Horizon Zero Dawn Alternatives and Similar Games

The Far Cry games are excellent open-world FPS titles that allow for lots of non-scripted gameplay to take place. How you approach an enemy outpost is up to you: guns blazing, silent but deadly or a bit of both. Each game stands out with its setting and mechanics, such as the realistic African adventure Far Cry 2 and the beautiful archipelago featuring a crazy antagonist in Far Cry 3. Even though the first installment in the franchise isn’t open-world, that doesn’t mean it’s not a great linear shooter with more open environments. Don’t worry about the story, as this franchise doesn’t have a continuous narrative to follow, making each entry its own journey to experience.

If you’re looking for a third-person action RPG that not only has an engaging main storyline but also well-designed side quests, then The Witcher games are a great choice. Though the first entry is dated, the rest are absolutely stunning, with the sequel to the first a more linear, but well-made experience, while the critically-acclaimed third an open-world masterpiece. Don’t expect to do any cool stealth moves in these games as monster hunter Geralt of Rivia, but do expect to make choices with consequences, decisions that you can import into the next title. Whether you choose to dive straight into The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt which has some of the best expansion packs out there or play through every game to fully get to grips with the world and its characters, you’re in for an immersive fantasy journey with a memorable cast of characte

As the name suggests, this third-person action-RPG franchise is all about monster hunting. Capcom’s 2018 Monster Hunter: World particularly stands out, both graphically and mechanically, as its gameplay can keep you going for hundreds of hours thanks to how in-depth it is. A variety of monsters await, how you take them on is up to you. Capcom loves making crossover events with various other games, Horizon Zero Dawn included, so if you want to see more of Aloy then you should go for the PS4 version of Monster Hunter: World.

Nintendo’s highly-successful open-world Zelda game should not go unnoticed. Explore a beautiful Hyrule as Link that is packed with things to do and places to see. Climb environments such as towers; solve puzzles in Shrines, ride on a horse, jump from heights with a paraglider and more. There are many different ways you can fight enemies, too, taking advantage of the systems this game offers such as the weather, physics and chemistry system that open up so many gameplay opportunities. Water, fire, objects in the environment; they all have their place in this incredible third-person title. If you’re looking for another fantastic open-world game to play, then Breath of the Wild is an obvious choice.

If you’re looking to take down more robots, then NieR: Automata is what you’re looking for. This third-person action RPG features much more up-front combat, slashing machinery to bits throughout a detailed open-world where sometimes you’ll even play the game as a side-scroller. Throughout the story with multiple endings you’ll get to play as three androids, level up, unlock powerful new skills and use flying little upgradeable robots called Pods helpful in battles and navigation.

One of the most popular open-world franchises around, The Elder Scrolls games are filled with great fantasy RPGs rich in story and diverse worlds to explore. There are plenty of great side quests to play through with great and memorable characters, while mods are commonplace, especially in Skyrim. If you’ve ever wanted to play the older titles such as Morrowind and Oblivion but have always been put off due to their age, then you may want to look forward to Skywind and Skyblivion, recreations of these amazing games in Skyrim, made by dedicated fans.

The iconic Lara Croft has raided many different tombs throughout the influential franchise. While the games aren’t huge open-worlds, they are well-designed linear third-person games with semi-open environments to explore. Throughout your hunt for valuable artifacts you’ll be climbing and solving puzzles while engaging enemies in various different ways. Whether you opt for the dated classics or go for the rebooted titles, get ready to go on an exciting adventure, with the rebooted titles in particular looking outstanding while adding variety to how you approach your enemies, though do expect to have a mixture of stealth and action-packed gunfights.

Instead of facing dinosaur-like machines, the Middle Earth games, Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War, have you slash orc-like Uruk heads off in hack & slash combat, a grittier version of the combat system in the Batman Arkham games. The open-world series is known for its Nemesis system, a system featuring a leadership hierarchy of Uruks that you can kill or possess. As a ranger named Talion you’ll parkour and work together with a ghost version of Elf Lord Celebrimbor to fight Sauron’s army, upgrading your skills and using your bow to headshot a few enemies, or blow up barrels. Stealth is an advantageous option, and sometimes a necessity in story missions. If you’re looking for a fantasy open-world title with engaging action gameplay coupled with stealth, then the Middle Earth games might be worth checking out, whether you’re a fan

A huge third-person franchise with great parkouring and stunning worlds to explore, the Assassin’s Creed games have many diverse entries, some that may not even fit in the theme the name of the series suggests. Use various weapons, eagle vision and the climbable environments to your advantage in order to stealthily assassinate guards; pillage ships in Black Flag, beat up Templar gangs in Victorian London in Syndicate and more.

These games may not be open-world, but they are adventurous games packed with intense action, stealth and somewhat open locations to explore. As Nathan Drake you’ll shoot down enemies in third-person using various different weapons while traversing diverse areas in numerous ways and occasionally using stealth when it’s most useful. The vegetation, especially in newer entries is on par if not better visually than the one seen in Horizon Zero Dawn. If you’re looking for beautiful, cinematic adventures, then you shouldn’t miss out on these games.

Enslaved isn’t an open-world game, but it’s a well-written third-person adventure where you play as a strong guy called Monkey who must work together with a woman called Trip to bring her back home. As you watch the relationship grow between these two slaves you’ll also have them traverse a post-apocalyptic world torn by war, but filled with nature. Platforming, puzzle-solving and third-person action-packed fights against various different robots with a bit of stealth are all present alongside a great narrative in this great title.

There’s no beautiful greenery in Mad Max, a third-person open-world game where you not only beat up thugs in an Arkham-like combat system but also engage in vehicular combat, a key focus of the explosive title. The wasteland is desolate but graphically realistic and stunning, and most of the time will be spent driving on your upgradeable Magnum Opus, and while there is some stealth you can do, Mad Max is mostly focused on action-packed gameplay, exploring a region-divided world with plenty of enemy places to raid and side missions to do. For some it might all feel too repetitive, but for others playing as Mad Max is a joy in this open-world game, a worthy movie adaptation you may want to check out.