Please note that most if not all of these games are really great in their own right, and 100% completion criteria aren’t exactly indicative of the general experience of playing these games.

With that out of the way, let’s begin:

Yakuza 0

The Yakuza games are known for stuffing a ton of content into a rather small open-world space, and Yakuza 0 is no different. Completing the game to a 100% would require completing every side quest in the game, playing through all the minigames, eating all the dishes available at restaurants, and completing all related combat challenges. What makes Yakuza 0 a markedly more difficult game to tackle is the fact that some of this progress isn’t shared between Kiryu and Majima, so be prepared to spend dozens upon dozens of hours doing the same chores again and again if you wish to get that coveted platinum.

Grand Theft Auto 5

The latest entry in Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto has become the most profitable entertainment product of all time, and that achievement can be credited to the sheer amount of fun that anyone can have within the confines of Los Santos. Take up high-stake heists, blow stuff up, meet strangers, participate in sports or racing, or do all that and a whole lot more with other people in the ever-evolving GTA Online. It’s a game that’s brimming with possibilities, and it’s no surprise that it has remained one of the hottest games around despite being almost a decade old.

Prototype

Radical Entertainment’s Prototype might be the most obvious candidate for such a list, and with good reason. The game sees players assuming the role of Alex Mercer, who has been inflicted with a deadly virus that has given him a plethora of superpowers ranging from the ability to consume and disguise anyone to jumping across buildings and gliding through cityscapes and many more. Using these powers, you can make short work of almost anything and everything that comes in your way – and it feels really empowering to say the least.

Nemesis System – Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor

It seemed fairly simple at first – specific Orcs in Shadow of Mordor were randomly generated with different traits, strengths and weaknesses. Dying to one made it stronger, moving it up the Orc hierarchy, but even failing to secure the kill ensured it would remember you. With tons of different voice-lines, inter-connected allegiances and so on – not to mention the ability to influence the same and eventually bend Orcs to your will – the Nemesis system became one of the most innovative mechanics in gaming. It was expanded even further in Shadow of War with Nemesis Fortresses, bodyguards, betrayals, different classes, and tribes, expanding the web of possibilities even more.

Over the years, we’ve also seen a lot of games with absolutely horrendous voice acting, sometimes with a particular character, other times in the entire game as a whole. And while that’s become less common now than it was a few years back, it still happens every now and again. In this feature, we’ll be taking a look at fifteen games with some of the worst voice over performances we have ever come across.

TIDUS IN FINAL FANTASY 10

The scene in Final Fantasy 10 where Tidus and Yuna laugh into oblivion like maniacs has gone down in history as one of the cringiest in our industry- and for good reason. As bad as that scene is, though, it’s also emblematic of just how bad Tidus’ voicework was for the entirety of the game. Sure, Final Fantasy 10 does deserve some slack, considering that it was the first game in the series to even have voice acting- it’s a good thing the series learned from its mistakes.

METAL GEAR SOLID 5

It’s heartbreaking that a Metal Gear Solid game has to be the one that kicks off a list about disappointing stories, but that’s just the way it is- The Phantom Pain is a masterclass in emergent, system-based gameplay, with stealth mechanics that stand as the very best even to this day. But it’s a game that sheds the story-heavy focus that the series was always known for. Cutscenes are few and far between, while some of the most important storytelling bits are relegated to optional cassette tapes and missable events- don’t even get us started on the ending.

Do keep in mind, that though it’s natural to assume that when we talk about big game maps, we might be talking about open world games only- but that’s not the case. Whether its an open world game, or an open ended game that’s not particularly open world, or a huge map that we’ve seen in multiplayer play- it’s all fair game for this list. Also, do keep in mind that randomly generated maps were not considered for this feature.

A final note before we begin- there’s every possibility that we might have missed out on some game you were expecting to see on this list, and if we did, it’s either because the exact sizes of their maps aren’t known to us, or because we simply forgot! If it’s the former, and you know what the sizes are, please tell us! If it’s the latter, please remind us.

So without further ado, let’s jump into it.

#50. ASSASSIN’S CREED UNITY

The open world action by developers Ubisoft has its fair share of issues, sure, but its world is one aspect that can’t be faulted. It’s a joy to explore, and it’s also pretty big. At about 2.4 km2, there’s more than enough space in this virtual world to explore and lose yourself in.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Of the many games on this list, CD Projekt RED’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has perhaps some of the more memorable side missions in open world gaming (and no, we don’t mean that one where you recover some lady’s frying pan). Venture to a haunted tower to solve the mystery of its dead tenant. Get drunk and lure out a vile creature that’s been feeding on the population. That’s not including all the treasure hunts, monster nests, horse races and other contracts you can partake in for the base game.

Avalanche Software dropped a new trailer for Just Cause 3 during Gamescom 2015 but it wasn’t just a simple one-off appearance. The developer has announced that those who purchase the Xbox One version of the game will include a free copy of Just Cause 2.

Since backwards compatibility for Xbox 360 games will be available on the Xbox One this November, this means that Xbox One owners will be able to play Just Cause 2 on their consoles, thus catching them up on the explosiveness on the series. Be warned though – there’s no extra bells and whistles being added. It won’t even be in HD.

The deal is very similar to Microsoft and Bethesda giving Fallout 3 free to those who pre-order Fallout 4 with backwards compatibility allowing one to play it on the console. Just Cause 3 is out on December 1st so we’ll see how this offer works out for Xbox One sales.

What are your thoughts on the new trailer? Let us know in the comments below.

The first batch of free games on Xbox One and Xbox 360 via Xbox Live’s Games With Gold offer are now available. This enables Xbox Live Gold subscribers access to some key titles that they’d otherwise have to pay for.

Xbox One players get Double Fine Productions’ Massive Chalice, it’s second major crowd-funded title which focuses on strategy. There is also Pool Nation FX which was available last month and has been carried over into June.

Xbox 360 players have it much better. Just Cause 2, Avalanche Software’s breakout open world action title, will be available till June 15th for free. On June 16th to June 30th, Eidos Montreal’s Thief will be available for free. That’s a fairly decent selection, even if Thief isn’t exactly what we’d call “stellar”.

What are your thoughts on this month’s Games With Gold? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned for more information.