The Best Open-World Action RPGs of All Time, Ranked

Action role-playing games, or action RPGs, are incredibly popular right now. Players enjoy the ability to explore large, open worlds and customize their characters to overcome obstacles in their own way. While there have always been games of this type, fans are always eager for the next big release.

The most enjoyable open-world action RPGs focus on strong stories and detailed worlds, combined with fun and satisfying combat. Whether they’re brand new or beloved classics, these games offer everything players look for in an open-world experience. While exciting new titles are planned for 2026, these remain the best examples of the genre right now.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 Plays Like A Great D&D Campaign

Okay, so even after ten years, the Dragon’s Dogma series still feels totally unique. And being a Capcom game, gameplay is definitely the focus. You can tell it’s inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, but honestly, no D&D game lets you climb onto a massive monster and start wailing on it from its back – it’s just not done!

Few games create the sense of real danger during exploration like Dragon’s Dogma, where nighttime travel can be genuinely frightening. The game also doesn’t offer many fast travel options, forcing players to carefully consider their routes and how to complete quests. However, it only reaches number ten on this list because its story and characters aren’t as strong as those in other games.

Horizon: Forbidden West Sets Players Off To Cure The World

While Horizon: Zero Dawn was a strong start, Guerilla Games made Forbidden West even better in every way. Now fully aware of the past, Aloy must protect a new generation of humanity by venturing into the dangerous Forbidden West. She’s joined by a large cast of characters, giving the game a feel similar to a party-based RPG.

Let me tell you, this game definitely doesn’t skimp on the action! Forbidden West has more robotic creatures and awesome ways to defeat them than the first game, seriously. And the writing is so much better – a lot of the side quests feel as epic as the main story! It’s a shame it came out around the same time as Elden Ring, because it really got overshadowed. But even with that competition, it still managed to sell over eight million copies, which is incredible!

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Has One Of Gaming’s Most Satisfying Combat Systems

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is an often-overlooked role-playing game from the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 generation. While it was intended to be the first in a series, it didn’t gain enough popularity to warrant sequels, which is unfortunate because it’s incredibly enjoyable to play. The game immerses you in a beautiful and expansive world, and immediately lets you experience one of the most dynamic and satisfying combat systems ever created.

In 2020, Kingdoms of Amalur was updated and re-released as Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning. This gave both longtime fans and new players the opportunity to experience the game on modern consoles with better performance. The game kept its original appeal and even received a new downloadable expansion that served as a conclusion to the story. For anyone looking to play a classic RPG, this is one of the best options available.

Genshin Impact Offers Hundreds Of Hours Of Playtime

miHoYo’s Genshin Impact significantly changed the gaming landscape. Now, many developers are trying to create games similar to it, and it’s not just because of its success. Genshin Impact is genuinely one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences released in recent years.

Genshin Impact keeps combat interesting because you can quickly switch between characters. The game also has a ton of content already, and new quests, bosses, and even whole areas are added regularly – about every six weeks. You can easily spend hundreds of hours playing without spending any money.

Enshrouded Gives Players The Chance To Build Their Own Cities

Enshrouded appeared unexpectedly and has quickly become a top-tier survival RPG. Even though it’s still in early development, the game boasts a huge world to discover and a surprisingly engaging combat system – better than many other games in the survival genre. The story begins with you waking up as one of the last humans after a mysterious fog, called the Shroud, covers the world of Embervale. Your mission is to restore humanity and reclaim Embervale from the Shroud’s grasp.

Enshrouded is a unique survival game. Players can fully customize their characters and then build impressive castles and cities. It’s designed to be enjoyed on your own, but you can also team up with friends on a shared server to collaboratively build and shape the world of Embervale.

Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey Is The Best Of Assassin’s Creed’s RPG Era

Following 2017’s Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey further expanded the series’ role-playing elements. It refined almost every aspect of the game, including combat and character customization. Ubisoft allowed players a great deal of freedom to create their ideal character, whether that meant a powerful Spartan warrior or a stealthy assassin capable of incredible feats.

I’m really loving how this new Assassin’s Creed uses the Greek setting – it’s packed with mythology you uncover through side quests and extra content. Seriously, I’ve already put so many hours into it, and I’m easily looking at over 100 total. It’s a fantastic value for your money. I’d put it at number five overall, but honestly, the games above it are just absolute legends, so it’s tough to compete!

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Still Offers Unprecedented Freedom

Even after almost 15 years, Skyrim remains a hugely popular game. Many fans believe its expansive open world is still unmatched, even by newer games. It’s a beautifully crafted world that even the creators, Bethesda, haven’t quite been able to replicate since.

The game world is huge and full of things to do, so players will always have somewhere new to explore. Removing traditional classes and letting players develop their characters based on their actions – both in and out of battle – was a brilliant move by Bethesda. While the fighting isn’t the game’s strongest point, the thriving modding community easily fixes that.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Features Square Doing The Impossible

While Final Fantasy VII Remake was a hit, Rebirth was expected to be a bigger test for the developers, as it marked the game’s move into a vast open world. However, Square-Enix has exceeded expectations, crafting one of the most stunning and vibrant open worlds in gaming. Players will be immediately captivated by the sheer size and beauty of Gaia once they leave Midgar.

Beyond its stunning visuals, Rebirth truly shines with its incredible amount of content. Each new area consistently offers even more to do, and it’s all cleverly designed to create a seamless experience. Every side quest and mission provides something useful for tackling future challenges. Plus, the combat is a significant step up from Remake, making it some of the best in the action-RPG genre – excluding *Soulslike games, of course.

The Witcher 3 Defined The Western RPG For A Decade

Even after ten years, The Witcher 3 is still considered one of the greatest role-playing games ever made. While the main story focuses on Geralt’s quest to find his adopted daughter, Ciri, players quickly become involved in complex political conflicts, monster hunting, and a truly immersive world.

The Witcher 3 is a truly exceptional game, excelling in its story, world, and characters. While the fighting isn’t its strongest point, everything else is so well done that it comes very close to being perfect. However, that one flaw prevents it from being the absolute best.

Elden Ring Is The King Of Action RPGs

Elden Ring is widely considered the most important video game of the 2020s. Created by Hidetaka Miyazaki of FromSoftware, and with world-building contributions from George R.R. Martin, the author of Game of Thrones, the game generated huge anticipation even before its release. However, Elden Ring exceeded all expectations, becoming a massive hit with gamers. It even drew in players who weren’t familiar with FromSoftware’s previous games, captivating them with challenging bosses like Radahn.

Elden Ring is a truly exceptional open-world game with no major flaws. It’s difficult, but always feels fair, because players can customize their character to overcome any obstacle with a bit of experimentation. The story is also fantastic, though it requires players to piece things together themselves rather than relying on traditional cutscenes. In an era of overly safe game design, Elden Ring confidently stays true to its vision, and players are loving it for that. It’s easily one of the best open-world action RPGs available.

2025-11-23 07:13