Since its launch in 2020, Xbox Series X|S has slowly built up a robust catalog of games. At this point, it boasts several wonderful titles in every genre. For example, the console has a lot to offer fans of open world games.
These titles give you free rein to explore and traverse interesting worlds. Beyond that though, there isn’t much else these types of games are bound to have. As a result, developers can create all kinds of different open-world experiences. However, the following have two things in common. First of all, they are available on Xbox Series X|S. Second, they’re better than most other titles in the genre.
6 Judgment
Judgment is a spin-off of the iconic Yakuza series. It puts you in the shoes of private detective Takayuki Yagami. It lives up to its working title, as you spend the game solving cases, both in the main story and the side content. The main narrative revolves around a series of violent murders. Yagami’s quest to discover the culprit takes many twists and turns. Throughout it all, the mystery remains compelling.
As Yagami, you are free to roam the fictional Japanese city of Kamurocho, make friends, and do activities. That sounds very healthy, but there are also plenty of people out there ready to beat the crap out of you. This leads to many exciting fights, where you can use everything from your hands to nearby traffic cones to smash your opponents to the ground.
5 Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
There have been many Assassin’s Creed games at this point. However, the series hasn’t lost its shine as each game provides a different experience. In Valhalla, that experience is that of a Viking setting sail from Norway for England, intending to settle in this new world. That’s the main premise of the game, but there’s a deeper overarching story that also ties into the protagonist, his close friend Sigurd, and the gods.
Throughout it all you travel around England where you can find plenty of things to find and do. The game is an RPG, so you can locate a lot of different armor and weapons to use in the litany of battles you engage in. There’s also stealth in the game, though, so you can sneak past most dangers if you want to.
4 infinite halo
Unlike many FPS games, Halo has rarely gone the hallway shooter route. Instead, games usually give you open areas in which to fight. Halo Infinite goes a step further by giving you a completely open world. This world is the surface of a Halo ring in which the Master Chief stands.
Throughout the game, he wanders around different parts while trying to deal a significant blow to Banished’s plans. However, you do not have to limit yourself to the main objective. There are also bases to capture, targets to kill, collectibles to find, and more. This makes it a bit different from other Halo titles, but the slick FPS combat the series is known for still remains.
3 elden ring
FromSoftware has a reputation for delivering exceptional games. So it’s no surprise that the company’s first big launch on Xbox Series X|S is brilliant. Elden Ring tells the story of an exile whose goal is to repair the famous Elden Ring and become an Elden Lord. This is not an easy task as like many FromSoftware games it is quite challenging.
The difficulty comes in the form of battles against opponents that are often incredibly strong. You have to beat them by parrying, dodging and being very clever in combat. Where the game differs slightly from the Dark Souls series is the additional focus placed on exploration. This is a true open world game, after all, whereas most FromSoftware titles are not. Exploring the world of the Elden Ring is fascinating and can give you an occasional break from hard-fought battles.
2 Grand Theft Auto 5
The action-adventure behemoth that is Grand Theft Auto 5 is a bit of a meme at the moment due to the number of platforms it’s been released on; This was originally an Xbox 360 title, after all. However, there’s no denying that it’s still one of the best open-world games ever.
In it, you play as three protagonists whose lives are intertwined. Together they go on all kinds of criminal escapades and anger many people in the process. They operate in sunny San Andreas, which contains a large countryside and the fictional city of Los Santos. It’s a beautiful, dense place to wander around and cause chaos. Along the way, you can meet a lot of great characters who are just as wild as the leads.
1 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition
The Witcher 3 originally came out on the eighth generation of consoles, and now the Complete Edition is available on Xbox Series X|S. This pack contains the base game along with its amazing DLC. The RPG’s compelling main story revolves around protagonist Geralt’s search for his adopted daughter Ciri. It is a long quest that takes him across the entire continent.
Each location has its own style and missions. While exploring away from the major cities, things can become troublesome as you may come across bandits or deadly monsters. However, Geralt has everything he needs to take down all kinds of enemies. When you’re not fighting, you can talk to people, play the awesome card game known as Gwent, or just look for better gear.
