Open Worlds With the Most Beautiful Maps

Just like how you'd walk into a museum and see all kinds of beautiful artwork, there are all kinds of beauty that can be found within any video game you'd pick up. In the case of open world games, we actually get to spend our time walking through and admiring the world, and appreciate all the pretty imagery we find along the way.

There are some games, however, where every single corner of the map is just breathtakingly beautiful.

And by all corners of the map, it's genuinely all corners of the map. You'll find yourself pausing and taking screenshots of all areas within these games, no matter how extravagant or simple the scenery before you appears to be. You'll just be too caught up in appreciating the beauty in front of you.

Hopefully you're in the mood for a new wallpaper, as you'll have plenty of spots to choose from with these games.

10 Forza Horizon 6

Just Drive Around Japan

Forza Horizon 6 Racing Open-World 9.5/10Released May 19, 2026 ESRB Everyone / Mild Lyrics, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases Developer(s) Playground Games Publisher(s) Xbox Game Studios Genre(s) Racing, Open-World

While, typically, the target audience of the Foriza Horizon games are people who enjoy racing games or are just car people in general, you really don't have to be in order to appreciate the beauty in Forza Horizon 6. While yes, there are all kinds of racing quests and collectibles, if you wanted to just boot the game up to drive around Japan and soak in the gorgeous country, literally nobody would blame you. In fact, there's a high chance veteran players simply do that already.

As someone who has been to several different locations within Japan (and will actually be going back next month), I can personally attest to the stunning landscapes and nature that you'll bear witness to — and even then, it's just as stunning when you're within the cities. There's an awe everywhere you look, and this game manages to capture that with the feeling that you're on a casual road trip (with some casual drifting).

But then again, if you want to actually participate in the races, you're going to have a great time with those, too; just don't be surprised if you're just completely taken aback by the scenery around you and the other racers.

It's a game that's honestly gorgeous already, but I'm more excited to see how it will look when it comes to PS5.

9 Far Cry 5

Montana is Always Beautiful

Far Cry 5 FPS Open-World 9/10Released March 27, 2018 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol Developer(s) Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Toronto Publisher(s) Ubisoft Engine dunia 2, cryengine Genre(s) FPS, Open-World

The Far Cry games are often named among the open world icons, yet none in the series is quite as beautiful as Far Cry 5, which is set in the fictional Hope County, in the not-at-all fictional state of Montana. And if you've been to Montana, you know: it's an absolutely gorgeous state, everywhere you go.

Granted, the name of the game is to quite literally take down a cult, and that often means an action-packed extravaganza — but that doesn't mean you aren't going to be surrounded by some of the prettiest landscapes the United States has to offer. Seriously, this country is massive and full of all kinds of beautiful scenery, but there's something about the West that just continues to captivate everyone.

It's a vast, mountainous wilderness; truly, what's not beautiful about that? This whole map is genuinely gorgeous, and the ludicrous amount of fun that you'll have will just end up being a bonus to that.

8 Elden Ring

Not to Mention a Secret-Rich World

Elden Ring RPG Action FX Wiki Wiki GGMods Mods 9/10Released February 25, 2022 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence Developer(s) From Software Publisher(s) Bandai Namco Entertainment, From Software Engine Proprietary Genre(s) RPG, Action

Say what you will about Souls games (they're definitely worth their reputation of being immensely difficult at least), but the games tend to be beautiful, with just as stunningly intricate worldbuilding. Elden Ring, however, is another level entirely. It is, objectively, the prettiest Souls game to date, with every area of the map being genuinely just stunning.

Mountaintops of the Giants is a particularly beautiful spot — snowy mountains that sprawl for miles with icy caps, with a quiet that you'll only ever get when it snows outside.

And honestly, there's a macabre sort of beauty that you'll find even among the Scarlet Rot; while plagues themselves are not beautiful things, there's a way that the Scarlet Rot is presented that has you want to stop and admire it for a moment. And within that moment, you're going to find it amusing that a disease even has the capability of being beautiful.

Regardless, wherever you are in Elden Ring, you're going to think that it's some of the prettiest and most fantastical that gaming has to offer.

7 Red Dead Redemption 2

(Almost) All Biomes of America, All Beautiful

Red Dead Redemption 2 Action Adventure FX Wiki Wiki 10/10Released October 26, 2018 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol Developer(s) Rockstar Games Publisher(s) Rockstar Games Engine RAGE Genre(s) Action, Adventure

Red Dead Redemption 2 is already a game that you can easily spend hundreds of hours in, no matter what you're doing. If you're going to be out and about for any of it, though, you're going to see various biomes that you'd come across in America in reality: forests, plains, wetlands, deserts, icy mountains — even a tropical island, since Guarma is supposed to be an island in the Caribbean, in which some of the islands are U.S. territories.

No matter what chapter you're in, you're going to see American beauty, and it's an excellent way to see the country, especially in a time period where buildings in general were few and far between. It's a land we'll likely never see again, and it's beautifully captured in this game.

Sure, this game is widely considered one of the greatest (and it's definitely worth its star in Gaming's Hall of Fame), but there's not enough discussion about how it's truly one of the most gorgeous, especially in certain parts of the outdoors when the sun is just right. There's a serendipitous beauty to the whole experience.

I love this game, and it's truly a masterpiece, but I will be the loudest to talk about the game's beauty over its action.

6 Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Greece is Stunning

Assassin's Creed Odyssey Action RPG Open-World Released October 15, 2018 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language Developer(s) Ubisoft Quebec Publisher(s) Ubisoft Engine anvilnext Genre(s) Action RPG, Open-World

The Assassin's Creed games are notorious for taking players around the world and around the timeline, with Assassin's Creed Odyssey having you jump into Ancient Greece. While I obviously didn't time travel, I did actually go to Greece before, specifically Athens, and it's as beautiful as the sights you behold in the game.

Greece overall is a gorgeous country, with a stunning blend of architecture among the lush landscapes (often a reminder of ancient times), but in Odyssey, we're seeing when that architecture was actually alive with the land — and what a beautiful harmony it is to behold.

If you don't want to go through the quests but would rather just explore the world and soak it all in for yourself, there's actually a Discovery Tour, which allows you to just walk around the world and learn all about Ancient Greece. And as a Percy Jackson kid growing up, this was nothing but treat after treat.

No matter where you end up picking as your favorite spot in the game, it doesn't matter; everyone's favorite spots all have the same common denominator: they're gorgeous.

5 Horizon: Zero Dawn

A Unique and Gorgeous World

Horizon: Zero Dawn Action RPG FX Wiki Wiki 9.1/10Released February 28, 2017 ESRB T for Teen: Blood, Drug Reference, Language, Mild Sexual Themes, Violence Developer(s) Guerrilla Games Publisher(s) Sony Engine Decima Genre(s) Action, RPG

The world of Horizon: Zero Dawn is a genuinely unique one, and that uniqueness ended up adding to its beauty. It's a world where natural wildlife and machines are intertwined, a marriage of synthetic metals and soft soil. Sure, a lot of the world is as hostile as our own, but you can't help but be in awe of it.

Honestly, you're never going to see any world like it in any other game.

It's a world that draws you in before the story manages to, but that doesn't mean anything negative about the story — rather, the world is that interesting and wondrous to look at. The great news is that it's just as fascinating to learn about why the world is the way it is, and why the line between organic and machine is so blurred.

Everywhere you look, the world is fantastical, an adventure before you even take another step on your own, and it's so beautiful.

4 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

A Nostalgic Beauty that Somehow Holds Up

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim RPG Action Adventure FX Wiki Wiki GGMods Mods 10/10Released November 11, 2011 ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol Developer(s) Bethesda Game Studios Publisher(s) Bethesda Softworks Engine Creation Engine Genre(s) RPG, Action, Adventure

While The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim isn't a new game, with graphics that are honestly starting to be noticeably dated, the game itself is genuinely beautiful. Even without the nostalgic rose-coloured glasses on, its look still holds up well, and it's definitely because of how it handled skies, lighting, and landscapes.

Even before graphical updates and other overhauls, the game was just downright pretty due to the skyboxes and how the light works with the world; the fact that every part of the world itself is genuinely breathtaking is honestly just a bonus. When combined, Skyrim managed to perfectly cement itself aesthetically, and even now, it's among gaming's most gorgeous.

Wherever you are throughout the land of Skyrim, indoors or outdoors, there's something beautiful on screen, a comfort and a warmth. Even if there's an enemy you're dealing with or you're witnessing some NPC shenanigans, you can't help but feel visually at ease; that's more than just the game's charm.

And then, in the end, when you finally see Sovngarde, you're captivated by a divine beauty that no other game has managed to capture — truly, it's the perfect image of heaven itself — and that's after you've already been through the whole game and thought it couldn't get any more beautiful.

3 Subnautica

Underwater is Truly Wondrous

Subnautica Survival Horror GGMods Mods Released January 23, 2018 ESRB E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language Developer(s) Unknown Worlds Entertainment Publisher(s) Gearbox Publishing Engine Unity Genre(s) Survival, Horror

The world of the ocean is mysterious, with that allure making the majestic beauty of it all the more captivating. When it comes to Subnautica, we get to explore an extraterrestrial ocean, with all the unique flora and fauna that come with it — and it's all just so pretty.

Even if you happen to have thalassophobia and feel dread in the water, the shallows are so vivid and colorful, any fears are immediately replaced with awe. For those who actually go into the depths, they're going to be equally as enamored with what they're seeing. The world, as rich as it is, is honestly breathtaking enough to demand someone's attention.

I mean, come on, imagine an underwater experience that isn't just completely wondrous. That's like trying to imagine being underwater ... without any water.

2 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

At All Times, All Weathers, All the Time

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Action Adventure 8/10Released March 3, 2017 ESRB E for Everyone: Fantasy Violence, Use of Alcohol, Mild Suggestive Themes Developer(s) Nintendo EPD Publisher(s) Nintendo Engine Havok Genre(s) Action, Adventure

I'd argue that the entirety of The Legend of Zelda franchise is gorgeous, and considering how its foundations were in open world, it's easy to pick from any of the games — that being said, Breath of the Wild was, is, and will continue to be something truly special (and something truly beautiful).

This game has an incredible balance of fruitfulness and emptiness, reminiscent of exploring the real world, but the way it looks just has it constantly looking stunning the entire time; even the emptiness is stunning, and that can only make sense if you've actually played the game and seen it for yourself.

In Breath of the Wild's case, you see a significant amount of this beauty while just out and exploring (and I'd argue its exploration is what makes the game basically perfect), but just as much of it within towns and story-heavy areas. There isn't a single spot in the game that isn't just beautiful to look at.

The whole game is just a beautiful experience, but the world is on a constant rotation of something gorgeous being right in front of you at all times.

1 Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Yotei Just as Much

Ghost of Tsushima Action Adventure FX Wiki Wiki Released July 17, 2020 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity Developer(s) Sucker Punch Publisher(s) Sony Engine Proprietary Genre(s) Action, Adventure

To this day, I have never played a game that's as stunningly beautiful as Ghost of Tsushima. By now, if you've not played it yourself, you've at least likely heard of it: you play as a samurai, Jin Sakai, protecting his home island of Tsushima during the First Mongol Invasion, even if that means dishonoring the code he grew up on. It's an Akira Kurosawa film plot, and it's just as epic as you'd expect.

But once you're in the game, you're going to be completely blown away by the game's visuals. It's a stunning display of art from every single corner of the map; it doesn't help that Jin's attire tends to just add to the whole scene, typically either by making it more dramatic and/or cinematic. The whole experience is incredible, but it's also incredible eye candy.

The game's sequel, Ghost of Yotei, is a near-future era of historical fiction, but it's just as stunning as its predecessor. So if you can't get enough of the jaw-droppingly beautiful displays in front of you, you can see even more in Atsu's story.

Either way, it's going to be the most beautiful game you've ever played, anywhere on the map.