Top 10 Most Beautiful Open-World Games

When it comes to open-world games, beauty isn’t just skin deep—it’s what pulls you in, keeps you exploring, and makes you stop to admire the view even when there are quests piling up in your journal. From dense forests and towering mountains to futuristic cityscapes and alien planets, here are the top 10 most beautiful open-world games that will make you forget about fast travel.

1. Ghost of Tsushima

Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Starting off with a game that’s as much a work of art as it is an open-world adventure. Ghost of Tsushima is a love letter to feudal Japan, with stunning landscapes inspired by real-life locations. From golden fields of pampas grass swaying in the wind to cherry blossoms raining down in vibrant pinks, every part of this world feels alive. The game’s use of color, weather effects, and cinematic camera angles will make you pause just to take in the view.

Most Beautiful Moment: Riding through a field as the sun sets, casting everything in golden light while leaves and petals swirl around you in the wind. Honestly, you could mistake this game for a moving painting.

2. Red Dead Redemption 2

Developer: Rockstar Games
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia

Red Dead Redemption 2 isn’t just about wild shootouts and cowboy hats—this game is a masterpiece of environmental design. The American frontier is vast and varied, from snowy mountain peaks to lush forests, rolling plains, and dusty deserts. The world reacts to the time of day, weather, and even your actions, making it feel truly alive. This is one of those games where you’ll spend as much time soaking in the landscape as you will robbing trains.

Most Beautiful Moment: Watching a storm roll in over the mountains, complete with flashing lightning, dark clouds, and the distant rumble of thunder—it’s almost enough to make you forget about that bounty on your head.

3. Horizon: Forbidden West

Developer: Guerrilla Games
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Set in a future where nature has reclaimed the earth, Horizon: Forbidden West showcases some of the most stunning environments in gaming. The variety is mind-boggling: dense jungles, underwater coral reefs, snowy mountains, and expansive deserts. Every region feels distinct, and the attention to detail is staggering. The combination of natural beauty with the strange, robotic wildlife makes this world feel both familiar and alien at the same time.

Most Beautiful Moment: Diving deep underwater and emerging in a sun-soaked bay, with the light reflecting off the water and robotic sea creatures gliding by.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Developer: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Wii U

No list of beautiful open-world games would be complete without Breath of the Wild. Nintendo’s reimagining of the Zelda franchise gives players an expansive version of Hyrule to explore. The game’s art style is a beautiful blend of soft, painterly textures with vibrant colors. From towering mountain ranges to serene lakes and vast, rolling fields, every inch of Hyrule begs to be explored. The minimalist HUD and stunning vistas make sure the world always takes center stage.

Most Beautiful Moment: Climbing to the top of a mountain at sunrise and using your glider to soar over Hyrule, with the sun lighting up the landscape below you. Pure magic.

5. Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Developer: Ubisoft
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Stadia

While Assassin's Creed is known for its historical settings, Valhalla takes it a step further with a truly gorgeous depiction of Viking-era England. Lush forests, craggy cliffs, and misty swamps combine to create an immersive world where you can lose yourself in the scenery. The contrast between the raw beauty of nature and the remnants of crumbling Roman ruins gives the game a unique, haunting charm.

Most Beautiful Moment: Paddling down a river at dawn, with mist rising off the water and ancient stone structures peeking out from the overgrowth on the banks. It’s as peaceful as it is foreboding.

6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Developer: CD Projekt Red
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC

The Witcher 3 isn’t just about slaying monsters; it’s about exploring one of the most beautifully crafted fantasy worlds in gaming. From the grim and misty swamps of Velen to the vibrant fields of Toussaint, every part of Geralt’s world is dripping with atmosphere. The attention to detail is staggering, with weather effects, lighting, and even subtle shifts in the landscape as you travel from region to region. It’s a game where you’ll find yourself veering off the beaten path just to see what’s over the next hill.

Most Beautiful Moment: Roaming through the vineyards of Toussaint, with its vivid colors and fairytale-like beauty, as the sun sets behind distant mountains.

7. Death Stranding

Developer: Kojima Productions
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC

Say what you will about Death Stranding, but it’s hard to deny that its world is stunning in a stark, haunting way. Set in a post-apocalyptic version of Earth, the landscapes are bleak, yet beautiful. Towering mountains, vast plains, and alien-like terrain are rendered with such detail that you’ll often stop just to take it all in. It’s a world that feels desolate and eerie, yet full of natural beauty at the same time. Kojima’s signature visual style is on full display here.

Most Beautiful Moment: Climbing a mountain only to find yourself above the clouds, watching them roll below you while the haunting, melancholic soundtrack plays in the background.

8. Ghost Recon: Breakpoint

Developer: Ubisoft
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia

While Ghost Recon: Breakpoint may not have won over every player with its gameplay, its open world is undeniably gorgeous. The fictional island of Auroa is a diverse paradise, offering everything from dense forests and snow-capped mountains to lush beaches and volcanic regions. The level of environmental detail, from the way the light filters through the trees to the dynamic weather effects, makes Auroa feel alive and constantly changing.

Most Beautiful Moment: Standing on the edge of a cliff, overlooking a vast forest with mist curling through the trees, as the sun rises over the horizon. You’ll almost forget there’s a tactical mission at hand.

9. Genshin Impact

Developer: miHoYo
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, iOS, Android

Genshin Impact takes the best elements of open-world exploration and wraps them in a stunning, anime-inspired art style. The game’s world, Teyvat, is full of vibrant colors, from its lush forests and rolling hills to towering mountains and shimmering lakes. Every corner of the map is brimming with detail, and the game’s unique cel-shaded look gives it a fairytale-like quality. Despite being free-to-play, Genshin Impact rivals the visuals of AAA titles with its polished world design.

Most Beautiful Moment: Climbing to the top of a peak in Liyue and looking out over the jade-green landscape, with ancient ruins nestled into the cliffs and waterfalls cascading down into serene pools.

10. Far Cry 5

Developer: Ubisoft
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Set in the rural heartland of fictional Hope County, Montana, Far Cry 5 offers some of the most stunning open-world visuals you’ll find in a modern shooter. The rolling hills, dense forests, and crystal-clear lakes combine to create a rugged wilderness that feels both peaceful and dangerous. The game’s use of dynamic weather and lighting effects ensures that every time you step out into the wilds, it feels like a new adventure.

Most Beautiful Moment: Wandering through the forests of Hope County at sunset, with light streaming through the trees and wildlife scurrying through the underbrush. It’s a perfect slice of rural America—if you can ignore the cultists.

Final Thoughts:

These games don’t just offer expansive worlds to explore—they’re works of art that invite players to stop, look around, and appreciate the incredible craftsmanship that went into building them. Whether you’re riding through the fields of Tsushima, climbing the cliffs of Hyrule, or getting lost in the forests of Velen, these worlds are built to take your breath away.