The 10 Best Open-World Games on PlayStation 5 in 2027
The 10 Best Open-World Games on PlayStation 5 in 2027
Direct Answer
The best open-world game on PlayStation 5 in 2027 is Elden Ring ($59.99, often $39.99 on sale), whose smooth Lands Between map and demanding combat earned it Game of the Year in 2022. The best value is Marvel's Spider-Man 2 at $69.99 at launch but now commonly $39.99, offering a polished, fully traversable New York with two playable heroes.
This list is for PS5 owners who want large explorable worlds that take advantage of the console's fast SSD and DualSense controller, at prices from $20 to $70. Every game listed is a real, currently sold PS5 title, ranked by world design, technical performance on the console, content volume, and price-to-value.
1. Elden Ring 🏆 BEST OVERALL
FromSoftware's 2022 action RPG runs natively on PS5 at $59.99, with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion ($39.99) added in June 2024. It holds a 96 Metacritic and won the 2022 Game Award for Game of the Year.
The Lands Between is a single connected map of six major regions packed with optional dungeons, bosses, and secrets, offering roughly 60 hours of core play and well over 100 for completionists. The PS5 version uses the SSD for near-instant respawns after death.
It ranks first because no other PS5 open world rewards exploration so consistently; nearly every cave and ruin holds something worthwhile, and the haptic feedback adds weight to its combat. The performance mode targets 60 frames per second, a meaningful improvement for a reaction-heavy game where timing decides survival.
The DualSense rumble communicates incoming attacks and spell charges in subtle ways the standard controller cannot, deepening the sense of presence in The Lands Between.
2. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 💎 BEST VALUE
Insomniac Games' 2023 PS5 exclusive launched at $69.99 and now sells around $39.99. It holds a 90 Metacritic and was a 2023 Game of the Year nominee.
You swing across an expanded New York including Queens and Brooklyn as both Peter Parker and Miles Morales, with web-wings for gliding. The main story runs about 20 hours, near 35 with side content, and traversal is the smoothest in the genre.
It is the value pick because the swinging-through-the-city loop is endlessly satisfying and the sub-$40 price for a flagship exclusive is strong; the DualSense web-shooter triggers are a highlight. Switching between Peter and Miles at will across the open map keeps traversal and combat varied, and the city itself renders with no loading thanks to the SSD.
The accessibility options, including a one-handed mode and traversal assists, make it one of the most welcoming open worlds on the console.
3. Horizon Forbidden West
Guerrilla Games' 2022 sequel, $59.99 (Complete Edition with *Burning Shores* around $49.99), holds an 88 Metacritic and is a PS5 showcase.
You hunt robotic machines across a post-apocalyptic American West as Aloy, with a 40-plus-hour story, underwater exploration, and gliding traversal. The visual fidelity in the console's fidelity mode is among the best on the platform.
Third place reflects a gorgeous, content-rich open world that is slightly more guided in its quest design than the top two. The machine designs, from towering Tallnecks to agile Clawstriders, give combat a puzzle-like quality as you target weak points and strip armor. The Burning Shores expansion adds a new region and one of the series' most striking boss encounters, extending an already lengthy adventure.
4. Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut
Sucker Punch's samurai game, $69.99 for the PS5 Director's Cut (sales near $39.99), holds an 83 Metacritic and a celebrated art style.
Set during the 1274 Mongol invasion of Tsushima Island, it runs about 40 hours plus the Iki Island expansion. Wind-guided navigation replaces an on-screen minimap, and the sword duels are elegant.
Fourth place rewards the most visually striking open world on PS5, with combat that prizes timing and stance-switching.
5. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Square Enix's 2024 PS5 entry, $69.99 and often $49.99 on sale, holds a 92 Metacritic.
It opens the FF7 world into several large explorable regions with mini-games, chocobo traversal, and a hybrid action-ATB battle system. The main story runs about 40 hours, near 80 for completion.
Fifth place honors the most content-dense JRPG world on the console, with the Gold Saucer and open regions as standouts.
6. Assassin's Creed Mirage
Ubisoft's 2023 entry, $49.99 and often $24.99 on sale, holds a 76 Metacritic and returns the series to a tighter, stealth-focused open city.
Set in 9th-century Baghdad, it runs about 20 to 25 hours, smaller and more focused than recent entries. Parkour and assassination take priority over RPG bloat.
Sixth place suits players who want a compact, classic Assassin's Creed open world rather than a 100-hour epic.
7. Cyberpunk 2077
CD Projekt Red's RPG, $59.99 and often $29.99 on sale, runs well on PS5 after the 2.0 update and supports the Phantom Liberty expansion ($29.99).
Night City is a dense vertical open world with a 25-to-40-hour main story and branching endings. The PS5 version offers ray-traced and performance modes.
Seventh place reflects a strong recovery; the current build is the polished city RPG the launch was not.
8. Death Stranding Director's Cut
Kojima Productions' 2019 game, $49.99 for the PS5 Director's Cut (sales near $19.99), holds an 86 Metacritic for the original.
You traverse a fractured America delivering cargo across rugged terrain, building roads and zip-lines shared asynchronously with other players. The story runs 40-plus hours and the world is unlike anything else.
Eighth place rewards a unique, methodical open world that divides players but rewards patience.
9. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
CD Projekt Red's RPG runs on PS5 via the free Next-Gen update, $49.99 for the Complete Edition and often $9.99 on sale, holding a 92 Metacritic.
Two huge maps and 100-plus hours of content with the best side quests in the genre. The PS5 update adds ray tracing, faster loading, and DualSense support.
Ninth place recognizes a timeless world that, at frequent $9.99 sales, is the cheapest great open world on the console.
10. Hogwarts Legacy
Avalanche's 2023 wizarding-school RPG, $59.99 and often $29.99 on sale, holds an 84 Metacritic and was a major 2023 seller.
Set in the 1800s, it lets you attend classes, learn spells, and explore Hogwarts and the surrounding Highlands across a 30-to-40-hour story. The castle interior is a technical showpiece on PS5.
It rounds out the list as the most faithful Harry Potter open world, narrowly tenth on slightly repetitive open-area content.
How to Choose
- For the deepest exploration payoff, buy Elden Ring; skip it if you want easy difficulty.
- For a polished exclusive showcase, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 or Horizon Forbidden West best demonstrate the PS5.
- For visual artistry, Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut is the most beautiful pick.
- On a budget under $30, The Witcher 3 or Death Stranding Director's Cut deliver huge worlds cheaply.
- For a compact 20-hour world, Assassin's Creed Mirage avoids open-world fatigue.
- For franchise fans, Hogwarts Legacy and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth are the standout licensed worlds.
FAQ
Which PS5 open-world game best shows off the DualSense controller?
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Horizon Forbidden West use adaptive triggers and haptics extensively, from web-shooter tension to bow-draw resistance. Death Stranding Director's Cut and Astro's tech also lean on the controller, but for an open world Spider-Man 2's traversal feedback is the most memorable.
Do these games load faster on PS5 than older consoles?
Yes. The PS5 SSD dramatically cuts loading, most noticeably in Elden Ring's near-instant respawns and Spider-Man 2's fast-travel that drops you into the city in seconds. Cross-gen titles like The Witcher 3 also gained faster loading through their PS5 updates.
Are any of these PS5 open-world games exclusives?
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Ghost of Tsushima began as PlayStation exclusives, though Ghost of Tsushima later came to PC. Horizon Forbidden West is also a PlayStation-first title. Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Witcher 3 are multiplatform.
What is the cheapest great open-world game on PS5?
The Witcher 3 Complete Edition frequently drops to $9.99 and delivers over 100 hours, making it the best low-cost option. Death Stranding Director's Cut at around $19.99 on sale is another excellent budget pick for a unique world.
Bottom Line
For the best open-world game on PS5 in 2027, Elden Ring at $59.99 (often $39.99 on sale) is the top overall pick, with a smooth world that rewards every detour. For the best value, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 at around $39.99 delivers a flagship exclusive and the smoothest traversal on the console.
Sources
- Metacritic — PS5 scores for Elden Ring, Spider-Man 2, and Horizon Forbidden West
- The Game Awards — 2022 and 2023 Game of the Year results and nominees
- PlayStation Store — current PS5 pricing and edition contents
- Sony Interactive Entertainment — first-party release details
- FromSoftware / Bandai Namco — Shadow of the Erdtree details
- IGN and Push Square — PS5 reviews and open-world coverage
- Digital Foundry — PS5 performance and loading analysis