Open-worldgames are all about exploration and seeing all its setting has to offer. Whilst mainly about the violence that can be caused,open-worldgames include some unique set pieces here and there, the joy in chaos would quickly run out, and some set pieces are more picturesque than others.
The beauty of Hong Kong inSleeping Dogscontrasts with the banality of Steelport inSaints Row the Third. The jungles ofFar Cry 3offer more than the deserts ofMetal Gear Solid 5.Assassin’s Creedbrings history to life, whileCrackdownfocuses on the near future. Each offers something different to the table. But some are more stunning than others, and theseopen-world games offer the best landmarksin the genre.
InFamouswas fun, though it came out when most games’ settings and graphics were as gritty as their tone. Empire City was beige, grimy, and didn’t get any color until the player maxed out their Good or Bad Karma, turning the sky blue or red respectively.InFamous 2stepped things up by taking the electric-power protagonist Cole McGrath to a New Orleans-inspired city called New Marais.
It was much more colorful and varied in its locations, with bayous, rideable tram lines, tricolor banners, balconies, and grand churches players could climb all over. The waterlogged, hurricane-ravaged homes even offered a challenge to the water-prone hero. The only downside is the final industrial area, which was a dull note to go out on.
Stilwater first appeared inSaints Row 1, though it was arguably as improved inSaints Row 2as the gameplay and creative options. Its different districts are so recognizable that, after a while, players might not even need the mini-map to tell them where they are. They’ll recognize the locations from their distinct features, like Chinatown’s ornate gates and architecture, and their positions relative to each other.
For example, from Chinatown, they’ll know the preppy university with its sarcastic cheerleaders is just a short drive northwest. Then one drive on the highway north from there will take them to the grungy trailer park, which is just east of the suburbs whereJohnny Gat’s girlfriend Aisha lives. It’s a town rich in variety that the more generic Steelport fromSaints Row the ThirdandSaints Row 4couldn’t top.
It’s hard to pick out an individualGrand Theft Autogame for this list.GTA 4stepped up onGTA 3in replicating and mocking New York City.GTA5’s Los Santos has entertained players for over a decade with a wide variety of things to do and see. Though some still prefer its incarnation inGTA: San Andreas, which had more towns and landscape to explore.
However, the series has yet to return to the Miami-esque splendor ofGrand Theft Auto: Vice City. Sure,it’s making its return inGTA 6, but that’s a while away. Even then, it’ll be set in the modern day compared toGTA: Vice City’s 80s setting. It sounds like a minor difference, but cruising past the beaches and palm trees with classic music on the radio gaveGTA: Vice Citya unique vibe.
If picking out a singleGTAgame for this was hard, it’s harder still for theYakuza/Like a Dragonseries. They’ve got a lot of standout locations, though some offer more to do than others. The most common locations in the series are the original home base, Kamurochō in Tokyo, and Sōtenbori in Osaka, which debuted all the way back inYakuza 2.
Both cities resemble theirreal-life counterparts, Kabukichō and Dōtonbori respectively, from the former’s plaza of cinemas to the latter’s Kani Doraku crab restaurant. The remake,Yakuza Kiwami 2, offers more to do and explore. But the original gets props for including Shinseicho, based on Osaka’s infamous Shinsekai district. It’s famous for its Tsutenkaku Tower, though neither it nor Shinseicho has reappeared in the series sinceYakuza 2.
Plenty of games have used proxy cities based on New York City, and some have even used the real deal.Marvel’s Spider-Mangames aren’t even the first ones to replicate the Big Apple. Those games just encourage players to check out all the classic landmarks (and a few Marvel-exclusive ones like Avengers Towers) by snapping photos of them for a little XP and a remark from Spidey.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2skips these Photo Ops for snapping people, yet it adds more landmarks than before thanks to its expanded reach beyond Manhattan. Maimonides Park, the Coney Island Boardwalk, and Brooklyn’s Brownstones join Madison Square Garden, Central Park, and the Guggenheim Museum as reasons to see NYC without needing an air ticket.
Games don’t need urban sprawls to catch people’s eyes, asRed Dead Redemption 2is stunning without big cities. The wilderness of the Wild West provides some stunning views of the lakes, rivers, and mountains that few games could match. However, it still offers some enigmatic sights among the woods, particularly in the ‘Landmarks of Riches’ Treasure’ quest.
If players want an excuse to go beyond the town, this quest gives it to them as they go on the trail for treasure maps. It’ll lead them to all sorts of oddities, like the tiny church east of Lakay, a hobbit-like hill house in Grizzlies East, and a sundial on top of Mount Shann. Aside from a shot at getting some gold, it’ll give players a tour ofRDR2’s nicest sights.
Practically anyAssassin’s Creedgame is good for checking out classic landmarks in any historical location. The Ezio Trilogy (Assassin’s Creed 2-Brotherhood) offers an in-depth look at the sights and sounds of Renaissance Italy.Assassin’s Creed Valhallarecreates Dark Ages England, andAssassin’s Creed Odysseybrings the Athenian Ruins back to life.
That said, as nice as a pristine recreation of the Acropolis is, it can’t beat the sightsof Ancient EgyptinAssassin’s Creed Origins. The sight of the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx in their prime, paint, gold capstone, and all, are stunning enough alone. It also has plenty of sights for players who want something different, like Krokodilopolis, Nitria, the Library of Alexandria, and Memphis.
Fromsoft’s Soulsborne games offer wide worlds with plenty to see in them, though few would call them ‘picturesque’ in the traditional sense. Even the nicest sights have something twisted or eerie about them.Elden Ringis different as its locations manage to be stunningly beautiful while still being surreal.
For example, the Underground sounds like it would be a dingy series of caves, but instead looks like a broad series of ornate ruins under a starry sky. Liurnia of the Lakes comes straight out of a Gothic novel with its mists, castles, and rocky outcrops. Meanwhile, the dark turquoise skies of Limgrave contrast nicely with the golden trees. If players can handle the dangers, it would be worthgoing off the beaten trackinElden Ring.
