The beauty of open-world games is the sheer amount of content they offer, paired with the total freedom you have to do what you want in beautifully crafted, lore-rich worlds. It’s the opportunity to play how you want, not to mention the amazing campaigns.
10 Open World Games With Amazing Side Quests
These games have such immersive universes that the optional content ends up being just as good as the main campaign.
However, if you’re the type of player who wants more thana great campaignitself, to be sucked into hours upon hours of content, these games are for you. Whether it’s uncovering hidden secrets, defeating optional bosses, or diving into expansive DLCs that feel like whole new adventures, these titles are sure to deliver.
Below you’ll find something to tickle that end-game itch.
10Cyberpunk 2077
Discover Hidden Content In A Rebuilt Night City
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077already has a vast, emotional campaign that will keep you busy for hours. even after the main game is over, though, the fun doesn’t stop.
For starters, you can hunt for iconic weapons like Johnny Silverhand’s Malorian Arms pistol. You could then create the ultimate build by experimenting with different skills and cyberware.
Then there are romantic subplots to pursue, unique vehicles to “collect” (which will take a substantial amount of time), and dynamic world events that keep the city alive. Oh, and there’s also the Phantom Liberty Expansion, which adds even more content like contracts, missions, and characters.
9Horizon: Forbidden West
Conquer New Challenges With Post-Game Activities And DLC
Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition
Speaking of vast, emotional campaigns,Horizon: Forbidden Westhas that in abundance, along with an intricately created world filled with action-packed gameplay. When the main quest-line is over, there are still around 19 errands and 28 side-missions to do as well as collectibles to find.
You can also participate in activities like Arena challenges and Gauntlet Runs for unique rewards. Use this as a chance to upgrade your gear, override new machines that weren’t available in the early game, or hunt rare machines.
Plus, The Burning Shores DLC offers even more quests, side quests, and machines to override.
8The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Master The World With Shrines, Secrets, And Challenges
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
There’s a reasonThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildwonGame of the Year in 2017– it’s a phenomenal title boasting hours of content. But, the amazing gameplay, extensive crafting system, and innovative take on its RPG mechanics are only the tip of the iceberg.
Its end-game content will still give you things to do, many hours after you’ve finished the storyline. You can find all 120 shrines (which can occasionally unlock additional quests), find all rare armor sets, and even hunt rare enemies and legendary creatures.
There’s also the Champions’ Ballad DLC, which gives you even more trials, a new Divine Beast, and a new vehicle to use to travel Hyrule in style.
7Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey
Unravel More Secrets With Mythical Boss Fights And Expansions
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
In terms of hours of in-game content,Assassin’s Creed Odysseyis the way to go in my opinion: A definite improvement over the title that changed Ubisoft’s approach to the franchise,Assassin’s Creed Origins.
The main campaign itself takes around 45 hours to beat. However, in terms of end-game content, that can take more than 100 hours.
10 Open World Games With The Best Combat
What to do in worlds this vast? Why, pummeling everyone down of course!
From conquering other mercenaries to hunting down every cult member, this game will keep you going for hours. There are plenty of other things to do too – battling in the arena, slaying mythical creatures like the Minotaur, and exploring ancient Greece to find all the collectibles.
That isn’t even mentioning The Fate of Atlantis DLC and the Legacy of the First Blade DLC, which offers a combined total of about 25 hours on just their main questlines alone.
Push Your Limits With Rifts, Seasons, And Loot Hunting
Diablo 4 Standard Edition
Diablo 4might be a cheeky entry, but it’s an open-world game nevertheless and offers unlimited hours of end-game content. Even though the main campaign takes about 35 hours to complete (here’s acomplete guideto help with that), the sheer amount of post-game content more than makes up for it. I could farm for gear for hours.
Each season brings new content like quests and rewards, which keeps things fresh. Then there are the tons of dynamic open world events, world bosses that spawn every so often, and a colossal number of dungeons.
Looking for a challenge? Try Nightmare Dungeons. Want to make the map safer? Conquer all enemy strongholds. WithDiablo, you’re sure to find something to do long after the campaign is complete.
Live The Life Of An Outlaw Long After The Story Ends
Red Dead Redemption 2
Once you complete the main story line ofRed Dead Redemption 2, that isn’t the end of the game and you still have a plethora of things to do.
From treasure hunts to finding secret NPCs with unique missions, there are still countless hours of fun to be had. Finding random NPCs is actually one of my favorite things to do, as this world is full of unique personalities and you never quite know what kind of adventures they’ll have in store for you.
You could also do bounty hunting missions and raid gang hideouts for action-packed shootouts, or maybe you’d like to role-play and manage and upgrade the ranch at Beecher’s Hope (which will provide valuable benefits you’re able to make use of as your adventures continue).
For much more fun still, you can dive into the hundreds of mods that add new locations, missions, character models, gameplay overhauls, and much more to the game. You can turn the title into a zombie survival game if you want - There are mods for that, you know.
4The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Build A Legacy With Endless Mods And Side Content
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skyrimis a beast of a game – not because of the main quest line, but because of all the additional DLCs and mods. The main questline can take about 34 hours to complete, and the DLCs can take about 5 hours each if you rush through their main content.
18 Essential Skyrim Mods For PS5
From Immersive Movement to Helgen Rebuilt, these excellent Skyrim mods are available for PS5 and will change the way you play this classic.
However, if you play slowly and do all the side quests, you’re looking at over 200+ hours of post-game content. When youadd modsto the mix (yes, they’re available on console too), you’re looking at well over 1,000 hours of end-game content. I’ve beaten Skyrim countless times, and at this point, just use the game as a sandbox for mods to be honest.
Speaking of which, mods can add new lands to explore, thousands of quests and new items to collect. You can rework the perk system, change the combat system, or even collect Pokemon. The sky is truly the limit with Skyrim mods.
3The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Gwent, Contracts, And Two Massive Expansions Await
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The post-game experience ofThe Witcher 3is difficult to match. Long after Geralt’s epic main story ends, there are still plenty of things to do. Unless, of course, you did everything else first and then completed the main quest line. But, even then, with the DLCs you’ve got yourself an extra 40+ hours of playtime.
What can you do post-game? Well, there are contracts to complete and powerful monsters to slay. There are armor sets to find, hidden caves to explore, and a ton of side quests just waiting to be completed. Then, of course, there are mods that can give the gameplay an overhaul and add entirely new questlines.
While it may not offer the same amount of content as Skyrim or Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the level of immersion and amazing gameplay mechanics this game offers pushes it up the list.
2Elden Ring
There Are Always New Bosses To Fight In The Lands Between
Elden Ring
Elden Ringis a vast and challenging game, and yet it can be beaten without grinding and exploring the map completely. So, you’re bound to have missed out on a lot of content. Go back to earlier game areas – there are tons of caves, hidden dungeons, and NPCs waiting to be found.
The reason this game is ranked so high on the list is that you can respec your character using Larval Tears. This gives you options including trying different builds while you find all legendary armaments and talismans, taking on hidden bosses like Malenia, and participating in Colosseum battles.
Not to mention that mods for the game add brutally challenging new bosses and new areas.
1No Man’s Sky
Explore Infinite Worlds With Constant Updates And Challenges
No Man’s Sky
Now, this might also be a cheeky entry but – you’re likely looking for a game to keep you busy for hours, right? Well, how about forever? Well. That is both true and untrue.No Man’s Skydoes give you the goal of reaching the centre of the universe, but that universe is procedurally generated, so you can play to your hearts' content after you’ve done that.
Visit billions of planets, harvest resources to build the biggest base (as big as you want), or simply attempt to discover and catalog all life. It’s also enormously fun to customize your starship to be feared in the cosmos, then use it to participate in space battles.
As ever, you also have the option to download a few mods and change the game entirely. There’s literally an infinite amount of fun to be had in thistruly impressive sandbox worldafter the main mission is complete.
10 Amazing Small Open World Games
We aren’t just saying this to protect their feelings. In this case, size doesn’t matter!
