Horizon Forbidden West, the sequel to 2017’sHorizon Zero Dawn, has recently been released to a warm critical reception, exemplified by its89 Metascore, which included a4.5 out of 5 score from Game Rant’s Dalton Cooper. Unfortunately for some,Horizon Forbidden Westis exclusive to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
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Exclusivity has always been a pain for gamers, and it doesn’t seem to be easing anytime soon. Big money purchases likeMicrosoft’s near-$70 billion acquisition of Activisionare only expected to make even more IPs exclusive to one or two systems. For Xbox owners looking for a similar experience toHorizon Forbidden West, the following games should be able to scratch that itch.
Mad Maxis an open-world action-adventure game developed by Avalanche Studios, a Swedish studio best known for theJust Causeseries. Despite releasing just a few months afterMad Max: Fury Road, the game is not a direct tie-in.
As one would expect from the creators ofJust Cause,the post-apocalyptic gameemphasizes over-the-top action, with vehicular combat being central to the gameplay. Its action-heavy, open-world nature is perfect for fans ofHorizon Forbidden West.
6Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
Middle-earth: Shadow of Waris the sequel to the critically-acclaimedLord of the RingsgameMiddle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. The game sees many of the original’s key features return, such as the open-world,Assassin’s Creed-like stealth, and signature Nemesis system.
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Shadow of War’s underwhelming Metascores range from 75 to 81, which may put some players off. However, it’s worth noting that many critics lowered their scores due to the influx of microtransactions in the game on launch. Thankfully,these microtransactions were removed in July 2018, making the game a great option today for those who were put off by this aspect on release.
5Batman: Arkham City
Batman: Arkham Cityhad the tough job of followingBatman: Arkham Asylum, which was a huge hit with fans and critics. This predecessor significantly raised the bar forsuperhero video games, and implemented an innovative combat system that has been replicated by numerous other games since.
Batman: Arkham Cityexpanded onArkham Asylumwith its open-world, which was brilliantly designed and packed with henchman to takedown, quests to complete, and Riddler trophies to find.
4Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
TheAssassin’s Creedseries has carved itself a comfy spot in the open-world genre.The franchise’s many releaseshave almost always performed well commercially, largely thanks to the series' consistent and reliable quality.
Almost any of the modernAssassin’s Creedgames could have made this list, thoughAssassin’s Creed Odysseygets the nod this time. The game’s interpretation of Classical Age Greece provides a similar sense of wonder asHorizon Forbidden West.
3The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Huntwas released in May 2015 by CD Projekt. It offered a fantastic action-RPG experience with a memorable storyline,breathtaking visuals, and numerous epic battles against mythical and supernatural enemies.
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The Witcher 3: Wild Huntwas a huge hit with fans and critics, exemplified by its matching93 critic score and 9.3 user score on Metacritic, along with itsGame of the Year win from The Game Awards 2015. It’s a beautiful, immersive game well worth players' time.
2Just Cause 4
Just Cause 4is the second game on this list from Avalanche Studios. The game was released in December 2018 on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One and impressively found new ways to ramp up the series' quintessentiallyover-the-top actionwith even more ridiculous weapons and scenarios.
Just Cause 4takes players to a fictional South American country called Solís. In typicalJust Causefashion, this country is no ordinary place. It is often the victim of mother nature, with tornados, thunderstorms, and other extreme weather conditions. It’s not all bad, though, as players can harness the power of these hazardous weather conditions with the Lightning Gun and Wind Gun, which are just as wonderfully ridiculous as they sound. Sure,Just Cause 4doesn’t compare to the other games on this list in terms of its critical reception, but for those who play video games for simple, over-the-top, good old-fashioned fun, thenJust Cause 4is a must-buy.
Nearly ten years after the first game was released, a sequel toRed Dead Redemptionhit stores in October 2019 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One before releasing on PC the following year.Red Dead Redemption 2was the first full release from Rockstar Games sinceGrand Theft Auto Vand is still their latest release, not including the disastrousGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition.
Red Dead Redemption 2’s missions were somewhat divisive. However, the game still won over most of its players with the game’s incredible open-world that is one of, if not the most realistic in gaming history.Red Dead Redemption 2earned a whopping 97 Metascore, making it the review aggregator’s joint-5th highest game alongside iconic titles likeSuper Mario Galaxy,The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,andHalo: Combat Evolved.
Horizon Forbidden Westis out now for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
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