Gaming
Games
7 Open-world games so big, they will take ages to finish
Most of us are trying to find ways to avoid cabin fever during this time and games are a good option. However, there are some games so big that it might be impossible to fully explore and finish them.
Here are some of the most ridiculously big open-world games (and their maps) to date.
*[I am however excluding procedurally-generated titles here, so, sorry No Man’s Sky and Daggerfall.]
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
We’re starting off with the “baby” of this list, but there’s actually no reasonable way anyone can dismiss Skyrim as a baby of a game. That game that truly will never die, Skyrim has content stuffed into every corner of its 39km² map, giving it an average completionist playtime of 226 hours! As an avid Skyrimmer myself, I can say that I’ve probably spent over 1000 hours across multiple play throughs just indulging in everything the game has to offer, so just be prepared if you decide to take the plunge.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Another total time sink, Breath of the Wild is one of those games you’ll lose your life to willingly. With an average completionist playtime of 183 hours across the 75km² map, there’s certainly enough to chew on here. It’s never a dull moment either, as the world is littered with interesting puzzles and characters and, of course, 900 korok seeds for you to collect if you’re up for the challenge. Grab your Master Sword and prepare for the journey, cos its gonna be a long ride.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2
© PC Gamer
Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying there’s a lot going on in the world of Red Dead Redemption 2. Also coming in at the 75km² mark, the game boasts an average completionist playtime of 163 hours, which is crazy for a game where one hour can feel like five due to its slow pace. I personally spent most of my time hunting, and there are plenty of species to go after in this game (around 200 to be exact). Add in the story, long horse rides, and the beautiful scenery to stare at, and you start to understand just how big this game can be.
Grand Theft Auto V
Another Rockstar entry to the list, GTA:V certainly impressed with the content it had going for it. With an average completionist playtime of 79 hours across a 80km² map, it may not sound as meaty as the others- but throw in the multiplayer and you have a game which potentially just never ends. With the game going free on the Epic Store recently, tonnes of people are going to have found the perfect thing to keep them going right through the quarantine period.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
We couldn’t have a list about big games and not include The Witcher 3, right? Clocking an average completionist playtime of 173 hours (and some even going up to 400 hours) over a 217km², this game is sure to cure all of your boredom woes. When you first arrive in Velen, you’re greeted with a generously large map filled with content that would satisfy anyone- so moving on to the area of Skellige, you truly start to appreciate the sheer scale of the game (not to mention the consistent quality throughout). Throw in two chunky DLC’s and you have a truly massive (fun!) commitment on your hands.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
I recently fell into the trap of Odyssey by grabbing it on sale to keep me occupied, and boy, is it overwhelmingly big for an Assassin’s Creed title. The game boasts a 235km² map comprised of islands and a sea which you can freely traverse, as well as an average completionist playtime of 125 hours- so yeah, it’s pretty huge. The game is positively loaded with quests at every corner and more enemies that you can count, so there’s plenty of activities to keep you busy. Throw in the breath-taking views that practically cry out for you to stop and gawk at them, and you have a journey through Greece that just never really ends.
Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV
© Microsoft
The jump in size here is going to sound pretty dramatic, but that really is what Square Enix did when they made Final Fantasy XV. While the average completionist playtime sounds pretty modest at 94 hours, they really didn’t hold back when making the map. FFXV takes place on over 1800km² of actual map space, which is frightening to say the least, though you probably never really feel this sheer scale due to you and your crew travelling across most of it in the pretty speedy Regalia. This negates what you’d feel traversing some of the other titles on horseback or just plain running around, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that FFXV will go down in history as having one of the single-largest maps of any game ever made. (Though, you could try doing most of this on the back of a chocobo- maybe you’d feel it then).
If you’re stuck at home with nothing to do, maybe give on of these games a try- at the very least, they’re sure to keep you busy AND get you your money’s worth.
