Summary
Over the decades, Sony has published hundreds of projects across a spectrum of genres, be it horror, platformers, or third-person action. Although not specifically associated with the brand,PlayStation open-world gamesare relatively common, at least in the sense that most years seem to produce at least one title that fits the bill.
In some ways, Sony’s releases chronicle the genre’s growth throughout the last two decades, representing how far the open-world format has come sincethe PS2 era. And, the console creator has published some of the greatest titles of all time. Let’s take a look atSony’s best PlayStation open-world games.
Although good in isolation,Jak 2andJak 3can be disappointing depending on a player’s expectations. If someone goes in craving an experience similar toJak & Daxter, they might be dissatisfied by the sequels' shift away from platforming and towards gun-based combat, driving, and sandbox-lite gameplay.Jak 2can be frustrating as well, and its take on the open-world formula is let down by repetitive environments and a lack of actual side content to justify the many voyages through the wasteland.
While mostly doubling down onJak 2’s ideas, Naughty Dog’s sequel incorporates ground vehicles and a touch more platforming.Jak 3’s open-world is a slight improvement over its predecessor, largely thanks to more interesting locations and better pacing. The result is a polarizing game that is generally a blast, even if it might not be what every long-time fan of the franchise wanted at the time.
In apost-GTA 3world, the open-world genre was still fitting its footing, with most developers trying to put a unique spin on Rockstar’s formula. Team Soho’sThe Getawaywas arguably among the most successful and fresh attempts, largely thanks to a British gangster setting and an emphasis on immersion over sandbox-style mayhem. Told from two perspectives, the story follows a robber and a police officer, and it harbors back to film classics while still making good use of the gaming industry’s unique elements.
The Getaway’s crowning achievement was its realistic recreation of London, which was incredibly detailed for the era. During missions, the game minimizes screen clutter as much as possible, forcing players to pay attention to environmental landmarks rather than just follow check markers mindlessly.
Honestly,The Getawayhas not aged amazingly and suffers from underwhelming non-driving sections, along with a free-roam that does not have much to offer in terms of content. However, it was impressive for a PS2 title. Unfortunately, the series went on to produce two pretty bad follow-up games, bringing its momentum to a screeching halt.
While hardly hated,Days Gonegarnered a fairly mixed reception for a PS4 exclusive, a consequence of zombie fatigue and a launch version with its share of technical issues. Bend Studio crafted anexpansive post-apocalyptic worldthat is visually remarkable and fun to drive across, even if it does not necessarily break any new ground in terms of presentation or structure.
Despite having an uneven story that takes quite a long time to pick up momentum,Days Goneshines in a few key areas that make it well worth a playthrough if, for example, somebody has a PS Plus subscription. For one, upgrading and customizing Deacon’s bike is not only addictive but also creates a strong bond with the hardware. While zombies might be overdone,Days Goneknocks its horde mechanic out of the park, managing to overwhelm players with sheer quantity. Running into these undead armies is always tense, and their presence looms large over the full campaign.
Now, here is an acquired taste.Death Strandingis Hideo Kojima’s unfiltered creation, an ambitious open-world game that instills asense of isolationbetter than (nearly) any other entry in the genre. Bizarre, cryptic, and well-acted, the story takes plenty of peculiar turns. However, at its core, it is about a delivery man who is trying to set up a connection throughout a post-apocalyptic United States.
Death Stranding’s main gameplay loop sees players going on long treks across rough terrain while carrying packages. Unlike most games,Death Strandingforces players to be constantly actively engaged as they have to monitor the protagonist’s walk cycle. Frankly, this mechanic will make or break the game for most people; however, if it clicks with someone, they will find an experience unlike any other.
Sadly,Infamousseems to be a thing of the past nowadays, with the final project coming out in 2014 and Sucker Punch moving on toGhost of Tsushima. Fortunately, all the games are relatively accessible and have aged pretty well. While the PS4 releases have great gameplay and visuals, they are a step below the PS3 duology as overall packages.Infamousand its sequel chronicle Cole MacGrath rise as a reluctant hero, with the first entry set in Empire City and the follow-up moving things to New Marais.
Even if they are not particularly huge by modern standards, both games have fantastic sandboxes that accommodate Cole’s unique traversal abilities beautifully. However,Infamousis primarily remembered for its Karma system, which allows players to decide whether they want to be a hero or a villain. Cole’s abilities change accordingly, and the two paths are different enough to warrant multiple playthroughs. In terms of pure entertainment,Infamous 2is the better of the two entries; however, the original game tells a stronger story.
A person’s enjoyment ofGravity Rush 2is going to come down to their appreciation for its traversal system. As implied by the title,the gameplay revolves around manipulating gravity, allowing Kat to change her pull and fly through the sky. While coming with a learning curve, the controls are reasonably intuitive and, once mastered, become second nature.
When the simple act of movement is a pleasure, an open-world game is already a success story. Thankfully,Gravity Rush 2also has a vibrant color palette, a lovable protagonist, decent-enough combat, and a solid story that has just enough charm to make up for its slower moments.
4Horizon Series
Metascore: 89 (Horizon Zero Dawn); 88 (Horizon Forbidden West)
In the last five years, Guerrilla’sHorizonhas arguably established itself as PlayStation’s main open-world IP.Horizon Zero DawnandForbidden Westshare many of the same traits and positives, to the point that there is very little separating them in terms of quality. Both games have gorgeous, detailed, and massive open-worlds that make good use of environmental storytelling.
While humans make for bland enemies, the games shine the brightest when Aloy finds herself going up against mecha dinosaurs, be it the small ones that can be tamed or gigantic entities like the Thunderjaw or Stormbird.Horizonnails its sense of scale, both in its monster designs and world presentation.
Be it Japan Studio’s 2005 original or Bluepoint’s 2018 remake,Shadow of the Colossusis a work of art. Now, compared to the standard open-world formula,this journey is far more linear. To save a girl, players must track down and kill 16 colossi, stunning creatures that are generally bothering nobody. Therefore, players head out into a relatively barren land in search of these creatures. Basically, the map is one huge boss arena.
While lacking many elements associated with the theme,Shadow of the Colossusnevertheless stands as one of thebest PlayStation open-world gamesever. As players roam through the beautiful but empty terrain, they have plenty of time to reflect on their actions, creating a cerebral and thought-provoking experience that will continue to be remembered long after the credits roll.
Graduating fromInfamous, Sucker Punch turned its sights on crafting a historical epic set in Japan. One of the PS4’s swan songs,Ghost of Tsushimapushed the console to its absolute limit, dropping players into a graphically immaculate world that was about as photo-realistic as the hardware allowed at the time.
Despite the story being divisive (and the side quests not reaching the same heights as games likeThe Witcher 3),GoTis still a masterpiece, largely due to its exploration, presentation, combat, and style. Rather than reinventing the modern open-world formula,Ghost of Tsushimaarguably perfected it, delivering an experience that gets the basics right while shining in the areas that matter the most.
1Marvel’s Spider-Man Series
Metascore: 87 (Spider-Man); 85 (Miles Morales); 90 (Spider-Man 2)
Remember that part about movement being key? Well, Insomniac’sSpider-Mantrilogyarguably has the best movement in the open-world genre. Despite taking place in enormous recreations of New York and featuring a competent fast travel method, the simple act of swinging across the city’s skyline is so enjoyable that it feels like a punishment to not use it. As cliché as it sounds, these games allow players to feel like they are Spider-Man, and that goes beyond just the swinging. The combat is flashy and acrobatic, and Peter and Miles' moves evolve well throughout all three campaigns.
Now, these games are not perfect. All three of them struggle with their open-world filler, with most of the content being repetitive and uninspired.Spider-Man 2was a step in the right direction in this area, but it was only a slight improvement rather than a substantial overhaul. The stories and characters are generally top-tier and reflect the source material well, although someone’s mileage may vary.
Still, even with those criticisms, Insomniac crafted something special withSpider-Man, and it repeated that process two more times.
