30 Overrated Open-World Games Everyone Seems To Like

Open-world games are now incredibly popular, letting players explore huge environments with a lot of freedom. While many are initially praised and sell well, people often start to examine them more closely over time. Common complaints include quests that feel too similar, technical problems, and worlds that don’t feel as alive as expected. This report looks at several well-known open-world games and discusses the debates surrounding how well they were designed and carried out.

‘Starfield’ (2023)

‘Starfield,’ created by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks, lets players explore a huge galaxy with over 1,000 planets. While the game allows for extensive ship customization and includes different factions to join, some players have noted that frequent loading screens break up the flow of gameplay when traveling between space and planets. The game creates planets using procedural generation, which has led to some criticism that environments and locations can feel repetitive. Despite being a commercial success on Xbox and PC, many conversations focus on how its exploration compares to other popular games from the same developer.

‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’ (2023)

‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’ is a follow-up to the 2017 game, created and released by Nintendo. It features a new ability called Ultrahand, which lets players construct elaborate creations throughout the world of Hyrule. While praised for its gameplay, some reviewers and players pointed out that the game’s overall map was very similar to the previous installment, despite the addition of areas in the sky and underground. A few players also felt that the game’s building features were limited by the Nintendo Switch’s hardware.

‘Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’ (2023)

Insomniac Games created ‘Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’, which was released by Sony for the PlayStation 5. The game lets players control both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they swing through a larger version of New York City. Reviewers loved how smooth the movement and fighting felt, but some thought the extra activities and missions were too similar and predictable. Dedicated fans also talked about how the main story wasn’t very long and that the missions didn’t offer much new gameplay.

‘Hogwarts Legacy’ (2023)

‘Hogwarts Legacy,’ created by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Games, lets players live out their fantasy of attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The game beautifully recreates the look and feel of the Wizarding World, though some players felt the areas outside Hogwarts lacked enough interesting things to do. Certain puzzles, like the Merlin Trials, felt repetitive and added unnecessary length to the game. Additionally, some players found the system for collecting and managing items to be too basic compared to other similar games.

‘Elden Ring’ (2022)

Elden Ring, created by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco, took the famously difficult combat style of the Souls games and expanded it into a huge, open world. The game was widely praised for its beautiful visuals and the freedom it gave players to explore the Lands Between. Some critics, however, noted that certain boss fights felt repetitive and that the story was unclear without looking up guides online. Initial performance problems on some gaming systems also led to conversations about whether the game was fully polished given its large size and scope.

‘Horizon Forbidden West’ (2022)

As a big fan of the first Horizon game, I was so excited for ‘Horizon Forbidden West’! Guerrilla Games really outdid themselves with the graphics and the machines – they looked incredible. The story picks up with Aloy heading west to figure out this new threat to the land. But honestly, while I loved exploring, I did run into a common problem with open-world games: too much stuff happening at once. The map got really crowded with icons and side quests, and it sometimes felt like I was just ticking things off a list instead of actually being on an adventure. It’s a small complaint though, because overall it’s a stunning game.

‘Dying Light 2 Stay Human’ (2022)

As a big fan of the first ‘Dying Light’, I was really excited for ‘Dying Light 2 Stay Human’. It’s all about running and jumping around a zombie-filled city, which sounds amazing, and Techland really delivered on the visuals. Honestly, though, I was a little disappointed with how much my choices actually mattered in the story – it didn’t feel as impactful as they promised. Plus, a lot of people, myself included, felt like the movement and fighting weren’t quite as solid as the original – a bit floaty, you know? And unfortunately, the game was pretty buggy when it first came out, which was a shame because the city they built is huge and really impressive.

‘Saints Row’ (2022)

The 2022 ‘Saints Row’ game, created by Deep Silver Volition and published by Deep Silver, was meant to revitalize the series with a new story and characters set in the city of Santo Ileso. However, many players and reviewers thought the game’s humor and writing felt old-fashioned and didn’t live up to the fun of previous ‘Saints Row’ titles. Some also felt the gameplay was repetitive and designed for older consoles.

‘Far Cry 6’ (2021)

‘Far Cry 6,’ created by Ubisoft, is set on the fictional Caribbean island of Yara, which is ruled by a dictator. While actor Giancarlo Esposito received praise for his performance, many players found the game didn’t change much from previous installments. Some felt the new gear upgrades and special ammo added unnecessary complexity to the game’s stealth and action. Although the game world was visually stunning, it often lacked interesting things to do.

‘Cyberpunk 2077’ (2020)

CD Projekt Red created and released ‘Cyberpunk 2077’, which initially aimed to deliver a groundbreaking open-world adventure in Night City. However, the game launched with significant technical problems and ran poorly on older consoles. Although updates have addressed many of these issues, reviewers found that the game world wasn’t as responsive as originally advertised. Fans of role-playing games were also disappointed by the limited choices and straightforward storyline.

‘Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’ (2020)

‘Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’, created by Ubisoft, puts players in the role of Eivor during the Viking invasion of England. It’s a very long and expansive game, typically taking over 100 hours to finish. While many enjoyed its size, some critics felt it was overly long, with required story parts that felt more like optional side quests. The game’s focus on repeatedly taking over territories also sparked debate about whether the series had become too ambitious and lost its focus.

‘Ghost of Tsushima’ (2020)

‘Ghost of Tsushima’, created by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony, follows Jin Sakai as he fights to protect his homeland from a Mongol invasion. Critics and players loved the game’s simple interface and beautiful art style, which helped create a deeply immersive experience. However, some players felt the game’s missions became repetitive, often involving tasks like following trails or capturing enemy camps. While the open-world side activities, such as tracking animals, were initially engaging, some found them to become tedious after a while.

‘Watch Dogs: Legion’ (2020)

Ubisoft Toronto developed and Ubisoft published ‘Watch Dogs: Legion,’ a game set in a futuristic London where players can recruit and play as any character they encounter. While this ‘play as anyone’ feature was a key part of the game’s appeal, many players felt it resulted in shallow characters and a fragmented storyline. The lack of a main character made it difficult to become emotionally invested in the game’s events, and the process of recruiting new characters often became repetitive.

‘Genshin Impact’ (2020)

Genshin Impact, created by miHoYo, is a popular free-to-play RPG with a huge, expansive world and a variety of characters. It’s known for its high-quality graphics and regular updates, but its system for obtaining characters and items – called ‘gacha’ – has been controversial. Some players find the end-game repetitive and limited by energy restrictions. While the game world is large, it can feel a bit empty after you’ve discovered most of the initial secrets and collectibles.

‘Death Stranding’ (2019)

Developed by Kojima Productions and published by Sony, ‘Death Stranding’ centers around Sam Porter Bridges’ journey to deliver supplies and rebuild connections in a broken world. The game’s unusual gameplay, which emphasizes traversal and a unique connection system called “strands,” divided players. Some critics felt the game was overhyped, citing its repetitive tasks and long, story-driven cutscenes as drawbacks.

‘Days Gone’ (2019)

‘Days Gone,’ created by Bend Studio and published by Sony, tells the story of Deacon St. John, a wanderer surviving in a world overrun by zombie-like creatures called ‘Freakers.’ The game was praised for its realistic technology that allowed massive groups of enemies to appear at once. However, reviewers often found the plot predictable and struggled to connect with the main character. When it first launched, the game also had some technical problems and a slow start that turned off some players.

‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ (2018)

‘Red Dead Redemption 2’, created by Rockstar Games, tells the story of Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang in a prequel to the original game. It’s famous for its stunning detail, lifelike movements, and moving story. However, some players found the missions too rigid, punishing them for not following a strict path. Others felt the game’s slow pace and realistic animations, while impressive, sometimes got in the way of enjoying the experience.

‘Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’ (2018)

Okay, so I played ‘Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’ – it was set in Ancient Greece and made by Ubisoft Quebec. It really went all-in on RPG stuff, like actually choosing what to say in conversations and having different endings depending on your choices. But honestly, while the world was HUGE, a lot of it felt like just…stuff to do. Critics, and me, thought there was a ton of repetitive side quests and things to find that didn’t really add much. Plus, the game kept making me do a bunch of side stuff before I could continue the main story, which kind of killed the flow and made it feel less immersive.

‘Marvel’s Spider-Man’ (2018)

Insomniac Games created ‘Marvel’s Spider-Man,’ which Sony released for the PlayStation 4. Players loved swinging through New York City, and the game’s movement felt fantastic. However, many of the side activities – like clearing enemy bases and finding collectibles – felt familiar and lacked originality. Some players also found the stealth sections where you played as Mary Jane and Miles Morales to be frustrating and a weak part of the game.

‘Just Cause 4’ (2018)

‘Just Cause 4,’ created by Avalanche Studios and published by Square Enix, follows Rico Rodriguez as he continues to cause mayhem. Although the game added dynamic weather, including tornadoes, many players thought it wasn’t as good as ‘Just Cause 3.’ At launch, the game faced criticism for inconsistent graphics and performance depending on the system. Fans also didn’t like the change in missions, which focused more on specific goals rather than open-ended destruction.

‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ (2017)

‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ was created by Nintendo and released alongside the Switch console. The game let players use their imagination to solve puzzles and interact with the world of Hyrule, thanks to its realistic physics and how different materials reacted with each other. While many loved it, some players and reviewers weren’t fans of how quickly weapons broke or the absence of classic dungeons. A few also felt the large game world sometimes felt empty between important areas.

‘Horizon Zero Dawn’ (2017)

‘Horizon Zero Dawn’, created by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony, takes place in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by robotic creatures. Players and critics alike loved the strategic battles against these machines. However, fighting human enemies and the towns in the game felt less polished. Some reviewers also pointed out that the game’s open-world design borrowed quite a bit from other popular series like ‘Far Cry’.

‘Middle-earth: Shadow of War’ (2017)

Developed by Monolith Productions and published by Warner Bros. Games, ‘Middle-earth: Shadow of War’ built upon its innovative Nemesis System, letting players create and command an Orc army to conquer Mordor. However, the game received a lot of negative feedback when it first came out because of loot boxes and a frustratingly repetitive final section. Although the loot boxes were later removed, many players still found the fortress battles to be too repetitive.

‘No Man’s Sky’ (2016)

‘No Man’s Sky,’ created by Hello Games, originally promised players a vast, endless universe of unique planets created by its game engine. However, the game received a lot of criticism when it first came out because many features that were talked about before launch, like playing with friends, weren’t included. Although the developers have dramatically improved the game with many free updates since then, the original release is often remembered as a disappointing example of a game that didn’t live up to the hype. Players also found the constant need to collect resources to be quite repetitive.

‘Final Fantasy XV’ (2016)

‘Final Fantasy XV,’ created and released by Square Enix, follows Prince Noctis and his friends as they travel across the world of Eos. It took ten years to make, and while many anticipated a lot from the game, some felt it didn’t quite deliver on all expectations. The game world was visually stunning, but it didn’t offer much to do beyond fighting monsters and fishing. Many reviewers also noted that the story felt fragmented and that you needed to watch a movie and anime series to get the full picture.

‘The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’ (2015)

‘The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt,’ created by CD Projekt Red, is widely considered a top-tier role-playing game. It’s praised for its compelling story and incredibly detailed side quests, which raised the bar for the genre. While the story is fantastic, some players felt the fighting felt a bit awkward and wasn’t as fun as the narrative. Many also found Geralt’s movements to be clumsy, especially when moving around small areas or collecting items.

‘Fallout 4’ (2015)

Fallout 4, created by Bethesda Game Studios, takes place in the ruins of Boston after a nuclear apocalypse. A key feature of the game was its detailed settlement-building, which became a central part of how players experienced the game. However, some longtime fans felt the game focused less on role-playing, especially with its simpler dialogue options. The main storyline also received criticism for not being as complex or engaging as those in previous Fallout games, such as Fallout: New Vegas.

‘Mad Max’ (2015)

As a fan of the Mad Max universe, I was really excited for the game! It definitely delivered on the car combat and letting you build up your ride – that part was awesome. But honestly, when I wasn’t in my car, things felt a little…samey. A lot of the game involved driving around and collecting scrap to upgrade my vehicle, which got kind of repetitive after a while. Plus, the open world felt pretty standard – mostly clearing out enemy camps and taking down towers, and it didn’t always feel fresh.

‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’ (2014)

‘Dragon Age: Inquisition,’ created by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts, expanded the fantasy series with a bigger, more open world. Though the game excelled in character development and storytelling, it received criticism for its early areas, particularly the ‘Hinterlands,’ which felt filled with repetitive, simple tasks. Players often found the large open zones less engaging than the more focused design of previous ‘Dragon Age’ games. The combat system also struck a middle ground that didn’t fully appeal to those who preferred fast-paced action or strategic, tactical battles.

‘Grand Theft Auto V’ (2013)

‘Grand Theft Auto V’, created by Rockstar Games, lets players experience the city of Los Santos through the eyes of three different characters. It’s become one of the most successful video games ever made, appearing on multiple generations of gaming consoles. While praised for its detailed open world, some critics feel it mainly exists to support the story and doesn’t offer much engaging interaction beyond the main missions. The game’s satirical humor has also received mixed reactions, with some believing it hasn’t aged well over time.

Let us know in the comments which open-world games you think don’t live up to the hype!

2026-01-08 05:18