Playing open-world games takes a special kind of gamer. A patient gamer who may spend hours looting and exploring. A gamer that can handle more than one quest or challenge at a time. A player who enjoys all of that. That’s what it takes to make an open-world game an enjoyable experience. But what makes it even better is doing all of this with a friend. 

Check out the top 15 most fun open-world games you can play with a friend.

 

15. The Lord of the Rings Online

2007 | PC

Minas Morgul Launch Trailer - The Lord of the Rings Online

Lord of the Rings Online is the game version of J.R.R. Tolkien's magical world in the famous books: The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Through Peter Jackson's magnificent films, the entire world was brought to the big screen. Now, they've been brought to life once more in this vivid game full of various races and challenging quests.

In the game, choices must be made by players: what race and character you will choose to be, and what abilities you'll give your character. You also have the choice to adventure solo or create your own Fellowship with a group of friends. Choose wisely, as your decisions will affect the way your game goes.

Simply put, this is the greatest fantasy world ever created. The game's designers did a fantastic job of creating a very distinctive, intricate world. Characters are designed based on the movies, and the graphics bring them to life so well. The game requires patience and knowledge, something you'll have to study the story to develop. 

LOTRO is an especially entertaining game, full of mysteries and thrills. Enjoying it solo is one way to experience it. However, I've found that playing with friends in your own Fellowship adds a sense of community and bonding to your adventure. So, prepare yourselves for hours of fun with this addicting open-world experience.

 

14. Dying Light 2

2015 | PS4, PS 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch

Dying Light 2 Stay Human - The Reason - Official Gameplay Trailer

Due to a raging virus of destruction, the world has been thrown back into the dark ages. Survival is complicated, especially when you have conflicts among the settlements. But, no matter, hope has not been lost yet. 

As a wandering amnesiac, it appears that you don't offer many skills to help the settlements. But appearances can be deceiving, and you have the power to change the world. But can you do it on your own? Pick up some friends to help you hone your skills and save the settlements from themselves.

Dying Light 2 is a post-apocalyptic scenario. So, while it's not a totally new concept, the gameplay is fairly unique. You and a group of three other players can work together or against each other to complete tasks and save the world. Each player will have a different experience than the next, so it's fun to see how decisions affect that.

This game is sadly underrated. Many don't give it a second chance because of common bugs. Despite this, the gameplay is still enjoyable when compared to many other games with the same theme. It's got an extremely dark and gritty atmosphere. The story itself is incredibly well-written and really attention-grabbing. Combat is difficult, but not excruciating. And the soundtrack is top-notch. Overall, it's a pretty incredible experience.

 

13. Grand Theft Auto V

2015 | PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Grand Theft Auto V Trailer

When a vulgar retired bank robber, a sarcastic young street hustler, and deranged psychopath cross paths, things can get just a tad out of control. Dealing with the criminal underworld on their backs, the criminals must come together to pull off a series of challenging and dangerous heists in order to survive. They can trust no one, especially not each other.

Players must come together as a team to pull off all the heists, each more difficult than the one before. Online modes not only offer the open-world co-op experience but also throw you into competitions against other teams with the same objectives. Pedestrians and other game mechanics pose incredible challenges along the way. 

The game offers a great deal of exploration, the opportunity to be devious and greedy, and the ability to kill other players. It's one of the most vulgar crime-related games I've come across. Characters curse every other word; there are references to drugs and sexual activity, and violence lurks around every corner. Yet the game is incredibly popular and entertaining. 

Now, a lot of game developers struggle to fill an entire map like this. But that's not been an issue for Rockstar. The GTA game series got off to a great start and has continued to get better. Different mods and other features only enhance the experience that you and your friends can have.

 

12. Monster Hunter: World

2018 | PS4, Xbox One, PC

Monster Hunter: World Announcement Trailer

Become a monster hunter with the help of a crew of capable friends. Explore the living, breathing ecosystem as you stalk your ferocious prey. Every quest players take on will include their own set of challenges.

You will travel across numerous environments as a crew of hunters looking for hideous creatures. Playing as the Research Commission, your group of hunters will seek out answers to the mystery of the Elder Crossing.

There is a diverse arsenal that can be used to protect yourself and kill the monsters. The environment is teeming with dangerously beautiful wildlife. You will often discover interesting features on your journey.

Monster Hunter: World is full of magnificent features. An incredible soundtrack sets the mood of adventure and chaos. While this game is older, it is still shockingly entertaining. It's easy to find yourself spending hours on simple character creation. Level up with your friends to create the ultimate experience.

 

11. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

2015 | PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Official Gameplay Trailer

Imagine yourself inside a visually stunning world of fantasy and monsters. Your job is to hunt these gruesome monsters and protect the realm. All this must be done while learning the story and finding a child of prophecy. 

You and your partner must explore the open world rich with pirate islands, merchant cities, devastatingly dangerous mountain ranges, and an abundance of forgotten caves to discover.

The gruesome foes you face will take your superhuman abilities and skills to defeat. The diversity of unique monsters you have to destroy sets this game apart from others with a similar concept. Each monster you take care of will bring you weapons and armor. Or you can simply gamble away your rewards or use them on other worldly pleasures. The choice is yours and your partner's.

It's almost difficult to describe how incredible this game is. The graphics alone are attention-grabbing. However, mixed with the sound effects, soundtrack, and gruesomely detailed cutscenes, you have yourself an amazing game. 

Plus, the combat mechanics are especially exciting and realistic. Enjoy the game with friends to make your experience worthwhile. Keep in mind that no matter how many times you play it, the outcome will always be different. 

The decisions you and your friend make will affect the outcome in the most detrimental way possible. The incredible weaponry and magically designed characters make the game an even more fun experience. Discover the fantastic world that is filled with dangerous journeys and magical creatures.

 

10. Valheim

2021 | Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Valheim Release Trailer

Explore the beautiful procedurally generated work, all inspired by Norse mythology. A world bathed in mystery, bloodthirsty monsters, hand-crafted Norse weapons, and so much more. Come together with a team of warriors to battle a world of devastating features.

Up to 10 players can come together to explore every immersive biome. Gather resources to craft and supply your group. Combat, while difficult, yields the biggest rewards available. Scavenge for supplies to help replenish your bodies and fight your enemies. Practice combat to defend your honor.

Valheim is one of the few games that incorporates every element of gaming. Crafting, hunting, combat, survival, etc. Even experienced players will find something fresh in this amazing story-based game. You must truly survive, and you must utilize your team to do so. Survival is more difficult than just combating monsters; you must also combat hunger and disease.

The game is incredibly entertaining, with elements that have not yet been seen. It's exceptionally challenging; however, who doesn't love a challenge? Working together with a team is going to be more rewarding than playing solo. The story and the beautiful journey are honestly addicting.

 

9. ARK: Survival Evolved

2017 | Xbox one, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, Android, iOS

ARK: Survival Evolved Announcement Trailer

Stranded naked, freezing, and starving on the shores of a mysterious island. This game is full of crafting, growing crops, researching, and using your resources to survive. But, it also has an enemy that many of us have never faced... dinosaurs. 

Teaming up together, you and your team must survive by creating a safe space, taming the dinosaurs, and using all of this to your advantage. There are over 100 creatures that can be tamed and used to benefit you and your friends. But be weary when approaching these creatures; each one has an array of features that can't be explained. 

ARK: Survival Evolved takes a lot of mechanics and combines them to make a challenging experience. Working together with a team makes the experience a little less challenging. You'll have to create a shelter, gather supplies, and work together to use them in the most effective way. However difficult that may sound, it makes for a great game.

The game lacks a storyline but makes up for that with gameplay mechanics. Playing together adds extra comfort to your usually tedious supply gathering. The actual graphics are incredible and let's be real, dinosaurs make for a fantastic boss enemy. The fact that you can tame them to use to your advantage makes ARK all the more playable.

 

8. Genshin Impact

2020 | GeForce Now, PC, PS4, PS5, iOS, Android

Genshin Impact [Online Co-op] : Co-op Mode ~ Event - The Call of Ice and Thunder - Extreme

Genshin Impact is a pretty enjoyable game, despite only being accessible via mobile devices and PlayStation consoles right now. This anime-style open-world experience is very action-based, using character-switching and elemental magic. 

Learn about Teyvat's seven nations, a magical fantasy realm with ties to various elements. Play as the traveler and their twin sibling (a partner), in search of a lost sibling. But be careful; you might just get separated and be forced to temporarily face the world alone.

While you can play by simply switching between characters, it's much more fun to pursue with a friend. Work together to improve your weapons and attacks, your gameplay, and your stamina and abilities. Players must cook meals utilizing food obtained through hunting and gathering in order to recover health following a battle. 

Genshin Impact became extremely popular very quickly in the gaming industry. It's a complete shock that the game's not on more platforms. In the co-op mode, there can be up to four players who join together. The bright, detailed graphics grab the players' attention. 

The soundtrack is well-put-together, constantly setting the mood for whatever situation a player finds themselves in. But the gameplay mechanics are what really bring Genshin Impact to the table.

 

7. Elden Ring

2022 | PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

ELDEN RING – Rise, Tarnished | Official Launch Trailer

Explore the vast Lands Between, a unique experience with a loose connection to others online. While it's not fully co-op, you can come together with friends from all over the world to enjoy this incredible game. 

Elden Ring is a large, open-world epic narrative that is multifaceted and revealed in bits and pieces. Players can customize their characters, from magic to armor, appearance, and equipment. The universe is enormous and filled with unrivaled excitement, and there are several levels of success to keep players inspired.

Incredible boss fights and entertaining gameplay mechanics alone make the price worth it. The game is extremely challenging, but if you like a challenge, it's perfect for you. Spend hours plundering or simply compete with your buddies to finish the objectives and take down the bosses.

The best part about Elden Ring is that you get exactly what you paid for and what was advertised. It's not very often that a game is released with almost no glitches or bugs. However, Elden Ring was released as a finished game with no issues to speak of. On top of the incredible solo gameplay, adding friends or randos to the mix increases the likelihood that you will enjoy it.

 

6. The Forest

2014 | PC, Android

The Forest Trailer 3

After your plane crashes into the forest, your son mysteriously disappears. Lost in a forest with no familiarity, you must fight to survive and find your son. But, unfortunately, some sort of horrifying creature lurks in the depths of the forest. 

Players that survive the crash together can choose to either survive alone or improve their chances by combining their knowledge and abilities. But whatever you do, don't work against each other.

In The Forest, you must gather all your resources by daylight. However, your most important task is finding shelter immediately. You do not want to be out in the open when darkness falls. Haunting sounds and spine-chilling sights will send you running for any shelter you can find. But be careful that your shelter isn't already occupied. Building is your safest bet, so work together to get your camp set up.

The Forest is a particularly thrilling game, with terrifying creatures and unexpected difficulty. Players do not have to stick with the quest the game can simply be played as a survival game. Tasks are time-consuming and difficult, but they need to be completed to be successful. Survival has never been so difficult.

 

5. Divinity: Original Sin

2014 | PC, PS4, Xbox One

Divinity: Original Sin - Gameplay Trailer - Features

In Divinity: Original Sin 2, you and your friends must choose your characters wisely. While you battle your way through the game together, only one of you will be successful in the end. Only one of you will become a god.

In order to defeat challenging opponents and use their surroundings as weapons, players must work together. Take turns blasting your opponents. Learn to manipulate the elements to defeat your opponents.

Divinity features endless freedom to explore the entire open world. Online multiplayer is available to users, or they can play split-screen on their couches. You can also take your adventures to a whole new level by crafting your own stories in Game Master Mode.

In all honesty, this game is incredibly detailed, has amazing characters, multiple endings, and a ton of freedom to let you play however you want. The quests and puzzles add to the mental challenge, while the tactical battles are utterly captivating. The story is a bit mundane however, the focus on the boss fighting more than makes up for it.

 

4. Sea of Thieves 

2018 | Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, PC

Official Sea of Thieves Gameplay Launch Trailer

Sea of Thieves is an experience like no other. Enjoy the pirate experience. Sail with your crew and loot islands you come across. Fight your way through the high seas. The game has no set roles, so crews are free to approach the world however they choose.

While you can bound through the ocean and burst through the waves solo, it's definitely more beneficial for you to have a crew. It's inevitable that you will come across other crews, so building a well-rounded crew of feisty pirates is your best bet to survive the rough seas.

There are numerous undiscovered islands and underwater kingdoms in the vast open world. Mighty beasts like the Kraken or Megalodon, or simpler foes like phantoms, lurk beneath the surface, watching and waiting to attack. Your crew is your key to surviving; it could be a friend or foe beyond the horizon. Don't choose to face them alone.

This game offers an experience like no other. The ability to choose your crew's path makes it a thrilling journey. The battles are entertaining but beware of toxic players. It's a time-consuming game, but you'll find yourself getting lost in your journey.

 

3. Tower of Fantasy

2021 | Android, iOS, PC

Tower of Fantasy Trailer

Enjoy your own fantasy adventure with an open-world experience like no other. Share the planet Aida, set in the distant future, with friends. This anime-infused sci-fi adventure will keep you and your buddies busy for hours.

Tower of Fantasy offers an immersive gaming experience and boasts stunningly beautiful artwork. Players choose their characters, each with different gameplay styles, to increase their odds. Level up characters to unlock individual fighting styles unique to your character.

Explore this vibrant world with friends and interact with elements throughout the experience. Cooperate to solve puzzles and plunder for the supplies needed to reap Aida's rewards. Through teamwork and dedication, conspiracies beneath the surface can be uncovered.

Genshin Impact-like teamwork and character leveling are key components of the gameplay. In contrast to Genshin Impact's aimless wandering, it does have more quests and adventures to complete. It's quite a bit more challenging, but that much more fun because of it.

 

2. Borderlands 3

2019 | PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Borderlands 3 - Official Developer Trailer

Borderlands returns for the third time. This action-packed shooter-looter game is full of new open worlds and enemies. Borderlands 3 combines the base game plus all six add-ons and the full collection of bonus content.

This game packs an unbelievable number of remarkable guns and a wild adventure into one game. Players can play solo or enjoy the insanity with a group of friends. Reap the rewards of Borderlands by working together as a team. Fight together, loot together, and survive together.

Borderlands 3 adds new worlds beyond Pandora, each with its own unique environment. Battle other teams as you navigate through incredibly dangerous terrain and devastated cities. You can choose to play online multiplayer to add a bit of randomness to the fight. 

The exciting thing about this battle-royale-style open-world game is that it includes a storyline. Now, some find the story tedious; others enjoy the exciting tale and descriptions as you go. The gameplay is terrific, with the movement and guns packing an awesome punch. 

Bosses are each unique and come with their own set of challenges. Each character also comes with unique characteristics and talents. However, Borderlands becomes addicting when you play with a group of good friends.

 

1. Minecraft

2011 | Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, PS3, PS4, PS5, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS

Official Minecraft Trailer

Truth be told, there aren’t many games that beat the endless open world of Minecraft. Hours of entertainment come from mining materials and crafting your own structures. The block-based world is never-ending and can be explored for months in real life. 

Together, you and your friends can create your own world. The possibilities of your world span beyond our wildest expectations. Build a city, complete with an aquarium and town hall. Build a treehouse, branches coming out of the walls and stairs to climb the tree. Build an isolated, abandoned island with fallen trees and an SOS message. 

Truthfully, there’s not much story structure to Minecraft. However, those possibilities are endless, too. Create your own story with your friends or explore a downloadable Minecraft map with your pals. Check out the many YouTube videos with add-ons and texture packs; plus so much more.

People get lost in Minecraft for hours at a time. The days fly by in Minecraft time, but you’ll be shocked to see that real-life time does, too. The serene music will relax you while you mine deep into the core of your worlds. Despite the fact that mobs make the game so entertaining, you can easily alter day/night and have difficulty in the options. Craft with friends, or compete against them to see who is the better designer.

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