5 Best Fantasy Open-World Games That Are Gameplay Focused

Nintendo’s Breath of the Wild shattered open-world design with its physics and chemistry engines, challenging players to solve problems creatively rather than following scripted paths, making it one of the best fantasy open-world games to this day.

• Nonlinear Exploration: Free movement that was previously unprecedented is enabled by climbing nearly any surface and paragliding across Hyrule.
• Physics & Chemistry Systems: Metal objects draw lightning when storms are present, and you can use the environment as a weapon.
• Resource Crafting: Hunt, gather, and prepare food or elixirs to recover health and earn status rewards, introducing survival mechanics into the essence of the gameplay loop.

2. Elden Ring

Elden Ring by FromSoftware stretches the Dark Souls formula to an expansive open world, finding a balance between fierce combat and exploration of the environment.

• Mounted Exploration: Ride across the Lands Between on Torrent, perfectly combining mounted travel and foot travel encounters.
• Ashes of War & Weapon Arts: Inscribe your weapons with socketed enchantments that grant special abilities, motivating diverse combat options.
• Hidden Dungeons & Bosses: Venture through secret catacombs and caverns for high-level gear, ensuring exploration directly influences character progress.

3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 3 weaves together intricate RPG mechanics and a living world of fantasy flawlessly, with fluid combat and moral choices being the pillars.

• Dynamic Combat & Signs: Switch between steel and silver swords, cast magical Signs like Aard or Igni, and improvise around enemy weaknesses on the fly.
• Open-World Quests: Engage in contracts, sidequests, and treasure hunts that feel handcrafted and not like generic fetch quests.
• Bestiary & Preparation: Discover monsters in the in-game bestiary and use that information to prepare oils and potions, making each hunt a tactical proposition.

4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Bethesda’s Skyrim remains the benchmark for open-world freedom, allowing players to forge their very own path through a richly detailed Nordic region.

• Skill-Based Progression: Level up by getting things done, like crafting blades, casting spells, or stalking prey, so development tracks playstyle.
• Dual Perspectives: Switch between first- and third-person views, both facilitating immersive role-play and cinematic exploration.
• Fast Travel & Mounts: Travel on horseback or utilize the fast-travel system across great wilderness, dungeons, and cities on your terms.

5. Dragon’s Dogma

Capcom’s Dragon’s Dogma mixes high-fantasy combat with new companion AI, offering emergent combat experiences against huge foes It even got an expanded version titled Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen!

• Pawn System: Design and share AI-controlled companions (Pawns) that offer combat support, strategic advice, and even social attachment.
• Climbing & Grappling: Scale griffins or boss monsters in combat, making hack-and-slash into dynamic, multi-stage combat.
• Dynamic World: Day-night cycles and weather that influence monster behavior and visibility, making exploration richer.

Final Thoughts

Fantasy open-world games thrive when gameplay drives the experience. Each title on this list proves that compelling mechanics, thoughtful world design, and player freedom can create unforgettable adventures.

So whether you’re shouting draconic words in Skyrim or hunting down your bounties in The Witcher 3, the best experiences come from how the world responds to your actions. For fans of immersive, gameplay-first fantasy, these five open-world games are essential.