Open world games have been around for years, but the format reached new heights in the era of the PlayStation 4. Complemented by the enhanced performance capabilities and gorgeous visuals of eighth generation consoles, video games were able to offer immersive experiences in a wide variety of settings, from Ancient Greece to the fantastical worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien.
However, open world games are not without their faults. The maps can easily become repetitive, and players can be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of content. As such, open world games must constantly reinvent themselves, enriching their open environments with interesting characters, compelling stories, and new gameplay features in order to keep players from racing to complete the main quest.
Fortunately, many games have risen to the challenge. Here are four of the best open world video games for the PlayStation 4.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor on PS4
Contrary to what Boromir once advised, setting of Lord of the Rings’ final act into a rich and immersive open world adventure. An original story set between the events of The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, players control Talion, a human Ranger, who bonds with an Elven wraith and resurrects to avenge his family’s death at the hands of the forces of Sauron.
While the game was criticized by some reviewers for exhibiting a few common open world pitfalls, Shadow of Mordor takes its gameplay to new heights with its renowned Nemesis system. The game automatically tracks any enemy, or Uruk, who performs a notable action, such as escaping from the player alive or killing the player in combat. The Nemesis system then provides the enemy with a full-fledged character, including specific strengths, weaknesses, and, most importantly, memories of their encounters with the player. From then on, every time the player encounters and fails to kill the Uruk, the enemy gets stronger and smarter (well, as smart as an Uruk can be), moving up in the ranks of Sauron’s army – and, consequently, moving about the game’s map.
The Nemesis system complements the game’s open world design beautifully. By allowing the player’s “nemeses” to move freely about the game’s map, Shadow of Mordor gives players incentive to explore rather than rush to complete the main quest. Though the game is also accessible to s of the previous generation of consoles, Shadow of Mordor’s open world was made for the PS4, where its thrilling interpretation of Tolkien’s universe could be fully realized.
Horizon Zero Dawn on PS4
One of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed exclusives ever released for the PS4, machines that populate Horizon Zero Dawn's world like animals. As protagonist Aloy, players are able to traverse both time and space as they explore environments full of exciting new elements and relics of the past.
Details are everywhere in this game’s beautiful open world. The game’s areas differ greatly in climate, topography, and enemies, creating a rich, varied experience for players as they uncover the ancient mystery at the center of Horizon Zero Dawn’s narrative. Like real animals, the game’s signature machines populate different areas of the world, encouraging players to explore and learn about the different “species” of machines and farm for crafting parts. Horizon also received critical praise for its day-night cycle and weather mechanics, which add an element of realism to the experience.
Notably, the player character of Horizon Zero Dawn is a woman, a comparative rarity in video games even decades after the release of Metroid and Tomb Raider. Aloy and Horizon Zero Dawn became such monumental successes for the PS4 that the character’s signature weapon and armor were later added to Monster Hunter: World, and the game recently expanded its playability to PC gamers. Thankfully, both Aloy and Horizon’s gorgeous world will return next year in Horizon Forbidden West, a hotly anticipated PS5 title that is sure to take full advantage of the new console’s graphics and performance capabilities.
Assassin’s Creed Series on PS4
Though main series exciting Assassin’s Creed games in years.
Assassin's Creed: Origins saw the series lean back into its historical tourism appeal, setting the game in the gorgeous, fascinating world of Ancient Egypt. Origins received critical acclaim, and was praised by many as the best game of the entire series – at least, until Assassin’s Creed Odyssey came along the following year. Each game pushes the franchise farther back in history with stories that actually pre-date the founding of the Assassin’s Order, building the series' mythology and encouraging players to explore the stunning environments of the ancient world. With ships prominently featured on the cover art for the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, it seems that the next Assassin’s Creed title is set to continue its predecessors’ legacy of improving and enriching the series’ signature open worlds.
God of War on PS4
More than a decade after its original release, flagship PlayStation franchise God of War reinvented itself with its 2018 instalment. The latest chapter in Kratos’ story features all-new gameplay built from the ground up, replacing the series’ signature hack-and-slash combat and action-adventure narrative with a more complex attack system and open map. Though game director Cory Barlog has been reticent to describe the game as open world, stating that he “did not want to make a game in which people felt like they were doing a checklist of things,” God of War’s exploratory nature and need for a fast travel feature later in the story checks the boxes of a traditional open world game.
However, this is hardly to the game’s detriment: the player’s ability to traverse multiple realms brings the game’s new Norse setting to life, and the strong element of player exploration allows for deeper bonding with Kratos’ largely unplayable son, Atreus. With only six of the nine realms of Norse mythology packed into the game’s 40 GB, 2018’s God of War breathes new life into the long-running series, and sets the stage for an even bigger and better sequel in the era of the PS5.
From more recent titles like Ghost of Tsushima and Death Stranding to those featured on the list above, the PlayStation 4 had no shortage of fantastic open world experiences, and players will likely have even more to look forward to once the PS5 releases later this year.
