If you like video games, whether you’re a hardcore gamer or a person who just appreciates a gaming session from time to time (aka a casual gamer), the chances are very high that you are into open-world games as well.
While we’ve spoken about some of the most amazing open-world games out there, regardless of their release date, it’s time to speak about more trendy games of such kind. You can’t possibly play an iconic game such as GTA Vice City with your friends, for instance, if none of them play it anymore. You have to raise those standards of yours, even though GTA Vice City is a fantastic game. Behold:
GTA 5
GTA 5, also known as Grand Theft Auto V, remains one of the most popular games out there, and not just from the open-world genre. Despite the fact that it’s over a decade old, this game is still insanely popular and will remain that way, at least until GTA 6 comes out in 2025.
GTA 5 brings a massive open world at your disposal, and you get to choose from three protagonist characters. However, you will also have to play with all of them simultaneously. In this game, you get to go through all sorts of dangerous situations, such as running away from the police, shooting the police, engaging in gang wars, and a lot more.
The three GTA 5 protagonists are Trevor, Michael, and Franklin. Trevor is a pure psychopath who won’t hesitate to kill someone in their sleep or eat them alive if he has to. Michael is a retired bank robber who became a bit decrepit but with a terrible character as a parent and husband. Franklin is a young crook who dreams of climbing through the ranks of the criminal world, and he has a lot in common with CJ (Carl Johnson) from GTA San Andreas.
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is an action RPG and open-world game that came out in 2020 after it was developed and published by the guys from CD Projekt Red. The game’s location is set in the Night City, which is a dystopian open-world metropolis and a futuristic city teeming with individuals who are obsessed with glamour, power, and body modification.
As a player of Cyberpunk 2077, you will step in the shoes of V, a mercenary who you can customize. He navigates the dangerous streets of Night City while he searches for a one-of-a-kind implant that could make him immortal.
Despite having its fair share of technical issues at launch, Cyberpunk 2077 received plenty of praise for having deep storytelling, immersive world-building, and complex characters. It’s also worth keeping in mind that the game features a branching narrative with multiple possible endings, as the player has the chance to shape the journey of V, the mercenary willing to become immortal.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a Western open-world game developed by the guys from Rockstar Games and set in the late 1800s. The location is represented by America’s Wild West, and players assume the role of Arthur Morgan, who’s an outlaw and member of the Van der Linde gang. The game features a vast and detailed open world, as it allows players to explore the American frontier and engage in various activities that were specific for those times, such as fishing, hunting, and robbing.
The developers had remarkable attention to detail when they created this game, as there are realistic weather systems, a dynamic day-night cycle, and impressive wildlife behavior. There’s also an interesting and complex morality system where the choices of the player will have an impact on the game’s story and the relationships Arthur has with other characters.
Certainly, there are many other trendy open-world games that you can try. You could also consider, for instance, games such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Ghost of Tsushima, and others.
Tim M. Hill helped bring Digital-Overload from a weekly newsletter to a full-fledged news site by creating a new website and branding. He continues to assist in keeping the site responsive and well organized for the readers. As a writer to Digital-Overload, Tim mainly covers mobile news and gadgets.