What are the best PS5 open world games? While not strictly a genre, the open world style has exploded in popularity over the years, and developers are consistently pushing boundaries to make bigger and more beautiful worlds. That’s extremely evident when you look at some of the amazing PS5 open-world games on offer on Sony’s console.
Not only are there plenty of amazing third-party games to enjoy on PS5, but some of the best open world games ever made are first-party PS5 exclusives. PlayStation players are definitely spoiled for choice, and some of the best games on their platform excel at building remarkable open worlds and filling them with great gameplay and content. It’s also a style that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, as there are loads of new PS5 games that continue to lean on this formula. So, from enormous RPGs to games that’ll get your Spidey-senses tingling, here are the best PS5 games for those who love an open-world adventure.
Here are the best PS5 open-world games to play:
1. Elden Ring
If you’re a big fan of Soulslikes and you’ve not played Elden Ring yet, where have you been? This punishing open-world action RPG will really test your patience, but it’s worth it, trust us.
The map is never-ending, the Elden Ring bosses are challenging, and the quests are as gripping as you’d expect from a game of this caliber. Elden Ring is easily one of the best games we’ve had this year and open-world fans must try it.
The open world of Elden Ring is magnificent too, with a classic feeling of finding things for yourself. If you’re tired of the modern era of games offering markers for everything, then Elden Ring may be the reset you need.
Don’t believe us? Check out our Elden Ring review, in which we gave the game a very rare 10/10.
2. Horizon Forbidden West
The sequel to 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn, Forbidden West improves on the first game in every way. There’s a new story involving Aloy heading west to find out what’s going on with this robotic dinosaur wasteland, and improved mechanics in areas like combat and climbing.
You don’t need to play the first game to love Forbidden West either, as the new open world of Aloy’s second adventure is beautiful beyond compare, filled with lots of things to keep you busy as you 100% the game.
But fans of the first game will want to snap this experience up as soon as possible because it’s everything we’ve come to know and love from Guerrilla Games and more. You can read more about that in our Horizon Forbidden West review.
3. Cyberpunk 2077
What started as one of the PS5’s biggest disappointments soon became one of its greatest games. Cyberpunk 2077 started off terribly optimized for consoles, but the game has received numerous updates, bringing the world of Night City into one of the best RPG games of the generation.
Night City is easily one of the most beautiful dystopian worlds ever seen in a game, and it’s brimming with personality and stories to witness. Developer CD Projekt Red is renowned for crafting excellent narratives and questlines, and that’s no different here, but Cyberpunk 2077 also boasts very good FPS combat. Oh, and it’s got Keanu Reeves in it, and that’s never a bad thing in our books.
There’s also the Phantom Liberty expansion for fans to enjoy, which adds an additional narrative for newcomers and fans alike to experience.
4. Dying Light 2
Need some brain-bashing in your life? Then Dying Light 2 might be the poison you need right now, especially if you’ve read our Dying Light 2 review. This big open-world zombie RPG builds and expands upon the first game to create an amazing open-world experience.
The map is much bigger, the questlines are better, and there’s enough content to keep you busy for quite a long time, both as part of the base game and thanks to its expansions.
The thing that sets Dying Light 2 apart from lots of other open-world games though is its movement mechanics. Parkour, wall-running, ropes, parachutes, and much more make movement super fluid and satisfying. When you add the fact that you’re dodging and bashing zombies at the same time, it really feels epic.
5. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a PS5 exclusive that boasts plenty of Marvel madness. It’s developer Insomniac Games’ second Spidey title and shakes up the formula from the first by giving Miles a new set of abilities. Plus, playing in the shoes of Miles and not Peter Parker keeps things fresh as well.
Swinging across New York City is an enjoyable experience on its own, with so many ways to traverse the environment thanks to Web Zips, using Miles’ Venom abilities to boost yourself, and more. Then, add in the enemies to fight and other side activities to enjoy, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a Spider-Man experience.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales will have you swinging through an open-world New York, bumping into several notable villains, and progressing through a beautifully-written main story. We can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t enjoy a Spider-Man title from Insomniac, and Miles Morales should definitely be worth your consideration.
6. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Set nine months after the events of Miles Morales, Insomniac Games’ third game in the series sees you play as both Peter Parker and Miles, as the threats of Kraven the Hunter and Venom descend upon New York.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 delivers on bringing the exciting combat and strong superhero narrative that the first two games offer, but the open world is equally upgraded in this title. Traversing the map of New York City is as exhilarating as ever, and there are plenty of side objectives to keep you busy after the end of the game’s main story.
Our 10/10 Spider-Man 2 review calls it “a masterpiece” for good reason. Not only is it everything you’d expect from a great action-adventure superhero game, but it uses the PS5’s hardware excellently, making it the ultimate PS5 experience so far.
7. No Man’s Sky
Developer Hello Games released this infinitely procedurally-generated game in 2016 to heavy criticism. However, this game’s redemption arc is something to behold. With dozens of big updates under its belt, a lovely PS5 upgrade, and the fact that it’s got VR support to make it one of the best PSVR 2 games, No Man’s Sky is pretty amazing these days.
‘Open world’ almost doesn’t do this game justice given that there are over 18 quintillion planets in its universe to explore, so you’ll never get two players experiencing the exact same route through the cosmos.
Exploration and survival are at the core of No Man’s Sky’s gameplay, but with its base-building systems, there are plenty of opportunities to get creative and make your small but significant mark on its universe.
8. Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut
Another PlayStation exclusive comes from Sucker Punch Productions with Ghost of Tsushima. In this gorgeous open-world game, players become samurai Jin Sakari, who is tasked with protecting Tsushima Island against the Mongol invasion in Japan.
Ghost of Tsushima has slick combat that excels at making you feel like a true samurai, blending fast-paced action like you’d get in recent Assassin’s Creed games with the testing combat you’d expect from a FromSoftware game like Sekiro.
But, it’s the world that sets it apart, with beauty and splendor across all of Tsushima. It’s completely stunning, especially if you get the PS5 Director’s Cut version, which comes with enhanced gameplay and features.
9. Diablo 4
As an isometric ARPG, Diablo 4 sets itself apart from the rest of the games on this list, though it is indeed vast and allows you to explore the five regions across its map however you like. With more content than some of the other open-world games on this list, a huge amount of replayability, and tons of depth, Diablo 4 is a must-play title. It’s also got a hellishly good story to experience on your journey toward the Diablo 4 endgame that will keep you engaged the whole way through.
If you prefer top-down games, Diablo 4 is for you as it’s one of the best top-down RPGs on PS5 and one of the best open-world games to boot. Use our Diablo 4 tier list of best classes if you’re thinking about diving in.
10. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
If Vikings and Norse mythology are a bit of you, then Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is a game you should be playing. The 12th major installment to the incredibly popular franchise, and one of the best Assassin’s Creed games of the bunch, Valhalla builds upon previous games and ensures it stays true to the AC recipe for greatness.
For those who have never experienced an Assassin’s Creed game, Valhalla is still a great starting point, as the games in the long-running series are only connected by a small narrative thread. Valhalla offers a fascinating historical setting, slick stealth mechanics, and a ridiculously vast world to explore.
11. The Pathless
Sticking to the mythic theme, we move on to the indie game The Pathless from developer, Giant Squid. In The Pathless, players take control of a huntress who is joined by her eagle as they embark on an adventure through vast forests, meadows, and tundras as you hunt for a way to lift a curse on the island in which you find yourself.
Praised greatly for its beautiful design, The Pathless is full of choices, puzzles, and combat as players navigate their own path through this fabled land. It’s also got some incredibly smooth traversal when exploring the map, as you slide effortlessly to your next objective.
12. Immortals Fenyx Rising
A launch title for the PS5, Immortals Fenyx Rising was previously known as God and Monsters and is another entry from developer Ubisoft.
You play as Fenyx, from Greek mythology, and as you complete objectives across the open world, your character grows in strength and ability to defeat higher powers. Praised for its vibrant design, adventurous gameplay, and for actually being quite funny, it definitely stands out from a lot of the other entries on this list.
The game is best described as a blend of the Assassin’s Creed RPG games and Nintendo’s recent Legend of Zelda games. But don’t let comparisons fool you – it’s great enough to stand on its own merits too.
13. Death Stranding: Director’s Cut
It’s hard to describe Death Stranding without going off the rails, but if you’ve seen players comment that it’s “just a walking simulator”, well, they’re sorely mistaken.
Directed by Hideo Kojima, famously known for the Metal Gear Solid series, Death Stranding puts you in the shoes of Sam Porter, a freelance courier who must make vital deliveries across a torn post-apocalypse America. The story isn’t that simple, and don’t expect simplicity from a Kojima game, as things quickly get… weird.
That being said, Death Stranding is best described as a once-in-a-lifetime experience by many who fall in love with it, including us. Barely making your way across a broken country as you connect people together, while also seeing other players’ creations and work online is magnificent. And the gameplay, while not a focus, is a lot of fun, with some decent action and quick-thinking required.
14. Grand Theft Auto V
Despite releasing back in 2013, GTA V from the beloved team at Rockstar Games is still one of the best PS5 open-world games on the latest generation of consoles.
Both the story and online components feature an open sandbox city where you can wreak havoc, race cars, and perform criminal acts. However, the former delivers a narrative that features an unlikely trio as they attempt heists and claim their fortunes, while the latter delivers a role-playing experience where your player character must take over Los Santos with a criminal empire.
GTA V has been living and updated, at least the online portion, since its release, and until the GTA 6 release date finally arrives, we imagine it’ll still be getting content until its successor launches. But before you set your sights on Los Santos, find out how to make money in GTA 5 and GTA online first.
15. Metro Exodus
4A Games’ Metro Exodus is arguably the most unique open-world game we’ve played on PS5. While the genre generally gives you a massive map, tons of objectives to complete, and fun movement tools to get around with ease, Exodus is all about the slow burn.
In a post-apocalyptic adventure, you’ll flee from the ruins of the Moscow Metro that defined the first two games (which aren’t necessary for enjoying Exodus) and into the wilderness on board a train. With this setup, Exodus gives you several large areas to explore that are packed with secrets and stories to uncover if you’re brave enough.
With terrifying monsters roaming around – and often equally evil humans – Metro Exodus can at times feel like one of the best horror games. From its ruins of better days to steam-powered weapons and devices, Metro Exodus is a remarkably immersive open-world experience.
Thanks to the Metro Exodus PS5 upgrade, you can now enjoy it at 4K 60fps as well. What’s not to love?
Now it’s time for you to get out there and explore as we come to the end of our best PS5 open-world games list. As you can see, there’s plenty for you to sink your teeth into and big vast worlds to enjoy. Why not check out the best PS5 RPG games you can play for more immersive worlds to lose yourself in?