Many of these games are so addictive and well-designed, you’re probably going to be thinking about them when you’re not playing them. Let’s get started!

1. Where Winds Meet

This wuxia-based RPG is simply unmatched when it comes to the number of activities it offers you, the quality of each one, and the variety you can find. It’s an open world where exploration without having a specific destination in mind is the best possible way to experience it, with a lot of great side content baked into the game aside from a compelling main campaign.

With online multiplayer and MMO elements integrated into the gameplay loop, and combat and gear systems that are great for creating unique PvP characters, there’s just so much to do in this game, and so much more to come with subsequent updates, that hitting triple figures on your playtime is almost an inevitability.

2. EA Sports FC 26

The football simulator that’s been around forever continues to be a viable option for a game that has you coming back to it every chance you get, for a very long time after you first boot it up. With a very detailed Career mode, regular online events, the option to pit your team against your friend, or perhaps have a buddy join your team instead, there’s a lot to experience.

The gameplay on offer is also quite solid, with a lot of realism baked into the experience to make you feel like you’re on the pitch and not staring at it through a screen. However, its systems and some of its challenges are going to require that you literally put your best foot forward on the pitch. If you decide to dive into this one, the game is on and is going to stay that way for a while.

3. Fortnite

Once again, there’s so much to do in Fortnite, which is more of a platform than a game at this point. With so many modes on offer, regular content being added into the game, social features that make it a blast when it’s enjoyed in company, and a PvP Battle Royale mode that has become quite popular in its own right, this one’s definitely a game where 200 hours might go by before you even notice.

Dive in and you’re going to find a lot of freedom for self-expression, and a lot of fun to be had on the islands. Just be careful not to put too much of a strain on your wallet, as those outfits and goodies can be very tempting indeed.

4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim + Expansions

Step into the shoes of the Dragonborn and begin your journey into Skyrim, and you’re probably not going to look at another video game until you’ve explored every corner of its sprawling map. Anything can happen along the road to your next point of interest, and with some of the finest RPG mechanics to grace the genre, you’re going to spend a lot of time tinkering with your build.

This is an RPG that has more than earned its popularity and ranks high among modern gaming’s finest for a reason. It’s also smart to dive in now and perhaps brush up on the story ahead of the sequel that’s eventually coming our way. The expansions are worth a mention, and can add a significant amount of hours to your total playtime. Every second of them is going to be worth it, though.

5. GTA Online

A thriving community of players, a massive map to explore in San Andreas, and interesting activities to engage with. GTA Online was kind of a no-brainer for this list. With heists to plan and execute, quests to carry out for some of the main story’s characters, and a reputation to build for your silent protagonist, this one’s going to have you avoiding plans and spending your weekends indoors for a while.

It’s GTA at its finest, and if the delay to GTA VI has had you feeling down, perhaps this one can act as a suitable placebo until the real thing gets here.

6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt + Story Expansions

Geralt’s search for Ciri, and all the shenanigans he can get up to in the process, continues to be among the best open-world games we’ve played despite it being a decade old at this point. CDPR’s ability to hide a frankly overwhelming amount of secrets across three vast maps, and a whole lot of quality side content to distract the Witcher from looking for his adoptive daughter, is nothing short of a marvel.

The story expansions are a whole other ball game, bringing some very satisfying arcs full of possibilities to change the narrative’s direction, along with excellent new monsters to hunt and more secrets and lore to uncover. You might not be able to get enough of this one, if we’re being honest.

7. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

The first open-world Metal Gear Solid is a great option for those of you who like a game that takes a while to outstay its welcome. Big Boss’s adventures continue in a main campaign that works very well as a bridge between previous entries, while side ops, Metal Gear Online, and the Forward Operating Base systems are all reasons for this one to have you enjoying many entertaining hours of espionage and skullduggery.

Indeed, a significant part of your playtime is going to be planning the best possible route to your objectives without your enemies being none the wiser to your presence. This is a hunt that takes a satisfyingly long time and is definitely worth considering.

8. Destiny 2

This award-winning online FPS title from Bungie has a staggering amount of content for you to take on in its story-based PvE mode, while your multiplayer options range from cooperative three-player missions to PvP battles. There’s a lot to take in, both in terms of the game’s lore and the amount of gear and potential build options you can find.

With a lot of content to get through, and a lot of fun to be had as you dive into all it has to offer, Destiny 2 is a dream come true if you’re an FPS player who wants a game that can take over their holidays.

9. Elden Ring + Shadow of the Erdtree

FromSoftware’s ambitious open-world and the Tarnished’s incredible journey is nothing short of a masterpiece. The Lands Between are full of places to explore, mysteries to uncover, NPCs with haunting stories, and a lot of weapons, armor, gear, and loot to plunder as you try to become Queen Marika’s consort and impose your will on the world.

It’s easy to forget about all that as you ride your horse through the Lands Between, and that feeling only intensifies when you finally make your way to the Land of Shadow in the game’s DLC. Tracing the steps of Miquella is an adventure worth taking on, and coupled with the base game, this one’s a behemoth.

10. Monster Hunter: World + Expansions

Taking on the role of a representative of the Research Commission and exploring every region and zone of the New World was a fun and engaging experience from start to finish. There are so many monsters to hunt, so much to discover, and a whole lot of activities to engage in at your camp and the main base.

Quests flow from one to another almost as smoothly as the water in some parts of the New World, and you’re going to be helping your fellow companions and NPCs while having tons of fun along the way. It helps that this is a game that’s both charming in its writing and enchanting on the visual front. You can’t go wrong with this one, and it’s going to have you getting very creative in your approach to each distinct monster you’re tasked with bringing down.

11. Dragon’s Dogma 2

This sequel was an excellent new addition to Dragon’s Dogma. It was a pleasure to step into the shoes of the Arisen once again, and each of the playable classes brought something interesting to the table. But it’s when you begin to dive deeper into the world’s mysteries and begin to discover more about it that this one’s true depth shows itself.

You’re going to want to place your teleporting stones quite carefully, as the rest of the world actually has you travelling across it, navigating set pathways via a travel system, while the world’s unpredictability can make those trips quite treacherous indeed. This is an experience that is both memorable and filled with so much content and so little hand-holding that you’re going to be obsessed with discovering more about the world and the people you meet within it.

12. Red Dead Redemption 2

Arthur Morgan is an obvious contender for a place on this list of massive games, and his adventures are so extensive that it can be hard to believe one man lived through them all. From kicking back with mini-games to exploring some truly bizarre stories that can come to you in multiple ways, this is a game that can have you walking and talking like a cowboy from the Wild West every chance you get.

It’s among the finest games in modern gaming, and its world is so full of clever little details to discover that hopping on your horse for a new day of exploring is going to take precedence over your leisure time for a very entertaining and lengthy block of time.

13. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla + Expansions

As the largest one in the franchise, Valhalla’s unique take on living your life as a noble Viking and uncovering the conspiracy across England, is a world worth getting lost in.

The game’s expansions do more to set up a lot of things, while coming with some brilliant new adventures for Eivor to pursue, complete with members of shadowy organizations to hunt down. It’s quite a tale, and a very large one full of fun things to do. Switching the cinematic camera on during a boat ride could have you spending more hours on this one than you’d like to admit.

14. No Man’s Sky

As one of modern gaming’s greatest comeback stories, this is a game that stands in its own class in terms of its shelf life. It’s an almost endless adventure, its narrative justifying multiple playthroughs in a way that makes total sense, while the completely random worlds that you get to explore and engage with are quite hard to leave once you start with them.

No Man’s Sky is a story about enjoying the journey, while also waiting eagerly to see what you’re going to find at its destination. It’s going to have you pushing past your bedtime with a smile on your face, and a sense of wonder compelling you to move forward and see just what you’re about to find.

15. Baldur’s Gate 3

With a stellar cast of actors bringing several NPCs to life, and an expertly narrated Dungeons and Dragons-based tale to have their settings intertwine with yours, Larian Studio’s banger continues to be a game that you can keep replaying, with astounding build variety and stories that never truly take place the same way when you play them.

There’s the Honour Mode, cross-platform modding support, co-op and online multiplayer, and a very dark take on the story to play through. Faerun is a great holiday destination, although the things you might find there can stay in the darkest corners of your mind rent-free.

16. Stardew Valley

We weren’t going to leave out one of the ultimate farming simulations from this one. Stardew Valley belongs here, with a playtime that doesn’t really end. You’re going to keep coming back to the farm that you grew from scratch, a town gradually building out of the effort you sink into, and the relationships with its many NPCs you build along the way.

No two days are the same out in this valley, and bringing in the online component is a great way to make this one as immersive as it can be, thanks to a thriving community of die-hard fans. You’re going to feel very welcome in this one, and you might choose to stay with it for a very long time to come.

17. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

This life sim always has a goal to reach, and things to do to get there. The Nook Miles system is its highlight, while the charming world and its uniquely retro art style make it stand out. Building out your presence in its world is an activity on its own, and you’re going to be quite obsessed with placing your buildings in a layout that’s to your liking, while getting them constructed has you constantly checking back into the game.

This is a game where you come to relax, and do that quite often, thanks to how entertaining it is to play, and how satisfying it is to stay with.

18. Gran Turismo 7

This PlayStation-exclusive racing sim is a great option for those of you who’d like to spend your time behind the wheel of a fast car on some of the world’s most iconic tracks. With PSVR2 support, incredible visuals, a very realistic translation of each car’s real-life track performance, and a lot of options to enjoy races at your disposal, you’re going to rack up a lot of miles on your ODO once you get started with this one.

The astounding visuals work very well with the game’s many systems that work well together to make your time on the track feel truly authentic, and push you to try taking those corners as well as you can. It’s time to let those engines loose and enjoy the results for hours on end.

19. Satisfactory

For a game carrying its title, this one is more than satisfactory, and can have you very immersed in building out your space base in your role as the Pioneer. Your factories are soon going to have you thinking about them while you’re away from your PC, and the potential for self-expression is almost humming with endless possibilities.

While its map is almost overwhelmingly large for most players, the ones who invest the time in hunting down as much to do as they can in this game are going to have a lot of fun building out their factories and playing their part in developing the corporation that put them there. Satisfactory is unique, visually distinct, well-executed, and simply fun to play, plain and simple.

20. Mass Effect Legendary Edition

This is the definitive way to enjoy a trilogy of legendary titles, bringing improved visuals and performance while also bringing in each title’s DLC and expansions into one title with a single character creator and the option to launch any of the three games from a unified menu.

If you’re familiar with the Mass Effect games, you already know that you’re going to be spending inordinate amounts of time with each one. You also know that their replay value is off the charts, and it can be easy to lose yourself in this trilogy’s expansive universe, where spending several hours making memories in it can become an entire holiday on its own.

That wraps up our list of the largest games you can get your hands on. We hope you have as much fun playing them as we did, and that the one you pick gives you many fond memories as you play it.

As of March 31, Monster Hunter Wilds has now sold a total of 28.5 million units, including sales for its Master Edition (which also includes the Iceborne expansion). That’s up from 28.1 million units as of the end of 2024. Meanwhile, Iceborne’s standalone sales now stand at 15.2 million units, up from 14.9 million units three months prior.

Monster Hunter Rise is also continuing to move numbers. It now sits at 17.1 million units sold, having added 400,000 units to its lifetime sales over the course of the January-March quarter. Meanwhile Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak has crossed 9.8 million units sold, 9.4 million units.

Then there’s Monster Hunter Wilds, of course, which has sold 10.1 million units since its February release up until March 31, a marginal increase from the previously announced 10 million figure.

Capcom has also announced updated sales for Resident Evil titles. Read more on that through here.

25. Safi’jiiva (Iceborne)

If Xeno’jiiva was the somewhat awkward final boss for World, then Safi’jiiva is its revenge arc. As a Siege quest, it has the same requirements as Kulve Taroth – 16 Hunters in separate groups of four, battling and breaking its parts to slay it. The difference is its sheer power and range of attacks, especially the beams, which it can fire off at a moment’s notice. It also possesses a supernova attack that, like Behemoth’s Ecliptic Meteor, recovers by running behind cover to evade. While it becomes easier as you bring more suitable weapons for breaking its parts and taking advantage of the environment, soloing Safi’jiiva is another endeavor entirely.

30. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

Don’t Nod’s second major action RPG, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden was released early last year, and it turned out to be a way better experience than Vampyr. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden was an excellent action role playing game with plenty to do with story being its main focus. Throughout the game’s narrative, players would have to make tough decisions which can result in any of the five endings.

Speaking to MP1st, producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and director Yuya Tokuda said, “Currently, for Monster Hunters Wilds, the general gameplay is planned for four-player multiplayer. Like we had for Monster Hunter World, which was the Kulve Taroth, which was a 16-player raid, we don’t have something like that planned for the end-game of Monster Hunter Wilds right now.”

As for whether this was due to a technical reason, they replied, “So similar to Monster Hunter World, the raid quest wasn’t available in the game, it was added as an update after the game launched. Similar to Monster Hunter World, we want users in Monster Hunter Wilds to generally get used to the gameplay first and enjoy it, then move on to the more challenging part, more enjoyable content after they finish.

“So in the game itself, when we launch it, we don’t have plans for raid quests. It’s similar to how we ran Monster Hunter World. It’s an intention that we didn’t add it, and it’s not a technical one.”

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the development team won’t ever add something similar – only that it’s absent at launch and not currently planned. Plans could always change, though.

Monster Hunter Wilds launches on February 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Post-launch, fans can look forward to Mizutsune as the first free post-launch monster, arriving in Title Update 1 alongside event quests and other updates. Another monster will join the roster this Summer with even more event quests, so stay tuned for more details.

The New Improved Mount

Monster Hunter World allowed mounts in different locales after Iceborne dropped, but first, you had to befriend different tribes. It would transport you to a target – otherwise, its mobility was limited. The Seikret in Wilds, on the other hand, is freeform and can go almost wherever you please on top of gliding (though it can also be set to automatically guide you to a monster). Plus, you don’t need to jump through hoops to get one (that we know of).

Multilingual Palicoes

While Palicoes were content to meow their way through World with the Felyne language (with subtitles conveying their intent), Wilds allows them to fully speak English and Japanese. Depending on your taste, this may be either too good to be true or utterly annoying. The good news is that the Felyne language is still available in case you want to go back to the incessant meowing.

Pick up Traps and Explosive Barrels

Have you ever placed a trap and wandered about, hoping that the monster would walk your way and trigger it? How about accidentally placing an explosive barrel and not saving it for the big wake-up damage? You really couldn’t do much in World, save for returning to camp and restocking, but Wilds lets you pick up traps and explosive barrels after setting them. It’s a brave new world, truly.

New Moves

The trademark weapon trees have seen their changes, buffs, and new moves over the years, and Wilds is no exception. While several move sets from World remain, like the Sword and Shield’s Perfect Rush, the Longsword is now much more dependent on filling the Spirit Gauge for specific slashes. Picking up your favorite weapon should feel familiar yet depending on which one, it could offer a world of untapped potential compared to World.

Tenderizing vs. Focus Strikes

Of course, there are also Focus Strikes, which target wounds and inflict massive damage on a monster when performed correctly. It’s a huge contrast to tenderizing post-Iceborne, where players had to grapple and then attack a monster’s body part with the clutch claw. This allowed for dealing more damage and players having a higher critical hit chance against it for a period. Meanwhile, in Wilds, keep attacking a part to create a wound and then Focus Strike to damage it.

Carrying a Second Weapon

Sometimes, you embark on a quest with the wrong weapon – it happens to all of us. However, Monster Hunter Wilds has found a pretty great solution – you can now carry a second weapon on your mount and switch to it. This is also ideal if you feel like your current weapon isn’t doing the best and a swap is required. Just make sure both of them aren’t the wrong weapons.

Slinger Hook Changes

Ah, the Slinger Hook – my best friend at times in World, and my worst enemy when it came to grappling monsters in Iceborne. The latter doesn’t return, thankfully, but you can use the former to obtain items from afar while on your mount. It makes gathering so much easier without slowing down the tempo of exploration.

Starting Hunts in the Wild

Gone are the days when you had to continuously return to base or even camp (in the case of the Guiding Lands) to turn in quests and take on more. Now you can start a hunt upon attacking a monster, with the related quests popping up, though Mission Boards and accepting quests from the Handler are still a thing.

Cooking Meals on the Go

Cooking meat on the portable BBQ is one thing, but how about cooking an entire meal on the go? Wilds allows for it. Best of all, you’ll receive rations from the Ingredient Center, which can be used as whatever ingredients you want. It’s still possible to cook meals in camps, but there are also feasts that are initiated when venturing to new villages (which are more dramatic than anything but still incredible to behold).

NPC Hunters

Monster Hunter Rise featured this, but Wilds is going further, allowing players to summon an entire team to help out. How beneficial they’ll be without Wyvern Riding to supplant the damage remains to be seen, but if you never play online, it could be the closest to having other hunters helping out.

Monster Corpses

After slaying a monster in World, its corpse would eventually turn transparent and disappear after carving. Thank goodness for current-gen hardware because after carving them up, the corpse will remain and slowly decompose until there are bones left. It’s the little things, but they add so much more to the immersion.

More Radial Menus

One of the more underrated quality-of-life changes is having eight radial menus instead of the usual four from World. This means even more customization for items, ammo, emotes, traps, etc. It’s even possible to customize the number of slots for each, keeping things more manageable.

Dynamic Weather

When venturing out for hunts in World, you could arrive in stormy weather and rain. Which was neat and whatnot, but in Wilds, the weather will actually transform the locale in question. The Windward Plains could go from peaceful to engulfed in a sandstorm or dodging lightning. There are even different resources and endemic life which become available depending on the weather.

Underwater Exploration

Water combat is sadly not returning, but it’s now possible to freely explore underwater and gather materials. Compare this to Monster Hunter World, which used underwater swimming sections as transitions in areas rather than providing full freedom. And who knows? Maybe this could herald the return of underwater monsters and combat in a future expansion for Wilds.

Monsters With Higher Health and Flinch Values

One of the more interesting changes in Wilds is that its monsters have higher health and flinch values compared to those in World. This isn’t a simple bump to make hunts longer, though. Director Yuya Tokuda said it’s due to the new Focus Strikes and how much damage they can deal with. “It’s not as if that was our intention from the start, but health did end up being a little bit higher than World once we thought about maintaining appropriate playtimes and player satisfaction compared to past titles.”

You can also expect monsters to have higher flinch resistance, though they won’t feel more tedious, per Tokuda. “Part of the purpose of Focus Mode is to allow players to feel more accomplished through shorter loops. We tried to design it so that the time they spend hunting is even more concentrated than before.” However, some Focus Strikes on specific weapons were a bit too strong in the beta and will be more “standardized” for the game.

Of course, the figure includes Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition, which bundles the base game and its expansion. The former has sold 21.30 million units on its own while Iceborne is at 14.90 million sales. Meanwhile, Monster Hunter Rise has sold 16.70 million, up from 16 million, while its Sunbreak expansion is at 9.40 million sales.

Capcom is currently prepping for the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds on February 28th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. A second open beta is scheduled for later this week, though the action RPG will receive 15 minutes of new details on February 4th, 2 PM PT.

The event brought Final Fantasy‘s Behemoth to the series as an MMO raid-styled fight with this HUD element. Final Fantasy 14 producer Naoki Yoshida provided the idea to Yuya Tokuda (the director of Wilds) at the time.

It allowed players to keep an eye on what attacks the monster would be using. Various mechanics hinged on it, such as taking cover behind comets during the meteor attack. This feature will likely help players get better at their chosen weapons in Wilds, allowing them to understand which moves can combo into other attacks.

Capcom also took some ideas from its work with CD Projekt RED on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt collaboration in World. The quest had players take on the role of Geralt. While the core gameplay was still that of Monster Hunter World, players got to make use of dialogue choices and even some of Geralt’s magical abilities as they take on a Leshen.

Monster Hunter Wilds will similarly feature dialogue choices throughout its story, which will allow players to learn more about the story and its characters. It contrasts several past titles, where the protagonists have been silent, at most offering a grunt or two in the heat of battle.

Check out the game’s developers talking about how monster rosters are decided for games in the franchise and why monsters will have higher health and flinch thresholds in Wilds. You can also learn more about Capcom wanting players to approach hunts from a “nature-focused perspective”.

As for PC players, the company stated that it is looking into lowering the requirements on PC. It also expressed interest in a benchmark tool, though it’s not confirmed.

Monster Hunter Wilds launches on February 28th for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. A Capcom Showcase is set for February 4, where it will reveal upcoming titles like Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Street Fighter 6, Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, and Capcom Fighting Collection 2. It will be followed by a 15-minute-long presentation on Wilds.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

After their success, many wondered where BioWare’s next game could venture. Few expected Star Wars; even fewer expected perhaps the best story in the franchise to date with Knights of the Old Republic. As an amnesiac Jedi, players explore well-worn and brand-new locations while becoming reacquainted with the Force. With stellar writing and companions, an excellent combat system, and the alignment system dictating one’s bent towards the Light or Dark side, Knights of the Old Republic is an iconic title for any RPG and Star Wars fan.

Capcom has announced that Monster Hunter Wilds has sold 27 million units worldwide as of September 30. That’s up from 26.3 million units as of the end of the previous quarter, which means the game sold an additional 700,000 units over the course of the quarter. Keep in mind that that total also includes sales for the Master Edition, which bundles the base game with the Iceborne expansion. Speaking of which, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne now stands at 14 million units sold, up from the previous quarter by 600,000 units.

Meanwhile, Monster Hunter Rise now stands at 16 million units sold. It stood at 15.4 million units previously, and has added 600,000 more sales over the course of the quarter that ended September 30. Its expansion, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, stands at 8.8 million units sold, having sold an additional 400,000 units during the quarter.

Total franchise sales for Monster Hunter are now at 105 million units worldwide across all platforms and all instalments, up from the end of the previous quarter by 2 million units.