The Best Open-World Games in 2024 That You Can Invest 50+ Hours In

Holiday season is coming up soon, and it’s the perfect time to dive into an open-world adventure that offers hours of exploration and excitement. Not only do open-world games offer vast landscapes and rich stories, but they also provide unmatched value. There are thousands of open-world games that one could play today, but very few worlds are as intricately crafted to make this list. Here are the best open-world games in 2024 that you can confidently invest over 50 hours into, knowing you’d get your money’s worth.

Baldur’s Gate 3: A Massive RPG Epic

Blending Dungeons & Dragons with breathtaking visuals, Baldur’s Gate 3 offers incredible player agency, where every decision the player makes affects the narrative. Baldur’s Gate 3 is actually pretty accessible to newcomers, and offers a vast, rich, and expansive open-world for players. Players wake up with a parasite inside them, immediately threatening to turn them into a mind flayer.

A deep, turn-based RPG with flexible gameplay, Baldur’s Gate 3 stands as one of the best open-world games in 2024. Players embark on an epic quest to cure themselves, making decisions that shape relationships and the game’s multiple story outcomes. In fact, it will continue being that for years to come.

The open-world of Baldur’s Gate 3 is filled with towns, dungeons, and wilderness areas to explore. Not only are there engaging main and side quests to engage in, but players can also plunge into countless activities like solving puzzles, uncovering hidden lore, or even forging new alliances. The game requires a pretty decent PC to play the game at a stable and enjoyable framerate. You will need an Intel i7 8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600, paired with at least a 20-series NVIDIA RTX card or AMD RX 5700 XT to boot. Baldur’s Gate 3 is also available on both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

If you’re planning on buying it as a gift, do note that the game has a PEGI-18 rating, making it unsuitable for younger players.

Cyberpunk 2077: An Unforgettable City

The cyberpunk genre has spawned countless narratives and games. However, when it comes to being immersive, beautiful, and impactful, Night City stands alone. Cyberpunk 2077 puts players into the sprawling, neon-lit streets of Night City, in the shoes of V, a mercenary. V is battling a life-threatening condition that they must cure while exploring relationships and betrayals. A blend of first-person shooter and RPG elements, Cyberpunk 2077 has players customize their character and make narrative-driven choices throughout its 60-hour runtime.

The open world of Cyberpunk 2077 is dense with things to do- street races, gang fights, detective work, and underground boxing matches. Night City feels alive, with NPCs adding to its chaotic charm. There’s no shortage of side quests and random events, so you can easily sink 60 to 100 hours. With vehicles to collect, cyberware upgrades, and different ways to approach each mission, the game offers something fresh on every playthrough.

Finally, there’s the rocker-rebel we either want to be or want to be with- Keanu Reeves as Johnny Silverhand. Silverhand’s haunting presence is palpable in every interaction and mission throughout the game. Of course, Cyberpunk 2077 remains one of the most beautiful and graphic-intensive games ever made, and is a game that could certainly put your PC through its paces. You will need a powerful PC with at least an RTX 3070 or more, or enjoy it on a PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One X or Series X/S.

Hogwarts Legacy: Magic Beyond the Classroom

Harry Potter fans, unite! Hogwarts Legacy is one of the best open-world games of the current generation, and one you certainly shouldn’t miss. The story revolves around the character’s discovery of ancient magic and their quest to uncover hidden secrets. The gameplay focuses on spell-casting, potion-making, and uncovering mysteries of the expansive open-world. In fact, you can even roam the halls of a beautifully-realized Hogwarts, interacting with students and teachers.

A delightful aspect of Hogwarts Legacy is its open world, which extends beyond just the school to places like Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, and the vast Scottish Highlands. Players can customize their own student character and engage in duels, collect magical beasts, and fight dark creatures and wizards all over the map throughout the game’s 50-60 hours. There are hundreds of magic-filled adventures and quests to cover in Hogwarts Legacy’s beautiful open world.

In fact, it is Hogwarts Legacy’s surprisingly deep and well-made combat system that is the star of the show. Plus, if your significant other is more of a Potterhead than you are, this is one of the best games to play with your partner.

Players can play Hogwarts Legacy on the PlayStation 4/5, the Xbox X and Series X/S, PC, and the Nintendo Switch. Hogwarts Legacy is certainly demanding on PC, requiring plenty of VRAM from your GPU on high settings and above. As such, PC’s recommended settings for the game include a mid-to-high-tier GPU like the NVIDIA RTX 3070.

Elden Ring: One of the Best Open-World Games To Explore With a Friend

Developers FromSoftware are known for making punishingly difficult games, but Elden Ring isn’t just their first open-world offering – it is also extremely accessible. Elden Ring caters to seasoned veterans and newcomers alike, offering various stats, weapons, and magic options to craft your character. If you’re a fan of role-playing games, Elden Ring is a no-brainer.

The vast, interconnected world of the Lands Between offers multiple ways to approach regions and challenges. Different character classes allow for varied play styles, from melee combat to magic. The game’s narrative is largely mysterious, with players assuming the role of a Tarnished, seeking to become an Elden Lord. On your journey, you will explore cryptic dungeons, battle colossal bosses, uncover hidden quests, and piece together the world’s lore. With its sheer scale, Elden Ring offers players easily over 100 hours of immersion.

Elden Ring, along with its expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, makes for inarguably one of the best open-world games today. Available on the PlayStation 4 and 5, the Xbox X and Series X/S, it is on PC that Elden Ring. The Lands Between are a sight to behold even on lower-tier PCs. As such, a PC with a GTX 1070 GPU or above is enough to enjoy the experience. It’s no wonder the game remains a modern masterpiece, praised for delivering freedom, immersion, and narrative depth.

Ghost of Tsushima: Become a Samurai Legend

The battle between what is right and what is necessary forms the central crux of Ghost of Tsushima’s compelling narrative. An action-adventure game from Sucker Punch Studios, the story follows Jin Sakai, a samurai forced to abandon tradition to reclaim his homeland against Mongol invaders. One of the most compelling story-based games this generation, Ghost of Tsushima is incredibly stunning. The game’s art style will have you pausing relentlessly to take in its beauty, with a wallpaper-worthy view everywhere.

The open-world map of Ghost of Tsushima offers players a vast and incredibly beautiful playground with diverse environments. Players will explore lush forests, war-torn villages, and icy mountains. Furthermore, the game’s deep combat system is a joy to master. Players will use stealth or precise and unforgiving swordplay to combat diverse enemy types, opting different stances per combatant.

Side quests, duels, and mythic tails are strewn all Ghost of Tsushima’s large open world, along with beautiful shrines, haiku mats, and hot springs. Here, players, along with Jin Sakai, can take a moment to rest and reflect on their respective journeys. The world also encourages exploration through visual cues, such as foxes leading the way to shrines, keeping the experience immersive.

There is even the Legends co-op mode, which extends the experience and doubles the fun. This allows players to team up with friends for unique multiplayer sessions entrenched in ancient Japanese lore. Ghost of Tsushima and its Iki Island expansion, is available on the PlayStation 4/5, and PC. PC players would require an RTX 2060-equivalent or above to enjoy the game.

Whether you are seeking deep narratives, thrilling combat, or endless and expansive exploration, these are inarguably some of the best open-world games in 2024. They are sure to entertain you for hours, delivering stellar value for both your time and your money.

Samarveer has been a tech-nerd since he was two, funneling every bit of saved money into gaming and computer peripherals. As the go-to person for all things tech in his circle, he lives and breathes PCs and mobile phones. When not immersed in the latest gadgets, you can find him touring cross-country, indulging his passion as an ardent motorhead.