The realm of open-world gaming has become so diverse that players can find titles that encompass multiple genres and settings via this medium because of how popular the idea of roaming around a virtual sandbox has become. Players can lose themselves for hours in these games as they explore everything these titles have to offer.
Given the sheer number of possibilities players can enjoy in terms of the areas these open-world games are either inspired from or situated in, it's easy to believe that there are many titles with a massive sandbox that are set in Africa. This continent features many unique landscapes and stunning vistas, making it a great area for players to get lost in as they traverse these virtual areas in a litany of open-world games.
6 Assassin’s Creed Origins
After the series ended up feeling like more of the same thing over and over again, it was clear that Assassin's Creed Origins needed to do something special to bring long-time fans back to these titles once again. Their solution was to take inspiration from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's open world to make for a fantastic game that is rife with content across the board.
Many people feel like Origins and Odyssey are bloated games that have lost the essence of the Assassin's Creed series. However, despite all the issues that this game is plagued with, players still love witnessing the history of the series and how the Assassins even came to be in the first place. It helps that the open world does a great job of allowing players to explore a truncated version of Egypt, full to the brim with many iconic monuments and landmarks.
5 Far Cry 2
While the new era of Far Cry games is pretty decent in its own right, many players feel that the magic of Far Cry 2 would never be replicated in this series. The game tried to be as immersive as possible, compelling gamers to open an actual map to figure out where they are in the world while also trying to combat malaria.
Suffice it to say, Far Cry 2 placed a huge emphasis on immersion, even if there are times when it gives in to the power fantasy of being a one-man army that can take down a multitude of people without too many issues. It's a shame that playing this game now can be pretty challenging since this open-world title is unlike most other games out there and can potentially serve as a breath of fresh air for Ubisoft's copy-paste mentality that has plagued the series ever since.
4 Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
The Phantom Pain is considered by many to be one of the greatest open-world games ever made, with the title being full to the brim with sprawling biomes and unique landscapes that will keep players occupied for hours on end as they engage with some of the greatest stealth gameplay ever developed.
It's a shame that Kojima never managed to see his true vision with this game, since his relationship with Konami soured before the game could enjoy the ending it deserved. Regardless, exploring the Angola-Zaire Border region and completing the wealth of missions that lie in this area make for a great time, with players able to use the numerous tools at their disposal to take out enemies in the most creative ways imaginable.
3 Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey
Ancestors is a game that showed a ton of promise before launch, being developed by a studio that was led by a Ubisoft veteran, with the game's prehistoric Africa setting being pretty enticing too. The game certainly has its fair share of fans, but the title simply failed to make a huge splash, being labeled as mediocre by the majority of critics who checked this game out before it was eventually nothing more than a fleeting memory.
It's a shame since Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey has some great ideas that make it different from the usual crop of open-world games that players have become used to. The dynamic of seeing the hominid clan evolve with each death as they unlock more ways to survive and become a species makes for a great time, and more than makes up for the title's monotonous gameplay.
2 Lego Marvel’s Avengers
The Lego games are some of the most underrated titles around that people write off time and time again, which is a shame since these titles have a ton of heart behind them. As these games reached greater levels of quality, they transitioned into the open-world genre and did so with great success.
Many people consider Marvel's Avengers to be one of the best games they've developed, allowing players to roam around a bunch of different areas that include New York City, Asgard, and South Africa. Players can accomplish various side tasks and find secrets while also propelling the main plot forward.
1 Sniper Elite 3
Sniper Elite 3 isn't an open-world game per se, but the title does love dropping players in the middle of huge sandbox levels while giving them all the freedom in the world to take out their target however they see fit. It fits the definition loosely, and the fact that it's set in various countries and regions across Africa is a huge plus.
There's always something satisfying about landing the perfect shot and watching an enemy's innards be eviscerated by a well-placed bullet over and over again. The game's sniping mechanics are unmatched, and it's easy to see why so many people consider this to be the best game in the series.