For a short period of time, every studio yearned for a cut of that supposedly lucrative open-world pie. Developers like Rockstar Studios know how to craft grand and intricate sandboxes worth exploring, but too many titles prioritize scale over depth. You know what everyone finds fun? Stumbling from one waypoint to the next just to unlock another area and start the process all over again! Some releases might have more ambitious aspirations, but most people view gaming as a form of entertainment. More often than not, the open-world genre confuses content with busy work. The matter is made even worse when an established franchise tries to hitch a ride onto the genre's hype train but fails dramatically to comprehend why such games can be a joy to play. Dynasty Warriors 9 serves as a prime example of what should be avoided when constructing such an experience.

It is about freedom. Obviously, this does not exclude the possibility of including a definitive main quest, but players should be allowed to pace themselves as they see fit. As a result, side-stories are extremely important, but these distractions must offer a touch more substance than simply mindless nonsense. A tiny map filled with interesting quests is far more enticing than a larger alternative that only tasks players with collecting a certain amount of herbs or wiping out ten types of enemies. Gaming should never feel like a job, and the open-world genre frequently neglects this sage advice!

Luckily, there are numerous releases which embrace the genre's positives; conversely, the industry has seen its fair share of disappointments. Here are the 15 best open-world games of all time (and 15 that disappointed fans)!

30 Best: Red Dead Redemption

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Launching with an RPG set in the Old West, Rockstar Studios is undoubtedly the genre's trendsetter. For better or worse, the Grand Theft Auto franchise tends to attract most of the public's attention; nevertheless, Red Dead Redemption is an impressive package that continues to be worth playing today. With the sequel set to hit the scene later this year, there has never been a better time to take a shot at Rockstar's Western. Besides a compelling main quest revolving around revenge, Red Dead Redemption is packed with fun nonessential content, including a large number of bounties to collect!

29 Disappointing: Final Fantasy XV

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Things are rarely black and white. A game can be terrible despite a decent open-world, and the reverse also holds true. After a ridiculously long wait, Final Fantasy XV released to a decent reception and Square Enix has admirably elongated the JRPG's shelf-life by regularly releasing updates. Focusing on the launch version, Eos is a stunning but ultimately barren paradise. Despite the impressively expansive terrain to explore, fans were left with precious little things to do besides drive around and engage in battles with enemies. At times, Final Fantasy XV's open-world feels almost like padding.

28 Best: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

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Honestly, is anyone surprised by this inclusion? CD Projekt Red gained near universal acclaim with the release of the final chapter in The Witcher trilogy, and a substantial amount of this accumulated praise revolved around the RPG's immersive open-world. Even if the main storyline lacks some punch, especially for gamers new to the series, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's meat can be found in its side-content. We are not just talking about a handful of fun questlines, but the entire game is littered with stunning mini-adventures which capture the player's attention. Every moment within The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has a purpose.

27 Disappointing: No Man’s Sky

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If CD Projekt Red's magnum opus was a predictable candidate for the "Best" side of things, then the reverse holds true for Hello Games' dumpster fire. Just to be fair, No Man's Sky has improved markedly since its awful launch, but we can hardly think of another title which left such an unfavorable initial impression. Offering the universe and delivering a puddle, No Man's Sky deserves praise for aiming for the stars; however, a small indie studio was unable to live up to its own hype. Nowadays, No Man's Sky offers an okay enough experience, but the launch version was painful.

26 Best: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

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Ported to every device known to man, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim must have done something right to keep players coming back for more. Bethesda's RPGs tend to launch with more holes than a decades-old pair of pantyhose, but the studio has a knack for crafting some of the industry's most alluring sandboxes. Admittedly, modders deserve quite a bit of the praise, but Bethesda loves to offer all the necessary tools to augment the experience to one's preferences. Skyrim's base game was perfectly serviceable, but it is only the tip of the iceberg.

25 Disappointing: Mafia III

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2010's Mafia II nearly slipped into this article's positive half, but the sequel flew off the rails! Set in the '60s, Hangar 13 starts with a genuinely thrilling opening couple of hours, which also happens to be the most linear part of the entire campaign. Once the map opens up and exploration becomes pivotal, Mafia III loses an incredible amount of steam and feels incredibly underbaked. Graphically, Mafia II looks almost marginally better, while the sequel merely doubles down on its predecessor's repetitive missions and lack of any real meaningful ways to interact with the city.

24 Best: Grand Theft Auto V

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Obviously, we could not dedicate a list to this particular genre without mentioning Rockstar's ultimate moneymaker. Despite opting to highlight the latest release in the series, it would be more accurate to consider Grand Theft Auto V as representing anything published after Grand Theft Auto III. Rockstar hardly invented the open-world style, but the studio refined, perfected, and showcased its potential. Grand Theft Auto is integral to the genre's history, and it would be no exaggeration to say that the industry's current climate owes a lot to Rockstar.

23 Disappointing: The Crew II

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Promising the opportunity to race cross-country with a couple of friends, The Crew was a fine enough origin point for a new racing property. If nothing else, the sequel should be able to improve upon its predecessor's foundations; however, Ubisoft decided to surprise everyone by heading off the beaten track. An always online open-world racer pivoting around amassing a large following of fans, The Crew II launched without PVP. Just to avoid any potential confusion, this was not a creative decision, as Ubisoft announced plans to add this feature. With a lot of miles to cover but little incentive to do so, The Crew II's open-world is a prime example of style over substance.

22 Best: Fallout: New Vegas

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In terms of storytelling and interactivity, Fallout peaked with its pre-3D offerings. Bethesda's bigger sequels are enjoyable enough romps, but they tend to suffer from pacing issues due to the entire sandbox being instantly open to players. After the prevailing dreariness of the numbered entries, Obsidian's New Vegas offered a welcome detour to sunnier pastures. Packed with rich NPCs to discover and featuring a couple of noteworthy, if somewhat shallow, moral dilemmas; Fallout 4 would have been better off following in New Vegas' footsteps rather than the third entry.

21 Disappointing: Saints Row IV

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Saints Row IV is a cartoon. Developed by Deep Silver, the action-RPG opens with you climbing an active rocket while Aerosmith's I Don't Want to Miss a Thing roars in the background. It should go without saying, but this scene is unequivocally gaming's greatest ever moment! More of a superhero romp than a Grand Theft Auto clone, Saints Row IV is a blast to play, but the map simply rehashes the third entry's Steelport. If it was not for the ludicrously overblown gameplay, Saints Row IV's open-world would be among the absolute worst.

20 Best: Just Cause 2

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Just Cause 2 strips the open-world genre down to its essence. Putting aside the rather forgettable storyline, Avalanche Studios designed the ultimate interactive sandbox which prioritizes destructive action above nuance or consistency. A super-spy who makes James Bond seem relatively subtle, you control Rico Rodriguez and Just Cause 2 provides countless opportunities to feel like an action hero. Yes, the franchise is not exactly known for its polish, but few other IPs match Just Cause's sheer fun-factor. Hopefully, the fourth game steadies the ship after the buggy third entry.

19 Disappointing: Homefront: The Revolution

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As it only tends to exist in conjunction with other descriptors, open-world may not truly qualify as a primary genre. At most, sandbox games like Grand Theft Auto market their explorative freedom as a defining factor, but Homefront: The Revolution is made from a different ilk. Comparable to Rise of the Tomb RaiderThe Revolution's map is split into numerous large zones, with the player being allowed to roam within those specific areas. This alternative form of open-world has resulted in some genuinely great titles, but Dambuster Studios' FPS is not one of them. Marred by a slew of technical shortcomings, Homefront: The Revolution would benefit from an overhaul.

18 Best: The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

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Somewhat surprising for the Japanese company, Nintendo patiently bided its time before pushing one of its iconic properties into open-world. Exploration has always played a substantial role in The Legend of Zelda, so Breath of the Wild feels more like the logical next step for Hyrule. Best experienced on the Nintendo Switch, Link's most recent adventure is an absolute marvel to behold! Depending on someone's play style, the campaign could last anywhere from 15 to 100 hours, and none of that time feels wasted. The Legend of Zelda features prominently in the childhoods of most gamers, so leave it to Nintendo to provide the ultimate playground!

17 Disappointing: Driv3r

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Reflections Interactive's Driver predates Grand Theft Auto's 3D era, but the series was gradually consumed by Rockstar's all-consuming juggernaut. Desperate to hitch a ride to Grand Theft Auto III's bumper, Driv3r allowed players to walk through the (not-so) bustling city, meaning quite a considerable amount of time was spent outside of a car. Unfortunately, driving was always Driver's saving grace and Reflections Interactive needed way more time to polish the newer elements forced into 2004's sequel. Broken and a pain to play, Driv3r essentially spelled the end of the road for the franchise. On a side note, the chiefly ignored follow-up, Driver: San Francisco, is fantastic!

16 Best: Yakuza 0

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Compared to other modern titles, Yakuza 0's open-world ranks on the punier side; however, small should never be used to describe Sega's quirky masterpiece! Rather than force players to waste time traveling across large areas which amount to nothing more than a moving portrait, Yakuza 0 stuffs every square foot with mini-games and awesome distractions. With each chapter opening access to an array of substories, Yakuza 0 can be almost overwhelming, but there is seldom a dip in quality throughout the entire campaign.

15 Disappointing: Fable 3

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At this point, a distinction should be made between open-world and open-ended. With the exception of MMORPGs and Minecraft, the latter tends to be more of an illusion, as any campaign with an end-point will shuffle the player down a particular road. Even in open-world titles, linearity should not be automatically taken as a negative. Fable 3 is not a terrible game, but it is a terrible sequel to a decent one. Peter Molyneux's imagination always comes across as far more enticing than any of his games, but Fable 3 was the first to lack any noticeable ambition. The combat is somewhat pleasant, but everything else is a chore to get through.

14 Best: Spider-Man 2

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Critics and fans seem to be collectively embracing Insomniac's Marvel's Spider-Man, but the PlayStation 4 exclusive needs to be absolutely perfect to eclipse Treyarch's Spider-Man 2. A licensed and movie tie-in game, 2004's release should have been an abomination. Heck, most of Spider-Man's titles strive for mediocrity, but Treyarch hit all the right notes with this sixth generation game. Despite the improved technology and having a blueprint to follow, web-slinging across New York City has never reached the satisfying heights seen by Spider-Man 2. Open-world is all about freedom, and there is nothing more liberating than swinging across skyscrapers as the friendly neighborhood superhero!

13 Disappointing: Fallout 4

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The job of any marketing division is to build hype around a product's potential, and buzzwords are crucial to gaining momentum across social media. Associated with endless possibilities, open-world has been rendered almost meaningless over the last couple of years. Fallout is sold on its exploration and player choice, but Fallout 4 is more of a commercial shooter set within an unrestrictive map. Thankfully, Bethesda improved the gunplay considerably for 2015's sequel; unfortunately, Fallout 4 missed the mark where it truly matters. The perk system circumvented any tension, while the protagonist feels more like a side-character within their own quest.

12 Best: Borderlands 2

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If asked to pick the most meteoric growth displayed by a sequel, Team Fortress 2 and Assassin's Creed II would probably take the cake, closely followed by Kingdom Hearts II and Half-Life 2. At one point or another, Borderlands 2 might earn a mention, but Gearbox Software's original FPS supplied an incredible foundation to build upon. Taking its predecessor's engrossing gameplay loop and timeless art style, 2012's sequel ramped up the story and added some much-needed variety to the environments. Borderlands 2 set the bar so incredibly high, Gearbox seems reluctant to release a proper follow-up.

11 Disappointing: Two Worlds

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After receiving a number of patches, Two Worlds slowly metamorphosed into a passable RPG. Even in its most polished state, Reality Pump's big Microsoft exclusive barely merits an install. Credit where credit is due, Two Worlds boasts an impressively sized map, but the lackluster voice-acting and mediocre gameplay makes traversing this land rather frustrating. While far from a masterpiece, the sequel showed a noticeable improvement and might entertain fans of the genre. When it comes to the original, Two Worlds has deservingly slipped into obscurity.