5 Open World Games That Just Didn’t Work

It seems open world video games are what every developer and their subsidiary studio thrives to produce these days. Makes sense, I suppose, as they boast far more firepower than the bog-standard linear entry. And yet, just because they're immensely popular, it doesn't for a second mean they're always bound to reap the rewards from trying to be one.

The simple fact is, open world games aren't always that impressive. And honestly, we've seen our fair share of characterless wastelands with little to no likeable qualities to call their own. The five that completely underwhelm us, though, stick out like a sore thumb when put in line with the rest of the entries in the booming genre. But what are they, and what makes them so miserable compared to other, more successful games on the market? Well, here's how we see it.

5. Dynasty Warriors 9

One of the biggest mistakes Omega Force made with Dynasty Warriors was making it open world. Although, to be fair, we understood why it chose to follow such a route, as its previous chapters all stuck to a one-note arena style. However, its lack of experience in forging wider scale maps is what unfortunately went on to stain the series' reputation. Why? Well, because its world was pretty much void of any appealing qualities and characteristics whatsoever.

The barren wasteland that wound up being China was, in all honesty, one of the dullest and most emotionless places to stage the Romance of the Three Kingdoms saga. Battlefields were compressed and stripped of any famous landmarks, and the regions between absolutely reeked of lackluster designs. There was little to do in the wide open abyss, and it resulted in a dramatically underwhelming hack and slash experience with one of the worst open worlds in gaming history.

4. Mafia 3

The reason why Mafia II received such high praise was because of the linear storyline it crammed into a semi-open world setting. Its third instalment, on the other hand, tried to go one step further, broadening its horizons by incorporating a non-linear structure with more to see and do between main missions. The only problem was, well, it wasn't all that good, and was actually pretty bare bones when it came to delivering unique content.

Unfortunately, Mafia 3 is only good when experienced in small bursts. After shoveling through its first few hours, its open world takes the lead, giving you a series of copy and paste tasks to complete for perks and chunks of territory. However, its New Orleans homestead is perhaps one of the most monotonous settings we've ever had the displeasure of traipsing. Thanks to the twenty-plus hours of template missions bouncing back and forth between murky regions, the whole journey becomes more of a slog than a genuinely inviting conquest.

3. Saints Row: Gat out of Hell

Saints Row has a wealthy portfolio of compelling open world playgrounds, true. What it doesn't have, however, is any good DLC. Or at least, not any with settings that match the level of detail as the main series. Gat out of Hell, being just one example, was a pretty awful addition to the franchise, as well as a general disservice to an otherwise fantastic saga.

As much fun as it was being able to play as Gat for the very first time, the fiery pits of Hell really weren't all they were cracked up to be. If anything, the entire canvas lacked any form of creativity and vigor, and was basically strewn with two or three chalky color schemes and nothing more. It was a cheeky cash grab, what more can we say about it? Volition knew all too well what it was doing with this one, and yet it still didn't stop them from scraping the barrel for some of the worst ingredients of all time. Go figure.

2. Far Cry: New Dawn

Let's go ahead and call Far Cry: New Dawn for what it really is, which is an ultraviolet rehash of Far Cry 5. It's incredibly difficult to picture it as anything else, and it definitely borders the cash grab line more than the genuine spin-off region. Ubisoft, on the other hand, couldn't have cared less when piecing together the pinkish clone.

New Dawn is a direct sequel to Far Cry 5, set in the exact same corner of the world, that being Hope County, Montana. Its map, while spoilt by a nuclear war, is really just a reimagined version of the Far Cry 5 one. Because of this, the criticism is justifiable, as it really is just a reflection of the series' previous release. It's laziness, clear as day, and it comes as no surprise that the game sold less copies than Far Cry Primal.

1. Crackdown 3

Granted, there are some series that work as a trilogy. Crackdown, however, isn't one of those series. The simple fact is, it should've parted ways with the Xbox storefront following its debut chapter. Its developer, on the other hand, remained determined to surpass the hype of rival Xbox exclusives, hence the endless spool of sloppy sequels.

Crackdown 3 was the nail in the coffin for the fractured IP. In spite of its roster having some noteworthy figures such as Terry Crews and the likes, its open world was as ordinary as it was boring. And to think, this was scripted to be a mayhem-fueled world that would take on the likes of Just Cause. It's almost laughable now, of course, and seeing it for how it wound up brings us nothing more than second-hand embarrassment.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our top five? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.