5 best games with bigger maps than GTA 5

Even years after its release, GTA 5 is still looked at as one of the best open-world games and has set the benchmark for games to be compared to for years. While the game is an excellent one, there have been a number of studios that have made great headway in terms of innovation in the genre.

Games like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild have set the bar for what is possible in open-world games in terms of gameplay possibilities. While others like Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain have proved how otherwise completely different genres can be blended in an extremely cohesive and enjoyable manner.

Time and time again, the industry has proved that the open-world genre is a hotbed for innovation. Here we take a look at some of the best games with massive open-world maps for the player to explore and immerse themselves in.

5 of the best games with bigger maps than GTA 5

5) Red Dead Redemption II

Another instant classic from Rockstar Games, Red Dead Redemption II set the bar high for any other open-world game trying to tell a bold and emotional story. The game took huge risks in terms of what it was trying to accomplish story-wise, and it paid off in a big way.

That is not to say the game lacked in terms of what it offers in the gameplay department, as it's world is brimming with all sorts of interesting detail. Each new settlement or city the player discovers holds all kind of secrets and random encounters that will egg the player to explore its absolutely huge map.

The game world can feel a bit overwhelming with its absolutely staggering scale and scope, but the game does a great job at opening itself up slowly to the player. After a deceptively slow start, the players are given complete freedom to explore the huge map of Red Dead Redemption II.

For fans of great storytelling in videogames and huge maps, Red Dead Redemption II should be a no-brainer.

4) Death Stranding

It is somewhat fair that players have had reservations about Death Stranding as to how fun a "walking simulator" would actually be? The answer is that it can actually be a whole lot of fun if players are willing to give the game a chance.

While it is true that the core gameplay of Death Stranding consists of walking, what lies at the core of the game is an extremely rewarding experience that never fails to leave the player completely floored.

The game tells the story of Sam Porter Bridges as he attempts to bridge together a fragmented and broken America. What follows is a breathtaking journey that takes place over an absolutely massive map.

The scale of the map is felt extremely visceral, as the player, for the most part, would be traversing its sheer mountainsides, cliffs, and valleys, on foot. The game never fails to provide all sorts of idyllic scenery as well as some truly exhilarating boss fights and horrifying imagery.

At the core of Death Stranding is an extremely emotional and powerful tale that will resonate with the player and keep them glued to the screen for hours on end.

3) Cyberpunk 2077

The newly released Cyberpunk 2077, despite its flaws on launch, is an extremely interesting RPG that presents quite the expansive experience for fans of the genre. What should be clear to fans of open-world games, Cyberpunk 2077 isn't GTA but in the future, as the game is closer to perhaps Skyrim or Deus Ex than Rockstar's magnum opus.

The world of Night City is replete with all sorts of fascinating detail that apart from lore, also present themselves for gameplay. There is a lot do on the map of Night City and the surrounding Badlands and it will be a long time before players can 100 percent the game.

The real surprise of Cyberpunk 2077's map comes through its interiors, which add a tonne of verticality to the map. The map of the game extends, not only horizontally, but also vertically through its detailed interiors.

Cyberpunk 2077's map design will have the player in complete awe of what CD Projekt Red were able to accomplish. While the game does have its fair set of issues on last-gen consoles, it still holds a lot of value inherently.

2) Assassin's Creed Valhalla

The Assassin's Creed franchise, for the better part of the last decade, has caught all sorts of flak from the gaming audience, yet it has had a very devoted core fanbase. Their faith was rewarded when the series decided to shift gears and go down a bold, new direction with Assassin's Creed Origins.

The new direction of the franchise was one that some weren't completely on-board with. However, with a lot of experimentation and innovation in Odyssey, Ubisoft were finally able to come to a conclusion as to what the franchise needed to be.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla may just be one of the best games in the series and deserves its place right beside Assassin's Creed II and Black Flag. The game is an RPG through and through and presents an absolutely massive map that is rich with incredible detail.

The game's fantastic combat system is complimented by its focus on exploration and Valhalla's Dark Ages England will go down in history as one of the best maps in gaming history.

1) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

One of the biggest reasons why Cyberpunk 2077 carried the sort of hype that it did leading up to its release was because of CD Projekt's Red previous release. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is quite clearly one of the most astounding achievements in modern gaming.

The game will have players go through the ringer in terms of what it offers gameplay-wise. With over 100+ hours of gameplay in the base game itself, the game's 2 quality DLCs add to that number in a huge way as well. Rest assured, it will be a long time before players can truly consider themselves done with The Witcher 3.

The map of the game is broken down into several independent open-world areas that are quite big just on their own. The game is widely considered one of the greatest of all-time and only a few minutes into its fantastic campaign should be enough indication as to why.