in the environment, the real enemy are other players.  The game is built around a permanent multiplayer PvP matchup combat.  Players must explore the forests in order to cut down trees and collect stones to help build shelter and craft tools.  Mine and kill to gather cloth, food, metals, and sulfur.  By leveling up, players will be more capable of crafting more complexed gear needed to survive.

Along with the exploration of gathering items, there is also the concept of airdrops.  These often occur at random, and are filled with supplies in order to help a player out.  This causes a rush of players to the drop who want its supplies.  Often the supplies are meant to help with combat.  Bows, melee weapons, and even guns can be sometimes found in these drops.  Damage is calculated using a tracking system, making shots to the head and chest deal more damage than if hit in the leg.  Besides bullets and beasts, players must also fend off starvation by going out and making sure they are fed.  The harsh environments also can lead to death including drowning and hypothermia.

Hunt in order to survive

6. DayZ

A mysterious plague has turned most of the population across the globe into zombies.  Being one of the few remaining humans, it is up to you to scavenge for food, water, weapons, and other essentials.

You must stay healthy and alive following the outbreak of the virus that has befallen the world.  With only a pair of simple clothes, a road flare, and a rag, the player must explore the large 225-kilometer area in the fiction Soviet Republic.  Investigate abandoned houses and barns for any tools or supplies necessary for survival.  Keep yourself alive by finding food and water, which is a definite for staying healthy.

Also scattered around the map are a variety of weapons players can use to protect themselves.  The undead are not the only thing out there, as hostile players will also be after supplies.  Currently, the combat is focused largely on melee weapons and small firearms.  Voice chat with other players as you band together for survival, but betrayal can also be around the corner.

While travelling through the game world, players can find medicine as the environment poses as much as a threat as the undead.  Diseases like cholera, dysentery, and even hepatitis can be caught by drinking dirty water or spoiled food.

Travel across the world to build bases to keep items safe, and develop a security system to prevent others from stealing your supplies.  Coming in future releases, new vehicles and items are planned to be added for more excitement.

The zombie train is rolling down the tracks

7. Skyrim

On the continent of Tamriel, the player is led to an execution in the town of Helgen for murdering the High King of Skyrim. During the procession, the black dragon Alduin attacks the town and destroys it before the prisoner can be executed.

Now free and given a second chance, roam over the lands of Skyrim, through the wilderness and into the dungeons.  Players can navigate the lands quickly on horseback.  The non-playable characters populate the world, and like in previous instalments, can be killed by the player.  If some quest-givers die their quests may be lost forever.  Doing so is also a crime, which can trigger an aggressive pursuit by the authorities.  Each town has their laws and economy which can be stimulated by completing certain quests.

At the start of the game, characters can be chosen from a number or races, from humans to lizard-people.  Eighteen skills are available to the player divided into three schools of combat, magic, and stealth.  Training certain skills and gaining experience allows for the player to level up.  Unlike in previous games, there is no class system, allowing players to choose skills to use more frequently rather than choosing a specific class to make use of skills.

Combat relies on the use of weapons and armor, which can be bought or forged, and magic can be unlocked through the discovery of tomes.  Spell and blade can be dual-wielded by the player if they so choose o, and can be swapped out through a quick-access menu of favorite items.

Freely roam the land of Skyrim, through the wilderness on horses with the wind blowing in your virtual hair.  Delve into dungeons, enter the fortresses and protect villages across the continent.  While exploring the open world, players will encounter an assortment of wildlife.  The game animal like the elk or deer simply run at the presence, like in real life.  However, some beasts are extremely hostile toward players like the ferocious dragons.  Such beasts may show up without a notice and turn the land ablaze with death and destruction.  Even cities are not safe from these powerful creatures.

There is also an online version of the game available in Elders Scrolls Online.

Slay dragons with magic and steel.

8. Far Cry 3

Jason Brody is on vacation with a group of friends with friends in Bangkok.  They are celebrating his younger brother for getting his pilot license.  They decide to take a skydiving trip, but end up landing on a pirate-infested island.  Before they can flee, they are taken prisoner by a pirate lord named Vaas.

Far Cry 3 is a first person shooter that features an RPG element to it, including experience points, a skill tree, and crafting system.  During combat, the player has the ability to take cover to break line of sight, and to peek around and over cover.  Players get the ability to perform silent takedowns through melee attacks to quietly take down their enemies one by one.  Equipment is controlled by a system based on mission completion.  New items are unlocked after completing missions, or can be crafted by collecting items like animal pelts.  Crafting can also allow upgrading weapons with materials, increasing damage.

The map is limited at the start of the game, but disabling scrambler towers allows for the map to open up.  Outposts belonging to Vaas can be attacked and retaken, allowing for the vicinity around it to become less hostile, and unlocks side quests to upgrade different equipment.

Skills are collected by gaining experience, and experience is gained by completing missions and killing enemies.  Three skill trees can be tapped into, corresponding to the Spider, the Heron, and the Shark.  Spider upgrades stealth and hunting skills, Shark toward assault and health, and finally Heron helps long-range and mobility.  As the skills are collected, the tattoo on Jason’s forearms grows which is made of different tribal designs based on the animals.

Even a bow and arrow can work on pirates.

9. The Division

On Black Friday, a smallpox virus is transmitted on banknotes and are swept through New York.  To keep “The Dollar Flu” under control, the government activates sleeper agents to assist emergency responders in restoring Brooklyn.

Manhattan is infested with destructive environments in this open world shooter.  Players can carry up to three weapons, and explosives like the sticky bomb to fight enemies.  Take cover behind objects during firefight, and gain a tactical advantage from the third-person perspective.  Gain experience points and currency through progression throughout the game to gain new weapons and gear while improving talents and skills.  Gear can be bought, found, or crafted by gathering materials in the open world setting.

At the Base of Operations, different wings can be accessed to improve skills.  Completing missions for the specific wings to gain new talents, perks and facilities in the base.  The security wing gives insight to each in-game faction, medical gives virus reports, and tech helps provide camera footage.  Realistic weather systems can bring benefits and disadvantage.  For instance, storms can cause a hindrance to the player’s sight, making aiming more difficult.

Once you are done with the main game, jump to the Dark Zone, a competitive multiplayer mode.  High-end weapons were left behind when the military retreated. And these are for players to find.  Better items can be found in this mode, but are contaminated, meaning they can be stolen by other players, and must be flown out to be available in the campaign.  A player’s level and raking can potentially drop if they die too many times in the Dark Zone.

Walk the empty streets of Brooklyn.

10. Dead Island 2

The United States Armed Forces has put the state of California under full quarantine restriction following the new zombie outbreak.  It is unknown how this infection started.  You, unfortunately are stuck in the quarantine zone.  Take up the mantle of the average joe, and do whatever you can to survive this outbreak.

Split into three different locations around California, the open world game is played in a first person perspective.  Players gain and earn experience by completing tasks and killing certain enemies

Combat system is slightly altered from its predecessor that utilized physical attacks and the use of melee weapons.  However, melee weapons are still at the forefront, and with a new crafting system, they can be improved or built from scratch.  Along with the new crafting system is the new Rage Mode, which grants a temporary boost to physical abilities.

Love the smell of zombie brains in the morning

11. Ghost Recon Wildlands

In Bolivia is the Santa Blanca drug cartel, which is the world’s largest producer of cocaine.  Concerned, the United States Army dispatches an elite group called “the Ghosts” to destroy the cartel and reveal the connection between Santa Blanca and the Bolivian government.

This tactical shooter utilizes a third person perspective. Play as members of the Ghosts, modern day soldiers equipped with weapons and gear used by today’s soldiers.  Drones can be used to tag and highlight enemies and objectives.  An open world first to the series, the game features mountains forests, deserts, salt pans and also introduces a dynamic weather system and day-night cycle.  Taking on missions during daylight increases the chance of being spotted by enemies, while night provides a tactical advantage.  A wide variety of vehicles allow for quick exploration around the open places.

When off missions, players can interact, and build relationships with the non-playable characters, such as citizens, officials, or even rebels.  Interactions need strategy and can impact the game world in either good or bad ways.  Players gain experience points to level up allowing for their characters and gear to be upgraded.

The game also features a four-player co-op multiplayer which players can be joined by others to explore or complete campaign missions together.

Use your team to storm the enemy

12. Fallout 4

The Resource War, the battle over depleting natural resources, ended in a nuclear holocaust.  As the bombs are dropped, the player takes shelter in Vault 111, and emerges exactly 210 years later.

Roam across the map in this desolate wasteland.  Players gain the ability to roam anywhere about the map and have the ability to customize weaponry.  With over 50 base guns, all of which can be crafted, there are over 700 possible modifications available for each weapon.  Power Armor has been redesigned to be more for travelling with modified parts like a jetpack.  Customize the armor, selecting separate types for each part of the suit.  Players can freely build their own settlements with working electricity and non-playable characters as citizens.  But players must go out and explore to find food and water to sustain their little village.

The Pip-Boy, a personal computer that allows access of data, makes a return in this next installment.  Coming along with it is the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System which allows for real-time combat to be slowed down.  Action is played out from various camera angels that allows to target specific body parts to inflict maximum damage.  The game system is represented in seven statistics: strength, perception, endurance, charisma, intelligence, agility, and luck.  Gaining enough experience points allows to increase these stats and unlock a new ability.  These abilities can further be upgraded to boost efficiency.  With no level cap and 275 perks available, the game does not end once the main story is complete.

This bear is far from cuddly

13. Witcher 3

Gerald of Rivia is in search of his lover, the sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg with Vesemir, a senior witcher.  Yennefer had tried to get in contact with Geralt, but she was forced to flee to avoid fighting between the warring powers of Nilfgaard and Redania.

A game that is thirty times larger than its predecessors, requiring the players to sail across seas and ride on horseback.  It has been said that it is “20% bigger than Skyrim”.  Every action the player performs impacts the world, with many quests having different options and different methods of completing them.  The way they are completed results in different outcomes for the world.

Combat now revolves around an action role-playing system coupled with magic.  New mechanics involved with the system include the ability to sense nearby objects, people, or resources known as the “witcher sense”.  Now ride down your enemies upon your trusted speed with new combat on horseback.  An in depth crafting system allows for item creation and brewing of potions.  Changing environments, like the day and night cycle influences the monsters that are found in the wild.  Under a full moon will the feral werewolf be at its strongest.

Use real firepower to take down the foes

14. Sleeping Dogs

Wei Shen is arrested when a drug deal goes south.  In jail, he is introduced to the Triad and is offered to enter their ranks upon his release.  In actuality, Shen is an informant, and his arrest was staged to help infiltrate the Sun On Yee’ Triad.

The player controls Wei Shen, a Chinese American policeman that goes undercover to infiltrate the Sun On Yee Triad.  Following the linear tutorial, players can navigate the open world by running, or obtaining a vehicle to explore.  During the game, whenever the “Face Meter” becomes filled, upgrades become unlocked like the ability to regenerate health and improved combat skills.  The meter can be filled through three different types of experience points.  The Triad is obtained through violent actions.  Face grows through civilian missions.  Lastly Police experience is gained by lowering civilian casualties and completing police missions.

The combat system has been compared to the Arkham Asylum game.  It is made up of grapples and countermoves that can be chained together with movement to execute a flurry of attacks.  Similar to the “GTA” series, there is a five-star wanted level called the “heat meter”.  Some areas in the world will remain inaccessible until parts of the story is completed.  The player may choose to wander the open world and participate in activities like karaoke, carjacking, and street racing.  As the game progresses, players can obtain safe houses to save progress.

The Deluxe Edition is available with all 24 downloadable content, including additional story like “Year of the Snake” and the horror-themed “Nightmare in Northpoint”.

Use the combo system to bring the beat down on the enemies.

15. World of Warcraft: Legion

Upon the defeat of Archimonde at Hellfire Citadel, Gul’dan is pushed through a portal to Azeroth in order to open a way for the Burning Legion to invade in far greater numbers.  Together with shunned demon hunters, the Horde and Alliance must master artifact weapons and relics of the Titans to stop the Legion.

The new expansion allows players to reach a new level cap of 110 while exploring the Broken Isles, ten levels up from the previous installment.  New items called Artifact Weapons will be the main weapon available for the players.  Choose between thirty-six new variants of the Artifact Weapons, each designed to fit a specific class including the new Demon Hunter The second “hero class” in the game, the Demon Hunter operates under the concept of demonic magic to fuel melee attacks, and harness the power of the fiends for their own.

In the World of Warcraft, the expansive world has immersed many a man into its depths for months or years on end.  The game focuses on the continent of Azeroth, but stretches out to the realm of Outland, Northrend, and the Mists of Pandaria.  With this expansion, the Broken Isles appear in the lands of Azeroth.  Each land is home to towering mountains, stretching plains, and deep blue seas.  When not exploring, players can stop into many of the towns and villages scattered throughout the game.  For example, there is the Twilight Base Camp that is built near strange crystals that boosts the arcane arts. 

And while most of the game world remains a constant from day to day, the developers do make small cosmetic changes during the seasonal events.  Holidays like Oktoberfest, Halloween, and Christmas make their way into the game as fictional holidays with their own quests and changes to the world.  Weather can also change during the gameplay, like sudden rain, snow, and even dust storms to given areas, just like in the real world.

Warcraft: Legion marks the sixth expansion to the series.  In the weeks before the release, the Burning Legion invaded Azeroth, allowing players to defend against a new evil.

The legion is coming.

16. Just Cause 3

Rico Rodriguez returns to his homeland of Medici that is under the brutal dictatorship of General Sebastiano Di Ravello.  The general has set his eyes on world domination.  Wanting to stop it, Rico journeys to destroy the evil plans.

Just Cause 3 is an open world third-person action-adventure game set in the Mediterranean islands.  The map is approximately 400 square miles large.  Volumetric terrain has increased to allow players to explore subterranean caverns and scale buildings more effectively.  Five major biomes make up the island, each with different landmarks and landscapes.

A variety of tools are available, like the grappling hook and parachute, which make a return in the game.  New features like the wingsuit, allows the player to glide across the world, which can be coupled with combat for aerial strikes.  Also available are a number of weapons like shotgun rocket-propelled grenades.  Even the vehicles found in the game can be customized and used as weapons.  Creativity and destruction are emphasized by the way players can influence structure like bridges and statues.  All of which can be destroyed in a variety of ways. 

Surfing on the car is just a typical day for Rico.

17. Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

The captain stationed at the Black Gate of Mordor is attacked by Sauron’s Orc Forces.  In the battle, his wife and son are captured and are sacrificed by the Black Hand.

Become the captain named Talion as he seeks revenge on the forces of Sauron.  Travel across the lands of middle-earth through different methods of transportation, including riding upon monsters.  Players have freedom to pursue side quests while roaming around Mordor, through special activities to collect flora or hunt creatures.  Completing questions offer rewards like experience points which are used to unlock abilities like improvement of the rune slots on the weapons.

The combat system uses an attack-chain to enable special moves after building up a chain of strikes to a large enough value.  Counter and dodge attacks are available to turn the tides against enemy forces.  However, some missions require stealth rather than all out brawls, especially in strongholds where alarms could be sounded.

A core feature of the game is the Nemesis system.  The player can gain knowledge of strength and weaknesses of enemy leaders through draining intelligence and interrogating marked Uruks.  Infighting can occur among the enemies utilizing this system.  However, foes that survive the encounter will remember what the player has done.  For instance, if an Uruk is burned by the power of the Nemesis system, they will seek revenge for being harmed.

Use the Nemesis System to conquer your foes

18. TERA

The Valkyon Federation has left the Island of Dawn, a war torn landscape filled with monsters.  Some unfortunate souls have been left behind, like the player, to help clean up.

The land in TERA is an open world MMORPG that focuses on questing, crafting, and player versus player action.  Utilizing a real-time combat system, it incorporates a third-person camera view that allows players target enemy with cross-hair curses rather than clicking an individual opponent.  Players need to actively dodge enemy attacks.

Players can choose one of seven potential races, each with their own unique “racial skills” that gives them minor advantages over the other ones.  There are also eleven different classes available to couple with the race, each with their own abilities and attributes, allowing for a lot more customization.  Along with creating your own unique character, players have the potential to craft their own gear and weapons by exploring the country side and collecting the necessary objects.  There is also the in-game currency called “Chronoscrolls” that can be purchased with real money.  This allows for certain items to be purchased for those who do not have the time to grind.

Fight fantastic and bizarre beasts.

19. H1z1: Just Survive

A strange mutation of the H1N1 virus has led to a zombie apocalypse.  As one of the few survivors in rural United States, you must do whatever it takes to stay alive.

It is time to survive the end of the world.  With an emphasis on cooperation, trading and team building is a necessity in order to survive.  Join forces to explore the open world environment. Collect materials to craft items to better your chance for survival.  However, in the end, if you want to live you need to be cutthroat, resourceful, and alert at all times.  While there are those on your side, there are others who are against you.  You must build up to protect yourself and others against the zombies, hostile humans, and random beasts wandering through the wilderness and towns.

Time to make your stand, even if it’s on the hood of a pickup truck.

20. Mafia 3

After coming back to the states following the war, Lincoln Clay rejoins the black mob.  After surviving a murder attempt that kills the rest of the black mob, Clay decides to start his own criminal group to exact revenge.

An action-adventure video game where players take on the role of Lincoln Clay, a Vietnam veteran who wants revenge, the game is set in 1968 New Bordeaux, a fictional New Orleans open world design to allow players to freely explore the Big Easy.  Complete objectives through a variety of approaches.  A player can use pure firepower like shotguns and revolvers, or take a stealthier approach through missions to go unnoticed by enemies.  While it focuses on guns, there is also a combat system where players can execute moves to engage in a flurry of melee attacks.  Players can also interrogate non-player characters after defeating them in order to get more information about different objectives.  Take control of locations run by the Italian Mafia to build your own criminal syndicate.

Make those dirty rats pay

21. Tree of Savior

In an unnamed kingdom, the Goddesses have disappeared without a trace. To make matters worse, the capital has been ravaged by the appearance by legions of monsters.

Tree of Saviour is an online MMORPG where players can create characters with over 80 classes to choose from. Gain experience through performing quests all over the open world, and level up to improve stats and abilities. Design your own weapons by traversing the lands for the needed items.  Or you can use the market system to bid for gear that other players have taken the time to make.  Players can also upgrade their system in different ways like applying jeweled slots to weapons to give them magical benefits.  And once you have everything together, join one of the many guilds comprised of other players.

Join the massively expanding universe

22. Black Desert Online

In a high fantasy world, two nations are in conflict.  The Republic of Calpheon and the Kingdom of Valencia fight over the valuable resources known as the Black Stones.  Join one of the kingdoms and fight for glory.

The combat is action based in this third-person mmorpg, requiring players to manually aim to hit their target.  When in close vicinities, use melee combat and combos.  Traverse the open world through a parkour running system similar to the Prince of Persia and Assassin’s Creed series.  A dynamic weather system allows large scale events, like typhoons, to influence gameplay.  Seasonal weather changes or travelling to new areas in the game will force players to switch their equipment to the surroundings. 

Players can craft housing, varying from tents to more substantial housing or buildings.  It can be fitted with furniture and other equipment.  NPC’s can be hired to setup a trading post in the building.  Mounted combat is also possible, where players are able to breed and tame wild animals.  These creatures require feeding and care, and can potentially be killed.

Take in the breathtaking view.

23. Rift

Telara is the focal point of the elemental planes.  Each plan is governed by a dragon deity, a personification of the elemental force.  The Dragon of Extinction, Regulos has broken through the planes, creating rifts to appear across Telara.

The split between the elemental planes have caused rifts to spawn monsters that proceed to invade the land of Telara.  Players must defeat the monsters and close the rifts.  Once sealed, they are rewarded based on their contribution in the flight.  The game also offers the typical Dungeons and Raids typically found in the fantasy genre.  Team up in groups of five to face off against dungeons of varying difficulties, with best items found at the Master-level of difficulty.  Raids can be made up of ten or twenty players, requiring teamwork and good weapons and armor to be successful.  However, raids are found closer toward the end-game, which contains the toughest foes Rift has to offer.

Choose among five different classes, called callings.  Each level, players gain points to the eight different “souls”.  The soul-tree has branches that allow players to choose from different skills and bonuses to maximize the customization between callings.  For instance, if a player wishes for a Cleric to take a lot of damage, they would choose defensive properties and the ability to heal the group as it fights.

Along with the callings, players may also keep soul configurations, which may be used outside of combat, allowing them to change up their character’s abilities to suit the group’s needs.  Items can be found after completing various dungeons, rifts, or quests in the game.  At launch, Rift had approximately 12,000 weapons that could be used by any character.  The rarity of the weapon has a color coded system, allowing players to show just how unique their equipment is.

Delve into the fires and take on many foes

24. WildStar

The Dominion, an intergalactic empire forged by the Eldan has the goal of controlling the galaxy.  A group of refugees and outlaws called the Exiles have joined forces to fight them.

Players are able to create a character who can travel through an open world environment.  Movement is unique and allows moves such as double jumping, sprinting, and dashing.  Some area in the game has altered gravity, allowing players to jump even higher.

Combat revolves around a system of telegraphs, where zones are displayed on the ground.  It allows players to predict attacks and heal allies.  Telegraphs are also means for the player to have to cast them in the right direction. Players can also use the auto-targeting enemies, which makes it easier to get a particular enemy into their telegraph. 

Following character creation, players can choose from six classes, four paths, and eight races.  Classes are limited to certain races, but there are no gameplay differences between the races.  Selecting the classes allow for the certain skills to be unlocked.  And while paths are not restricted by class, they do determine what kind of content is available to the players during gameplay.

The game features a vast array of player-versus-player conflicts.  In addition to open world combat, players are able to participate in organized fights.  An arena consists of up to 5v5, battlegrounds are larger teams with up to 15v15, and war plots have a whopping 30v30 fights.

An amazing open world gameplay

25. Albion Online

You conquer and shape the world of Albion, and your every action has a consequence, which ripples through the land.  Establish a community of allies as you and fellow adventurers build your empires.

All items and buildings in the game are crafted by players, which can be bartered between them.  Scour the open world for materials to make the best items and decide which price to sell them to other players.  Savvy players can make it an industry of transporting goods to different markets around the game world.  In the game there is no class-restriction on any abilities or items, allowing players to become exactly what they want to be.  Craft any number of spells on the gear, and mix and match from different combinations of abilities and skills.  Players can be a heavily armored wizard that can heal with one hand and bash people with a mace in the other.

Once you have your perfect character, it is time to find your brethren.  Loyal band of brothers and sisters are out there to claim your patch of Albion.  Build cities and camps from over 50 different kinds of buildings and customizable skins.  Then it is time to wage war on neighboring guilds.  Take part in amassive open world PvP battles.  Fight for the fame and honor of your guild, or become a free riding mercenary whose name is synonymous with fear.

Over the river and through the woods to complete the quest

26. 7 Days to Die

The world has become infested by zombies due to an unknown virus.  Hordes of flesh-eating undead roam the countryside.  Now that most of the population is nothing more than brain devouring beasts, the few humans left must find a way to survive.

Take the open world crafting gameplay of Minecraft and throw in a dash of World War Z, and you have this game.  Dive into the immersive world filled with undead, as the players explore, loot, and craft their way to survival.  The huge, rich environment provides unlimited way to play, and allows players to choose a survival style that bests fits you.

Discover loot across the map in order to make weapons and armor to better you chance when the undead come.  Take refuge in an abandoned building, or construct one from scratch.  Make your own fortress of zombie-slaying.  The game is not limited to single player.  Team up with friends in randomly generated zones.  Work together to live, or stab them in the back

Collect resources for the in-depth crafting system

27. Far Cry Primal

A hunter from the Wenja tribe barely survives an attack from a sabretooth cat while on a hunt.  Upon returning home, he meets Sayla, who says the Wenja tribe has been scattered across the land after the village was destroyed.

Roll back the clock to the dawn of time in this prehistoric action adventure game.  Due to it taking place in the beginning of mankind, traditional guns and vehicles commonly found in the series has been removed.  Returning Far Cry veterans must adapt to the melee weapons like spears, clubs, and axes.  Range weapons do appear, but in the form of bows and slings.  Since there is no economics in the savage land, all material must be crafted by scavenging the open world for material like stone and wood.

Living in a hostile environment, players must be wary of both predators and hostile tribes around the area.  Seize areas to establish your own series of base camps allowing for rest and a place to prep as you continue your expedition. The NPCs will also task the player to complete tasks to improve the village and provide crafting material.  With the day-night cycle, players must be wary of when they go out, as predators are more deadly at night.  Players will have to make use of fire if they choose to go out after sunset.

Animals are not only used for food, as players can tame predators.  Larger animals can be used as spirit animals.  Spirit animals can be directly controlled, like the owl.  With “owl vision” players can scout enemy outposts, and can be upgraded to drop bombs on the foes.

Following the launch, developers introduced a Survival Mode that drastically increased the game’s difficulty.

Take on a pack of Mammoths with just your spear

28. ARK: Survival Evolved

Creatures thought long extinct have been brought back on the island called the Ark.  Unfortunately, you become stuck on there with them, along with some of the most dangerous creatures alive: humans.

Stranded, players must establish a base to survive.  Scour the 48 square kilometer area for resources and gain structure components.  The island is comprised of the 36 square mile land and the 12 square mile ocean that stretches outwards.  Crafting more sophisticated items requires leveling which makes the player more capable of building complex designs. Players are able to create nearly any item, so long as they have the right materials and the blueprints available to put everything together.  When it comes to bases, the integrity of the structure can be compromised.  A damaged pillar could cause the whole building to collapse.

Items can be crafted, such as weapons, by collecting the resources and having the technology to craft.  Accessories can also be added, such as a scope, to these weapons.  Food is a necessity as it helps replenish health that is lost through damage.

Sixty types of dinosaurs can be found in the game.  These creatures can be tamed by feeding them food after they have been knocked out.  Once under the player’s care, players have access to their different abilities, such as flight or quick underwater movement.  Riding larger dinosaurs, other players can ride on the side with full control of their weapons, but the one at the reins cannot.  A pack of Utahraptors can be ordered to defend the base, while triceratops can be commanded to attack enemy bases.

Riding a Pterodactyl is every kid’s dream.

29. Dying Light: The Following

Kyle Crane learns that a cultist group that is living outside a quarantined city has successfully controlled the virus.  With production for a cure unsuccessful, Crane goes to investigate the supposed immunity.

Travel through the open world in this zombie apocalypse-themed game.  An expansive open environment can be traversed through parkour mechanics like climbing ledges, jumping across rooftops, and even zip-lining.  The same mechanics are applied to combat, such as drop-kicking an enemy while running.

The combat mechanics focus heavily on melee weaponry.  There are over a hundred weapons and a thousand different possibilities to improve them with the crafting system.  Weapons become degraded over time and eventually break.  And while they can be repaired, it is limited. Crafting requires the right ingredients and blueprints.

Night and day cycle is a big part of the gameplay.  Under the sun, players go out and scavenge for supplies and get back to the safe zone.  They can set up traps and fortify their defenses.  Infected are slow and easy to point out.  At night the infected transform and become much more dangerous.  They gain the ability to sprint and are much stronger than before.  To avoid contact, players must use the “Survivor Sense” that helps locate the infected in the dark.  Experience points come into play through combat and performing parkour movements.  These points can be spent to improving skills like speed and strength.

Face all sorts of undead, even the roid-raging kind.

30. Gloria Victis

Delve into the fantasy world and choose between the proud Midlanders or the vengeful Ismirs of the frozen north.

Emphasizing on realism, join the medieval open world and build your empire.  Engage in a non-target combat system where the best tactician triumphs. Prove your skills in order to gain fame as an unbeatable gladiator, or be known across the land as a commander that could rival Alexander the Great.  Join tournaments to fight to the death in open PVP style.  Or gather your army to siege castles in an epic war. 

Conquer the open lands, siege towns and castles while developing fortifications of your own territory.  Become a part of the feudal society by establishing and build your reputation, leading allies under your banner. Or run in disgrace and become an outlaw.  Equip your soldiers with the best weapons available with the complex crafting system.  Scour the lands for the best resources and materials.  In this game, animals do not drop the weapons, they are forged by blacksmiths.  Make the character you wish for it to be with hundreds of available items.

Currently the game is in the alpha stage and the creators have issued that some issues may appear during the gaming experience.  They have plenty of plans coming in the future like Mounts and Naval Combat.

Use an arrow to pay the toll.

31. Naval Action

Take to the high seas in this enormous open world based on 18th century maps with historic harbors and towns.  Positions are not stuck out like in most modern games, forcing the player to navigate the seas with a compass, the sun and other landmarks.  Have the freedom to build your ship as you see fit in order to sink your enemies.  Set up a trading route to make your life more profitable.  Conquer the ports of the Caribbean, but be wary of other captains out for their own glory.

Construct from different hull models, sail plans, and guns.  Ships are based on accurate speed and turning performances.  Upgrade your vessel from the small cutters to the large, 100 gun galleons to allow yourself to experience very role of the Age of Sail.  The game follows realistic sailing mechanics.  Winds affect the speed and mobility of the ship.  Cannons and ballistics perform just as they did over three hundred years ago.  One shot of a cannonball can hit the stern, damage the rudder, then hit a crewman with ricochets.  Listing and wind affects the cannon fire and requires a change of tactics.  And just like with real ships, the damage will last.

The game is currently in early access and development is driven by the community.  Many strange, and sometimes wonderful bugs have been reported and the developers have squashed them one-by-one.

Take on the sea with as much firepower as possible.

32. Windward

While the game can be played singular, but the best experience comes from playing with friends.  Generate and proceed to an open world, and create your own faction to set sail.  Sail to find resources to help upgrade your ship.  New towns will ask for your help the further you get from where you left port.  Pirates will attempt to attack you.  Combat allows you to unlock new talents and abilities to your character.

Help towns grow, as they offer more quests and more resources to better your items.  Sometimes a town will offer to upgrade the ship itself.  Explore swiftly on the sea as a Schooner or blow enemies away as a heavy Galleon.  Farther into the ocean blue, the game will become increasingly more difficult, but the rewards will be grander.  On the seas it’s about reputation.  With a reputation as a fierce captain, even pirates will fear you, avoiding you at all costs.

Sail into port and then blow it all away

33. Kenshi

In this world it is beat or be eaten.  Customize all your characters and build a squad that will fight for you.  The characters grow through combat, becoming stronger through experience.  Once you have your team, explore the wide 870 square kilometer landscape.  In this game, every character is on equal ground when it comes to strength.  Players have the same amount of hit points as their enemy, unless they gain the strength to rise above.  When not out in the field it is time to build your base, a fortress that you can keep yourself safe.

Purchase upgrades to the base to fortify it against enemies.  If you are not careful, you may end up being captured by cannibals to have for their next meal.  Or be sold off into slavery as the game takes a real approach to a lawless land.  In that world, it is up to you to become what you want.  Choose the life of a trader and live humbly, or act as a warlord and bring the lands under your thumb.  Anything is possible with the game.

Currently, Kenshi is in early access and is still in development.

Be careful of your decisions, they might land you in hot water.

34. Sid Meier’s Pirates

A Spanish nobleman enslaves a family when they are unable to pay their debt.  The main character, a boy, manages to evade capture.  Ten years later, now a young man, the main character enters a bar and is given a list of options that will define him.

Sail on the open seas across the Caribbean Islands.  Navigate your way through different areas from towns to pirate havens.  The wind controls the speeds and navigation.  Just like on the real oceans, clouds passing overhead indicate barometric depressions, which have storms at their center.  Powerful winds pose a threat to any ship.  Reefs and shoals also pose a danger if too close to the islands.  Player ships can suffer hull damage or run aground.

Through the game, plunder ships for food and other supplies, which can be sold at different prices in different towns, and can shift in value over time.  Areas will pay more if it is in demand, like isolated settlements.  Using the funds at port, players can then repair and upgrade their ship.  Depending on their reputation in the towns, repairs can be cheaper, and eventually they will be free.

Naval battles are common.  Players have the options of switching their flagship, and control a fleet to engage the enemy.  Wind again plays into account of how to position your guns for firing.  The trick is to outmaneuver your ship while engaging the enemy.  Players can board the ship to avoid damaging an enemy vessel and make it their own.  Specialist crew on the enemy ship will join the players once defeated.  Some of the captured forces may be inclined to join your ranks as well.  Aside from naval battles there is also a sword fighting mini-game where players fence off against an opponent leader in one-on-one combat.

Take a little history lesson with nine historical pirates.  Each bears his own flag, and are considered some of the most dangerous in the game.  Once a player defeats one, his plunder and ship are acquired.  Such famous buccaneers include Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, and Black Bart Roberts.

Engage in epic sea battles

35. Assassin’s Creed II

During the Renaissance, Ezio’s family is ensnared in a political plot, resulting in the hanging of his father and brother.  Following his father’s final words, he finds the Assassin tools and flees the city with his mother and sister to the countryside.  Ezio then embarks on a mission, hoping to discover the people behind the conspiracy.

Silent.  Deadly.  Take on the mantle in this open world environment as you freely roam across the fifteenth-century Italian cities like Venice, Florence, and Vatican City.  Hook up the Animus system and gain abilities like Eagle Vision, which can identify a specific person or location from far away.  Interact with NPCs by throwing money on the ground to distract some people while you carry a corpse.  A day and night cycle has been added, give a better sense of time, as well as certain missions and events can only be accessed during them.

The combat system has been revved up, now with the ability to disarm foes using counterattacks while unarmed.  Steal weapons, and follow up with an attack that can kill an enemy instantly.  While Generic swords and muskets are available for purchase from vendors.  Besides the tools of the trade, armor can be purchased as the game progresses.  Of course the game is all about stealth.  Use different methods on missions like parkour to the rooftops, stay hidden through the bushes, or blend in with the crowds.

Like the other games, historical figures are present in the game, including the great renaissance painter and inventor Leonardo da Vinci.  One mission even includes a ride on a working design of his flying machine.

Face off against the Templars with swords and your skills

36. The Forest

A plane crashes on a deserted, forested island.  Cannibals appear and are seen taking the player’s son away from them.

Survive in the forest by creating shelter, building weapons, and crafting other survival tools.  On the island are a tribe of cannibalistic mutants that dwell deep within the caves beneath the island.  Only at night do they come out to hunt.  Not all of the creatures are hostile, but more usual than not they are aggressive.

While vicious creatures, they are also tactically intelligent, choosing to surround the player and hide behind cover to protect themselves.  They are also afraid of fire, and will not approach if a campfire is lit.  The game features a day and night cycle, where the player will build a shelter and traps, hunt animals and collect supplies during the day.  At night you must defend yourself against the cannibalistic mutants.

The mutants are after you, but don’t be reckless

37. Project Zomboid

The government has quarantined Knox County due to an infestation of zombies.  Trapped inside the undead-zone, it is up to you to survive.

In this open world game, players must struggle with every real world problem a human would face in a zombie apocalypse.  Hunger, fatigue, pain, and mental stability are all factors they must manage in order to stave off the undead hordes.  Scavenge through the county for supplies to live another day, while avoiding zombies.  Luckily, the horde is comprised of the slow moving creatures inspired by Romero’s Night of the Living Dead.

The game is made up of two modes.  In survival mode, players must cling to life as long as possible by keeping their strength up.  Try as they might, death will be inevitable as supplies dwindle, and eventually deplete in the quarantined zone.  The other mode is called sandbox mode, where players get the chance to change different gameplay mechanics.  For instance, they have the choice of changing the speed and number of zombies inhabiting the game world.  Other mechanics that can be altered are weather conditions and item availability.

When starting a new game, players get the chance to create a character with its own “profession”.  Each profession has its own benefits.  A forest ranger has better chances of foraging for supplies, whereas a police officer is a better shot with the guns available.  Players will also be given trait points that can be assigned to different skills.  Skills are numerous, from first aid to accuracy.  Having positive values in a skill means the character is proficient in that skill, where negative values show that they are not.

The game is currently in early access.  Several setbacks including code theft have delayed the game.  It is still being developed.

Give your house a fresh coat of paint.  Zombie Blood is all the rage

38. Eve Online

A sci-fi experience where every experience causes a ripple effect across a massive online universe.  Team up with your friends in order to compete with over 500,000 players in epic starship battles.  Or wage economic warfare on the player-controlled market.

Join one of many different factions as one of the four races of EVE.  Enter large-scale faction conflicts where you will battle against thousands of other pilots in a battle for supremacy of the stars.  Obtain the best equipment by utilizing the online market manufactured and traded by the players.  Buy and sell the many tools available to players and carve your way to an industrial empire.  Become a savvy entrepreneur or fall in line with many of the pre-existing corporations.

When it is time to finally take on the cosmos, EVE offers a diverse range of paths for a player to travel.  Many careers are offered without limitation.  Advance your character as an industrialist, or perhaps a politician, or even play the role of a spy.  Hundreds of trainable skills are available to help players define the role they want to play.  And with the Passive Skill Gain System, players will never have to “grind” for levels, as the character improves even when offline.

Engage in epic galactic battles.

39. Minecraft

Minecraft is a dream come true for everyone who love Legos.  Join in on the open world game that has no specific goals, granting players the freedom to play as they see fit.  And while there is an achievement system to give them incentives, it is truly up to the player to explore, craft, and create. Freely roam across the world and encounter the non-playable characters known as mobs.  Mobs consist of friendly villagers, different animals, and hostile creatures.  While the first two are generally friendly, the creatures like skeletons, spiders, and zombies will appear during the night or in dark areas to attack the player.

The game world operates on a system clock, which usually cycles every twenty minutes between day and night unless altered by the player.  In order to survive the onslaught of nighttime creatures like the nefarious Creeper, players must craft their way to survival.  Collect wood from trees, mine for stone and even diamonds to construct gear like swords and armor.  Building materials like wood and stone can be placed like bricks, allowing players to construct nearly anything their hearts desire.  From a simple house to a fully functional rollercoaster, the only limit is imagination and having enough material.

While most of the game world appears to be endless forests and mountains, there are two alternate dimensions a player can access via portals.  The first of the Nether, a hellish landscape that contains unique resources not available in the normal realm.  Monsters roam freely in the Nether, making it a constant danger.  Meanwhile, the End is a terrible, barren wasteland where the creature known as the Ender Dragon resides.  The great beast is considered an “end boss” that if defeated unlocks an achievement.

Modifications to the game are also available, allowing players even more creative freedom.  Items like steam engines and zeppelins are possible to craft with these mods.

The only limitation to creativity is one’s own imagination.

40. Lord of the Rings Online

Start simultaneously with Frodo and company as they leave the Shire.  Each region across Middle-Earth has been suspended in time, seemingly frozen at a certain point from The Lord of the Rings story.  Like in the classic tale, players must join together to face the evil forces of Sauron.

Fans of the famous trilogy will finally have their dreams come true by delving into Middle-Earth in this massive multiplayer online game.  When creating a character, players have the ability to equip traits that give different bonuses and abilities.  Traits can be changed by visiting bards which are found in most towns.  Certain traits like Virtue increases a player’s stats and certain powers like regeneration, which can help in combat.  Other traits like Legendary offer rare bonuses to the player and can only be obtained through completing a series of class-specific quests.

Once your character has been forged, it is time to join the Fellowship.  The Fellowship is a band of up to six characters to help complete quests, and are an integral part of the game.  It is necessary to band together to engage in difficult instances a player may encounter, like a powerful enemy that may appear while on a quest.

And once you have delved into much of the online story game with your Fellowship, players will start to build a reputation for themselves.  Reputation measures how well acquainted a player is with a specific faction of NPCs.  Players with high enough reputation with a specific faction may purchase items from the faction vendors.  There is also the Crafting Guild, where players must gain reputation to utilize the crafting system offered by the guild.

Join Middle-Earth and fight many creatures from the books.

41. Uncharted Waters Online

It is time to set sail for adventure.  Explore the historical high seas from the Age of Sail in this open world game.  Choose between three paths: adventurer, merchant, and soldier.  Players can then improve their skills by taking on different types of jobs.  With over 100 skills available, characters can be uniquely designed to best fit a player’s play style. 

Among the skill list are production abilities that help build ships, make weapons, harvest food, and many other items in the game.  Items can be sold to NPCs or other players for profit.  The economy is completely player driven, as they set the price for the items they sell.

Once a player has all the gear they need, it is time to take to the seas and sail wherever you wish.  Following the vast ocean maps of the real world, players can visit over 180 bustling ports and settlements.  Venture to the six continents, each with their own items, people, and secrets.

On the open waters, you might run into a ship that bodes you ill.  Load up the cannons and engage in a PvP on the seas.  Take part in massive sea feuds, featuring hundreds of players.  Join the Battle Campaign and fight other players, death match style.  Survive long enough, and become a Captain who is not to be trifled with.

Face off against an entire fleet of ships.

42. Vindictus

The world is in strife. Humans seek to bring back their goddess, Morrighan, and be enriched in paradise. This has caused the lands to be wrapped in an endless war.

Players will start the game with a choice from among ten characters, each with styles of combat and abilities. And while the appearance of these characters can be altered, basic skills and fighting are set upon creation. Skills create a unique game experience depending on the selected character. Additionally, each is able to wield two different weapons, allowing their abilities to be used in two different styles in of itself. Combat in the game is considered fast paced, utilizing comb-based fighting instead of activation of skills commonly found in MMORPGs. Instead of the typical strategic button clicking found in most MMOs, players can dodge, counter, and block incoming attacks.

Level up the character by gaining experience points by diving into Instant Dungeons for fast grinding, or take on the different quests. Players will have the option of completing these on their own or joining up with friends. Having a partner can be beneficial, but it also gives bosses more health, making them harder to put down. There is also a scale difficulty for dungeons. Higher difficulties yield more experience, allowing for faster grinding experience.

Choose your character and complete epic quests

43. Hurtworld

A hardcore multiplayer that focuses on deep survival. The game tempts players out of their “comfort zone” with better loot and high tech. Dangerous creatures and harsh environments will push players to the limit.

The land is out there, it is up to you to find the courage and take it.  Resources are out there ready to be mined which will allow for better items to be crafted.  Mining can be accomplished through a pickaxe or dynamite if you happen to have it.  Then it is time to combine the items with a crafting system that allows players to construct gear, tools, weapon, and machines.  Through crafting, a little pickaxe can be replaced by a fully automated drill.

Explore the world in style with a number of bikes and cars.  Although not all vehicles are operational from the start, It is up to players to scavenge for parts to get it moving again.  Then players can upgrade things like the engine or the gear box to make it a real speed machine.

Now since the land is being shared by other players, some might not be so willing to share the resources needed to survive.  Weapons will come in handy when players have to fight it out.  With melee and projectile weaponry available, you can make quick work of someone.  But players need to be careful, as cunning peers may heighten your own chances of death.

Everything in the world is affected by the day and night cycle.  Endure localized effects like radiation and dynamic weather shifts.  Items can behave different given the current environment.  A steak you harvested may freeze in the cold, but at least it will no longer be rotten.  Having a storage chest too close to your open flame, and all your gear might go up in smoke.

The game is still in early development.  Players are advised to give feedback to developers.

Vehicles are a huge help to survive.

44. How to Survive 2

It has been several years since the incident in the Los Riscos’ archipelago.  Now the infection that had once been local has spread into a worldwide pandemic.  People all across the world now struggle to survive one more day.

The undead are after you.  Supplies are dwindling.  And you are on the verge of starving.  Just another Wednesday in this survival game.  Create your character with new and different skills to play as a unique survivor in this world.  Scavenge the world to find materials needed to handcraft armor, tools, and weapons.  A new crafting system allows you to use items and materials to craft hundreds of different tools, which can be upgraded.  Then it is time to team up with up to 16 players online.

With your party, take on Elite Quests where you will only have one shot at achieving the objective.  Death will send players back to the camp, and they will have to deal with angry friends for failing the quest.  And with the camp, players can customize it to work as a base of operations.  It needs to be protected in order for it to survive.  The group can set up traps in order to better stave off hordes of powerful zombies.

With day and night cycle, the darkness becomes a treacherous place to venture out in at night.  Nocturnal zombies are able to pick off players under the cover of night.  Sprinting into the night can be hindered by the weight of your inventory.  The more items you carry, the slower the player will be, and more likely to be picked off by the undead.  And if not the undead, starvation and dehydration will do a player in.  So you must keep an eye on your hunger and thirst.

Be strategic about your moves in order to survive.

45. The Elder Scrolls Online

Roam the lands of Tamriel, through the wilderness and into the dungeons.  Join the thousands of players as they navigate the game, be it on horseback or other modes of transportation.  Non-player characters populate the world, and can be killed by players.  Doing so is a crime, which can trigger an aggressive pursuit by the authorities.  Each town has their laws and economy which can be stimulated by completing certain quests.

At the start of the game, players can choose from a number or races, from human to lizard-people.  Eighteen skills are available to the player and divided into three schools of combat, magic, and stealth.  Training certain skills and gaining experience allows for the player to level up.  There is no class system, allowing players to choose skills to use more frequently rather than choosing a specific class to make use of skills.

Combat relies on the use of weapons and armor, which can be bought or forged, and magic can be unlocked through the discovery of tomes.  Spell and blade can be dual-wielded by the player if they so choose to, and can be swapped out through a quick-access menu of favorite items.

Freely roam the land of Skyrim, through the wilderness upon horses with the wind blowing in your virtual hair.  Delve into dungeons, enter the fortresses and protect villages across the continent.  While exploring the open world, players will encounter an assortment of wildlife.  The game animal like the elk or deer simply run at the presence, like in real life.  However, some beasts are extremely hostile toward players like the ferocious dragons.  Such beasts may show up without a notice and turn the land ablaze with death and destruction.  Even cities are not safe from the felled wings of these creatures.

You might need help taking on the big bad bosses.

46. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

A knight named Savan proceeds through a canyon, and eventually finds a temple.  He passes a set of doors leading up to a strange beast.  He unleashes the Dragon, a sign of the end of days.

An improved version on the original, players will experience an expansion of content including a new zone.  Players select between various vocations: Fighter, Strider, Mage, Warrior, Mystic, Knight, Ranger, Assassin, Sorcerer, And Magic Archer.  Each vocation has its own skills and tactical advantages compared to the others.  For instance, the Strider is skilled at climbing large monsters, whereas a Fighter focuses on hack-and-slash combat.

Once out, exploring the vast environment, players can utilize the pawn system.  Three party members follow the player, who can issue orders to the pawns to help aid in combat against enemies.  The pawns also can be useful when trying to fend off a tough boss encounter by shouting out strategies.

The large environment allows for grand fights with colossal monsters.  Players will get the feel of facing off beasts whose bodies can block out the sun.  Aside from the epic battles, the large open world features large city environments with over 200 NPCs who move according to their won schedule.  Players are able to communicate with residents.

It is up to you and your pawns to face the world

47. Lost Ark

The Lost Ark drove out evil long ago.  In current times, the magical item is believed to be just a legend fabricated by the bards.  But now adventurers pursue the legend when the Demon Legion attacks.

Join in an exciting hack and slash MMORPG where the east meets the west.  Players get to choose from a number of classes, each with their own abilities and fighting styles.  Once a character is made, it is time to explore a vast world.  Players out in the sea can captain their ship and engage in various activities.  Ghost Ships prowl the waters and will relentlessly pursue players.  If a player can elude the ship, there are many new, uncharted lands to discover.

Players can also utilize the Tripod System, that is used to specialize character play style.  For example, a Battle Master class can focus on the strength in the elements like fire and ice.  Upgrading some skills will increase the amount of times the skill can be executed.  It is up to the player to discover which builds suit them the most and the various mix and match of combos can be performed using the system.

Explore the expansive landscape

48. Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward

An adventurer awakens to the Echo, a power that grants them insight into the past.  Someone is using arcane magic to bring the second-moon down to the earth to purge the Beast Men and Primals.  Nations that were once at war put aside their differences to form the Eorzean Alliance.

Join the massive multiplayer online roleplaying game where players take on the role of their own character.  Craft your avatar from among five different races, and two tribes between each race.  Each tribe has a chosen patron deity that will affect the stats and elemental attributes. 

During gameplay, players can accumulate experience points through quests that are available in the storyline.  Leveling up unlocks new abilities and improves stats.  Players can also gain abilities by gaining favor from among three different factions.  This is accomplished by completing certain quests for that particular faction.  Players can explore the open world to undergo these quests, and fight fantastic monsters.

There is also the Armor System, where characters equip weapons and tools which determines the character class.  With the crafting system, players can create an assortment of weaponry that allows players to switch roles at will using the armor system. 

It is up to you and your party to save the day

49. Riders of Icarus

It is time to take to the skies in this fantastic flying action-adventure MMORPG, and experience the feeling riding upon the backs of the most dangerous beasts of lore.  Riders must explore the majestic world to hunt down and train hundreds of different mythical creatures to become your own mounts.  Gain abilities to master aerial combat as you fight against massive bosses from both the land and the air.

By exploring the lands filled with non-stop action, build your collection of beasts.  Hundreds of grounds and sky mounts are available to collect and train.  Players can train their mounts to become deadly weapons with their own abilities.  When the aerial beasts are trained, the sky is beyond the limit.  Soar through the epic world to find and craft epic gear for both you and your mounts.  Then it is time to join the fight with all types of heroes.  Fight up and personal with melee combat or keep your distance by volleying magic at the enemy. 

The game is currently in open beta.

Crush the monsters and then make them yours.

50. Life is Feudal

Time to go medieval in this truly hardcore sandbox role playing game.  Players have the option to create their own nine square kilometers and set their own rules and allow for up to 64 other players to join in on the fun.  With the free terraforming, players can dig tunnels, mine and build moats.  Raise and lower ground levels with what is called the landfall effect.  Work with different substances from soil to granite to help craft your world.

And when the world is crafted, enter the unique combat system that is physics-based.  Direction of the attack depends on the movement of the mouse.  Battle formations are also a way to control the situation on the battlefield with your fighting team.  By defeating foes, gain experience and level up to boosts stats and skills.

When players are not out conquering the battlefield, they can be in the alchemy lab.  There are over 40 million possible combinations.  Players will need to learn, experiment, and create their own combinations.  Complementing the difficulty of the game, alchemy is not simply a matter of the skill stat.  It is strongly emphasized that spending time and resources on creating recipes and combinations that work.

There is an expansion to the game available for players called “Life is Feudal: Your Own”.

Collect an assortment of items to use it for alchemy.

51. No Man’s Sky

Trapped in an uncharted universe with no way of getting back, become a planetary explorer and discover the lands no man has ever stepped foot on.  Given only a handful of essentials like a jetpack and a ship, search among the number of planets for survival.

It is time to travel through the cosmos in this first-person, open world survival game.  Players are equipped with the futuristic Swiss Army Knife that allows them to scan, mine, and collect resources.  Collect information on the planet and its lifeforms, storing it into the galactic database known as Atlas.  While trying to survive in space, players must realize taking resources disrupts the ecosystem of that planet, making the locals hostile.  Players can decide to attack the inhabitants of the planet with crafted weapons and gear.  However, harming creatures of the planet or disrupting the ecosystem comes with consequences.  In a Grand Theft Auto fashion, there is a “wanted” system which will increase the more a player harms the planet.  Sentinel robots patrolling the planets will seek out the player and put them down.

With raw materials harvested from planets, players can sell it for Units, the currency of the solar system.  Units are needed to purchase more gear and space crafts.  Upgrading gear helps the players in hostile environments.  Some planets may be oxygen deprived or have dangerous weather, so having the right gear is the meaning between life and death.

Once a player is done with a planet, it is time to blast off to the next one.  Travelling through the celestial bodies depends on the engine and the amount of fuel it can carry.  A ship that can only travel so fast and far cannot explore the deeper reaches of space, and will need to be upgraded.  The ship’s defenses are also important, because you will face space battles against enemy combatants.

There is also a faction system players can join, making travelling through the galaxy easier when you have friends to back you up.

Take to the skies in interstellar dog fights

Open world.  A way for players to explore the landscapes that the developers have created.  It enriches the experience of the gameplay, allowing gamers to immerse themselves in worlds that are beautifully crafted.  Some are so expansive they can rival the real world in their enormity.  And as we delve into each new game, we must make sure to enjoy the majesty that the designers have brought to us.

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Gamer Since:
1995
Favorite Genre:
RPG
Top 3 Favorite Games:
Outlast, Rocket League, Five Nights at Freddys