Holiday Gift Guide: Open World Games

Instead of doing a customary awards article on Games Reviews, we have opted to pinpoint a few things you might pick up for yourself or other gamers on your Christmas List. Since awards are very subjective – especially with so many good games in the running – we are pinpointing our favorites from this year, and if the situation calls for it, previous years as well. For this article, we will examine the best Open World Games that could find their way under your tree this holiday season.

Witcher III: Wild Hunt

There is so much to say about the Witcher III: Wild Hunt, and I won’t even begin to try and do that now. You will find over a hundred hours of gameplay as you wander across the war torn lands of Velen and Novigrad. Craft weapons, deal with merchants, fight with locals, and of course, slay many monsters. The Witcher series is a different experience than something like Skyrim – you won’t have lots of weapon options as the Witcher’s generally use a silver sword for monsters and a steel sword more humans. However, there is still a lot of fun to have here.

You can read our review of the main game here, as well as the firs major DLC release here.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

If you are looking for something more modern, perhaps a trip to the Afghan countryside is what you need. Travel with Snake and uncover the mysteries that lay in the mountains of Afghanistan. You will fight the rebel army and build your own base as you attempt to control the region. With a huge map to explore and options with how you tackle problems, it is really hard to not recommend The Phantom Pain. The arsenal of weapons at your disposal is astounding, and whether you try to go stealth, or enter a fight firing on all cylanders, the outcome is generally always great, chaotic fun.

You can read our review of The Phantom Pain here.

Fallout 4

We are now moving into the future. Fallout 4 offers open world elements that you won’t find in either the Witcher or Metal Gear Solid. Couple that with a great base building mechanic, and Fallout 4 is easily one of the best games available in 2015. Like the other titles mentioned, you will easily spend more 100 hours treking around a wasted Boston, killing humans and monsters alike. Unlike an open world game like Just Cause 3, Fallout 4 requires a fair bit of dedication to maximize entertainment. This really will only appeal to those ready and willing to make a significant time commitment. Unlike Metal Gear Solid and the Witcher – which I feel can be played in spurts – I never found Fallout to be a good “quick session” experience.

You can read our review of Fallout 4 here.

Just Cause 3

Of all the titles on this list, Just Cause 3 is the easiest to pick up and play. You don’t need to understand a lengthy backstory and you won’t need to figure out a complicated control scheme. Just Cause 3 is pure, chaotic fun, and that is what makes it so appealing. Whether you play for 20 minutes or 2 hours, this title provides non stop entertainment at all times. If you enjoy experimenting with open worlds, attempting to create bigger and crazier explosions and mayhem, then this is the title for you If you are looking for a deep story, you might as well move on. That is not the goal of Just Cause 3, and that is not a problem.

You can read our review of Just Cause 4 here.

I guarentee you that we have missed out on some great open world games in this short list. With a small staff, we don’t have the resources or the man power to cover everything that is available. If you have something to add, feel free to drop us a note with your reasons why and we will add it to the list!