An excellent example of an exceptional open-world role-playing game is one with an immersive environment and outstanding role-playing elements. Role-playing elements could be conventional, but they should bring something new to the table. The original role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons, does all of these things masterfully. Open-world games are among the best seen in gaming because they provide freedom of choice.
With upcoming open-world role-playing games Pokémon Sword and Shield, BioMutant, and Cyberpunk 2077, this is the perfect time to compile this list. Don't hate on them until you've tried them. This is our ranking of the 10 best open-world role-playing games.
10 Borderlands 2
The Borderlands series may look questionable in the eyes of gamers because of its comic book style graphics. Somehow the graphics seem to blend well with Borderlands 2's multiplayer online gameplay.
Whether you are finishing the next quest or heading to a bar to try your luck at a slot machine, Borderlands 2 is always an adventure, and it's one that is still worth replaying. Collecting loot and defeating fierce enemies is the game at its best. Most importantly, it contains open-world role-playing elements that are masterful.
9 Fallout 4
Fallout 4 squanders its potential with quests that don't work as expected. What still plagues the game is a plethora of bugs and glitches that can impede progress. Putting aside Fallout 4's flaws, the game can be a fun open-world role-playing game.
Its fruitful dialogue and sizeable landscape are what keeps players returning to Fallout 4. Open-world exploration in Fallout 4 is more than we could ask for, which is why it manages to secure a spot on this list.
8 Assassin's Creed Odyssey
First off, Assassin's Creed Odyssey is a beautiful cinematic game set in 431 BC Greece. It bears similarities to other Assassin's Creed games but makes improvements to gameplay, graphics, and quest variety.
Interestingly enough, Assassin's Creed Odyssey has a Story Creator Mode that is available to all Assassin's Creed Odyssey owners. It allows players to create and write quests within the game. The franchise has developed into a role-playing series with some of the best quest variety ever seen.
7 Fallout 3
Fallout 3 was the first game in the series to incorporate three-dimensional graphics. Bethesda Softworks' bold and ambitious project, which added real-time combat, is one of the most excellent examples of a Fallout game.
There are several aspects of Fallout 3 that make it stand out. For starters, the dialogue options contain the full text instead of being a small excerpt. Also, Fallout 3 is more of a role-playing game due to having karma, skills, and more conventional RPG elements. Fallout 4 is close to an action-adventure game, which is why Fallout 3 deserves a higher placement on this list.
6 Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon Age: Origins is a game that you can pick up and play for over a hundred hours. Its fun gameplay contains a story that is not convoluted or unnecessary. It's an open-world role-playing game that is comparable to games like The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt.
The story of Dragon Age: Origins is every bit as riveting as its open-world exploration. The game is part of the Dungeons & Dragons realm, and it contains an open-world that encourages exploration.
5 Monster Hunter: World
Fans didn't know what to expect when they saw the graphically appealing announcement trailer of Monster Hunter World in June 2017. How could it differentiate from previous Monster Hunter games, many wondered. Well, it added an expansive open-world and some of the best role-playing elements ever seen.
Monster Hunter World contains a wide variety of quests, which give the game long-lasting appeal. Also, the addition of new monsters makes this one of the best games in the franchise yet!
4 Borderlands 3
Rather than start over from scratch, Borderlands 3 kept most of (if not all) of the characters seen in the Borderlands universe. Collecting loot in Borderlands 3 is even more exciting than the first two games. The interface can be jaw-droppingly beautiful at times.
Multiplayer has been improved since it uses a marker system that allows teammates to target enemies. Borderlands 3 is an open-world role-playing game, and it might be the best one to release in 2019.
3 The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
Every now and then, a video game piques your interest, and it turns out to be a phenomenal game. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is one of the best examples of an open-world role-playing game done right. It will likely forever be used as a frame of reference for an example of an open-world RPG.
Few games can compare to The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt's player-driven narrative. It's diverse side characters, and player relationships are commendable. Also, the game's combat system is exceptional.
2 Fallout: New Vegas
From developer Obsidian Entertainment comes Fallout: New Vegas, debatably the best Fallout game. It sounds like a bold statement, but there are several reasons why Fallout: New Vegas is the best of the series. Firstly, it starts with an exciting cutscene where the protagonist is left for dead in the middle of the Mojave desert.
This beginning cutscene sets the tone for the rest of the game. Players then have to find out what happened and retrieve the courier package that was stolen from them. The gameplay is a step-up from Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas has role-playing elements beyond that of new role-playing games today.
1 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
It wouldn't be out of the question for Bethesda Softworks to remake Skyrim in the future. You won't need to replay content since quests generate, and there is virtually no end to the game. That doesn't mean the game doesn't have replay value because it does. Players can choose characters from a variety of races and classes, making each experience unique. Slay dragons with magic and arrows, or bear swords as a warrior; the choice is yours.
Games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild take inspiration from Skyrim. As a game that takes place in a mountainous region, there is plenty of content waiting to delve into and explore.