It could be said that open-world games encapsulate gaming’s best attributes and push them to their logical extremes — they offer fully fleshed-out alternate realities for the player to explore as they wish, generally affording them unprecedented levels of agency and freedom in determining their path through it. An open-world game has the potential to, almost literally, become a second life for the player to disappear into.

So it should come as no surprise that some of the gaming industry’s most prolific titles manifest as open-world games. As luck would have it, a generous number of titles are at players’ fingertips if they happen to have an active Xbox Game Pass subscription. But which world should someone dive into next? What are the best open-world games on Xbox Game Pass?

In case someone prefers physical copies, a link will be provided to a game’s Amazon listing page, provided one exists. Also, each game’s Metascore will be listed, and the Xbox Series X/S score will be prioritized if it is available.

Starfield

Metascore: 83

Undoubtedly, Starfield will be remembered as the biggest title added to Xbox Game Pass in 2023. Bethesda’s latest RPG has been in development for a very long time, and it is also the developer’s first IP in decades; consequently, the game was always going to be huge, regardless of whether it lived up to the hype or not. While perhaps not attracting Skyrim levels of praise, Starfield is nevertheless another impressive feather in Bethesda’s cap, one that represents a step forward in a few areas. Its character customization, gunplay, and companions might just be the best in the company’s history, at least when solely counting games developed by Bethesda Game Studios. While it takes a few hours to get going and can be largely ignored, the main story is pretty good too.

Like most of Bethesda’s flagship releases, Starfield is open-world, although it is a different breed than Skyrim or Fallout 4. As the map is spread over a large selection of planets, players will be spending a lot of time fast-traveling from place to place, which breaks immersion to an extent. It is possible to jump on a ship and fly through space, but it is not a big part of the overall experience nor can players land on planets. Basically, Starfield does not have a seamless world that players can traverse in its entirety without a loading screen, instead offering smaller self-contained areas that make up a larger universe. This is not necessarily a criticism, but it does grant the game a different flavor than most of Bethesda’s other classic open-world RPGs.

Grand Theft Auto 5

Metascore: 79

Added out of nowhere back to Xbox Game Pass, Grand Theft Auto 5 is comfortably among the most famous open-world games of all time, standing alongside Breath of the Wild, Skyrim, and Minecraft as the genre’s mainstream peak. Rockstar’s masterpiece debuted at the tail end of the Xbox 360 era, garnering universal praise for its gorgeous Los Santos setting, enjoyable story, multiple protagonists, and addictive gameplay. Since then, the game’s single-player has been entirely overshadowed by GTA Online, a multiplayer mode that is also part of the package available through Game Pass. Rockstar regularly updates this content with new events or items, so while the mode’s chaotic nature might not be for everyone, those who enjoy it have a lot of material at their fingertips.

Despite initially debuting in 2013, GTA 5‘s campaign holds up well, especially since Rockstar has released native Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S versions. The narrative centers around a trio of criminals who have wildly different temperaments, backgrounds, and motives. Their dynamic starts out interesting and only improves as the story progresses. Outside the main missions, GTA 5 is absolutely stacked with optional content designed to simply allow players to spread mayhem across Los Santos’ streets.

Middle-earth: Shadow Of War

Metascore: 81

Although Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor was a fantastic adventure in its own right, Shadow of War perfected the franchise’s proposed mechanics and elevated them by giving players the freedom to explore a large open world. Those who fell in love with the original release’s gameplay elements will enjoy a finely-tuned system that includes new moves and abilities while maintaining the engaging combat from the flagship title.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War also enhanced the Nemesis System, giving the world even more life as players find themselves occasionally harassed by enemies that previously defeated them. This feature is the franchise’s main selling point, and it deserves all the praise flung its way since it makes the world seem like it’s morphing to match the player’s actions.

No Man’s Sky

Metascore: 77

When it was first released back in 2016, No Man’s Sky was lambasted for its lack of gameplay and unpolished design. Many fans were upset that the release seemed to lack many of the initial promises that were made by the developer, Hello Games. Thankfully, even though it was critically panned during its initial release, designers stuck with the title and continued to improve it as much as possible in the following years.

Now, in 2023, No Man’s Sky is leaps and bounds better than what it once was. Players are finally getting the space epic they’d hoped for, and feelings toward No Man’s Sky are incredibly positive in recent years. Players that are looking for a fun, in-depth, and downright addictive open-world should hop into this now fantastic adventure.

Grounded

Metascore: 82

After a lengthy spell in early access, Grounded has finally made its full debut. A “normal” backyard becomes a dangerous sandbox filled with terrifying creatures after players are shrunk down so that a blade of grass towers over them. Finding themselves in a sticky situation as they try to make their way back home, the protagonists must survive this strange land as they adapt to its ecosystem.

Grounded is an imaginative open-world game that takes inspiration from its contemporaries while still carving out a unique voice that sets it apart from the crowd. Obsidian is responsible for some of the most fully realized worlds in gaming, and Grounded is another feather in the developer’s cap.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Metascore: 87

Over the Summer, Xbox Game Pass welcomed two Assassin’s Creed games: Origins and Odyssey. Each title is an ambitious open-world game packed to the brim with content, both mandatory and optional. There is not all that much separating the two in terms of quality, and someone’s preference might come down to whether they prefer Origins‘ Ancient Egypt or Odyssey‘s Ancient Greece.

As the latter is the former’s sequel, it fine-tunes some of its predecessor’s mechanics, particularly the combat system. As Origins is the first chronological entry, newcomers to the series should start with that title; however, the franchise’s releases can be enjoyed as standalone adventures, so Odyssey is still an option.

Valheim

Metascore: N/A

After existing solely on Steam for roughly two years, Valheim eventually joined Xbox’s Game Preview initiative, making it available to Game Pass subscribers. Regardless of platform, Iron Gate’s Viking-themed survival title is nothing short of fantastic. While still a work in progress, the current version is still relatively robust; in fact, the game in its current state is likely to keep most players entertained for longer than the vast majority of fully released open-world projects.

Utilizing procedurally generated maps, Valheim drops players in a reasonably big world that is split into biomes. From there, they must craft weapons and armor that will allow them to survive the various enemies and bosses that populate the world. As an added bonus, this title also supports base building, and the system is fairly deep as well. While the combat system is just decent, Valheim shines when taken as a whole package rather than focusing exclusively on one element.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Metascore: 82

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga covers the main nine Star Wars movies, presenting fans with an opportunity to play through the most memorable moments from the original, prequel, and sequel trilogies. Each film contains a couple of unique missions that are relatively linear in scope, although they do provide some room for exploration.

More importantly, The Skywalker Saga also includes free-roaming hubs that are effectively open-worlds. Players can travel to and investigate some of Star Wars‘ iconic planets and moons. While relatively relaxing, these sections can spontaneously turn into battle zones, so they are not just designed for sightseeing. If nothing else, this LEGO game allows fans to live within the Star Wars universe, one that has been immaculately recreated by TT Games.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Metascore: 90

Not every person who owns an Xbox Series X/S will gravitate toward Microsoft Flight Simulator, but there are undoubtedly people who specifically purchased the console to play this flight sim. After spending a year as a PC exclusive, Asobo Studio’s project finally made its way to Microsoft’s latest hardware, and even a couple of years after its launch, the 2021 release is still among the console’s most impressive technical showcases. As its title suggests, the game seeks to accurately recreate the experience of piloting a plane, at least to the point that gaming allows. While somewhat realistic, Flight Simulator is relatively accessible by the subgenre’s standards, so newcomers who have never sat down in a virtual cockpit can rely on a detailed tutorial to teach them the basics.

Generally, Flight Simulator‘s gameplay is structured around flight plans, which are linear by design. However, players are given free rein in how they approach routes since they can plan their own flights through the World Map mode. Essentially, Earth is Microsoft Flight Simulator‘s open-world, and while players might not be able to land and go for a stroll, they can witness the planet’s majesty from the skies.

Immortals Fenyx Rising

Metascore: 81

Ubisoft loves open-worlds maybe a little too much. Overexposure and product exhaustion are very real things, and regardless of the quality of the individual projects, the sheer volume of Ubisoft open-world games in existence has made them feel ordinary. Valhalla is incredible in isolation, but within context, it is just another Assassin’s Creed title. Far Cry 6 shakes up its franchise’s ideas in a few divisive ways, but the game’s biggest flaw is that fact it is a license’s seventh entry in the span of a decade.

Immortals Fenyx Rising will not impress anyone who is completely burned out on the Ubisoft formula, but it might hit the spot for fans who want something familiar but still different. Inspired by Greek mythology and taking a few hints from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, this action-adventure game blends colorful visuals with fun hack and slash combat and a comedic story, all the while delivering a large but not overwhelming map. While optional content is present, Immortals Fenyx Rising gives players room to decide the extent they wish to interact with these quests.

Sunset Overdrive

Metascore: 81

Insomniac has spent recent years crafting superhero-themed adventures featuring everyone’s favorite neighborhood wall-crawler; however, Marvel’s Spider-Man was not the developer’s first foray into open-world territory. Sunset Overdrive might be one of the more underappreciated titles of the 2010s, and the game’s brilliant movement system ranks it among the best open-world games on Game Pass.

Basically a large playground, Sunset City is filled with rails and zip lines, encouraging players to take to the skies and grind their way above the streets. The gunplay is also fun, particularly once players unlock their full arsenal of weapons.

The Evil Within 2

Metascore: 82

2014’s The Evil Within sought to fill the horror void left by Resident Evil‘s descent into action territory, and while not perfect, the game did its job. The sequel expands things by taking place in the simulated town of Union, which Sebastian enters to try and save his daughter. While nowhere near as large or packed with side content as, for example, a Far Cry setting, Union can be freely explored, even if Sebastian is generally guided down a path. There are not all that many open-world horror projects since these types of stories tend to benefit from more curated experiences, but The Evil Within 2 shows the genre can work within a less restrictive structure.

Even though slightly spread out, Tango’s game still manages to produce its share of genuine scares thanks to some fantastic creature designs. In some ways, The Evil Within 2‘s open design helps enhance the tension since there is the sense that something horrifying (like Anima) could always be right around the corner. While it might not have too much competition, The Evil Within 2 is the best open-world horror game on Game Pass.

Burnout Paradise Remastered

Metascore: 79

Burnout is an all-around great franchise, one that produced some of the most entertaining racers of the early 2000s. Burnout Paradise adapts the series’ frantic gameplay to an open-world structure, providing players with complete freedom in how they pursue their racing careers. Although small compared to most modern settings, Burnout Paradise‘s open-world is varied and immaculately designed.

On these streets, speed is the name of the game, and there will be more than a few crashes along the way. The brilliance of Burnout Paradise‘s map becomes apparent once players memorize the ins and outs of its layout, letting them zip through its roads instinctively rather than following markers.

State Of Decay 2

Metascore: 66

Building upon the foundations of its predecessor, State of Decay 2 offers a string of sizable maps packed with starving zombies. Meagher Valley is arguably the best map in the game, but all the others have their positives, particularly Drucker Country and Cascade Hills.

Focusing nearly exclusively on survival, State of Decay 2 tasks the player with building a community capable of withstanding the trials of existing within a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Terraria

Metascore: 84

Debuting in 2011, Terraria‘s staying power is beyond proven by this point. Re-Logic’s action-adventure title pushes exploration to the forefront, presenting players with all the freedom in the world to traverse its impressive procedurally generated sandbox map.

Blending combat, survival, and crafting elements, Terraria is rich and diverse, and the game comes with an incredibly passionate fanbase. Besides the standard version of the campaign, Terraria comes with plenty of other modes that alter its difficulty, leading to wildly different adventures.

Minecraft

Metascore: 88

No game encourages freedom and exploration the way that Minecraft does. As soon as players spawn into the world, there are no boundaries restricting what they do next. Building a mansion in the forest, mining to the depths of the world, or crafting the most intricate roller coaster are all options on the table.

Though there are no quests sprinkled throughout the world of Minecraft, the ability to do anything so chosen is the game’s main appeal. Minecraft is the ultimate sandbox project, and players are only limited by their imagination.

Watch Dogs 2

Metascore: 81

An argument could be made that Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs never quite managed to live up to its full potential. The original entry was a letdown as the final product could not match the promotional material, while Legion‘s intriguing concept did not translate into a particularly engaging experience. Out of three projects, Watch Dogs 2 is arguably the pick of the bunch, although its mileage will vary from player to player. Featuring a gorgeous (and colorful) rendition of San Francisco, the 2016 release has probably the most impressive open-world in the trilogy, and it is fun to just roam the streets and cause harmless mayhem with the occasional hack.

Story-wise, Watch Dogs 2 can be divisive, especially its lighthearted tone. Still, the main missions provide plenty of interesting scenarios in their own right, and they are ultimately just a small part of the overall package. It should be said that Watch Dogs 2 slots almost perfectly into Ubisoft’s open-world formula, which can be a deterrent for a lot of people who have grown tired of that structure, Nevertheless, it is a good representative of that formula.

Skyrim

Metascore: 82

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has long been a definitive staple of the open-world catalog, and it’s likely to remain that way until the next chapter of the mainline Elder Scrolls saga manifests. Even today, players still wander the snowy tundra, lush forests, and decrepit dungeons of Skyrim in droves, which is no mean feat considering the base game was released in 2011.

If for some reason someone is yet to embark on the epic tale of the Dragonborn, now’s as good a time as any. And if they already have, then they can pick from an extensive selection of mods that are available for Xbox consoles and fabricate a new twist on a familiar adventure.

Forza Horizon 5

Metascore: 92

Playground Games’ Forza Horizon series has served as a reliable source for ambitious open-world racing games, and the fifth entry maintains the high standard synonymous with the license. Set in Mexico, Forza Horizon 5‘s map is considerably more diverse than its immediate predecessor, with each region having its own aesthetic that allows it to stand out.

Like with all of these games, Forza Horizon 5 blends realistic visuals and an authentic world with over-the-top arcade-style gameplay, and it is a match made in heaven.

Forza Horizon 4 is also on Xbox Game Pass, and it is a great option for anyone who wishes to drive through Scotland.

Sea Of Thieves

Metascore: 69

Rare’s Sea of Thieves had a somewhat rough launch, but the game has improved by leaps and bounds since its debut. Although not devoid of enjoyment for solo players, this title should be experienced alongside a group of mates since so much of Sea of Thieves depends on the crew making its own fun.

As pirates in a vast and gorgeous open-world, adventure is constantly at their beck and call as crews seek to complete trade missions, find buried treasure, and survive against a Kraken or a ghost ship.

Batman: Arkham Knight

Metascore: 85

The open-world formula of the Arkham series is only enhanced with the Batmobile at your disposal. Hurtling through the streets of Gotham in Batman’s iconic vehicle is a rush. Though it is always fun to soar from mission to mission using nothing but Batman’s cape, the action is only heightened by intense car movement.

As with other games in the franchise, Batman: Arkham Knight is an exciting and easily digestible open-world adventure. The game also comes with plenty of content outside its main campaign.

Wartales

Metascore: 80

Wartales is quite unlike any other open-world project on Xbox Game Pass. An RPG with survival elements set in a dark fantasy kingdom that is anything but forgiving, the game avoids giving players too much direction, instead challenging them to make their own way. Players create a mercenary group that they must lead to success in a world defined by conflict and war. Rather than a traditional story, the campaign is primarily driven by party freedom and choice, and players have to constantly make decisions that could be unpopular with the rest of the group. The survival ingredients arrive in the form of food and payments, both of which need to be made regularly to the mercenaries.

Wartales‘ map is expansive and detailed, although it is structured differently than most open-worlds. Basically, players travel across a large world map that is littered with places like dungeons or villages. The latter is where players can interact with NPCs and pick up contracts, which paves the way to the former and the turn-based battle system. This combat is quite good and can be fairly difficult at times.

Yakuza 0

Metascore: 90

Xbox Game Pass sure loves some Yakuza. Subscribers can play through the entire main saga, starting with Yakuza 0 and ending with Like a Dragon. That amounts to eight lengthy campaigns that feature consistently fantastic storytelling, lovable or unforgettable characters, enjoyable minigames, and small but dense open-worlds. Technically, Kiwami counts as the first title since it is a remake of the original PS2 game, but newcomers should just start with Yakuza 0. Not only is it a prequel that takes place prior to every other entry, but it is also arguably the franchise’s peak, which is saying something.

Set within two Japanese cities, both of which are lively and overflowing with personality, Yakuza 0 follows Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima’s early days in the Tojo Clan. Both protagonists are wildly different from each other, and their stories start out fairly isolated but eventually diverge in an interesting way. Along with the central narrative, which is nothing short of brilliant, the game is filled with side stories that range from hilarious to heartbreaking.

Like A Dragon: Ishin!

Metascore: 79

Someone would probably need at least a three-month subscription to get through all the Yakuza games on Xbox Game Pass. If they were to accomplish that, they would be largely caught up to Kiryu and Ichiban’s stories, at least until new games are released. Yakuza 0 serves as a great entry point into the franchise, and the same can be said to an extent for Yakuza: Like a Dragon; however, the rest of the titles should be played in chronological order. Consequently, the series requires quite an extensive time investment and commitment, especially for completionists who might find it difficult to step away once they get started.

Alternatively, players can just try out Like a Dragon: Ishin! to get their fill of Yakuza goodness without committing to an 8-part epic. Inspired by historical events and taking place in the Late Edo period, this spin-off game features many familiar faces, although they are slotted into different names and roles than usual. While far removed from the main entries, the story nevertheless has the same tone and structure, and this extends to the optional content and open-world. Ishin! was originally released in 2014, and while the remake looks pretty good, its combat is reminiscent of the older Yakuza games rather than Like a Dragon‘s turn-based system.

Fallout: New Vegas

Metascore: 84

Though Fallout 4 may be New Vegas’ shinier, newer, and (slightly) better-optimized cousin, New Vegas is considered the crown jewel of Fallout’s three-dimensional, first-person outings for a reason. With Obsidian helming the effort, the role-playing elements that were present in Fallout 3 were polished to a mirror shine that Fallout 4 couldn’t seem to pull off in succession.

The Mojave wasteland may look a bit dated by modern standards, but the Courier’s fateful journey after being shot and left for dead still makes for a timelessly wild adventure.

Far Cry 5

Metascore: 82

Far Cry has become something of a love-or-hate franchise, but there is no denying that the games can be a lot of fun. The fifth entry is the only one available on Xbox Game Pass, and while it is not generally regarded as the license’s peak, Far Cry 5 has plenty of positives in its favor. Set in Montana, the story follows a rookie marshal as they try to liberate the region from the manipulative clutches of Joseph Seed’s cult. The large but not exhausting map is split into three parts, each one governed by a disciple of Joseph. While the gameplay loop remains largely the same within each area, the story missions reflect the main cult member’s personality.

Consequently, the campaign is repetitive but seldom boring. As has become a franchise staple, Far Cry 5‘s villains steal the show, and they are all wildly different from each other. Faith Seed is especially memorable, although Joseph is also charismatic enough to believably serve as the cult’s idol. While not quite as diverse or exotic as some other settings in Ubisoft’s series, Montana nevertheless serves as a fun sandbox.

Prey

Metascore: 84

Prey is a sci-fi thriller set in a space station that has been overtaken by an alien threat called the Typhon. As Morgan, players are cut loose onto a world they do not fully understand, and Arkane does a great job of maintaining that sense of mystery for most of the campaign.

Combining stealth, RPG, and Metroidvania elements, Prey is a difficult and immersive game that incorporates puzzles, first-person combat, and exploration. The space station might not be as huge as some other maps on Xbox Game Pass, but it is expertly designed and dense.

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