Some of these open worlds become even more engaging when they focus on a historical setting as opposed to a fictional one. That way, players can expand their knowledge of world history while also enjoying the perks of a game as well. Keeping this in mind, here are some open-world games with the most engaging and immersive historical settings.
Updated on May 5, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra: Most games tend to feature larger-than-life settings that whisk fans into unique and believable worlds that are a joy to explore. However, the vast majority of these titles tend to focus on fictional stories and settings instead of actually drawing from history. Thankfully, some titles do make the most of this setting, especially in some popular and great open-world games. The best of the lot are mentioned below.
15 Dynasty Warriors 9
The Dynasty Warriors franchise is something that fans have really mixed opinions on. For the most part, this series seems like nothing more than a way for players to deal a ton of damage to mindless opponents who almost never attack the player.
However, Musou games can actually be engaging if players approach these titles with proper expectations, and Dynasty Warriors 9 is a great example of the same. It’s the first open-world game in the series that has attracted a mixed reception… but there’s no denying that the gameplay of Dynasty Warriors 9 can definitely be pretty engaging at times.
14 The Saboteur
The Saboteur is easily one of the most underrated games around. The way in which players can literally inject color into the world by liberating areas makes for a great gameplay loop.
It helps that the story is pretty engaging too, making The Saboteur a complete package. It’s a great game that any fan of stealth-action games should check out.
13 Mount & Blade
Mount & Blade is one of the most comprehensive and accurate historical open-worlds around, which is amazing given that its world isn’t really specified outright. However, the medieval setting rings true in every way, making this game quite incredible indeed.
The sequel is already out in early access, and fans can’t wait to see how Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord will improve upon this experience. It’s a great game that more people need to check out.
12 Assassin’s Creed Origins
After a year-long hiatus, Assassin’s Creed decided to shake things up and turn into a proper open-world RPG that went all the way back in the timeline. This led to the creation of Assassin’s Creed Origins, which detailed the rise of the Assassins.
Roaming through Ancient Egypt is a blast, and it’s easy to see why many people considered this game to be a return to form for the series. Assassin’s Creed Origins has set a new template for the series, which has consistently proven why its historical settings are so riveting.
11 Shenmue
Shenmue made huge waves when it was released on the Dreamcast. As one of the most expensive games ever made, expectations were high for this ambitious title.
For the most part, Shenmue and its sequel didn’t disappoint. It told a great story in a fleshed-out world, and it’s a shame that the third game was such a disappointment.
10 Assassin’s Creed 2
It would be impossible to talk about games with historical settings without mentioning the Assassin’s Creed series. Ubisoft’s trademark franchise has explored various eras in history, but most games have yet to reach the heights of Assassin’s Creed 2.
The game felt downright revolutionary when it was launched in 2009. Taking place during the Renaissance in Italy, the setting of this game elevates Assassin’s Creed 2 to a whole new level.
9 Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Credit must be given to Warhorse Studios for attempting such an ambitious project as their first title. Kingdom Come: Deliverance might have its fair share of flaws, but there’s no denying the fact that this title has a ton of heart.
The brutal nature of medieval times is communicated clearly in Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Henry is as fragile as they come, and it’s up to the player to get him ready for the trials and tribulations that are about to ensue.
8 Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar Games has created several amazing open-world games that have defined and re-defined the genre with each successive entry. However, none of these titles have the stellar narrative that’s present in Red Dead Redemption 2.
The setting of Red Dead Redemption 2 shows the land of America during a time of great change, with the advent of new forms of technology arriving sooner than later. This, coupled with the brilliant narrative of Arthur Morgan, makes for a stellar experience.
7 Ghost Of Tsushima
The PlayStation 4 has been home to some of the best exclusives in recent times. Ghost of Tsushima is no exception, featuring the amazing setting of Japan during the first Mongol Invasion.
The swordplay of this game is excellent, with combat genuinely making most players feel like a powerful ninja. The immersive visuals and setting of these games make Ghost of Tsushima one of the standout PlayStation titles.
6 Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
Black Flag is another popular Assassin’s Creed title that has carved its way into the hearts of fans. The innovations brought about by this title received a massive amount of praise, with the ship exploration and combat being genuinely engaging.
With the small touches added to the game in the form of shanties, collectibles, side stories, and everything else along the same lines, Black Flag has become one of the best games in the series for many. Edward Kenway is a charismatic protagonist whose personality makes even the most mundane events in the game feel refreshing and alive.
5 Far Cry Primal
Ubisoft has a poor reputation for copy-pasting mechanics across a host of games. As a result, most people wrote off Far Cry Primal as nothing more than another rehash of the established Far Cry formula.
It’s a shame since Far Cry Primal definitely had a ton of things going for it. Its prehistoric setting was especially notable, with the innovative gameplay changes arising as a result being quite entertaining to play around with.
4 Mafia 2
The Mafia series features some of the most immersive open-worlds around… even though the content in them might not be all that engaging. That being said, the narratives of these titles more than makeup for their various shortcomings.
Mafia 2 is considered by many gamers to be the best game in the trilogy. The story of Vito Scaletta is extremely entertaining, with the game’s narrative beats making for some of the most engaging and memorable moments in the game by a country mile.
3 L.A. Noire
The idea of an open-world detective game sounds extremely engaging, which is why so many people were hyped to the moon for L.A. Noire. Its state-of-the-art facial animation systems made the game look even more tantalizing, with the name Rockstar Games serving as the perfect icing on top of this in-demand cake.
While the game wasn’t perfect, fans of detective titles would feel right at home with the mechanics of L.A. Noire. Cole Phelps was a great protagonist, and the post-World War 2 setting is quite engrossing as well!
2 Yakuza 0
There was a time when the Yakuza series was fairly obscure with only a few fans out in the West. This changed with the advent of Yakuza 0, a prequel to the Yakuza series, which was an instant success and popularized the series around the world once and for all.
Yakuza 0 was the perfect entry point into the series and featured excellent gameplay across the board. The setting of Kamurocho and Sotenbori allowed players to understand the backgrounds and motivations of both Kiryu and Majima before they became the Dragon of Dojima and the Mad Dog of Shimano respectively.
1 Immortals Fenyx Rising
While Immortals definitely leans way more towards a mythological setting, that doesn’t take away from the historical nature of its world. After all, Greek mythology is steeped in its culture and history, which is what makes Immortals Fenyx Rising such a fascinating title.
The game was compared to Breath of the Wild for quite sometime before release. However, most players who gave this game a shot realized that this title was more than just a shameless clone. It’s a shame that more people haven’t played this excellent title to date.
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