#9
This is the one on the list I most expect people to overlook, which would be a mistake. Immortals Fenyx Rising came out during a crowded period and got lost in the conversation, but its mythological Greek open world is genuinely well-designed, full of puzzle shrines that remind you of Breath of the Wild's approach to environmental discovery. I tried this one evening expecting to play for an hour and kept going for three. The tone is lighter than anything else in the top 10, more comedic, more forgiving, and that accessibility is exactly what makes it the right recommendation if you want an open world that does not demand 80 hours to click. A cleaner on-ramp than most games twice its size.