These Open-World Games Have The Best Combat Mechanics (2024)

You'll commonly find that open-world games, in general, allow some things to play second fiddle to world-building. This is understandable because an open world can't do everything perfectly; there needs to be some compromise there due to the sheer scale of the task at hand. However, more times than I would like, that sacrificial lamb ends up being the combat.

With that said up front, it's hardly a blanket rule — a number of open-world games do find the time to work hard on developing strong combat systems and mechanics. So, let's shine a well-deserved spotlight on those games that get open-world combat right while still building out those herculean environments to satisfy our inner explorers.

10 Lil Gator Game

Combat For Those Who Hate Combat

As is my want as an indie game nerd, I'm going to fit some fantastic indie entries here at all costs. And I'll begin with a controversial one, as technically, Lil Gator Game has no combat at all! But hang on a minute, let me explain. Lil Gator Game is a pocket open-world mascot platformer game, and the central themes are childish whimsy and imagination. So, the game aims to offer an experience that presents the player with a boiled-down version of something like Breath of the Wild. But being a cozy indie game, it wants to have an environment that is easy-breezy with no stakes or stress.

So, the game accomplishes this by providing hack-and-slash mechanics, ranged attacks with a slingshot, and downhill charge attacks via your shield. Meaning all the Zelda staples remain, but the 'enemies' presented are cardboard cutouts, essentially turning combat into a collectathon you would traditionally see in retro mascot platformers. It's a rogue inclusion, I know, but it's such a clever move that I can't sleep tonight if it goes unmentioned. So if you're a Zelda fan looking for a chill game that'll feel familiar, this is the one for you.

9 Moonstone Island

Creature Taming Bliss

In a sea of games trying to be the next "Stardew Valley" by effectively copying Eric Barone's formula, Moonstone Island was a recent game within the genre that genuinely tried to be different. And in taking this big swing, it truly became something pretty special. This is an open-world exploration game where you can head off and explore over 100 different islands, but then return to your hub island and engage with the game in the same way you would a typical farming simulator — romancing the locals and growing crops, as one does.

If you need a comparison, it plays a lot like 2D Zelda games of old, especially when dungeon crawling. However, the standout aspect of this game is the creature-taming combat mechanics. You tame creatures in the wild, and then use them in a battle system that feels a lot like deck-builders such as Slay the Spire. So it's Zelda meeting Pokemon, then walking down the street to get acquainted with Slay The Spire. Saying all that in one go sounds like it would be a hot mess, but I assure you all these outlandish ideas mesh into a beautiful indie gem well worth investing some time in.

8 Sleeping Dogs

Swapping Guns For Fists

I was torn between this one and the Yakuza series because, honestly, they are very similar in a lot of ways. But just because it doesn't get talked about enough as an incredible open-world game, we need to give Sleeping Dogs a minute in the spotlight. For all intents and purposes, this is a PS3-era upgrade on the True Crime series, placing you in GTA-esque world where you will be asked to navigate the seedy underbelly of Hong Kong's Triad network as an undercover cop.

The story is fun, and the world is pretty interesting too, but the real star of the show is the melee combat. In this game, there are loads of situations where you will be placed in street fights where you are heavily outnumbered, and only through a mastery of its kung-fu mechanics will you avoid getting torn to shreds. It would have been very easy to lean into the typical gunplay GTA provides here, but instead you get something that feels like if GTA had a lovechild with the Arkham Series or Sifu. If you missed out on this gem, here's your sign from the universe to give it a go.

7 Cyberpunk 2077

Finally The Combat Experience We Were Promised

I think now that the dust has settled on the various updates that coincided with the Phantom Liberty DLC, it's now safe to say that Cyberpunk 2077, while still retaining some flaws, is what we wanted from this game at launch. More to the point, one of several key elements that has been further refined to offer a lot of variety and satisfaction is undoubtedly the combat. The gunplay was pretty strong within the game from the start. But with a fresh coat of paint, the gameplay feels slicker, the AI feels much more responsive to you, and thanks to the new perks tree, you can really build into the particular combat style you like.

So, for example, if you want to cut people to bits with a Mantis Blade augmentation, you simply visit a Ripperdoc and make that dream a reality. If you're a weapons specialist, then you can hunt all over Night City for the finest boomsticks in the land. Or, you can make use of the game's hacking system and fry enemies' neural chips, leaving them vulnerable. We're already building a list of its own here, but it really only scratches the surface of the varied and, dare I say "fun" approaches to combat that are on offer. So if you were put off initially by Cyberpunk's lackluster launch, it's finally time to return to Night City.

If They're All Dead, No One Can Sound The Alarm

You don't always have to go in all guns blazing and pump enemies full of lead for combat to feel satisfying. Games like Dishonored, Hitman, and Splinter Cell have all taught us that there is plenty of satisfaction to be gained from silently taking out your marks without anyone else ever knowing you were there. Well, the best open-world example of this in existence is undoubtedly Metal Gear Solid 5 - The Phantom Pain.

While this one was a little hard to stomach for a variety of reasons we won't spoil here, the gameplay certainly wasn't a factor. I mean, this is quintessentially MGS stealth combat, but making full use of the freedom an open-world setting provides. Through nuanced combat mechanics that force players to play carefully and cautiously, AI that learns your preferred playstyle and forces you to adapt your strategies, and the sheer freedom to tackle every mission in whatever way you deem appropriate, MGS is an open-world stealth sandbox like nothing you'll have ever witnessed in gaming. Due to the falling out between Konami and Kojima, this might be the last truly amazing MGS game, but what a way to sign off.

5 Horizon Forbidden West

Caveman Combat In A mechanical World

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It's fair to say that exploiting weak points in combat is nowhere near a new innovation. Heck, zombie movies have taught us to shoot for the head from the moment they entered the zeitgeist. But the Horzion series is one of the games that have used this concept expertly well, alongside icons like Dead Space (shoot the limbs!). The setting for this game is essentially a post-apocalyptic world where mechanical dinosaurs roam, and humans have carved out a means of survival by living somewhat harmoniously with the mechanical beasts.

However, in her bid to save the world, Aloy has to get up close and personal with these beasts. And sadly, most of them aren't all that friendly. Metal tends to act as pretty good armor, but with your trusty bow and arrow you can aim for the metal dino's natural weak spots and take them down. And if that doesn't work, you can always fashion traps, equip specialized arrows, use well-placed electrified tripwires, and so much more. The combat within Horizon is honestly the standout feature within both games, so if you want a game where every encounter feels fun, this is a great option.

4 Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Does Whatever A Spider Can

If you want an open-world game that genuinely makes you feel like you have the might of a superhero, there are pretty much two options: Arkham City and Marvel's Spider-Man. Arkham City is a very special game, but for me, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 wins out because, one, he's a better superhero (and I'll die on that hill). And two, the game offers a lot of the same bells and whistles that the Arkham Trilogy offers, but with a few more modern additions that sees spidey take a hairline lead for me.

The hand-to-hand combat is fast and fluid. The aerial and web-based combat is also great fun to experiment with. You have a variety of gadgets and suits that offer interesting abilities to help when you're in a jam, and if you want to be sneaky, the game makes allowances for this, too, with a pretty well-implemented stealth combat system. My only hang-up is that the enemy variety isn't all that great in this game, but overall, it's a cracking superhero epic well worth jumping into.

3 Ghost of Tsushima

Fight With Honor, Or From The Shadows

I've always had my hangups about open-world Sony exclusives. For the most part, they tend to be just as packed with map markers, formulaic practices, and busywork as your typical Ubisoft game. But, despite this, I can't deny that pretty much every single one of them tends to nail combat, and Ghost of Tsushima is a prime example.

This game allows you to take on the role of a samurai and provides a certain duality to the action. You have the option of entering camps and sneaking around in the shadows, picking off enemies as you go. Or, you can fight with honor and challenge each and every one of them to a close-quarters swordfight where your finesse and years of training can be put to good use. Then, as the game goes on and you unlock more skills and abilities, these encounters only become more fun and nuanced as your angles of attack increase. So all that's left to do now is to hop into Ghost of Tsushima now, and decide whether you'll fight with honor — or from the shadows.

2 Fallout 4

A Fallout Game That Actually Makes VATS Optional

This one will probably rub a few people the wrong way, but hear me out on this one. I have always loved the combat in modern Fallout games — the sheer carnage you can cause is so cathartic, and the VATS system was revolutionary when it first appeared in Fallout 3. However, there was always something a little lacking, as when you have no AP left, you might as well lay down and die. The manual gun controls in Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas are absolutely terrible, and there's really no getting around how flat and uninspired it felt.

All this series needed to offer well-rounded and satisfying combat was FPS mechanics that were in line with the average FPS game of the moment, and thanks to Bethesda linking up with the DOOM devs for some assistance, Fallout 4 delivered on combat that didn't use VATS as a crutch. It made each encounter something more than just a percentage chance of blowing the enemy's head off. And for those that preferred VATS, it's still there for you to rely on in battle, too. I'll concede, it's not my favorite Fallout game where the writing is concerned, but in terms of moment-to-moment gameplay? It's a real and undeniable step up.

1 Elden Ring

Combat Doesn't Get Much More Refined Than This

Okay, so let's wind things down with a bang — a game that, by heads and shoulders, puts every preceding title on this list to shame when it comes to refined, challenging, and engaging combat. Elden Ring is essentially open-world Dark Souls, for those unaware. And really, that should be enough for you to bank on this game offering a healthy roster of nuanced, difficult, and peerlessly fulfilling combat encounters — from the hordes of common, everyday mob enemies to the climactic boss battles. And that's before you even consider the sheer variety of builds for players to lean into, allowing you to truly buildcraft playstyle that works for you.

Thanks to the depth of systems and the variety of weapons, ashes, and spells on offer, there are so many ways you could approach conquering The Lands Between. And even with this heavy focus on combat, the game more than delivers on FromSoftware's signature environmental storytelling conventions within a beautifully crafted and awe-inspiring world. It's a candidate for the best game of all time, and there are more than a few reasons for that. So before Shadow of The Erdtree drops, do yourself a favor and conquer the base game.