While some games can get muddled up in the trappings of the genre, some have been able to stand out as truly revolutionary. While open-world RPGs like The Witcher 3 have been trailblazing in their own right, they can feel a bit too alien for fans of more conventional action-adventure open-world titles like GTA 5.
Fans who are looking for a similar experience to the open-world phenomenon that is the GTA franchise should try some of the games listed below. These are some open-world games with absolutely massive maps that are still quite accessible to a large portion of the audience.
5 best open-world games with massive maps like GTA 5
#1 Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs remains one of the most criminally overlooked games of all time but that is slowly changing as more and more fans have taken notice of the game. The open-world action-adventure game was released to a mixed reception from critics, with fans initially not too keen on another “GTA clone”.
However, as time passed and fans realized that the moniker of “clone” meant little, Sleeping Dogs emerged as a cult classic in the industry. Over the years, the game would go on to develop a passionate fanbase. This success can be credited to a fantastic gameplay experience paired with a competent narrative.
The combat system takes quite a bit from the Batman Arkham series, and the game is all the better for it. The martial arts focus works to a great end and provides players with enough gameplay variety throughout its well-paced campaign.
The game has just the right amount of ridiculous and heartfelt elements. It is a wholly unique experience that defies all sorts of “GTA-like” tags.
#2 Watch Dogs 2
Despite a rocky start, this Ubisoft ship was able to course-correct and bring about quite a comeback story with the Watch Dogs franchise. The series has been inconsistent to say the least, with the latest entry in the series, Watch Dogs: Legion, failing to meet fan expectations to a large degree.
However, the second game in the series, Watch Dogs 2, was a great game as it righted many wrongs from the original to deliver a more tonally consistent and interesting game. The game is a joyride from start to finish, with a more easy-going and light-hearted feel. It also has a sense of humour and self-awareness that is refreshing.
Watch Dogs 2 refines the gameplay from the original and delivers on the series’ initial promise of being able to hack almost anything. The open-world of San Fransisco is absolutely huge and has plenty for the player to see and interact with.
#3 Ghost Recon: Wildlands
Ghost Recon: Wildlands is, by no means, a perfect game. However, it certainly packs a lot of value for players looking to take on enemies in a variety of ways on an absolutely massive map.
The open world is essentially the game’s recreation of the entire country of Bolivia and has plenty of geographical diversity to keep things interesting in a variety of ways.
The game is designed in a way that it is best experienced when played with other players or friends. It is quite the co-op experience with a variety of cool missions that take place in multiple locations that come with their own set of challenges.
Each mission presents an opportunity for the player to experiment with the game’s systems and trigger their own set-pieces in the process. Thus, each mission can be tackled in a variety of ways that feel equally valid.
Ghost Recon: Wildlands might not be the most polished AAA experience but it’s certainly one that provides decent enough value.
#4 Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate
Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate is as close to a modern-day GTA as the franchise has ever gotten and is one of the stronger titles in the series. Syndicate was the last game in the franchise that stayed quite close to its stealth-action roots as the series chose to become a full-fledged release with the next game in the series.
Despite series fatigue swaying the conversation surrounding the game upon its release, Syndicate packs quite the punch and is a solid experience from start to end. The gameplay is perhaps the best iteration of the stealth-action formula of the series, with both combat and stealth feeling equally viable at all times.
The story, however, takes a slight backseat to the gameplay but it certainly isn’t detrimental to the game experience. The game’s rendition of Industrial-era London is absolutely magnificent and is definitely one of the biggest highlights of the game.
While it certainly isn’t the best in the series, Syndicate is quite the package for Assassin’s Creed fanatics and fans of good open-world titles in general.
#5 Just Cause 3
The Just Cause franchise has excelled by completing ditching all pretense of realism and going for a wall-to-wall ridiculous experience. The game delivers on virtually all fronts when it comes to gameplay, with a satisfying gameplay loop that feels just the right amount of chaotic.
The traversal in Just Cause might defy all laws of physics but it doesn’t take too long to discover that it doesn’t come in the way of the player’s enjoyment. Just Cause 3 is perhaps the best in the series as it features an absolutely massive map that is ripe for destruction.
The player can wreak all sorts of chaos and havoc in the gigantic map, and the semi-destructible environments do a great job at providing great visual feedback to the player’s actions.
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