Open-world video games have come a long way ever since the genre's breakout popularity in the early 2010s thanks to a certain Bethesda game that keeps getting an anniversary edition. Needless to say, the bar has been raised since 2011. Thus, games in the following year, 2012, came out with some strong contenders.
Skyrim called for the challenge, and the following video games answered. They're not all necessarily RPGs, some are games about the most conspicuous assassins, while others are about cars with no fuel expense problems. All of them contributed to the eventual open-world design boom that all gamers are experiencing right now.
7 Prototype 2
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox 360
- Other Genres: Action, Superhero
The first Prototype game was popular for the carnage and destruction it offered in such a seamless package. Prototype 2 continues what made its predecessor fun while also picking a more updated and bleaker setting. This time around, the game is set in a grimier version of New York.
There's also a day and night cycle now and the combat and overall visuals are a lot more visceral. However, the open world here is mostly a backdrop for destruction and doesn't really have much in the way of personality or charm.
6 Need For Speed: Most Wanted - A Criterion Game
- Platforms: Android, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Vita, iOS, Wii U
- Other Genres: Racing, Arcade
Not to be confused with the underrated 2005 masterpiece which has the same name, 2012's Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a callback to that formula. It's a Need for Speed game that throws police cars into the mix and in plain daylight because one can only have so much excitement with illegal street racing.
The difference is, the open world in the 2012 game allows for more freedom compared to most other Need for Speed games. Because this is a title that lets players carve their own shortcuts if it means that they could shake off the cops during a race. Sadly, it's one of those Need for Speed games with no story, but those are campy anyway.
5 Torchlight 2
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS, Mac operating systems
- Other Genres: ARPG, Fantasy, Loot-Based
Torchlight 2 is a direct competitor to 2012's Diablo 3 and what it lacked in budget and scale, it made up for with consistency and originality. Torchlight 2's game world is a steampunk fantasy environment that fits well with its cartoonish design while its competitor Diablo 3 is suffering from a disconnect between its bleak lore and its cartoonish graphics.
The open world in Torchlight 2 is mostly nothing special. It's pretty standard as far as ARPGs go with a forest region, a desert region, and a snow region; but these all connect seamlessly and more believably with plenty of stops and curios along the way.
4 Assassin's Creed 3
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Wii U, Google Stadia
- Other Genres: Action, Adventure, Stealth, Historical
Assassin's Creed 3 continues the open-world trend set off by its predecessors and this time around, it takes place in colonial North America. Granted, most Assassin's Creed games have amazing open worlds taken straight from the history books and records, but the updated game engine back in 2012 made this one a treat for the eyes.
For one, they had snow with tessellation, which was still somewhat of a rare graphics tech back then. This allowed deep snow to behave realistically. Apart from that, Assassin's Creed 3 explores a unique open-world setting that's not common in most games.
3 Sleeping Dogs
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS
- Other Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime
Sleeping Dogs is the renamed successor to the True Crime games and it's actually one of the best non-GTA open-world city games. It's primarily an undercover cop drama story where the hero, Wei Shen, is tasked to befriend and infiltrate the Hong Kong Triad to sniff out its operations.
But he soon starts getting too emotionally attached to his fake friends. The game is lauded for its stylistic representation of Hong Kong architecture and culture as well as for its faithfulness to its setting. And the music? Players will be searching for them on YouTube soon after hearing one in the menu.
2 Guild Wars 2
- Platforms: GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows, Mac operating systems, Classic Mac OS
- Other Genres: MMORPG
Guild Wars 2 has always been one of the more popular MMORPGs on the market next to World of Warcraft and its consistency and friendliness to its players make it easy to approach or return to. Its open world, for that matter, is also one of the most relaxing yet engaging digital spaces in an MMORPG.
There's no pressure to grind in Guild Wars 2 and unlike most other MMORPGs where killing mobs over and over again is the gameplay loop, Guild Wars 2 incentives players to explore, play story quests, and help others. That's part of its charm, making it an antithesis to the typical MMORPG grind.
1 Far Cry 3
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Other Genres: FPS, Action, Adventure
The Far Cry games initially never had the open-world formula down to a standard; that is until Far Cry 3 started borrowing exploration mechanics from Assassin's Creed 2. After that, the Far Cry series was forever transformed. It was Far Cry 3 that began that formula where players can wreak as much havoc as they can in a far-off provincial paradise.
It even came complete with a compelling albeit outlandish story that seamlessly gives players an incentive to keep pushing forward. This saved the franchise after the alienating and extreme experience of Far Cry 2. After that, most Far Cry games never strayed too far from the template.