Best Open-World Games That Are Just Fun

There is a time and a place for every type of open-world game. Sometimes, we want a thematically dense epic that raises ethical and moral dilemmas, telling an ambitious story backed by gameplay that prioritizes immersion above everything else. Other times, we want to blow stuff up and have a good time without thinking too deeply about anything happening on screen. The gaming world is big enough to satisfy both desires, and each category can produce awesomeness.

Some open-world games pride themselves on being simply fun. They might not be mechanically deep or narratively challenging, but they hit the mark in just the right way to provide the ultimate escape from reality. If you are stressed and are looking for a break, these games can be the perfect medicine.

“Fun” is quite a flexible term, so the picks do not stick to a rigid criterion. That said, fully open-world games will be prioritized, and they are only loosely ranked.

8

Postal 2

Time To Go Postal

Ah, Postal, the definition of an acquired taste. Honestly, Running with Scissors’ series is difficult to recommend as most of the games are hard to appreciate or are, well, unoptimized, particularly Postal 3; that said, the 2003 entry is a big exception. Postal 2 offers irreverent mayhem and a surprising amount of freedom, especially considering its age.

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For gamers who don’t particularly enjoy playing by the rules, here are some great open-world titles to jump into.

Set in Paradise, you can decide how “postal” you want to go, and that includes completing chores and never exploding into chaos. However, the latter is the fun part, and Postal 2 lets you go all out. Although fairly rough around the edges, the game nails that feeling of running wild in a sandbox, ruining every NPC’s day as they helplessly try to stop a sinister force of nature.

7

Saints Row: The Third

Rule Steelport While Having A Great Time

Saints Row became known as the “wacky” GTA, a reputation stemming from the third and fourth entries embracing silliness over anything resembling realism. Now, Saints Row 2 is the best game in the franchise, but its successor has the most fun sandbox to play within. Although always comedic to an extent, Saints Row: The Third is a parody of open-world crime romps, albeit one that preserves the genre’s typical gameplay loop rather than breaks it (like Saints Row 4).

The story and characters are messy, and the map is filled with fairly repetitive missions. However, Saints Row: The Third plays well, contains a wide selection of ridiculous guns, and features a few memorable set pieces that are absurd in the best possible way.

Nowadays, Saints Row: The Third Remastered is the version to play.

6

Maneater

The Jaws Of Port Clovis

Is Maneater a great open-world game? Honestly, it has a few too many issues to be described as such. The controls can be frustrating and require patience to master, while the combat is simplistic and repetitive. The progression system is fairly slow and lackluster, with most of the upgrades being stat-based. The opening hours are also the worst, as the first area is not particularly fun to explore.

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These open-world games let players step into the shoes of lizard-men, mutants, sharks, and more.

So, Maneater has its problems, but you know what else it has? Sharks. OK, that might not sound impressive, but it scratches a weird itch in practice. There is just something satisfying about ramping through the open waters while targeting other fishy beasts or ruining the day of a group of fishermen. Maneater delivers a power fantasy that basically no game besides Jaws Unleashed fulfills.

5

Sunset Overdrive

An Open-World Game With Fantastic Gameplay

An Xbox console exclusive created by Insomniac, Sunset Overdrive seems like it should have been a bigger deal, but the open-world game came and went without inspiring any long-lasting fanfare. Nowadays, it primarily persists as Game Pass filler for subscribers to briefly consider installing before moving on to the most recent Day 1 addition. Sunset Overdrive has become one of those “well, I guess I could try it if I have nothing else to play” type games, which is an absolute shame.

Putting aside the try-hard humor and divisive storytelling, Sunset Overdrive absolutely knocks its gameplay out of the park, delivering a smooth system that blends movement, exploration, and combat seamlessly. Players will grind, leap, jump, parkour, and shoot their way through the vibrant Sunset City, spreading cartoony destruction along the way.

4

Lego City Undercover

Lego Grand Theft Auto

Lego games were overexposed during the 2010s, with almost every year producing a new licensed title that played identically to the one before it. Just to be clear, these games were enjoyable and have aged relatively well, even if they cannot help but feel too similar. Consequently, Lego City Undercover was a breath of fresh air at the time, allowing the IP to step away from established franchises and craft an original story designed to be a kid-friendly take on GTA.

Blending sandbox freedom with Lego‘s addictive collect-a-thon rhythm, Undercover discovers the best of both worlds, all the while telling an over-the-top story reminiscent of Lego Island. Even though it is very much intended for younger players, Lego City Undercover is more than good enough for all ages, and I had an absolute blast playing the Switch version.

3

Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction

Fun Faction Warfare In A 2000s Open-World Masterpiece

Pandemic Studios’ death was one of the biggest gaming tragedies of the 2000s, and many of the developer’s releases are still a blast to play. Battlefront needs no selling, and Destroy All Humans and The Saboteur are also fantastic in their own right. Then, there is Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction, arguably Pandemic’s crowning achievement (at least in the open-world genre).

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best open world games to explore rdr2 zelda and elder scrolls oblivion

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Open-world games are known for their exploration, and these titles shine the brightest in this area.

While showing its age in some ways, Playground of Destruction‘s destruction-based gameplay and faction warfare are both still as impressive as they were in 2005. You are largely free to approach missions in any way you see fit, which generally means causing as much wanton mayhem as possible. The faction system was incredibly deep in 2005, allowing you to align or go against four different units (but not North Korea).

To be frank, this pick was motivated by nostalgia to an extent, so a complete newcomer’s mileage may vary. That said, I still recommend giving Playground of Destruction a go. Mercenaries 2 has its positives as well, but it is not quite as impressive as its predecessor.

2

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Over-The-Top Yakuza Fun With A Silly Pirate Theme

OK, admittedly, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is acting as a representative for Sega’s entire franchise, as most Yakuza games are simply fun. If you have yet to dip your toes into Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s universe, the best entry point is Yakuza 0, especially since it is the strongest game in the series.

However, if you are just looking to have a good time and don’t care if you miss out on a few plot details (or spoiling Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth), Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is delightful. Who would have guessed that, of all IPs, Like a Dragon would be the one to create a modern AAA pirate adventure? Flashy combat, a gorgeous open-world, surprisingly deep crew mechanics, polished gameplay, and a story that rarely takes itself seriously, this 2025 release is absurdist, silly fun in the best possible way.

1

inFAMOUS Series

Simply Fun Open-World Games

Most great superhero open-world games are fun. Marvel’s Spider-Man, Batman: Arkham City, and The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction do fantastic jobs of adapting their source material, capturing each character’s spirit while telling unique stories. As brilliant as those releases are, Sucker Punch’s inFAMOUS series is arguably the most “fun” example of this subgenre, largely thanks to fluid movement, electrifying combat, and moral systems.

Rather than role-playing as characters with decades of established lore, you can shape Cole or Delsin into your preferred image, crafting either a classic hero or a straight-up villain. This freedom is liberating, and this is echoed by the responsive and satisfying gameplay. Even all these years later, inFAMOUS‘ sandbox loop is still addictive.