Say what you will about the Online Mode, but you can’t argue with the scale and success that Rockstar Studios has gained ever since the launch of Grand Theft Auto 5. It’s garnered over 200+ million in sales copies with over $10+ billion in revenue. Pretty sure that latter figure (heavily) owes to the Online Mode’s microtransactions.

Numbers aside, Rockstar has always been regarded as one of the masters behind the sandbox model in video games. GTA 5, in particular, offers a wealth of stuff through its mini-games, side missions, and random events. And only when you try to tackle its dreary 100-percent checklist will you truly begin to realize the absolute scale of it all here.

However, as risky as it sounds to give an opinion on this game, what I’m here to present is my picks for open world games that offer a lot more to do than GTA 5. Take it with a grain of salt if you want, but this is all coming from someone who adores every HD GTA entry, including San Andreas most of all, and someone who even spent a worrying amount of hours with his friends in GTA Online.

10

Red Dead Redemption 2

The Wild West as Far as the Eye Can See

It only felt right to kick us off with the sister game of this giant, Red Dead Redemption 2. RDR2 is essentially an evolution of Rockstar’s sandbox design philosophy, dare I say, nailing everything to perfection.

From bounty hunting and gambling to hunting and fishing, even random events are present here. The only key difference is that the content has a much higher and broader scope than what you’d find in GTA 5.

It genuinely begs no question how much attention to detail is displayed here to the point where people are still comparing this game to current-day open-world titles on launch. You’ve also got an incredibly rich cinematic story with a protagonist who wins players’ hearts by the end of his journey.

9

Elden Ring

FromSoftware’s Magnum Opus

The launch week of experiencing Elden Ring with my buddies will always be a core memory for me in video games; discovering and sharing secrets, getting tilted in boss fights, and discussing builds. Ever since GTA 5 and a couple of other games before it, it genuinely felt like the entire world was at a standstill when FromSoftware finally launched this beauty.

It has everything from deadly catacombs, perilous caves, a slew of optional world bosses, and even legacy dungeons, which end up becoming the turning point for the game’s main progression. Understandably, you may not end up digging the brutal combat that the Soulsborne games are known for, but the point is that this game has the best of everything to offer for fans who patiently waited for it.

You’ll be spending hundreds of hours in your first playthrough trying to scratch off everything that you can find in each of the major regions/areas. And if you end up getting hooked, I also highly suggest checking out the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for even more to do.

Just a Normal Day-in-the-Life of the Dragonborn

Comparing Skyrim to GTA 5 is almost like apples vs oranges; it’s not really about which one is “bigger” or “better,” but rather about what kind of freedom each game gives you. And that’s where Skyrim quietly pulls ahead in terms of the sheer amount of stuff to do. Anyone who’s ever played it can easily attest to why this is one of the most re-released games of all time.

Want to ignore the main story entirely? You can spend dozens of hours joining factions like the Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood, mastering magic, becoming a blacksmith, hunting dragons, or even just wandering into a random cave that turns into a full-blown questline. The game constantly throws unexpected stories at you without asking.

And of course, you just can’t ignore the infamous modding scene. Skyrim’s community has essentially turned the game into an endless platform with the amount of mods at its disposal. New quests, new lands, graphical overhauls, survival mechanics, you name it.

7

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

A Viking’s Life for Me

At a surface level, you can easily make a valid claim that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Grand Theft Auto V are both massive open-world games packed with content. While I’m personally a fan of Origins and Odyssey, Valhalla is pretty much the most well-versed Vikings game out there, as long as you pretend it isn’t Assassin’s Creed anymore.

I say that because AC Valhalla is hellaciously bloated. It depends on how you view a hefty open-world RPG, since this game is constantly feeding you structured activities tied to your progression from building a Viking settlement from the ground up, performing raids on strongholds with your brethren, or even just actively shaping Eivor through skill trees, gear builds, and playstyle choices.

And finally, there’s the historical setting of Dark Ages England, along with Eivor’s overarching storytelling. This is by far the most polarizing aspect of the game for many players, but if you can enjoy and pay attention to a narrative that has multiple arcs with distinctive plot elements, then this is something you won’t mind.

6

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Pioneered the Sandbox Meta into a New Direction

Earlier, we mentioned how Rockstar was one of the founders of what a sandbox video game should be. However, the wizards at Nintendo said otherwise with the launch of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a fully-fledged open-world entry in the legendary series where curiosity is constantly rewarded.

Almost everything you see in BOTW has a purpose. Climbing a steep mountain? There might be a hidden shrine at the top. Wander off the road? You’ll likely stumble into a puzzle, a Korok seed challenge, or a major enemy/boss fight. The game is filled with over a hundred shrines, each serving as a bite-sized dungeon, so exploration almost always leads to something tangible and rewarding.

And then there are the physics and chemistry systems, which are honestly the secret sauce of this game and the sequel. You can constantly experiment with new ways to overcome situations with Link’s abilities/gadgets to the point where you can approach an enemy camp in a multitude of ways or entirely skip a shrine’s puzzle section.

5

Yakuza 0

Party Like it’s the ’80s

Yakuza 0 kick-started my adoration for the series, and though it is (understandably) way more compact than GTA 5’s Los Santos, it delivers wholeheartedly in the content department.

It has two protagonists, each with their own intertwining storyline, in two different cities to explore. The Yakuza series is known for its handful of mini-games. Despite their small-scale size, both Kamurucho and Sotenbori have a ton to offer in that regard and then some.

From dancing in clubs, pounding away fighters in the underground arenas, or just pocket racing to live your inner child as Kiryu, you’ll never have a dull moment with this serious yet equally hysterical crime-drama title. Oh, and try not to get too overly attached to the Real Estate and Hostess Club Management activities for both Kiryu and Majima.

4

Crimson Desert

A Massive and Ambitious World Teeming with Adventure

Fresh off the boat from the launch and now continuously getting updated with new improvements and QoL features, Crimson Desert is an open-world RPG that fully leans into the single-player MMO experience. While many big sandbox games give you a massive playground, they can sometimes feel like a series of isolated icons on a map.

However, in Crimson Desert, the world of Pywel is built on systems that actually reward you for taking the time to check them out or tackle them. There’s an insane variety in the gameplay systems here; Combat alone isn’t a one-note experience since it blends melee, ranged options, physics-based interactions, and even large-scale battles at various intervals.

The game isn’t afraid to throw different tones and experiences at you, from your quiet moments of exploration with Kliff to chaotic, cinematic moments, sometimes all within a short span of time. That constant shift keeps things fresh and gives you more reasons to stay engaged beyond just progressing the main story.

3

Cyberpunk 2077

Night City is Your Playground

Cyberpunk 2077 may not have had the perfect or most riveting launch ever, but darn it, I’m willing to always make a claim on why this game had one of the best comeback stories in the industry, to the point where it became one of my favorite games of all time. And I say that as someone who played it way before the overhaul introduced by the infamous patch 2.0 and Phantom Liberty DLC.

Although an open-world RPG and not akin to the sandbox model of GTA 5, the way Cyberpunk 2077 just makes you feel immersed in its world is one of my favorite things ever. Night City is easily one of the best-designed worlds in gaming, filled to the brim with various gigs, side missions, NCPD encounters, and character quest lines; it feels near-limitless early on.

Most importantly, it has one of my favorite character creator systems, especially with how you can tune it via modding. I’ve spent a worrying amount of hours just customizing my V with new cosmetic mods to even ones where it adds new stuff to check out in Night City.

2

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Wind’s Howling

What really gives The Witcher 3 its sense of endless adventure isn’t just the sheer size of its world, but more so, it’s the way that world is brimming with meaningful, story-driven content that keeps drawing you in.

Right from the start, it’s clear that nearly every side quest is crafted with care to feel like they’re as important as the main story ones. One minute, you’re assisting a villager in finding a lost family member, and the next, you find yourself caught up in a morally complex or grey scenario filled with curses, betrayal, or something even more sinister.

On top of that, the game is packed with different types of activities that don’t feel repetitive. You’ve got Gwent (which was so deep it spawned a standalone game), treasure hunts, crafting, alchemy, and monster contracts; all of which beautifully connect back to the world and its rich lore.

1

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Rising with the Sun, Sleeping When it Sets

While I’d strongly recommend that you play the first game, don’t let that undermine the fact that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one of the most immersive open-world RPGs ever produced. It goes far beyond the gameplay restrictions that Rockstar has put in place for their modern titles, like GTA 5.

It is one of those rare titles that gives you the full package, featuring a near-perfect blend of both quantity and quality, as well as one of the few games that truly encapsulates the feeling of living in medieval times and how we pampered gamers are going to have a brutal time surviving it. No, really, it is brutal to learn the mechanics it introduces, including the combat fundamentals.

You’ll be digging yourselves out of the trenches by any means necessary, whether through stealing, doing a job, hunting poachers in the forest, or even opening up your own blacksmith and selling weapons on the side (provided that you have the Legacy Of The Forge DLC).