Best Open World Games While Waiting for Zelda
If you’re counting down the days until the next Legend of Zelda, the top pick right now is Elden Ring – it captures that same “see that mountain? You can climb it� wonder, with a vast, hand-crafted world that rewards curiosity and offers a real sense of discovery. Its combat is tougher than Zelda’s, but the freedom, the hidden caves, the crumbling ruins, and the moment you crest a hill and see a new region unfold – that’s pure Zelda magic, just with more swords and fewer koroks.
What to Look For
When you’re looking for a Zelda substitute, the criteria that actually matter are:
- Sense of discovery: The world should reward exploration with secrets, new abilities, or lore – not just collectibles scattered for the sake of it.
- Player freedom: You should be able to go in any direction, solve problems your own way, and tackle challenges in any order.
- Puzzle and combat balance: Zelda mixes brain-teasers with combat. Some games lean heavy on one side; know which you prefer.
- Atmosphere and art direction: A memorable world with a distinct look and mood, whether it’s lush, desolate, or whimsical.
- Length and pacing: You want something that will last you until the next Zelda drops, but not so bloated that it feels like a chore.
Elden Ring
Strengths: The open world is a masterclass in “go anywhere, find something interesting.� Every ruin, cave, and catacomb has a unique encounter or item. The sense of scale is breathtaking, and the lore is deep but optional – you can just play. The combat is challenging but fair, and the freedom to ride off in any direction from the start is pure Zelda.
Trade-offs: The difficulty is significantly higher than any Zelda game. Bosses can be brutal, and there’s no hand-holding – you’ll need to read item descriptions and talk to NPCs to piece together the story. The story is more obscure, and the world is darker and more grim than Hyrule.
Who it suits: Players who want a challenging, rewarding adventure with a massive world to lose themselves in. If you’re okay with dying a lot and love the “figure it out yourself� ethos, this is your game.
Genshin Impact
Strengths: The most Zelda-like game on this list, especially if you loved Breath of the Wild. The cel-shaded art, the gliding, the climbing, the elemental puzzles – it’s all here, and it’s free to play. The world is huge and regularly expanded, and the elemental combat system is deeper than it looks.
Trade-offs: It’s a gacha game, so the best characters are locked behind random draws. The story is a bit anime-tropey, and the endgame is grinding for artifacts. The co-op is limited, and the game is online-only.
Who it suits: Players who want a colorful, exploration-heavy world with a lot of content and don’t mind the free-to-play model. Perfect for those who want a literal Breath of the Wild clone with more characters.
Horizon Forbidden West
Strengths: A gorgeous, post-apocalyptic world filled with robotic dinosaurs. The story is more linear than Zelda, but the world is dense with side quests, collectibles, and optional dungeons. Combat is a mix of stealth, traps, and bow-and-arrow – very Zelda-like. The skill tree and gear upgrades give you a clear sense of progression.
Trade-offs: The open world is more structured – you’ll often be gated by level or story progression. The dialogue is heavy, and the protagonist talks a lot, which can slow down the pacing. The map is cluttered with icons, which can feel overwhelming.
Who it suits: Players who want a story-driven adventure with a strong female lead, and who prefer a more guided open world with clear objectives. If you like the “hunt the machine� loop, this is a great fit.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Strengths: This is the closest to a classic Zelda formula – it’s basically a Greek mythology-themed Breath of the Wild. The puzzles are clever, the vaults are like shrines, and the combat is light and fun. The world is colorful and full of secrets, and the humor is a nice change of pace.
Trade-offs: The game can feel repetitive after a while – you’ll be doing the same types of puzzles and clearing the same types of camps. The story is forgettable, and the voice acting is a bit over-the-top. The graphics are not as polished as some other titles.
Who it suits: Players who want a lighter, more humorous take on the Zelda formula, with a focus on puzzles and exploration rather than deep combat or story. If you loved the shrines in BotW, you’ll enjoy the vaults here.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Strengths: A massive, beautiful world with a lot of verticality and hidden areas. The story is epic and emotional, with a strong cast of characters. The combat is real-time with MMO-style cooldowns, but it’s deeper than it looks – you can chain attacks and switch classes. The exploration is rewarding, with unique monsters and rare items.
Trade-offs: The combat is more complex and may take time to master. The story is very long and can be slow in the middle. The world is more linear than other open worlds – you’re often on a path, but you can wander off to explore.
Who it suits: Players who want a deep, story-driven RPG with a huge world and a lot of content. If you’re okay with a slower start and a more complex combat system, this will keep you busy for a long time.
Ghost of Tsushima
Strengths: A stunning, open-world samurai game with a beautiful art direction. The world is hand-crafted with a lot of care – the wind guides you to your next objective, which is a clever, non-intrusive waypoint system. Combat is satisfying and challenging, with a focus on stance-switching and timing. The side quests are meaningful and often tie into the main story.
Trade-offs: The world is not as “open� as Zelda – you’re mostly on a linear path with side activities. The story is serious and lacks the whimsy of Zelda. The game is more about combat than puzzles, and there’s no climbing or gliding.
Who it suits: Players who want a more grounded, realistic open world with a strong narrative and excellent combat. If you prefer a more focused experience with less inventory management, this is a great pick.
How to Choose
Start with your budget. If you want to spend nothing, Genshin Impact is the obvious choice – it’s free, and you can get dozens of hours of content without paying a cent. If you’re willing to pay full price, Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West are both worth it, but they’re very different experiences.
Think about what you loved most about Zelda. Was it the puzzles? Then Immortals Fenyx Rising or Genshin Impact will scratch that itch. Was it the combat and boss battles? Then Elden Ring is the way to go. Was it the story and characters? Then Horizon or Xenoblade are better fits.
Consider the difficulty. If you want a relaxing, exploration-focused experience, avoid Elden Ring – it’s stressful. If you want a challenge, it’s perfect. Ghost of Tsushima is a middle ground – challenging but not punishing.
Also, think about the time you have. Elden Ring and Xenoblade are 60+ hour commitments. Immortals and Ghost are shorter, around 30-40 hours. Genshin is endless, but it’s a live-service game that will keep updating.
Finally, check the platform. Horizon and Ghost are PlayStation exclusives (though Horizon is on PC now). Elden Ring, Immortals, and Genshin are on everything. Xenoblade is Nintendo Switch only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are any of these games actually like Breath of the Wild?
Genshin Impact is the closest, with almost identical climbing, gliding, and stamina mechanics. Immortals Fenyx Rising is also very similar, but with a Greek mythology skin.
Which game has the best exploration?
Elden Ring – the world is so dense with secrets that you can play for 100 hours and still find new things. Genshin and Immortals are also great, but they rely on more repetitive puzzle types.
I don’t like hard games. Which should I avoid?
Definitely avoid Elden Ring. Horizon and Ghost have difficulty options, so you can tune them down. Genshin and Immortals are generally easy.
Which game has the best story?
Horizon Forbidden West has a compelling sci-fi story, and Xenoblade 3 is a deep, emotional tale. Ghost of Tsushima is also story-driven, but more grounded.
Can I play these games on a low-end PC?
Genshin Impact is well-optimized and can run on modest hardware. Immortals is also not too demanding. Elden Ring and Horizon require a decent GPU.
Which game will last me the longest?
Elden Ring and Xenoblade 3 are both 60+ hours for the main story, and much more if you do everything. Genshin is endless, but you’ll hit a content wall and have to wait for updates.
Bottom Line
If you want the closest thing to a Zelda experience, pick Genshin Impact – it’s free, it’s huge, and it’s the most similar in feel. If you want a more mature, challenging adventure that will still give you that “wow� moment of discovery, go with Elden Ring. For a balanced experience with a great story and beautiful world, Horizon Forbidden West is a solid choice. No matter which you choose, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy until the next Zelda arrives.
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