Open world games are some of the most relaxing titles in gaming because they don't require you to walk the set path in front of you. Yes you may have to do specific objectives to continue but in actuality one could play The Incredible Hulk and just smash buildings never starting a mission. It's that freedom that sets these titles apart from the norm.
#5 Saints Row 2
When Grand Theft Auto went serious Saints Row went silly. At it's best in co-op Saints Row 2 is a fantastic open world title with a crazy amount of things to do. The missions are hilarious and suprisingly the game's side missions in the form of mini games are drop dead hysterical. The game has issues with some freezing if not installed, and AI is a handful to deal with when friendly AI gets lost. I once had a homey you could call on for help vanish and reappear randomly ten hours later walking into a wall in an interior staircase.
#4 Just Cause 2
Although a single player excursion, Just Cause 2 is one of those games that doesn't come around often. It's one of prettiest games of this generation coupled with a grappling hook mechanic that makes Spider-Man jealous. Just Cause 2's one goal is to let you cause destruction and havoc in it's extremely large world. The one bad thing about the game is the short mission mode littered with the bonus of terrible voice acting.
#3 Spider-Man 2
One of the best super hero games of all time, Spider-Man 2 gives you the entire city of New York to swing around in. The web swinging feels authentic and is a lot of fun, later Spider-Man games best feature is the swinging to give you perspective. What made Spider-Man 2 a complete game were fun missions that tied into the movie loosely enough to make boss encounters surprising.
#2 Crackdown
The sandbox title that defined multiplayer free roaming is still one of the greatest co-op games of all time. With a lot to collect and many multiplayer achievements to do two gamers can spend a month easily playing this fantastic title. For those looking to screw around Crackdown offers a keys to the city mode that lets you truly play in your sandbox as you summon exploding barrels, ramps, cars and more.
#1 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
The high point of the Grand Theft Auto series took gamers back to the early 1990s for a look at how the west coast handles things. CJ was a very likeable hero and his larger than life adventures were a fantastic puzzle piece that fit into the backdrop. The game has aged some but still remains the last Grand Theft Auto that got that you could tell a serious story without being serious.
Honorable Mentions
- Bully
- Fallout 3
- Grand Theft Auto 3
- Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
- Red Dead Redemption
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