Do you love sandbox games where you are free to roam and complete objectives at your own pace? If you enjoy non-linear games with giant maps, PlayStation Plus has got you covered across a wide range of settings, including the streets of Manhattan, epic high fantasy, and sci-fi post-apocalypses. Here are the best open-world games on PS Plus based on their Metacritic review score.
1. Grand Theft Auto V (2014)
Grand Theft Auto V is set in the fictional state of San Andreas, based on Southern California. The game follows three protagonists — Michael, a retired bank robber; Franklin, a street gangster; and Trevor, a drug dealer and gunrunner — who team up to pull off a series of heists while under pressure from a corrupt government agency and powerful criminals. The game features a large open world that can be explored on foot or by vehicle, and a multiplayer mode called Grand Theft Auto Online.
| Metacritic Score | 97 |
| Subscription Plan | Extra |
| Platform | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
| Theme | Crime |
2. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2007)
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a role-playing game set in a fantasy world where the player must complete quests and defeat enemies while exploring the land of Cyrodiil. The game features a character creation system and allows players to choose their own path and play style. The story centers around the player character being chosen as the “Champion of Cyrodiil” to stop a powerful entity from destroying the world. Along the way, players will encounter a variety of characters, creatures, and locations.
| Metacritic Score | 93 |
| Subscription Plan | Premium |
| Platform | PlayStation 3 (stream only) |
| Theme | Fantasy |
3. Fallout 3 (2008)
Fallout 3 is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game set in the year 2277, where the player assumes the role of a character known as the Lone Wanderer in the ruins of Washington D.C. The player navigates through the wasteland, completing quests and interacting with non-playable characters while also having to deal with the dangers of the outside world, such as mutated creatures and hostile factions. The game features a branching narrative, where the player’s choices throughout the game can affect the story’s outcome.
| Metacritic Score | 90 |
| Subscription Plan | Premium |
| Platform | PlayStation 3 (stream only) |
| Theme | Post-apocalypse, Sci-fi |
4. Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition (2017)
Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition is an action role-playing game set in a future where humans live in small tribes and robotic creatures roam the land. Players control Aloy, a skilled hunter and archer, as she sets out to uncover the truth about her past and the mysterious origin of the robotic beasts. Along the way, she must fight against rival tribes and formidable machines, using a variety of weapons and tactics to emerge victorious. The Complete Edition includes the base game as well as all of the downloadable content released for it.
| Metacritic Score | 89 |
| Subscription Plan | Extra |
| Platform | PlayStation 4 |
| Theme | Post-apocalypse, Sci-fi |
5. Horizon Forbidden West (2022)
Join Aloy as she braves the Forbidden West – a majestic but dangerous frontier that conceals mysterious new threats. Explore distant lands, fight bigger and more awe-inspiring machines, and encounter astonishing new tribes as you return to the far-future, post-apocalyptic world of Horizon.
| Metacritic Score | 88 |
| Subscription Plan | Extra |
| Platform | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
| Theme | Post-apocalypse, Sci-fi |
6. Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)
Batman: Arkham Knight is the final installment in the Batman: Arkham series, featuring a storyline that follows Batman as he confronts the Scarecrow and other villains who have taken over Gotham City. Players can use a variety of gadgets and weapons to take down enemies and solve puzzles, as well as control the Batmobile for the first time in the series. The game features a cast of familiar characters from the Batman universe and offers a range of challenges and activities for players to complete.
| MetaCritic Score | 87 |
| Subscription Plan | Extra |
| Platform | PlayStation 4 |
| Theme | Crime, Superhero |
7. Fallout 4 (2015)
Fallout 4 is a role-playing game set in a post-apocalyptic world where players must explore and survive in a desolate wasteland filled with mutated creatures and dangerous factions. As the sole survivor of Vault 111, players must navigate through this harsh world and make choices that will shape the outcome of the game. Players can customize their character and weapons, build and defend their own settlements, and interact with non-playable characters as they progress through the story.
| Metacritic Score | 87 |
| Subscription Plan | Extra |
| Platform | PlayStation 4 |
| Theme | Post-apocalypse, Sci-fi |
8. Far Cry 4 (2014)
Far Cry 4 is a first-person shooter set in a fictional Himalayan country called Kyrat. Players assume the role of Ajay Ghale, a young man returning to Kyrat to fulfill his mother’s dying wish of scattering her ashes in the country of her birth. Ajay finds himself caught in the middle of a civil war between the Royal Army and the Golden Path, a rebel group fighting for Kyrat’s independence. As players progress through the game, they must choose sides and fight against enemy factions to achieve their objectives. The game features a variety of weapons and vehicles, as well as a diverse range of characters and environments to explore.
| MetaCritic Score | 85 |
| Subscription Plan | Extra |
| Platform | PlayStation 4 |
9. inFAMOUS (2009)
inFAMOUS is a third-person action-adventure game that follows the story of a man named Cole who gains superpowers after a massive explosion destroys his city. Players must navigate the open world and make choices that affect the game’s ending. Along the way, they will encounter various enemies and bosses, as well as civilians who will either support or oppose Cole’s actions. The game features a unique electrical power set, allowing players to use a variety of lightning-based attacks and abilities.
| MetaCritic Score | 85 |
| Subscription Plan | Premium |
| Platform | PlayStation 3 (stream only) |
| Theme | Superhero |
10. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020)
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a superhero action-adventure game where players control Miles Morales as he tries to balance his high school life with his responsibilities as Spider-Man. Players will have to use their web-slinging skills to defeat villains, solve puzzles, and explore the city as they uncover the mystery behind a power-stealing villain named the Tinkerer. The game features new and returning characters from the Spider-Man universe, as well as new gameplay mechanics, abilities, and upgrades for Miles.
| MetaCritic Score | 85 |
| Subscription Plan | Extra |
| Platform | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
| Theme | Crime, Superhero |
11. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (2018)
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is an action role-playing video game set in ancient Greece. Players control a character named Alexios or Kassandra, descendants of the Spartan warrior Leonidas, on a journey to uncover their past and change the course of history. Players can choose their own path through the story by making decisions that affect the world around them and engaging in combat and exploration on land and sea. The game features a large open world to explore, a variety of weapons and skills to unlock, and a choice-driven narrative that branches in different directions based on player choices.
| MetaCritic Score | 83 |
| Subscription Plan | Extra |
| Platform | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
| Theme | Fantasy, Historical |
Don’t forget; you can always check out all PlayStation Plus open-world games at PS Plus Guide (where you can filter them by review score, gameplay modes, and more).
