10 best open-world games worth replaying in August 2022

Open-world games offer a large and expansive virtual world wherein the player can go on an adventure. These games are some of the most popular titles as they contain just so many things to do and can easily take up hours of the player’s time in a single stretch.

Open-world games contain large sandbox environments that are fully accessible to players from the beginning of their journey. The sandbox includes the entirety of the game world, including the main quests, essential and unimportant characters, and various biomes that the player can explore.

The trend of open-world games started in 1991 with a game called Hunter, one of the first video game titles to contain a sandbox environment full of explorable areas.

Since then, several open-world games have been released, which have changed and evolved over the years. The following are 10 great open-world games worth replaying in August 2022.

Open-world games are fun and engaging

1) Far Cry 5

Ubisoft is well known for its open-world games and the Far Cry series, and Far Cry 5 brings the best aspects of both of these together bundled into one package. Releasing on November 3, 2020, this is a first-person shooter set in a fictional area in the state of Montana in the United States.

Far Cry 5 features the best gameplay in the series, significantly improving close-quarters hand-to-hand combat. As players travel to various outposts to liberate them, they can employ a variety of weapons along with companion characters that can be human allies or animal sidekicks.

The story in this game might not be as flamboyant as previous titles in the series, but it is still an enjoyable experience. For the first time in a Far Cry game, players can customize their character, which is no longer a named individual and is referred to only as ’The Deputy.’

2) Forza Horizon 5

Forza’s Horizon series is a casual take on the racing game genre that offers fictional renditions of real-world locations where players can participate in races and show off their driving skills. The latest entry into this series was Forza Horizon 5, released on November 9, 2021, and took the Horizon Festival to Mexico.

Like most Forza Horizon titles, this too was an open-world game where players had the freedom to drive around the map and explore.

Participating in events is not mandatory, and players can take their time to complete objectives in this racing game. However, if they want to unlock new cars, they will have to increase their reputation and win races every so often.

Aside from races, the game also offers many other activities to participate in, which can serve as fun distractions. These include photography, buying properties, and treasure hunts.

All of this is set to the beautiful backdrop of a fictional yet vibrant Mexican landscape that never fails to provide some gorgeous, scenic views.

3) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Forever one of the best RPGs ever to be released, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an open-world game set within the bounds of the fictional world of Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels. These stories take place in a region known only as "The Continent," which is a part of a completely fictional and fantasy world.

The protagonist in the game is Geralt of Rivia, a white-haired Witcher who is searching for his adoptive ward Ciri. He enlists the help of his old flame, Yennefer, to locate the young girl before the forces of the Wild Hunt can catch up to her.

Played from a third-person perspective, this open-world game contains a dynamic environment filled with enemies and NPCs that can interact with one another. Aside from the main campaign, players can on various side quests and contracts that further immerse them in role-playing as a monster hunter.

4) Horizon Zero Dawn

Developer Guerilla Games saw a lot of prosperity from Horizon Zero Dawn, an open-world game that was a unique version of a post-apocalyptic setting but one which looked and felt like a fantasy one. The game was originally released for the PlayStation 4 in February 2017 but was given a PC release later in August 2020.

The game tells the story of Aloy, a young baby orphan adopted by Rost, an exiled member of the Nora tribe. After growing up, Aloy starts a journey to establish herself as a member of the Nora tribe by earning the right in a test known as the Proving.

The open-world game has a unique take on its settings and sees players control Aloy from a third-person perspective in this environment. Her weapons are a bow and arrow for long-range attacks and a spear for melee combat. A sequel to the game Horizon Forbidden West was released for the PS5 in early 2022.

5) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

One of the most revolutionary open-world games ever to be released, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim remains one of Bethesda’s crowning achievements. Released in November 2011, it was the fifth main installment in the Elder Scrolls series and saw players take on the role of the legendary Dragonborn.

The story takes place in the nation of Skyrim, within the fictional continent of Tamriel. The sudden appearance of dragons, long thought dead, throws the land into disarray as it is already going through a civil war. Only the Dragonborn of legend can see this threat abolished for good and restore peace to Skyrim.

The game broke many records and was immensely popular at its launch while remaining one of the best role-playing open-world games today. Players have the freedom to choose different playstyles, either focusing on melee combat or choosing to become a magic-wielding sorcerer.

Skyrim’s immersive open world and its role-playing flexibility make it an endlessly replayable game.

6) Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

The Assassin’s Creed series has produced some of the best open-world games set in a historical period. Designed with painstaking accuracy, these worlds are some of the most authentic historical representations in video games. The most recent game in the series is Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which takes place in 9th century Norway and England.

As Eivor, players take on the role of a Viking warrior heading to England to establish a kingdom. They must form alliances, dethrone existing rulers to annex lands under their rule, and participate in various sieges to raid settlements for resources.

Players will also have access to a small Viking settlement known as Ravensthorpe, which they need to maintain and upgrade.

Like other games in the series, exploration is duly rewarded, and players are encouraged to venture to various parts of the map on their own. There, they may come upon iconic historical locations, hidden items, and puzzles that can have greater implications than what initially meets the eye.

7) GTA 5

The Grand Theft Auto series has always been a mainstay of the open-world game genre. The most recent title in this series from Rockstar Games is GTA V, which came out in September 2013 and has been one of the most popular games ever since.

Unlike previous titles, GTA 5 includes three different protagonists around the lives of whom the main story revolves. Players can switch between either of these three at any time during free roam but will have to play specific missions as each character at certain points of the campaign.

The excellent sandbox that GTA titles are famous for returns to this game, set in the modern-day metropolis of Los Santos, a fictional representation of the real-life city of Los Angeles.

With several side activities like golf, racing, bowling, etc., that make the world feel like a tangible experience, GTA 5 is a great game to get into at any time, at least until GTA 6 comes out.

8) Saints Row: The Third

Saints Row was one of the competitors of GTA, albeit taking a lighter tone in its story and a goofier take on its gameplay. The series’ main feature was its entertaining open world where players could get into all sorts of stupid yet enjoyable activities. While Saints Row 4 took things a little too far, Saints Row: The Third did quite a good job.

Carrying on the story of the Third-street Saints, the game saw the group start a new beginning in the city of Steelport. The player character, known as "The Boss," is tasked with rebuilding the gang from the ground up by establishing a base, collecting new members, and taking out rival factions.

The game’s sandbox environment was a rollercoaster ride, giving the player nearly the same level of freedom as older GTA games but tempered with a significantly larger dose of chaos. Armed with weapons that had no bearing on real-world physics, players were free to cut a swathe of destruction across the city if desired.

9) Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 has come a long way since its disastrous launch. With many updates, fixes, and adjustments, the game will be quite playable in 2022 and is quite an enjoyable experience if players are willing to give it a second chance.

The open-world game takes place in the futuristic metropolis of Night City, during a time when cybernetic enhancements have become the new norm.

Players can create their character, called V, regardless of gender identity, and start a life of crime with their partner Jackie Welles. The game’s main story has a ton of action-filled moments, as well as a few emotional ones, and sees the player character go on a rollercoaster ride of self-discovery.

Gameplay is quite a fun experience and will be different for each player. As the game relies on an attribute system, how each player tailors their character will affect how they play the game. Players can choose to play it as an action-shooter, a stealth game, or take the subversive route by focusing on hacking skills.

10) Red Dead Redemption 2

Rockstar Game’s best open-world game is Red Dead Redemption 2, with its immersive environment, interesting NPCs, and emphasis on realism. The game was released in October 2018 and was the second-biggest launch in entertainment history. It was the third title in the Red Dead series and is a prequel to the 2010 game, Red Dead Redemption.

The game's story takes place during the late 1800s and revolves around the Van der Linde gang of outlaws. The group tries their best to stay hidden from the authorities and plan one final heist to land themselves some money to help them leave the criminal life behind. Players take on the role of Arthur Morgan, one of the Van der Linde outlaws, from whose perspective they see the narrative unfold.

With an intricately detailed open world that constantly reacts to players, RDR2 is possibly the best that this genre offers. The game perfectly balances realism with gameplay elements and makes taking an easy ride along the road an unpredictable scenario. The game won the Game of the Year award from several gaming publications.