Open-world games have become increasingly popular in recent years, especially for those who enjoy exploration just as much as the story or combat element. However, certain games can overdo the “open world” a little too much, to a point where you start to worry about how you’re going to finish it all. Don’t worry, you’re not alone in this feeling.
Lord Of The Rings Online
This MMORPG was launched back in 2007, allowing players to build a life for themself within the massive world Tolkien created. The world itself is divided into 4 major sections: Eriador, Rhovanion, Gondor, and Mordor, each with a unique time period that follows the main story. The map is absolutely massive, equivalent to 30,000 square miles—bigger than the countries of Sri Lanka, Costa Rica, Estonia, and the Netherlands.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
This RPG launched in 2018, making it the 11th game in this well-respected series. In this game, you follow a mercenary who is a descendant of the Spartan king Leonidas I. Making your way through a massive (98 square mile) map of Greece, you will get to witness a unique perspective on the Peloponnesian War.
Tears Of The Kingdom
This 2023 sequel to Breath Of The Wild had us once again searching for Zelda while attempting to prevent Ganondorf from destroying the Kingdom of Hyrule. The Breath of the Wild Map was around 23.5 square miles, but was completely turned on its head with the TOTK expansion. Tears Of The Kingdom is nearly 3 times the size of its predecessor, spanning 60 square miles. This was largely in part due to the inclusion of the depths, a near-identical map located far below the surface.
Red Dead Redemption 2
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This prequel is the third installment of the Red Dead series. Released in 2018, players follow the outlaw Arthur Morgan as he and his gang try to survive the ever-evolving threats of the wild west. This game is incredibly well-loved, collecting over 100 accolades during its awards season run. The map is probably the smallest on this list, only around 30 square miles, but the detail in terrain and horse-based travel makes this game feel much larger than it actually is.
The Elder Scrolls
This action RPG has been around since 1994 and has remained successful since its inception. Each game takes place on the fictional continent of Tamriel, which combines elements of our pre-medieval era, high fantasy, and an incredibly powerful empire. Each main game has an extensive map, but nothing takes the cake quite like the second game in the series, Daggerfall. This 1996 game spans a whopping area of 62,000 square miles, making it one of the largest games in history. For comparison, this map is bigger than the country of Nepal.
Other large maps within this series include Oblivion’s 15 square miles, Skyrim's 14.8 square miles, and Morrowind’s 10 square miles. Not small by any means, but certainly doesn’t hold a candle to Daggerfall.
