Hey everyone! I’m searching for recommendations on open world games that have really engaging stories and can keep me entertained for dozens of hours. I love games where you can explore freely but also have a compelling main quest that makes you want to keep playing. I’m not too picky about the genre - could be fantasy, sci-fi, modern day, whatever. Just want something with good character development and a world that feels alive and worth exploring. What are your favorite open world story-driven games that you’ve spent the most time playing? I’m willing to try both newer releases and older classics if they’re still worth playing today.
Fallout New Vegas might be worth checking out if you don’t mind the older graphics. The faction choices really make you think and there’s so much to discover in the wasteland.
Cyberpunk 2077 after all the patches is actually pretty solid now for what you described.
The Witcher 3 is probably the gold standard for what you’re looking for. Massive world, amazing side quests that actually matter, and Geralt’s story kept me hooked for over 100 hours. Red Dead Redemption 2 is another one that’ll consume your life - the attention to detail is insane and Arthur’s journey is incredibly well done. If you want something a bit different, Subnautica has this perfect mix of exploration and gradual story revelation that’s absolutely addictive. All three of these games made me lose entire weekends without realizing it.
Outer Worlds is underrated for this kind of thing. Great dialogue choices and each planet feels unique to explore.
Mass Effect trilogy still holds up incredibly well if you haven’t played it. The character relationships you build across three games are unmatched, and the space exploration scratches that open world itch perfectly. Dragon Age Inquisition gets a lot of hate but I actually loved getting lost in those huge areas for hours. Also don’t sleep on Kingdom Come Deliverance if you want something different - medieval Bohemia feels incredibly authentic and the story gets really engaging once you get past the slow start.
Horizon Zero Dawn really hit that sweet spot for me. The world building is incredible and figuring out what happened to the old civilization kept me playing way longer than I expected.