There have been plenty of compelling protagonists in the open-world genre, from Geralt to Ezio. Yet, they don't all have to be as well-defined as those two characters. Sometimes games give you plenty of freedom to tailor a protagonist to your liking. And occasionally, that begins with their physical appearance.

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Many titles start by putting you into a character creator and letting you come up with your own hero. Not all of them give you the same number of options, but the extra level of customization you get is appreciated. This is a collection of the greatest open-world games to include this feature.

7 Ark: Survival Evolved

Ark Survival Evolved Screenshot Of Character Creation

The best survival games usually contain something that makes them different from the rest. In the case of Ark, it has dinosaurs. Naturally, these giant, deadly creatures make surviving with minimal resources even more difficult. But you can use them to your advantage as it is possible to tame the beasts. Whether they're friends or foes, the inclusion of dinos makes this an enjoyable title.

What also makes it fun is the character creator. The game allows you to freely morph your character's limbs, meaning you can create all sorts of weird-looking individuals. And the inclusion of multiplayer allows you to see your friends' mutant-like survivors, too.

6 Saints Row: The Third

Saints Row The Third Screenshot Of Character Creator

In Saints Row The Third, you play as the leader of the Third Street Saints gang. Your main goal is to overthrow a large criminal enterprise called the Syndicate. Based on that premise, the game seems like a typical open-world adventure. However, it's actually a lot more bizarre than it may seem.

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Guns that fire dubstep music, human pony chariots, and an activity where you throw yourself into traffic are just a few of the odd aspects of this Saints Row game. That wackiness bleeds into the character creator as you have plenty of options to make the strangest-looking character possible. You can also make a normal-looking person if you desire.

5 Dragon Age: Inquisition

Dragon Age Inquisition Screenshot Of Qunari Character Creator

The third main Dragon Age game is a lot bigger than its predecessors. You travel across multiple large open-world maps, completing quests, making difficult choices, and spreading the word of the Inquisition. You play as the leader of said Inquisition as you attempt to stop a powerful and distinctly evil force that threatens the world.

Before you do any heroics, though, you must choose how the protagonist is going to look. Thankfully, the game provides you with a deep character creator. You can be a human, elf, dwarf, or qunari, and there are plenty of customizations options for each one.

4 Terraria

Terraria Screenshot Of Character Creator

There are some fantastic sandbox games out there, and Terraria ranks among the best. The game gives you complete freedom to explore, mine, and build. That's not to say doing those things are completely safe, though. There are also enemies around that are willing to kill you on sight.

But when you're not fighting off beasts, Terraria is a relaxing adventure where your only limit is your own imagination. The game's character creation doesn't give you quite the same level of freedom. Yet, there are still enough options to make your 2D character feel unique.

3 Skyrim

Skyrim Screenshot Of Character Creator

When you think of modern open-world RPGs, Skyrim probably comes to mind. Its constant releases have become meme-worthy, but there's no denying its quality. In it, you play as the Dragonborn, whose objective is to find and defeat a powerful dragon that's destined to destroy the world. While it sounds like an important job, you will probably spend hours upon hours ignoring it while you experience the game's litany of fantastic side quests.

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The game gives you plenty of freedom when it comes to designing your Dragonborn. There are so many different species, body types, and hairstyles to choose from that you're probably going to spend plenty of time making your character.

2 Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout New Vegas Screenshot Of Character Creator

Several of the main Fallout games could be considered the best in the series, but New Vegas arguably just edges out the others. It doesn't start well for the protagonist, though, as you're shot in the head and left for dead. Naturally, as there are a lot of hours left to play, you survive the gunshot and set out for revenge. However, a tale of simple retribution quickly gets more complicated as you end up having a say in the fate of New Vegas and the entire wasteland.

Throughout that journey, you can play in either first or third person. Whichever your preference, you will sometimes want to switch to the latter to see your created character. The options you have to build the hero aren't plentiful, but you can still create a original individual.

1 Elden Ring

Elden Ring Screeenshot Of Character Creator

Elden Ring is set in a place called the Lands Between, which is ruled by Queen Marika the Eternal. Her children, who are all demi-gods, each hold a shard of the powerful Elden Ring, but they're tainted by its power. It's your job to retrieve the shards, restore the Elden Ring, and become the Elden Lord. As this is a FromSoftware game, all of that is easier said than done.

While you're doing it, you'll be traversing a beautiful open world. Whether the main character matches the world's beauty is up to you, as the game allows you to create your own warrior. And it gives you plenty of freedom to build the protagonist you want to be.

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