Important things to remember
- Open-world game maps were popular in the 2000s for their large worlds and rewarding exploration.
- Saints Row offered a humorous gameplay style, while Grand Theft Auto 3 pioneered a detailed open-world environment.
- Far Cry and Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind introduce new technologies and deep stories to open-world games.
As of this writing, many games are using the open-world map design concept, which has become a staple of many genres, from role-playing games to action-adventure games. However, this wasn't always the case. Back in the 2000s, particularly the early 2000s, there were only a handful of games that made an attempt to introduce sandbox gameplay on a large scale.
In the 2000s, gamers began investing in specialized technologies to improve the gaming experience, such as high-performance GPUs and water-cooled gaming rigs. Game developers were able to use these new resources to create massive worlds for players to explore and reward them for their exploration. Based on the quality of the open worlds and gameplay content, here are the best open-world games of the 2000s.
6 Saint Rowe
Sandbox Gang Game
- It is popular because of its funny stories.
- Often bizarre and strange, almost surreal.
Saint Rowe Often compared to Grand Theft AutoAnd there is some overlap between the two games. However, even though these action-adventure games look very similar at first glance, GTAIt's very different in many ways.
As the leader of the Third Street gang, players will have to carry out various criminal missions and tasks, which require them to do on foot and by car along specific routes. The game's map is large, and players can choose to roam freely or follow the mission path. Saint Rowe It earns a spot on this list because of the game's often humorous main theme. The game can sometimes be surreal, forcing players into bizarre situations.
5 Grand Theft Auto 3 game
Pioneer of open world games
- A detailed rendering of Liberty City
- A densely populated and immersive environment
Playing as Claude, players will be able to freely explore Liberty City's open-world map at their leisure. Grand Theft Auto 3 gameThis was one of the first games to feature an open-world, sandbox map design, and encouraged players to use the environment as they wish.
Gameplay is played on foot and in vehicles, with Liberty City filled with pedestrians, all of whom can interact and be played by the player. A dynamic weather system adds to the realism. Grand Theft Auto 3 game It earns a spot on this list for pioneering many of the ideas that have since become the foundational principles of open-world gaming.
4 Far Cry
The beginning of a legendary franchise
- The first game to use the CryEngine
- Offer freedom of access to missions in all ways
Although the original Far Cry The game features an open world map, but until Far Cry 2 Developers have started to take advantage of this feature to improve gameplay. However, the original feature Far Cry The game played a huge role in laying the foundation for these future improvements.
Far Cry It could be called a sandbox FPS game. It was also the first game to use the new CryEngine, which at the time was the standard for graphical fidelity, showing gamers that new technologies would soon completely change the way games looked. Far Cry It makes it on this list because of its combination of open-world missions and combat, along with a horror theme, and all wrapped up in cutting-edge graphics.
One of the best Elder Scrolls open world maps
- Still popular over two decades after its release
- There are a lot of mods to choose from.
Some players see The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind It stands as the best open-world map in the franchise to date, despite its 2000 release. The map's design includes many secrets and hidden treasures to find, making exploration both interesting and rewarding.
With great fantasy scenes and a deep game storyline The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind This is considered one of the all-time classic RPGs. There are two main reasons why this game is on this list. First, the player is free to do whatever they want, and second, the game has a large community of modders who add new features and improve the gameplay.
2 World of Warcraft
The first theme park MMORPG
- WoW has a large open world map.
- The game's story is centered around exploration.
It may seem strange to include an MMORPG experience with a distinctly theme park theme in a list of open-world games. However, while players are encouraged to play the game in a linear fashion, there’s nothing stopping them from exploring the entire map at any given time.
what World of Warcraft It's very well done, giving players a unique experience exploring different parts of the open-world map, from arid deserts filled with scorpions and vultures to sunken ruins filled with dangerous sea creatures. The game world is incredibly diverse, with each zone having its own unique identity.
1 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Open world map covering 3 cities
- A large open-world game map where you can roam freely.
- Explore cities and rural areas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas The game is set in an alternate California setting, with a large open-world game map spanning three cities: Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas. These cities are connected by rural areas outside the main city limits, allowing players to explore the map freely.
While the map design is the best in the franchise to date, there’s another good reason why Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Taking the top spot on this list, this game has a well-crafted storyline that isn’t just about gang politics. It also features themes of family values and loyalty.
