If there are two things that a lot of gamers seem to love, they are FPS games and open-world games. First-person shooters like Call of Duty top bestseller lists every year, and some of the biggest franchises in gaming are open-world ones.

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So, it's no surprise, then, that mixing the two genres together is often a recipe for success. Some of the best open-world games of all time are FPS games, after all. In fact, there are so many awesome open-world FPS games that it can be hard to choose one, especially since they can take so long to complete. The following are both first-person shooters (meaning we've ignored first-person games that don't have at least some emphasis on gunplay) and open-world (we've avoided games like Borderlands, which are made up of areas divided by loading screens). To avoid personal bias, they're ranked by metascore, but it'll also be pointed out if that metascore is a bit controversial.

10 Rage 2

Metacritic Score: 73

There was a lot of hype surrounding Rage 2 before its 2019 release. The original Rage had become somewhat of a cult classic, loved for its impressive world-building and tight gunplay. Fans went crazy for the idea of a bigger, better, open-world version.

Unfortunately, Rage 2 was a bit of a disappointment. It was by no means a bad game, it just lacked the depth and longevity fans had come to expect. Beware of the hype train. However, in hindsight, Rage 2 is a pretty slick open-world FPS. While lots of open-world games take themselves a bit too seriously these days, Rage 2 is an excellent switch-your-brain-off FPS with exhilarating FPS gunplay and very pretty graphics. It's 73 on Metacritic feels both a little mean and, conversely, completely fair.

9 Dying Light

Metacritic Score: 74

Looking back, it's kind of amazing Dying Light's Metacritic score is only a modest 74. As an open-world FPS survival horror game with a focus on parkour, Dying Light was pretty revolutionary. Except perhaps for Mirror's Edge, there had never really been a game like it before.

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Killing zombies was a lot of fun in Dying Light, and it's still one of the best co-op zombie games. By the end of the game's lifecycle, it had a truly insane number of weapons to squish zombies with, including a few guns. Dying Light's gunplay was always pretty simple, and the guns themselves were limited in choice, but head-shotting a zombie always felt great. Gamers looking for a pure FPS experience might want to look elsewhere, but for everyone else, Dying Light is an awesome choice.

8 S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow Of Chernobyl

Metacritic Score: 82

The older S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl becomes, the more impressive it gets. One of the best alternative history FPS games, the game is set in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, except in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.'s version, which has mutated monstrosities. The game blends survival horror with open-world FPS gameplay and features a world designed to feel dynamically alive.

In S.T.A.L.K.E.R., resources are scarce, and the player must plan for every eventuality. The story is non-linear and rewards players who explore and dare to make tough decisions. While the actual FPS shooting feels simplistic by today's standards, everything else about the game remains incredibly impressive (except perhaps its graphics). The only real downside to the game is that trying to get it to run on modern hardware is no easy task.

7 Metro Exodus

Metacritic Score: 82

Technically, Metro Exodus is made up of several different large hubs, but since each area is massive and takes many hours to complete, it doesn't feel like cheating to call it an open-world game. Like Stalker, Metro Exodus is another open-world FPS survival horror game, just with all the bells and whistles one expects from a more modern game.

Metro Exodus has a great story filled with tough decisions that have real consequences for both the game's world and the player's character, Artyom. Its open-world settings are beautiful in an apocalyptic kind of way and full of hours of extra and hidden content. The moment-to-moment gameplay isn't exactly Call of Duty, but it is still a lot of fun, and the fights against monsters can get pretty tense, especially when ammo gets low. The only thing really letting it down is an annoyingly tight difficulty curve and some bugs that pull the player out of the experience. Still, for anyone looking for a horror-themed open-world game in the vein of STALKER, you can't go wrong with Metro Exodus.

6 No Man's Sky Beyond

Metacritic Score: 83

Next to Cyberpunk 2077, No Man's Sky is probably the biggest redemption story in the history of gaming. Hyped to ridiculous levels before its 2016 release, its developers over-promised a procedurally generated, dynamic universe that players could explore and interact with at will. Instead, what they got was more like a walking simulator crossed with a knockoff of Minecraft. While the original release was more than a little disappointing, years of updates have turned No Man's Sky into something exceedingly special.

The game has so many systems at this point it's hard to keep track of, but FPS gunplay is certainly one of them. FPS combat has never been a focus for the game, but it is there, and the originally basic gunplay has been expanded. Players can build their own weapons, hunt, and kill an endless variety of enemies. They can even hop into a mech loaded with firearms. That being said, No Man's Sky's focus is definitely on the exploration and open-world side of things.

5 Cyberpunk 2077

Metacritic Score: 86

Cyberpunk 2077 was released in a shockingly broken state, especially on consoles, and it's only after years of updates that its immense potential has finally been realized. Today, it is one of the best-looking open-world games ever made and arguably one of the most fun. That 2.0 update did a lot of heavy lifting.

Not just pretty to look at, Cyberpunk 2077 has a brilliant, choice-laden story that offers a fair bit of replayability. Its open world is fairly massive and packed to the gills with hidden content, side quests, and activities for the player to hunt down and complete. While many games of a similar size eventually outstay their welcome, Cyberpunk remains fun in its entirety. That's largely down to the epic moment-to-moment gameplay. Cyberpunk offers a ton of different ways to play, but whatever the player chooses, guns are likely to still play a role. Cyberpunk's FPS gunplay is gory, over-the-top, and lots of fun.

4 Fallout 4

Metacritic Score: 87

Some Fallout fans may be upset to see Fallout 4 here instead of either Fallout 3 or New Vegas. After all, there's a strong argument to be made that either option is both a better open-world and a better Fallout game. However, there's one area in which Fallout 4 is undeniably better than its siblings - the FPS gameplay.

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Fallout 4's RPG elements might have been watered down to make it more accessible, and its story might be a little dull, but it has the best combat of any Fallout game. It actually feels like a proper first-person shooter, and aiming guns in Fallout 4 feels surprisingly good. Plus, VATS never gets old. Fallout 4 is also a great open-world game with lots to see and do and the franchise's trademark sense of style and world-building. It may not be the best Fallout game, but it's a very good open-world FPS.

3 Halo Infinite

Metacritic Score: 87

When Halo Infinite was first announced, some fans were rightly concerned. For years, Halo had been a level-based franchise that emphasized top-of-the-class FPS gunplay. There were concerns that its gameplay wouldn't translate well to an open world and that its excellent combat would suffer. They needn't have worried.

While the game ended up being controversial with fans for plenty of reasons, its single-player campaign has never really been one of them. 343 Industries nailed Halo Infinite's open world while still remembering what Halo fans really want. The open word was designed with one thing in mind - combat. Exploration in Halo Infinite comes second to shooting aliens and completing missions, and that's how it should be. While most open-world FPS games tend to emphasize the open-world aspect, Halo Infinite is all about the FPS.

2 Far Cry 3

Metacritic Score: 88

Far Cry 3 is one of the most influential open-world games ever made. There had obviously been open-world FPS games before it, but Far Cry 3 quickly became the gold standard. Despite later games improving on bits and pieces of its formula, many fans still consider Far Cry 3 to be the best Far Cry game.

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That's because Far Cry 3 has the whole package. Its open world is dynamic and feels like a true sandbox. Enemies react convincingly to the player, the map is huge, and there are always multiple ways to complete any objective. The story's also a hoot and stars one of gaming's most iconic villains, Vaas. The FPS gameplay was much improved from earlier Far Cry games, and both stealth and combat felt not just viable but fun. Play any open-world FPS today, and Far Cry 3's DNA is sure to be all over it.

1 Grand Theft Auto 5

Metacritic Score: 97

While the original PS3 and Xbox 360 releases of Grand Theft Auto 5 were in third person only, subsequent releases have given the player the option of playing completely in first person. Doing so shines a whole new light on this aging masterpiece and really highlights just how detailed its world is.

Is first-person the best way to play the entirety of Grand Theft Auto 5? Probably not. However, it does make the game's combat feel much more immersive and adds a nice level of realism to the driving. Grand Theft Auto 5 has the best combat in the series, and it translates well to the FPS viewpoint. The game's world is still fun to explore or just drive around in, and its story holds up as well. GTA 5 remains one of the best open-world games ever made.

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