After all these years and GTA is still the best open world game on console

What is the GOAT open-world game on consoles?

  • Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Far Cry 3

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Just Cause 2

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Saint's Row IV

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Tom Clancy's The Division

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Watch Dogs

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    88
I personally don't count GTA as open world. Most of the world is closed. Most of the buildings are empty shells. In Skyrim, for example, you can go in to almost every building.
 
Witcher 3. Quest design, putting soul into characters and storytelling for a war-torn setting is the best I've seen.
 
The Witcher is probably my favorite game on the list but not because of its "open-worldness"
 
I personally don't count GTA as open world. Most of the world is closed. Most of the buildings are empty shells. In Skyrim, for example, you can go in to almost every building.

In Skyrim everything is alot of the same. Every bit of the GTA world is unique, I don't think Skyrim can say the same. Alot of buildings and dungeons are just copy and paste. GTA world is very lively and no other game does it quite like it.

Witcher 3 is damn close though. That game is just on another level and imo put some life into a genre that was starting to get very stale at the time. Witcher 3 has definitely been the best open world game of new gen so far.
 
In Skyrim everything is alot of the same. Every bit of the GTA world is unique, I don't think Skyrim can say the same. Alot of buildings and dungeons are just copy and paste. GTA world is very lively and no other game does it quite like it.

Witcher 3 is damn close though. That game is just on another level and imo put some life into a genre that was starting to get very stale at the time. Witcher 3 has definitely been the best open world game of new gen so far.

I understand why they haven't done it. It just irritates me. Would be nice if you could explore the massive mansions that you're sent to vandalize, and some of the points of interest.

It'd be nice if you could even go into the buildings you can buy.
 
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In Skyrim everything is alot of the same. Every bit of the GTA world is unique, I don't think Skyrim can say the same. Alot of buildings and dungeons are just copy and paste. GTA world is very lively and no other game does it quite like it.

Witcher 3 is damn close though. That game is just on another level and imo put some life into a genre that was starting to get very stale at the time. Witcher 3 has definitely been the best open world game of new gen so far.
IDK dude, you can go into about 4 buildings total in GTA games, all the NPC dialogue is repeated over and over "Get out of the way, asshole," or "Hey, would you like a good time, mister?" Shit like that. Sure, the map is big and you can drive around, but there isn't really much to do or explore. You do your missions, which typically end up in a gunfight and car chase, and maybe hunt down some collectibles. As far as this style of open-world game goes, I much prefer Crackdown.

With Skyrim, you have a point to an extent. In all games textures are reused. The biggest offender in TES would be dungeons, specifically caves. Each province in Skyrim had it's own architectural nuances, landscapes, and climates. So it's not really all that samey. In GTA you have different gang colors, I guess.

RDR had the formula down, as far as Rockstar games go.
 
IDK dude, you can go into about 4 buildings total in GTA games, all the NPC dialogue is repeated over and over "Get out of the way, asshole," or "Hey, would you like a good time, mister?" Shit like that. Sure, the map is big and you can drive around, but there isn't really much to do or explore. You do your missions, which typically end up in a gunfight and car chase, and maybe hunt down some collectibles. As far as this style of open-world game goes, I much prefer Crackdown.

With Skyrim, you have a point to an extent. In all games textures are reused. The biggest offender in TES would be dungeons, specifically caves. Each province in Skyrim had it's own architectural nuances, landscapes, and climates. So it's not really all that samey. In GTA you have different gang colors, I guess.

GTA is a living, breathing metropolis. There is an insane level of detail put into the world.

Regardless, you're comparing two different types of open world design. GTA is a sandbox. Skyrim is an RPG. Each design has it's limitations. Sure, you can't go into every building in GTA, much like how in Skyrim you can't jump from a helicopter, parachute onto a mountain, hop on an ATV, race along a trail, hit a jump, hop off the ATV in mid air, parachute down to the top of a building, base jump onto a moving car, kill the driver, steal the car, get into a police chase, while mowing down pedestrians, and shooting at the cops on your tail, drive to the airport, get in a shootout with the cops on the runway, make a run for for a plane, steal it, and get away. All with nary a load screen in sight.

What I'm saying is, it's dumb to compare an open world sandbox game, to an open world RPG. They are vastly different types of games.
 
GTA is a living, breathing metropolis. There is an insane level of detail put into the world.

Regardless, you're comparing two different types of open world design. GTA is a sandbox. Skyrim is an RPG. Each design has it's limitations. Sure, you can't go into every building in GTA, much like how in Skyrim you can't jump from a helicopter, parachute onto a mountain, hop on an ATV, race along a trail, hit a jump, hop off the ATV in mid air, parachute down to the top of a building, base jump onto a moving car, kill the driver, steal the car, get into a police chase, while mowing down pedestrians, and shooting at the cops on your tail, drive to the airport, get in a shootout with the cops on the runway, make a run for for a plane, steal it, and get away. All with nary a load screen in sight.

What I'm saying is, it's dumb to compare an open world sandbox game, to an open world RPG. They are vastly different types of games.
The whole point of the thread is comparing open world video games though. Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Batman, Saints Row, etc are all in the poll of this thread. You can't summon dragons, slay demon lords, and breath fire in GTA now can you. We're not talking game mechanics, but rather the worlds. And the things you just pointed out that you're able to do in GTA still boil down to gunfights and car chases. You can boil any game down like that, for instance I'm sure your retort here is "Skyrim is just go here and collect this, return to NPC with said item."

What I'm saying is, it's dumb to compare game mechanics when we're talking about open worlds.

Great post, very enlightening. 10/10 would read again.



Since you bring it up though... while Skyrim is technically supposed to be an open world RPG, it is also a sandbox game. You do not have to do any story content, not if you don't want to. You can roam, build houses, explore crypts, become a trade merchant, thief, assassin, sell-sword, blah blah blah whatever you want, without ever touching the main story. Very little content is blocked if you avoid the main story. In my experience with GTA games, you have entire sections of the city blocked off until you complete certain milestones in the story line(haven't played GTA:V, can't say for sure there).
 
What I'm saying is, it's dumb to compare game mechanics when we're talking about open worlds.

You have to compare mechanics, because that's what defines their open world gameplay. You can't compare them on the same level. They both do different things. I said at the beginning of this thread, there needs to be two separate categories for both styles, because they're so vastly different. Even if you could go into buildings in GTA, it wouldn't mean much. It wouldn't then be comparable to Skyrim, unless it shifted focus and became an RPG.

The only fair thing to say in this case, is that you prefer one style of open world gameplay, over the other. To compare them equally based on a label, is stupid. You wouldn't compare Skyrim to Final Fantasy because they're both RPG's would you? If a flight simulator gave you an "open world" to fly around in, would it then be appropriate to compare it to Skyrim or GTA? What about an open world racing game like Burnout Paradise? Same dif?

Since you bring it up though... while Skyrim is technically supposed to be an open world RPG, it is also a sandbox game. You do not have to do any story content, not if you don't want to. You can roam, build houses, explore crypts, become a trade merchant, thief, assassin, sell-sword, blah blah blah whatever you want, without ever touching the main story. Very little content is blocked if you avoid the main story.

You can become an "assassin" in GTA as well, if you have the imagination, or a serial killer, or a regular Joe who just watches TV in the day, and goes to the strip club at night. They have golf courses and tennis courts to play on, so you can play the "athlete" persona if you want. The only limits are your imagination. That said, that's not it's focus. It's focus is in giving you a world to mess around in. You can't mess around much in Skyrim. Technically you can, but it's not designed the same way, and it's options to just mess around are very limited.

Don't get me wrong, I love Skyrim. All I'm saying is that when you boil them down to their essentials, they are two completely different types of games, and it's not really fair to compare them to one another. They both do certain things better than the other, because they focus on different things to make up their game. Regardless of them being "open world" games, they aren't comparable in the slightest.
 
Why aren't there any GTA options in the poll?

Nvm I found the post explaining it.
 
You have to compare mechanics, because that's what defines their open world gameplay. You can't compare them on the same level. They both do different things. I said at the beginning of this thread, there needs to be two separate categories for both styles, because they're so vastly different. Even if you could go into buildings in GTA, it wouldn't mean much. It wouldn't then be comparable to Skyrim, unless it shifted focus and became an RPG.

The only fair thing to say in this case, is that you prefer one style of open world gameplay, over the other. To compare them equally based on a label, is stupid. You wouldn't compare Skyrim to Final Fantasy because they're both RPG's would you? If a flight simulator gave you an "open world" to fly around in, would it then be appropriate to compare it to Skyrim or GTA? What about an open world racing game like Burnout Paradise? Same dif?



You can become an "assassin" in GTA as well, if you have the imagination, or a serial killer, or a regular Joe who just watches TV in the day, and goes to the strip club at night. They have golf courses and tennis courts to play on, so you can play the "athlete" persona if you want. The only limits are your imagination. That said, that's not it's focus. It's focus is in giving you a world to mess around in. You can't mess around much in Skyrim. Technically you can, but it's not designed the same way, and it's options to just mess around are very limited.

Don't get me wrong, I love Skyrim. All I'm saying is that when you boil them down to their essentials, they are two completely different types of games, and it's not really fair to compare them to one another. They both do certain things better than the other, because they focus on different things to make up their game. Regardless of them being "open world" games, they aren't comparable in the slightest.
There is a disconnect here. Maybe it's because the OP doesn't have much content other than "GTA is the best," and you're right in that we can't discuss a "what game is the best," thread without talking genres and then mechanics. Open world is a very broad term. However, look at the list of options Mick added into the poll. You've got 3rd person shooters, 1st person shooters, RPGs, action/adventure, etc. We could have that discussion, absolutely, but to me we're talking about the worlds. Can you do that without bringing up game mechanics? Absolutely. Cyrodill has more vibrant colors and high fantasy elements. Fallout is a desolate and gray post a apocalyptic wasteland, GTA/Saint's Row/Watch Dogs are in sprawling modern metropolis, Far Cry is a lush jungle full of tigers that eat you every five minutes.

In GTA you cannot go into most buildings. In TES/FO you can. I know WHY we can or cannot, but to act like those decisions can't or shouldn't effect a person's enjoyment of the world is being purposely obtuse. I prefer fantasy settings over modern settings. RPG mechanics aside, TES is also a 3rd person shooter in a sense(magic and archery--and also 1st person too). I prefer the world of TES' Tamriel to Saint's Row's Stilwater. What I'm allowed to do or not do within the constraints of the game isn't affecting how I feel about the world.

So you're right and wrong, as am I. I see what you're saying, we can't say which game is best when the genres are completely different. But we can talk about the open world we're given and point out pros and cons, likes and dislikes, and determine which setting we enjoy the most. Which may or may not be what this thread has turned into, IDK. My initial post--that you quoted-- was in response to the TS saying the GTA worlds are more lively and unique than Tamriel, and not about which game is better.
 
There is a disconnect here. Maybe it's because the OP doesn't have much content other than "GTA is the best," and you're right in that we can't discuss a "what game is the best," thread without talking genres and then mechanics. Open world is a very broad term. However, look at the list of options Mick added into the poll. You've got 3rd person shooters, 1st person shooters, RPGs, action/adventure, etc. We could have that discussion, absolutely, but to me we're talking about the worlds. Can you do that without bringing up game mechanics? Absolutely. Cyrodill has more vibrant colors and high fantasy elements. Fallout is a desolate and gray post a apocalyptic wasteland, GTA/Saint's Row/Watch Dogs are in sprawling modern metropolis, Far Cry is a lush jungle full of tigers that eat you every five minutes.

In GTA you cannot go into most buildings. In TES/FO you can. I know WHY we can or cannot, but to act like those decisions can't or shouldn't effect a person's enjoyment of the world is being purposely obtuse. I prefer fantasy settings over modern settings. RPG mechanics aside, TES is also a 3rd person shooter in a sense(magic and archery--and also 1st person too). I prefer the world of TES' Tamriel to Saint's Row's Stilwater. What I'm allowed to do or not do within the constraints of the game isn't affecting how I feel about the world.

So you're right and wrong, as am I. I see what you're saying, we can't say which game is best when the genres are completely different. But we can talk about the open world we're given and point out pros and cons, likes and dislikes, and determine which setting we enjoy the most. Which may or may not be what this thread has turned into, IDK. My initial post--that you quoted-- was in response to the TS saying the GTA worlds are more lively and unique than Tamriel, and not about which game is better.

This pretty much sums up how I feel about the "open world" aspect of games. I'd almost describe GTA as "faux open world", it's not really an open world, it's designed to give you an impression of an open world.

It's like all them promo pictures of this nice old house on the sea front, but if you actually go and visit that house its just dead map. It serves no purpose other than to make the world feel larger and more grand. If you could go inside and find a nice Easter egg maybe, it would feel so much better, like there's actual reason to go there. You can own a nightclub, you can't actually go inside the nightclub, you just get too look at it from the outside. There's so many points of interest, and nice building's, but no actual reason to go to them.

I understand they couldn't make every building enterable in GTA, but it would make the world feel a lot more open if at least the ones you can interact with in some way, were enterable.
 
I don't think this can be disputed. No other open world games can even hold a candle to gta. Rockstar the first company to do mainstream open world games, and they still make the best by a mile. No comparison, whenever gta 6 comes out it will be the benchmark open world games aspire to be for years once again, just like gta 5.


I would say it depends on your benchmark.

REAL WORLD FEEL

GTA V wins this hands down, especially if you play on PC with the Redux mod. Its gritty, its sexy, the artists that Rockstar employs are fuckin rockstars. Watch Dogs 2 is runner up.


MISSION VARIETY

GTA actually loses here, especially GTA V. GTA San Andreas is still to this day competitive here but its meaningless. Assassins Creed: Origins, Watch Dogs 2, Far Cry win big here. Sleeping Dogs runner up.


TRUE OPEN END GAMEPLAY

What I mean by this is that you can just roam the game world and do shit and the game actually rewards you so.

GTA also loses here. Dead Rising actually wins here, because you can literally just kill zombies and save survivors for hours and hours and level up and learn where the best weapons are. This ad hoc preperation is invaluable when you actually try to complete the main missions. On the same note, Fallout, Elder Scrolls, and Assassins Creed Origins are runner up.

GTA is my favorite open world series but it is mainly because it has a real world feel, excellent characters, and the PC mods are fucking insane.

That said, the the story and missions for GTA V sucked compared to IV. GTA is not a Michael Mann film. I wanted rags to riches story of working for crime bosses, not a fucking heist movie.


I also must end this with a shoutout to Shenmue. Believe it or not, but Shenmue had a deeper open world then most games today would even think of matching. It is still the GOAT of open world games imo.

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I love GTA online. My favorite open world map of all time is the Capital Wasteland. Fallout 3 is all win.
 
my fav gta was vice city by a huge margin. but i never thought of many (most?) on the list as open world (borderlands? *shrug*). i think rdr was a better/funner game than gta v, but gta v was superior as open world.

it seems like there's a vagueness regarding whether this is about the best game or best open world setting/feeling? they'll often be 2 different things...
 
Might as well introduce L.A. Noire into this discussion...
 
Might as well introduce L.A. Noire into this discussion...

Great game. Completely pointless open world. I feel sorry for the people who worked on that aspect of it. Pretty big map, with an impressive attention to detail, that maybe 25% of players will bother to explore.

Not a good sign for an open world game, when it penalizes you for driving around in it. Hit a few telephone polls? Well, that's a star off your mission. Better let your AI partner drive from now on.
 
Great game. Completely pointless open world. I feel sorry for the people who worked on that aspect of it. Pretty big map, with an impressive attention to detail, that maybe 25% of players will bother to explore.

Not a good sign for an open world game, when it penalizes you for driving around in it. Hit a few telephone polls? Well, that's a star off your mission. Better let your AI partner drive from now on.
I have a similar perspective. I just thought I would bring it up since it's one of my all-time favorite games and technically it is open world/sandbox, plus the remastered version just came out.
 
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