Open-world games can be massive nowadays, offering expansive worlds that require dozens of hours of exploration and engagement. Some modern titles have become so huge that you can play them for months on end. In this list, we’ll be ranking single-player open-world action RPGs (excluding car and space simulators) that require the most hours to complete, according to HowLongToBeat walkthrough stats.
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Looking for your next open-world crime game to jump into? Here are some of the best.
Please note that the hour count for each entry below includes only the major main story and side content of the game, such as hand-crafted quests and assignments. It does not include 100% map clearing, obtaining every item or collectible available, or completing absolutely everything the game has to offer. If you are a completionist, you can easily add another 50 to100 hours on top of each entry below to get the full picture.
10Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
100+ hours
The latest game fromCD Projekt Redmay not be their largest, featuring a relatively short main story that can be completed in about 25 hours. However, it’s the side content and the scope of Night City that can keep you engaged for much longer.
With thePhantom Libertyexpansion significantly expanding the city’s map and adding a plethora of side quests and endless activities, the Ultimate Edition ofCyberpunk 2077could be a paradise for those looking for an open-world action gameset in a futuristic urban environmentunlike any other.Memorable characters, cinematic dialogues, immense freedom in combat and character builds, and plenty of mercenary missions to tackle — Cyberpunk 2077 offers something for every taste.
Cyberpunk 2077
9Elden Ring
Elden Ringis not onlyFromSoftware’s best game to date, but also its biggest, marking the studio’s first venture into a vast open fantasy environment that players can freely explore. Additionally, Elden Ring isn’t your typical open-world title with plenty of markers and clear objectives — most of the time,players are left to their own devices, which adds to the game’s charm alongside its spectacular and deadly boss roster.
Elden Ring: Every Bow, Ranked
Elden Ring offers a wide variety of weapons to choose from, including the bow weapon type. This list breaks down the best bows available in the game.
Elden Ring is yet to receive its first expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, and judging from what we know so far, itcould be compared to a moderately-sized gameon its own. With that in mind, after the release of Shadow of the Erdtree, Elden Ring will most likely rise several positions on this list.
Elden Ring
8Kingdom Come: Deliverance - Royal Edition
110+ hours
Kingdom Come: Deliveranceis an exceptionally authentic game, featuring a medieval world based on real locations with a realistic scale. This means that a simple journey from one village to another could indeed take some time, especially if done on foot — mirroring real life. If you enjoy slow-paced, believable games, Deliverance could be right up your alley, providing an authentic experience of a historical era, complete with the somewhat dull everyday challenges of that time.
The Royal Edition includes several DLCs released for Kingdom Come, allowing you to play as various characters in the world of the Holy Roman Empire. This expansion lets you experience the harsh reality of that era from different perspectives.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
7The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
115+ hours
While you can start withThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which offers over 100 hours of exploration and fun,Tears of the Kingdombuilds upon the foundation of its predecessor’s map. It introduces additional layers, such as a vast underworld and floating isles high above, creating an even more epic journey in a larger fantasy world that feels like one giant puzzle.
The Legend of Zeldaseries traditionally encourages creativity and experimentation, allowing for different puzzle solutions, a flexible approach to combat, and a wealth of content ranging from quests to intricate crafting, providing hours of engagement. The only limitation may be its availability, as it is exclusively accessible on Nintendo Switch consoles.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
6Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition
125+ hours
Fallout 4stands out as one ofBethesda’s most successful games, following in the footsteps of Skyrim. It retains the core elements of deep exploration, numerous quests with several outcomes, robust itemization, with crafting serving as the most notable new feature on top. Bolstered by several content updates granting additional possibilities and storylines, the GOTY edition is a truly gigantic post-apocalyptic title that can captivate players for months.
My Favorite Bethesda Game Is Still Fallout 4
You can always rely on the Minutemen.
Alternatively, you can check outFallout: New Vegas- Ultimate Edition byObsidianEntertainment, which’ll keep you busy for at least 100 hours. With its distinct setting of the boundless Mojave Wasteland, New Vegas feels more like classicFalloutgames rather than Bethesda’s interpretations of the iconic franchise inFallout 3, Fallout 4, andFallout 76.
5Xenoblade Chronicles 2
130+ hours
Each game in theXenoblade ChroniclesJRPG series is known for being time-consuming. For instance,Xenoblade Chronicles 2is one of the largest entries in the sci-fi franchise, featuring an enormous and beautiful world, dozens of playable characters with a gacha mechanic, and an array of side quests to tackle.
Alternatively, you may want to explore other installments in the series, including the more recentXenoblade Chronicles 3(125+ hours) or the older and darkerXenoblade Chronicles X(110+ hours) — if you happen to own a Wii U. Whichever game you choose, expect to spend weeks immersed in exploration, battling unique monsters, engaging in relationships and conversations with memorable characters, and tackling MMO-style quests on your portable console.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
4The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Anniversary Edition
140+ hours
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrimis a truly legendary game by Bethesda,unmatched even by the studio’s most recent and ambitioustitle,Starfield. More than a decade later, Skyrim remains one of the most played single-player RPGs ever created, easily hooking players with hundreds of hours of fantasy adventures and discoveries.
10 Games You Should Play If You Love Skyrim
There are several amazing games that recapture the magic of Skyrim with their interactive open world and fantastic lore.
Granted, almost every entry inThe Elder Scrollsseries can provide at least 100 hours of engagement in a vast open world, whether it’sThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion- Game of the Year Edition orThe Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind- Game of the Year Edition. Simply choose the one that appeals to you most to experience that special Bethesda flavor.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
3Assassin’s Creed Valhalla - Complete Edition
145+ hours
Assassin’s Creed Valhallais a massive Viking game,even by Ubisoft’s own open-world standards. With three expansive expansions released — Wrath of the Druids, The Siege of Paris, and Dawn of Ragnarök — Valhalla offers not just one extensive open world, but several enormous maps including England, Norway, Francia, and Ireland, as well as mythical realms like Asgard, Jotunheim, and Svartalfheim. Each location features its own enemy types andunique rewards such as weaponsand armor sets.
Alternatively, if you prefer a sunnier setting, you can opt forAssassin’s Creed Odyssey- Ultimate Edition instead, which will take you at least 130 hours to complete. Odyssey really nailed the Ancient Greek vibes, striking the perfect summer mood of an epic sea journey, as well as letting you explore the huge legendary realms of Elysium, the Underworld, and Atlantis.
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
2The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition
150+ hours
Back in 2015,The Witcher 3: Wild Huntchanged open-world action-RPGs forever and still remains one of the biggest and most notable examples in the genre. Boasting two exemplary expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, this fantasy game is filled with unique stories at every step of Geralt’s epic journey — not only through the vast and diverse regions of Velen, Skellige, and Toussaint, but through space and time as well.
The Witcher 3: 10 Hardest Bosses, Ranked
The Witcher 3 is host to countless incredible boss fights. This list delves into the very best bosses present in the game.
The Witcher 3’s formula has been replicated countless times ever since, with games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla coming pretty close in that regard, yetnothing can outshine CDPR’s crowning achievementso far. If you value personal stories above everything else, The Witcher 3 is the game for you.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
160+ hours
Kenshi is a different breed of single-player RPG on this list, offering a freeform squad-based gameplay in the largest seamless world since Daggerfall, stretching over 870 square kilometers. More of a sandbox than a linear story with finite storylines and quests, Kenshi can be played for hundreds of hours. You can take on new roles and occupations, explore the gigantic original post-apocalyptic world alone or with your squad, engage in crafting, building, or trading, and much more.
There are very few limits to what you can do in Kenshi, and the game offers you little to no direction of where to go and what to do, which is why your experience with it can be truly special.
