The 5 best open-world games to play while waiting for GTA 6

It's going to be a long wait for the release of Grand Theft Auto VI. It almost seems like so many other things will happen before the world finally gets to play GTA 6 on home consoles. But does that mean you have to go back and play GTA V to satisfy your open-world fix? No, not exactly. As everyone is waiting for Rockstar's next big open-world game to hit store shelves, there are plenty of other open-world games to play to help pass the time.

The Grand Theft Auto series has inspired many open-world games in one way or another, but not all of them involve a parody of the real world and every goofy thing within it. Some games take players to fantasy worlds and let them roam around, discovering all kinds of secrets along the way. You don't need to drop into Vice City in order to feel the freedom of an open world that's yours for the taking. Here are five open-world games to play while you're waiting for GTA 6 to finally release. You might as well get comfortable with something while you wait.

5 The Witcher 3

One of the best fantasy RPGs ever

If you don't know anything about witchers, then you have some homework to do. And that involves playing one of the best Western fantasy RPGs of all time, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. For many, this third entry in The Witcher series encompasses everything one can love about great role-playing games, but also fantastic open-world games to explore. It also helps to have an intriguing and engaging story with multidimensional characters to follow. Set in the fictional world of The Continent, The Witcher 3 follows the story of famed monster slayer Geralt of Rivia and his many adventures in a fantasy world filled with all kinds of crazy people and horrifying monsters. It's an epic story with a high amount of permutations based on the choices made along the way, leading to all kinds of outcomes and interactions throughout the experience.

Traversing the Continent as Geralt is as liberating as it is mysterious. There's a ton of space to traverse and explore as you follow Geralt's story. And within that are many monsters to fight, humans to clash with, and mythic creatures to come across on the path. Jumping on Geralt's horse Roach and galloping across the landscape as epic music plays are some of the best moments between the pivotal plot points of this fantastic tale.

Purchase

• GOG
• Steam
• Epic Games
• Xbox Games
• PlayStation Store
• Nintendo eShop

4 Red Dead Redemption 2

Be ready, cowboy, we ride at dawn

If you're looking for something that is more tuned to what Rockstar Games can deliver, then nothing is better than Red Dead Redemption 2. Set in the times of the Old West, this sequel follows the exploits of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw in the final days of the Wild West and the changing times of the American frontier. Everything that people love about being in the Wild West is somehow rendered in Red Dead Redemption 2 in staggeringly high detail. Whether it's hunting animals for food, being part of a big train robbery, or just getting into an old-fashioned shootout with outlaws, this world feels real and authentic in so many ways. It's Rockstar Games at the height of their creative powers.

Despite Red Dead Redemption 2 being set in a different era than any Grand Theft Auto game, it shares so many cornerstone aspects with the series. There's a ton of space to roam on the frontier, and there are so many people to interact with inside of it. The 1800s timeframe offers so much to do and see, especially through the lens of an outlaw who doesn't always follow the letter of the law. If there was ever a video game that truly encompassed what it was like to be a cowboy within this snapshot of history, Red Dead Redemption 2 would be the perfect example of it.

3 Sleeping Dogs

Like a great martial arts film

If you've ever watched classic Kung Fu films by iconic actors like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Bruce Lee, then you'll instantly love Sleeping Dogs. Its story and setting share many familiar elements that will speak to fans of those kinds of action films, especially modern Hong Kong movie classics. Sleeping Dogs follows a man named Wei Shen, an artist and police officer who goes undercover to infiltrate the Sun On Yee triad. While his mission takes him deep into the underworld of crime, his loyalties are tested as much as his Kung Fu prowess in a heart-pounding story of honor, betrayal, and life on the streets of Hong Kong.

Like the GTA series, Sleeping Dogs is set in modern-day Hong Kong, where players can drive around and engage in missions, where most of the action unfolds. What makes this game stand out from others in the genre is the emphasis on martial arts fighting. Completing missions and various other tasks throughout the city can open up new martial arts techniques for Wei Shen, allowing him to become a formidable fighter against many of the triads and other enemies he encounters. What's very interesting and fun to see are the many references to classic Kung Fu films that inspired the game, including direct nods to things like Enter the Dragon, Rumble in the Bronx, and even Ong-Bak.

2 Ghost of Tsushima

A legend in Japan

If there's one open-world game that has garnered a lot of attention for its setting, it would be Ghost of Tsushima. The developers at Sucker Punch Productions were given the honor of being ambassadors to the Japanese island of Tsushima for their work on the game due to its emphasis on authenticity. The game is set during a key period in Japanese history, which was the first Mongol invasion of Japan. But the history depicted isn't the part that made Ghost of Tsushima so beloved; it was how accurately and in detail every location within the game is rendered, while also giving players the freedom to explore all of it. The game has incredible visuals and vast landscapes that can be traversed on horseback and on foot, with historically accurate structures and locations that speak to the cultural history of the land.

The story of Ghost of Tsushima is about a man named Jin Sakai, a samurai and part of the Sakai clan. He is one of the last survivors after a major battle against the Mongols, who decimate an army upon arriving on the island of Tsushima. After being nursed back to health, Jin must decide to fight the Mongol invasion and derail their plans using less honorable methods of warfare, or watch as his home is overrun by invaders. As a samurai, Jin finds himself at odds with what is honorable to the samurai code and what is necessary to save those he cares about.

1 Elden Ring

A dark and vast world

Gamers were taken by storm when Elden Ring was released by FromSoftware on PC and consoles. Set in a dark and grim world called The Lands Between, anything and everything you can imagine that is hostile lurks around every corner. Much like the Dark Souls series that was created by FromSoftware, Elden Ring follows suit by being an incredibly difficult and harsh open-world role-playing game that will make you work hard for every bit of progression. A cavalcade of vicious lesser enemies and intimidating boss encounters will force you to rethink every move you make, which will very often lead to your death. And just when you think you've seen it all, something even more terrible comes your way from a distance. Like the Souls games that came before it, Elden Ring is not the game for the faint of heart.

But outside its very high level of challenge, Elden Ring is also a very detailed and vast open-world game. Many locations within the game feature multiple layers of catacombs, secret rooms, and amazing structures to marvel at. Most of these locations will be filled with the worst enemies you can ever come across, but the quieter moments will allow you to take in the amazing presentation of an incredibly vast, dark world. Getting around Elden Ring requires traveling by horse and often using fast-travel to get between key locations, mostly because there's so much open space in between everything. But for every square inch that may appear empty at first, there's always something intriguing to discover, or something terrible lurking nearby to encounter.

Open worlds to get lost in

It may take a long while for GTA 6 to release, but it doesn't have to be a boring period before Rockstar's next big hit finally arrives. Most open-world games will take a while to complete, so diving into a few of them starting now will help make time go by a little quicker. Any of these titles will provide an interesting and fun experience of being within an open world that feels alive and dynamic. Although the open-world games available might not be the Grand Theft Auto experience you want right now, they will satiate your need for the time being, until GTA 6 is finally here.