5 of the best open-world games of the last decade

The open-world genre has established itself as the most popular genre in modern gaming. Several previously linear games like God of War, Uncharted, and most notably Metal Gear Solid, have incorporated several elements of the open-world in the games.

It does seem like every game that comes out today requires some semblance of an open-world for it to be competitive enough in the market. The past decade has been exceptionally great for open-world games, with several of the best games belonging to the genre.

Here we look at five of the best open-world games of the past decade.

Five of the best open-world games of the last decade (2010-2019)

Honourable Mentions:

• GTA V
• Batman: Arkham City
• Sleeping Dogs
• Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

5) Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

The Assassin's Creed franchise seemed like it began to lose steam after the release of Assassin's Creed: Revelations. The annual version began to wear on the players as they felt the games did not receive the proper time in development to evolve and innovate enough.

After the somewhat underwhelming Assassin's Creed III, expectations weren't that high of the sequel. However, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag blew everyone away with its impressive open-world and sense of adventure.

This pirate-assassin adventure remains, to this day, as one of the best open-world games, encouraging players to explore the seas in their very own pirate ship.

4) Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 is perhaps one of the most ambitious titles Rockstar has worked on. Following GTA V would be an extremely tough act, given the game's scope and scale of the open-world.

However, Rockstar aimed higher and went for an even bigger open-world with more things to do in it. The game's open-world isn't just impressive for its size, but also the activities and random events that occur in it.

Players can spend weeks upon weeks simply hunting and enjoying the scenic beauty if they so wished and they still wouldn't be bored. The game also tells an incredibly heartfelt story that will stay with you long after you finish the game.

3) Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Hideo Kojima's legendary franchise began as linear games that led to the creation of an entirely new genre: stealth. Kojima's take on the open-world proved to be just as revolutionary in terms of game design, player freedom and choice.

The open-world of Metal Gear Solid V might not be as detailed or filled with interesting characters like other games of the genre, but it offers the most amount of freedom to the player.

The success of the player in the game's open-world is only restricted by their imagination. The game lets the player experiment with its various systems to discover their own approach to each combat situation.

2) Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Elder Scrolls franchise is regarded as one of the best Western RPG game franchises. The games have been crucial and influential in their genre.

The fifth installment, Skyrim, is no different as it is one of the best games in the series and simply a fascinating open-world game that never ceases to amaze. The world of Skyrim is filled with wonder and secrets at every turn.

It sets the benchmark for other games in the genre to follow and is one of the best games to come out this decade.

1) The Witcher 3

CD Projekt Red pulled out all the stops with the final installment of The Witcher trilogy and delivered one of the best games ever made. The Witcher 3 not only manages to tell a captivating story, but also engrosses the player in a fantastic open-world that encourages exploration.

Every nook and cranny of The Witcher is filled with content that players can spend hours in. Each side mission feels as lengthy and masterfully made as the primary campaign, and the game is simply a masterful feat in game development.

Furthermore, the game has two excellent DLC expansions: Heart of Stone, and Blood and Wine.