[Top 20] Open World Third Person Games

best Open World 3rd Person Games
Updated:
16 Sep 2021

Open world third person games now dominate the industry and are within the most successful genre of them all. Many video games come and go over the years, and even though they are all great at what they are, only a select few tend to remain non-repetitive after a fair number of hours have been invested in them. So, we wanted to present you, adventurers, with our choices for the top 20 open-world third person games that will forever be the best in this expansive genre.

20) Ghost Recon Wildlands

Ghost Recon Wildlands is a third person tactical shooter game that takes place in an open world setting in the heart of Bolivia.

You play as a member of a squad of four Ghosts who seek to stealthily infiltrate the Santa Blanca cartel who are led by the ruthless El Sueño.

You play as either Holt, Midas, Nomad, or Weaver. You can either choose to play single-player and have your squadmates be controlled by AI, or you could make things more interesting by having up to three of your friends join the fight.

The heart of Bolivia is a vast landscape that was impressively recreated by Ubisoft with utter accuracy, and care to detail. There really couldn’t have been a more fitting environment for Wildlands since this country is actually one of the largest cocaine resources in the world right now.

You can commandeer up to 60 vehicles in Wildlands to traverse this landscape by the highways, the deserts, the air, and water.

You have the ability to customize everything from your clothing, tactical gear, and accessories, to your firearms and their upgrades such as muzzles, optics, magazines, and more.

Ghost Recon Wildlands is a massive achievement by Ubisoft, as it’s really the first installment in the series that takes place in an open-world environment. This map is really impressive in the sense that it elevates the story which you’re a part of in the game, while at the same time, makes you feel like you’re only a small part of a bigger cause in an oppressed world.

You can play Ghost Recon Wildlands on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

19) Batman Arkham Knight

Batman Arkham Knight is an action-adventure game in which you play as the Caped Crusader himself as he plans to take down the alliance of Scarecrow, Deathstroke, and a very special adversary and stop them from bringing further anarchy into the city of Gotham on Halloween.

The game is set in an open world Gotham City. You get to explore it with the new havoc-wreaking Batmobile to its extent from the moment you start playing as Batman. And while you’re at it, feel free to get into a fight with as many thugs as you want.

Batman Arkham Knight seems to never make you have the same experience longer than it should. From the rocket-like Batmobile rides and its tank-like transformation mid-battles, to Batman’s tactical brawls and his various showstopping gadgets, this game is a perfect ending to the Arkham trilogy.

Batman Arkham Knight has solidified its place as one of the absolute best action-adventure video games that we can experience today. It’s an explosive ending to this trilogy, it has an exceptional performance by the likes of Mark Hamill, Kevin Conroy, and Jonathan Banks. Gotham City is more detailed and immersive than ever. And the cherry on the top is the ever illustrious Batmobile that never ceases to surprise you in the game.

You can play Batman Arkham Knight on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

18) Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

The Phantom Pain is an open world stealth game that takes place in a 1984 Soviet-controlled Afghanistan.

You play as the mercenary leader Punished “Venom” Snake, tasked with infiltrating the Soviet outposts in Afghanistan, and exacting revenge on the ones who destroyed his forces and put him in a nine-year coma.

MGSV: The Phantom Pain mostly takes place in the Afghan desert where you’ll be utilizing a variety of weapons, gadgets, and vehicles to stealthily infiltrate the outposts of the Soviet occupants. With that said, everything concerning this open world factors into your performance in your missions, including the dynamic weather and time of the day effects. For instance, you can’t shoot as well at night, but the dark helps you take cover for stealthier ways of infiltration.

You’re also able to have your own base. Mother Base is a place where you can manage its construction and staffing; acquire gadgets, firearms, and abilities; and get a hold of your own set of vehicles, which will make your missions all the more interesting.

You also get to buddy up with several companions, which are D-Horse, D-Dog, D-Walker, and Quiet. Each one of them assists you during your missions in their own way, with D-Horse being available as soon as the campaign starts as your way of travel.

MGSV: The Phantom Pain takes the psychology of warfare, and freedom of stealthy approach to a whole new level. The sheer scope of this game’s world and its in-depth elements are unprecedented in the franchise.

You can play Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC.

17) Mad Max

Mad Max is an action-adventure open world game set in the limitless post-apocalyptic wasteland famed for its consistent vehicular warfare.

You play as the vicious survivalist Max Rockatansky who embarks on a journey in search of fuel in the wasteland. Things take an unexpected turn however, when a group of War Boys run you off the road to steal your clothes, weapons, supplies, and car. 

This sets in motion the game’s storyline in which you will have to hunt, scavenge, and kill your way to survive the wasteland and its numerous factions.

The grand theme of Mad Max is vehicular combat. The game focuses on this element in an in-depth manner. It allows you to customize and upgrade every bit of your ride to make it fit the ruthless man behind the wheel. 

This prepares you to embark on your voyages, ready to take on any convoy that chases you on, or off the road. You should brace yourself for many deaths, and explosions mirrored only by those you’ll see nowhere but in the Mad Max movies themselves.

It’s a shame that we didn’t get a sequel to this game. Not that we need, one mind you! Mad Max alone was very successful giving us a role to play, and a chaotic experience of this seemingly endless post-apocalyptic wasteland.

You can play Mad Max on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

16) Marvel's Spiderman

Marvel’s Spiderman is an action-adventure game where you play as your friendly neighborhood Spiderman as he strives for saving the city of New York from many of his famous enemies such as Rhino, Electro, Kingpin, and more.

In Marvel’s Spiderman, you play as a well-experienced Peter Parker with the mix between combat and acrobatics that he utilizes to keep the citizens of modern New York safe, and fight crime.

Speaking of New York, there’s more to it than you can swing through from the tall skyscrapers to the lively neighborhoods of Manhattan.

Marvel’s Spiderman lets you experience the comic-book hero in his prime after eight years of experience. This alone adds so much to the game’s potential as a comic-book adventure. Add the original narrative that it has, and you’ve got the perfect Spiderman game.

You can play Marvel’s Spiderman on PS4 and PS5.

15) Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord

Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord is a strategy action RPG set in the fictional continent of Calradia.

You create and develop your own character who – as the game progresses – raises his/her own army to conquer Calradia.

This is a sandbox campaign where you command your own army to explore, raid, and battle your way to conquer this continent. And as well as enemies, you can also make allies who’ll help you in your conquest along the way.

You’ll fall in love with Bannerlord when you lead your army in third person battles to strategically take on equally impressive AI with a combat system that never ceases to be immersive and gory.

And for the first time ever in this franchise, your character can die. But rest assured that your own heir can take the reigns of your empire under your control. In short, this game never ends.

Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord took a fair amount of long years before it was initially released. And even though it’s still in early access to this day, this game’s excellence as a sandbox strategic RPG is unparalleled. The multiplayer in Bannerlord has also drastically improved.

You can play Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord on PC.

14) Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs 2 is an action-adventure game where you play as Marcus Holloway, a hacker who seeks to expose the ctOS 2.0, a corrupt electronic mechanism that manages the city-wide infrastructure of San Francisco, California.

San Francisco Bay is a massive open world environment that offers you various gameplay – or should we say hacking – possibilities. And as you explore places like San Francisco, Oakland, and Silicon Valley, you will uncover many tech mysteries in your journey for revenge.

Hacking has virtually no limits in Watch Dogs 2. You can hack your way into the city’s infrastructure, connected devices, and personal databases. You can even take control of drones, cars, and much more. 

You can even play multiplayer in Watch Dogs 2, be it co-op or PvP.

Watch Dogs 2 brings some truly welcome improvements, and new features to the franchise. Some would say that this is the perfect rogue hacker game and that it fulfills everything that was lacking in the previous game.

You can play Watch Dogs 2 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

13) Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag is an action-adventure game set in the 18th century Caribbean Sea during the Golden Age of Piracy.

You play as Edward Kenway, a lowly sailor who slowly works his way up among the greatest pirate lords, while at the same time, finds himself in the middle of a bigger, more complicated cause than getting rich by way of the sea.

The Caribbean Sea is a vast world that’s rich in content, activities, and locations to explore. You get to hunt so many kinds of animals on land, and from sea-life, including sharks. You can explore many locations, from small islands, and shipwrecks to famous Caribbean towns, and settlements.

You can hop aboard your ship, the Jackdaw, and terrorize the sea as you embark on journeys full of sea battles with other ships, which you can board, and plunder. And speaking of the Jackdaw, you can customize this baby aesthetics-wise, and performance-wise to make it into a pirate ship that fits the reputation you seek to gain in the sea.

Plus, there are many collectibles in the game. Among them are sea shanties, which you can order your crew to sing aboard the Jackdaw as you sail.

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is the most proper pirate game to the day. The scale of freedom as a sailor that you get in this game is unparalleled. The story of Edward Kenway as he starts on his dream of riches then gets sucked in so many conflicts along the way is something really special to every child within us that wanted to be a pirate. And don’t get me even started on the ending. It truly does this grand adventure justice.

You can play Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC.

12) Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is an action RPG set in the years 872-878 AD as the Vikings raid their way into settling in the British Isles.

You play as Eivor, a Viking raider who sails from his home of Norway to the greener lands of England in search of wealth and glory.

Every choice you make, be it in a conversation, or a fight matters, and factors into your notoriety in Valhalla.

Explore England and other lands in Valhalla. Gather your crew of raiders and launch attacks on armies, fortresses, and settlements.

And speaking of settlements, you and your clan are entitled to your own piece of land where you can build, and upgrade to raise your own home in the middle of this chaos-bound continent.

The combat in Valhalla is really special because it recreates everything that you can imagine a Viking would do in battle. What’s also special about it is that you can even dual-wield swords, axes, and even shields to use against your enemies.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is a very rich adventure in everything that you can possibly imagine in a Viking’s saga. This game is something that many Viking admirers have always been waiting for.

And the Viking rap battles are also a very welcome addition to the game that made it all the more fun.

You can play Assassin’s Creed Valhalla on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

11) Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is an action RPG set in ancient Greece.

You take the role of either Kassandra or Alexios. The protagonist is a mercenary who finds himself in the midst of the Peloponnesian War as he chooses to fight for either Athens and the Delian League, or Sparta and the Peloponnesian League in the game.

You play in a vast open world environment where all battles, be them on land, or the sea always prove to be large-scale.

As you progress further in the game and explore more of this world, you will find dozens of side-quests, mythical elements, and political, or religious conflicts to partake in.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is a true gem in this franchise. It takes every special feature in the previous games and makes it rich in tone, depth, and scale.

You can play Assassin’s Creed Odyssey on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

10) Just Cause 3

Just Cause 3 is an open world action-adventure game set in the fictional Mediterranean island of Medici.

 

You play as Rico Rodriguez who returns to his home, Medici to aid in the civil war against General Di Ravello, the dictator of Medici.

The island of Medici is a Mediterranean paradise, which you have absolute vertical freedom to explore however you’d like. You can base jump, free dive, and even skydive. There are no limits to what you can do here.

Attack enemy bases, harbors, prisons, and more; and cause large-scale demolition.

You have a wide variety of explosive arsenal at your disposal from shotguns, and rocket launchers to tank busters, and even air strikes.

You will find dozens of challenge missions, and collectibles to obtain in the free-roam environment of Medici.

Just Cause 3 is an adrenaline rush of a game. The action never stops with Rico Rodriguez. Playing this game definitely sets you on the path to play the other four installments in this franchise, which you won’t regret investing time in.

You can play Just Cause 3 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

9) Middle Earth: Shadow of War

Middle Earth: Shadow of War is an action RPG set in the fantasy of Middle Earth that was created by none other than J.R.R. Tolkien, the father of fantasy himself.

In this follow-up of Shadow of Mordor, you take the role of Talion, a ranger whose family were brutally murdered, and wishes to exact revenge on the Dark Lord, Sauron, and his armies; and rid Middle Earth of their cruel oppression.

More abilities, skills, and execution maneuvers are available for both you, and Celebrimbor in Shadow of War.

You also get to tame more beasts than ever in the game such as Drakes and Caragaurs.

The world has expanded from the previous game, and now includes more environments, and ecosystems than ever. The maps will also frequently change depending on how the overlords will rule their regions.

The most popular feature of the game, the Nemesis System has also been expanded on as well in Shadow of War. It introduced us to the Overlords, which rule their regions in their fortresses, and shape their settlements as they see fit.

And speaking of fortresses, you can also raise your own army of Uruks, and lay siege to fortresses in order to take over, and install an Overlord of your choice as ruler and ally in the war for Middle Earth.

Middle Earth: Shadow of War not only mirrors the excellence of its prequel, but it also improves every element that made it so successful, and adds more content, and features that make this game all the more of a goliath of an action RPG.

You can play Middle Earth: Shadow of War on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

8) Death Stranding

Death Stranding is an open world action game that takes place in an apocalyptic United States.

You play as Sam Porter Bridges, a courier on a quest to save mankind after a series of supernatural events put mankind on the verge of extinction, and unleashed mysterious spectral creatures on the planet.

Embark on an action-packed journey to reconnect mankind and save them from the mysterious Death Stranding events, and the Beached creatures that plague the landscape.

Death Stranding is a masterpiece that we can’t imagine anyone other than Hideo Kojima accomplishing. This emotional adventure excels in every bit of sub-genre that it’s set in, and leaves you in shock with a katharsis of an ending.

You can play Death Stranding on PS4, PS5, and PC.

7) Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon Zero Dawn is an action RPG that takes place in the states of Colorado and Utah in the 31st century where Planet Earth is inhospitable, and monstrous machines dominate the land.

You play as Aloy, a huntress who has to protect her tribe and survive in a journey to unravel the mysteries of her unknown past.

You never know what to expect from the colossal machines that inhabit the open world environment of Horizon Zero Dawn. Even the most magnificent can prove to be equally as dangerous and deadly as the grotesque of these creatures.

Use tactics and the dynamic environment itself against the various wildlife to survive in this hunt-or-be-hunted open world.

The story of Aloy as she develops her hunting, and survival skills in her journey to discover the strings and other mysteries of this world is a tale of beauty.

Horizon Zero Dawn is an open world adventure that proved to be impressive in every aspect, and element, including the emotional narrative of this spectacular game.

You can play Horizon Zero Dawn on PS4 and PC.

6) Fallout New Vegas

Fallout New Vegas is a post-apocalyptic action RPG that takes place in the vast wastelands of the Mojave Desert.

You play as the Courier. You get ambushed on your way to deliver a package in New Vegas and get shot in the process. You wake up in the town of Goodsprings and embark on a journey to find out why it was so important to your ambushers to intercept your delivery.

New Vegas has many warring factions. You will have to choose which ones to stay on the good side of, and which ones to terrorize, or you can just go to war with all of them and hope for the best. It’s really your choice here.

Speaking of choices, everything… and I mean everything has a consequence in New Vegas. You’ll have to pay attention to every action, every dialogue… just everything.

There are loads of arsenal which you can buy, win, and loot from the cold bodies of your enemies. 

Fallout New Vegas is a true genre-defining game. It has set the standards for the open world post-apocalyptic genre, and still rules as one of the best titles to this very day.

You can play Fallout New Vegas on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

5) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is an open world action RPG that takes place in the vast lands of Skyrim where you seek to stop the end of the world.

You play as the Dragonborn. Your main quest in Skyrim is to defeat Alduin the World-Eater, a dragon who is prophesied to destroy the world.

You can choose, and design your character from one of 10 playable races in Skyrim. As you progress in your journey of action, exploration, and hunting, you will be able to add more to your skill set and improve your abilities to help you expand your notoriety as the Dragonborn with hundreds of weapons, and spells at your disposal throughout the game.

Everything good you’ve heard about players’ adventures in Skyrim is true. You have the freedom to do absolutely anything you want, and you make the choices that will shape your tale. 

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is up there as one of the biggest open-world RPGs to have ever graced the industry. Nothing ever ends in this game. Not the story, the quests, or the beloved characters that you grow to love in Skyrim.

You can play The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

4) Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima is an action-adventure game that takes place in the late 13th century on Tsushima Island.

You play as Jin Sakai, a samurai on a quest to protect Tsushima by repelling the first Mongol invasion in Japan.

What’s special about Ghost of Tsushima’s open world aspect is that only the environment itself guides you in your adventure. Natural elements like the wind, and smoke; and even the wildlife itself factor in leading you towards your objectives in Ghost of Tsushima, and help you explore the island of Tsushima.

You get to take part in the true events that occurred in this era of Feudal Japan with the most immersive samurai combat that ever happened in a video game.

You get to shape your story as you make the most difficult choices that have real outcomes throughout the game with the support and guidance of old friends and newly-made allies.

Ghost of Tsushima is a true classic that will go into the annals of modern open world RPGs as an iconic video game of an unmatched scale.

You can play Ghost of Tsushima on PS4 and PS5.

3) GTA V

GTA V is an open world action-adventure game that takes place in the fictional state of San Andreas.

You play as one of the three protagonists: Michael De Santa, a retired bank robber; Franklin Clinton, a street gangster; or a drug dealer and an arms smuggler called Trevor Philips.

The summary of the main story here is that you all plan and commit various heists, and infuse chaos in this San Andreas, which is ruled by criminal organizations, and an equally corrupt government.

San Andreas is a large state where you can do literally whatever you want, and however you want it. Even if you get tired from stealing cars, and killing everyone that stands in your way, you could always kick back and relax with the various sports activities such as racing, bike riding, and even tennis.

GTA Online allows you to wreak an equal amount of havoc – if not more – in San Andreas while countless players join you in the action.

GTA V is a game that never ceases to amaze, and nor does it become repetitive. It’s the best installment in the franchise to date, and Rockstar will have it hard beating its standards with the much-anticipated GTA 6.

 You can play GTA V on PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

2) Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 is an open world action-adventure game that takes place in a fictionalized version of the Wild West era in the United States.

You play as Arthur Morgan, a member of the outlaw Van Der Linde gang who flees the law after a heist goes wrong in the western town of Blackwater.

The heartland of America is a vast open-world environment where you can rob, steal, hunt, explore, and shoot your way to survive and get rich.

The story of Arthur Morgan is one of adventure, action, and tragedy. And you get to make his choices for him along the way in various ways. Should he remain loyal to the gang that raised him, or stick to the principles that define him?

Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the best open-world adventures, if not the absolute greatest. This game does not disappoint. You just make sure to prepare yourself for a long ride of classic wild west action that will keep you from the real world for a really long while.

You can play Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

1) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3 is an open world action RPG game where you play as a monster hunter who finds himself in the middle of constant political conflicts, and world-threatening events.

You play as Geralt of Rivia, a famous Witcher who discovers that his adoptive daughter, Ciri is still alive, and goes on a long journey to reunite with her, and gain explanations as to how she disappeared in the past.

The world of The Witcher is one where the action never stops. You have two continents with countless cities, villages, and inns to visit; and various areas in the dynamic wilderness to explore.

You frequently find yourself in the middle of the political conflicts that take place within the many kingdoms of this world, and your choices factor into both the outcome of these conflicts. Everything you do and say also determines the ending of The Witcher 3. So, be attentive throughout your adventure.

The DLC expansions of The Witcher 3 add so much to the game in terms of every element that predominates it. So, I can’t stress enough the fact that you need to play the Blood and Wine, and Hearts of Stone expansions too in order to get the full The Witcher experience.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a fascinating adventure that starts with action-packed quests, and ends with ever emotional outcomes that are truly determined by your actions in the game. Many games have already surpassed it in scale, and content-richness, but The Witcher 3 will always remain the game that paved the way for the open world third person genre’s success in the industry.

 

You can play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

 

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Gamer Since:
2008
Favorite Genre:
FPS
Currently Playing:
Dying Light
Top 3 Favorite Games:
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, The Forest, Far Cry 3