The best open-world RPGs are the ones you never truly leave. When a game successfully convinces you to lean in and live within its world, the thrill of new discoveries is second only to the promise of what still lies ahead. Some of the best RPGs in recent years draw you into unforgettable settings, and we think about these experiences long after the credits roll, rarely staying away for long. Everybody has at least one open-world RPG they can navigate blindfolded… right?
If you do, there’s a chance you’ll see your favorite pop up below. But if you’re here to start fresh with something you haven’t touched before, you’re in for a real treat. I’ve ranked the 10 best open-world RPGs with the general vibe you can expect from each one (you can learn more about that in our FAQ section), all of which are available to play on modern platforms and are more than worthy of your time. And if you’re after some additional recommendations, it’s also worth checking out our pick of the best open world games more generally.
Frankly, I’m jealous of anyone who gets to step into any of these experiences for the first time – but without further ado, read on to discover the best open-world RPGs around right now.
The best open world RPGs, starting with…
10. Old School RuneScape
Release date: February 16, 2013
Platform(s): PC, mobile
Vibe: Better With Friends
Old School RuneScape is the only multiplayer RPG on this list, and for good reason. Over the years, Old School RuneScape has been fleshed out with remarkable ambition; going far beyond its initial scope – recapturing the heights of the MMORPG’s heyday – to make exploring the fantasy land of Gielinor better than ever.
A wealth of trainable skills mean you can choose to spend your time doing anything from fighting bosses to levelling up fishing, while the depth and writing of its quests – which feel more like single-player RPG offerings – are above and beyond any of the best MMORPGs in my mind Even if you’re not usually big on multiplayer RPGs, check out Old School RuneScape – within an hour or two, you’ll probably know whether it’s for you. God help your productivity if it is.
9. Xenoblade Chronicles X
Release date: April 29, 2015
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, Switch 2
Vibe: Chill Out
Crimson Desert proved the children yearn for mechs in their open-world RPGs, but Xenoblade Chronicles X did it first. While many games struggle to pair the urgency of its main story with open-world layouts, our Xenoblade Chronicles X review rightly points out that here, being left to your own devices is kind of the point.
Throw in an intricately layered combat system and fascinating post-apocalyptic setting, and Xenoblade Chronicles X becomes the perfect game for anyone in search of their next big timesink. And with a definitive edition now available for the Switch and Switch 2, now is the perfect time to jump in – new and returning fans alike.
8. Final Fantasy 12
Release date: March 16, 2006
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Vibe: Story-driven
Final Fantasy 12 is one of few RPGs that gets better with each replay. I should know – I’ve returned to the war-torn continent of Ivalice more times than I can count since it launched on PS2, and perpetually argue with my colleagues to score it higher in our ranking of the best Final Fantasy games. All that is to say: if this is your first time playing, you’re in for a treat.
When street thief Vaan is involved in a heist gone awry, he’s drawn into a globe-trotting mission to save the small kingdom of Dalmasca from being turned into a battlefield by the far larger Archadian and Rozarrian empires on either side of its borders. A fascinating Gambit system adds an automated strategic layer to combat, while an array of unique boss hunts and optional dungeons make exploring Ivalice worthwhile. At its core, Final Fantasy 12 is an exotic party-based adventure – a classic formula, yes, but unlike any you’ve played before.
7. Dragon’s Dogma 2
Release date: March 22, 2024
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
Vibe: Expect the Unexpected
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a chewy, pulpy adventure. One of the best ARPGs around, Dragon’s Dogma 2 actively encourages you to get your grubby mitts all over its world to see how it responds. You can grab and throw just about anything – be it goblins or your own party of Pawns included – and fast travel is limited to hitching a ride on wagons between towns or pricey teleport stones.
For a game this physical, showing is better than telling. Here’s an example: I underestimated the world’s size on a trip to the region’s capital, and found myself lost in the wilderness at night; chased by skeletons and desperately out of supplies. I escaped by cutting a rope bridge behind me – leaving it permanently destroyed until NPCs got around to fixing it – and let me tell you, I’ve never been so happy to see the sun rise in a game. Throw in the best third-person RPG combat around, and Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a pure hit of immersion for sickos who relish the feeling of being cut loose in an open-world.
Release date: April 22, 2025
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
Vibe: Chill Out
Even if Bethesda hadn’t surprised us with The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered in 2025, Oblivion still would have made this list. The province of Cyrodiil is as lush and dreamy as the day it debuted in 2006, but some smart changes (sprinting! Better leveling!) make the Remastered version more approachable to newcomers.
Oblivion’s greatest strength lies in its side quests, which are several magnitudes more colorful than its successor The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. How would you like to be the killer in a deadly game of Clue, courtesy of the Dark Brotherhood, or work your way up the ranks of the Thieves Guild for the greatest heist in the series’ history? These are parts of huge questlines, but random standalone quests make venturing off the beaten path a joy. I hope you don’t mind being kidnapped by pirates, hunted by rich folk for sport, or stalked by a persistent killer unicorn – because all that and more lies in store.
5. Cyberpunk 2077
Release date: December 10, 2020
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Switch 2
Vibe: Quick Play
Night City is a capitalist hellscape where the invisible hand of the market is only good for slitting throats. But it’s also a city of dreams: a place for the bold to seize opportunities, where life is fleeting but legends live forever. Against this backdrop, you play as ambitious mercenary V – completing contracts to pay for body modifications, helping the city’s colorful citizens, and shaping the legacy you would like to leave behind.
Cyberpunk 2077 is an action-heavy RPG, but whether you play V as a sword-armed street samurai, cybernetic gunslinger, stealthy hacker, or something else is entirely up to you. Sprinkle in a star cast (Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba) and developer CD Projekt Red’s whip-smart writing, and Cyberpunk 2077 cooks with all the ingredients of a modern classic.
4. Fallout: New Vegas
Release date: October 19, 2010
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Vibe: Quick Play
There are two types of people in this world: those who have played Fallout: New Vegas, and those who will eventually play Fallout: New Vegas. Obsidian’s post-apocalyptic RPG is a post-apocalyptic western that drops the protagonist – a courier who survives being shot in the head and sets out for revenge – into a fledgling war, as the wasteland’s factions fight to control Hoover Dam and the city of New Vegas.
With a brilliant plot that lets you pick a side (or sides, wink-wink) and a wide array of weapons to build your courier around, Fallout: New Vegas is to many the quintessential open-world RPG. I’d also argue it has the genre’s greatest run of DLC, with four adventures beyond the Mojave that come together for a fantastic overarching story. Because of all this and more, we gave Fallout: New Vegas the number one spot in our best Fallout games ranking – and as a diehard Fallout 3 devotee, that’s no small praise.
3. Elden Ring
Release date: October 19, 2010
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Vibe: Story-driven
The Lands Between is a masterclass in open-world game design. Unlike developer FromSoftware’s more claustrophobic work in Dark Souls and Bloodborne, Elden Ring prizes freedom above all else. It’s still packed with the studio’s notoriously challenging boss fights, yes, but Elden Ring’s vast open world means that if you find a fight too difficult, you can explore elsewhere and return once you’re stronger.
I have 132 hours clocked in Elden Ring, and still haven’t seen everything the game has to offer. FromSoftware’s hands-off approach to exploration – and the sheer beauty of The Lands Between – makes for a deceptively relaxing adventure, while its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion adds a more traditional Souls-style journey into the later stage of the game. Our Elden Ring review awarded it the full five stars at launch, and three years later, FromSoftware’s most ambitious title hasn’t aged a day.
2. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Release date: February 4, 2025
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
Vibe: Story-driven
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has a somewhat unearned reputation for being difficult, but in truth, it just refuses to bend to your whims. It’s a retort to “instant gratification in gaming,” and doesn’t revolve around the player. Here, then, is a rare blessing: an RPG that doesn’t make you feel like the prophesied Main Character, and instead asks you to simply live in 15th century Bohemia – will all the challenges that come with it.
Playing as Henry, a broke bastard to a noble, you’re tasked with keeping protagonist Henry fed, clothed, and sheltered, and all the better if you can do so without being skewered by bandits. Take your time with Bohemia – wander its forests, throw dice in taverns, try your hand at alchemy – and you’ll be rewarded with the greatest medieval RPG experience ever offered. Henry’s story leads him to jaw-dropping sieges and huge battles, but that’s long after you’ve fought for your place in this world – for starters, try to keep your cuts bandaged and stomach full.
1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Release date: May 19, 2015
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2
Vibe: Story-driven
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt recently turned 10, and remains one of the most influential RPGs of our time. Bursting at the seams with thought-provoking side quests and beautiful vistas, The Witcher 3 is one of the best story-driven RPGs for jumping on your horse and riding in a random direction. As with Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red thrives in telling morally-grey stories, with protagonist Geralt – a monster hunter for hire – often forced into making difficult choices that linger on the brain long after rolling credits.
A decade later, I still keep returning to the Continent to travel its winding roads, lend Geralt’s services to those in need, and squeeze in the odd game of Gwent or six. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the only RPG of its size that I have 100% completed, and that wasn’t by conscious effort – it’s just that good.
best open world RPGs FAQs
How do we pick the best open-world RPGs for this ranking?
This ranking of the best open-world RPGs has been carefully selected to reflect the games we’ve personally enjoyed and would recommend playing. With input from fellow genre veterans on the team, we’ve taken into consideration a broad selection of open worlds that are beautifully crafted and easy to get swept up in for one reason or another.
Our RPG “vibes” explained
Our RPG vibes are here to help you get a general sense of the kind of experience you can expect from each open-world RPG in our ranking. While more than one kind of vibe can often apply for any one RPG, we’ve curated them for this open-world list.
The different vibes are as follows:
- Story-driven: RPGs where the story propels your journey forward, with unforgettable companions and impactful choices and consequences.
- Better with Friends: RPGs that can be played solo but thrive with others. These offer the possibility for shared experiences, be that online or locally.
- Quick Play: RPGs that aren’t hard to pick up and play whenever you have the spare time. The perfect choice for busy folks looking for quick gaming sessions.
- Chill Out: RPGs that let you take things at your own pace, explore, and venture on side-quests if you choose. For those looking for a less demanding and more stress-free time.
- Expect the Unexpected: RPGs where you can get silly and find yourself in novel and very unusual situations. Things can go wrong quickly, but also in very funny directions.
Why do we update our ranking of the best single-player RPGs?
We update our rankings to ensure we’re offering you the most up-to-date selection of open-world RPGs currently available. With exciting releases arriving all the time, we’ll update our selection if we particularly enjoy a new game that we think deserves a place among our pick of the best open-world RPGs, and carefully consider what it’s doing or why it earns a spot over an existing pick.
How frequently do we update our rankings?
In order for our lists to reflect and take into consideration the most current releases, we tend to update our lists monthly. This to ensure we’re taking stock of fresh arrivals and bring you an up-to-date selection that truly speaks to the very best open-world RPGs around right now. We’ll also update this page if there’s a future release we have a feeling might shake up our ranking in the future, so you visit this selection often to see if there’s anything new we’d personally recommend.
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