Alongside our Game of the Year top 10 list and personal picks from the Push Square editorial team, we are recognising the best PS5 games of 2025 in select categories. Today is the turn of the best PS5 open world game of 2025.
Bronze Trophy: Ghost of Yotei
Building on what it achieved in Ghost of Tsushima, developer Sucker Punch brings back its wind-based navigation mechanic and places it in a more freeing open world space. With Mount Yotei off in the distance, you'll work through various regions in search of the Yotei Six, actually exploring all the towns and uncovering their secrets for clues of their whereabouts.
Every feature is designed to benefit the open world, presenting a beautiful recreation of Japan you'll want to take time out to explore fully. It may not offer anything completely new to the open world genre, but Ghost of Yotei is an example of it at its current best.
Read our Ghost of Yotei PS5 review through the link.
Silver Trophy: Atomfall
In terms of sheer uniqueness, you're going to struggle to find anything more standout than Atomfall in the open world space this year. You wake up in a dystopian take on Great Britain, with a traditional village at the centre and a ruined landscape surrounding it. The mystery of what's gone on is woven into every location you come across, and it makes exploring each area intriguing and exciting. It's not the biggest, but Atomfall packs so much mystique into its playspace that it feels like a genuine English village.
Read our Atomfall PS5 review through the link.
Gold Trophy: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Nobody makes games like Kojima Productions does, and that rings true in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. A more streamlined sequel, delivering packages across a ruined country is still the core focus of Sam Bridges' latest adventure. However, this time he's better kitted out with combat skills, vehicles, and the DHV Magellan.
Oftentimes, there's not a lot to Death Stranding 2's open world — but that's one of the best things about it. You and your fellow players can help restore Australia to glory by banding resources together to rebuild roads and structures. All while looking utterly stunning, the varied biomes of Death Stranding 2, along with all the Preppers in between, make for a captivating open world undertaking.
Read our Death Stranding 2: On the Beach PS5 review through the link.
Platinum Trophy: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Time travel machines won't be invented in our lifetimes, so Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is probably the best you'll get if you want to roleplay the life of a medieval man. An incredible achievement that includes two huge open world maps in one game, your playtime is split between the countryside and villages of Trosky, and the main city of Kuttenberg.
The true magic is what happens as you explore them, though. Hundreds of quests populate the world, and then there are the historically accurate hamlets, merchants, and random encounters in between. You must dress for the occasion, deal with the consequences of any crime, and work your way up from the bottom. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has to be the best medieval simulator ever.
Read our Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 PS5 review through the link.
Do you agree with our picks for the best PS5 open world game of 2025? Share your thoughts in the comments below and check out more of our Game of the Year coverage through the link.
What was your favourite PS5 open world game of 2025? (1,228 votes)
- Assassin's Creed Shadows
- Atomfall
- Borderlands 4
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Dying Light: The Beast
- Ghost of Yotei
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Where Winds Meet
- Other (let us know in the comments!)
Comments 39
Wait, Atom fall beat out Yotei.......?
Agree with KCD2 is the best open world game of the year
The world built for DS2 is sublime.. with literally incredible graphics on the PRO and the perfect size for an enjoyable experience. Definitely my favourite.
Ghosts of yotei should be number one for me easily then again ive never played kcd 2 they are my type of games but atomfall ahead of ghost of yotei come on its a good game though i suppose opinions ive not played death stranding 2 ive heard its incredible
Kcd2 is the only choice, nice to see it getting more recognition lately , after the game awards farce
I legit forgot Atomfall released this year and I'm surprised it popped up on the list. Quite a few contenders present here for sure.
Ford me the best PS open world is...Stalker 2.
KCD2 is my goty so easy pick there. But shout out to Satisfactory as it made it's PS5 debut this year. Absolutely phenomenal game with a giant and gorgeous open world.
Right picks; wrong order. That’s all I’ll say.
Death Stranding 2 is the only one I've played so I have to vote for that by default but from what I've watched, Kingdom Come is head and shoulders the best open world game
Atomfall above GoY is certainly an opinion.
Wish there was an easy mode for kingdom come. Please tell me im not alone lol
Usually open world is my jam, but I've barely touched any this year. Just Ghost of Yotei and Days Gone Remastered. So will have to go with Yotei
Atomfall isn't even an open world.
I am just waiting to see best racing or sports games list to see Yotei on the podium again…
@Ricksta It gets actually a bit too easy after the opening hours. After you get some perks the “survival” elements become non issue and after you train sword fighting with the gypsy sword master, even full plate armored knight isnt a challenge anymore.
It did take me multiple reloads to defeat even a single bandit in the begining tho, its not just you, henry is super weak by design xD
Definetly looking forward to trying the hardcore mode for the second playthrough.
I’m only on Chapter 2 of Death Stranding 2 yet I adore it. I’m trying to slowly tackle it so I don’t get burned out.
But Ghost of Yotei was such a blast to play. I even enjoyed riding my horsey around with the excuse of collecting resources just so I can check out the graphics of the environments. I couldn’t put it down
Kingdom come deliverance 2 is the right choice. Word up son
Ghost Of Yotei is easily the best ooen world game this year
Completely agree with this list ❤️
But it's #8...but okaaayyy we'll take this. At least it was PC Gamer's GOTY.
Yeah GoY not being Gold is baffling. It was my personal favorite this year but props to KCD
Where winds meet at 3% !? Sad people, sad.. ya missing out!
Easy for me it’s Death Stranding 2. I loved Atomfall too because it was different and respected my time. I guess KCD2 I need to give a whirl but I feel the need to tackle the first one first.
Il be the outlier and vote for Borderlands 4.
DS2 getting robbed this year. The current top two on the vote are meh at best. Ai could have made those games.
@DarianStarfrog is it that good? I have it downloaded but have never played it.
@GamingGod I liked DS2 more than Ghost of Yetei but feel the latter is more open world than DS2. It's open world with more obstacles.
Wow, Liam read my mind. Usually, it is Colin Moriarty that says something, I have been thinking.
Yesterday, as I put down Days Gone Remastered and returned to KCD 2 I thought to myself "how cool it is to have a time machine".
I spent a good hour just walking around the open world looking at stuff and trying to guess what it was for.
It is a relief to see the wonderful games of 2025 get their flowers from the staff of Push square, because of the frankly boring award-season this year, where it would seem like the marketing/bribe budget of Sandfall is in the billions😅
For me, the lists are as much about discovery as seeing your favorite games get praise. I've wish listed quite a few games after reading your lists so far. Keep it up in mandated overtime 😉
From what I've heard GoY sounds like better than GoT in terms of open world aspect. KCD2 sound like a totalbother beast though.
KCD2 might be the best open world, but I'll never get to know as its a game I'd hate. Since the inception of rpgs theres been two schools with one opting for total realism, eating, toileting, encumberence cleaning etc etc. Ive always been a guy who wants to escape into a virtual living world to not bother with such things so tge title has zero appeal.
I really loved GOY so that probably gets my vote, but Ive not played DS2 yet and I think that will be up there.
I did play Atomfall and Ive no idea why its here at all, didnt think the game was that good, and short of the art style, I didnt find the open world an impressive one at all. Horses for courses as they say and I appreciate we are all different, a subjective opinion is just that, it cant be wrong 😀
That's made up my mind to buy Atomfall (at a suitable sale price), and I have the first Death Stranding lined up for my first open world game of 2026, so hopefully that will inspire me to get the 2nd game.....however after putting around 40 hours in the first Kingdom Come and not getting the hang of sword play and shooting arrows, I'm afraid it doesn't matter how pretty the second game is, I can't see myself ever playing it... abandoning the first game for Far Cry Primal was my best gaming decision of the year, much more accessible and fun 🙂
DS2 open world was dull. Many quests from the first game repeated. No reward in completing multiple deliveries. The struggle that made the first game great is almost absent. You can literally take on most missions without crafting a thing and still get it done.
@Titntin
You push a button to eat every now and then and then it is 4 real hours before you need to do it again. You can't go to the toilet or clean anything except for yourself.
It is like a tough version of Skyrim where you start out really weak and poor. There's communities with morality systems just like Skyrim, and you level everything up by doing it, or by training. You can even study and buy tutoring lessons for pretty much everything. There's potions that raise your affinity in certain skills for a short time too.
Everything they put in the game is documented and explained in an in-game tutorial that unfolds as you play or that you can access via menus. Also, there's a substantial codex with hundreds of entries explaining pretty much everything in game making it an educational experience if you seek it out.
I get that it might be daunting, but what do you want your RPG to be? Maybe KCD is for you, and you've mistakenly internalized it wasn't for you!
@EfYI Thank you for advising me on all that. But you ask me what I want my RPGs to be and Ill answer : pure escapism.
I dont want real medieval history, its just not what I play games for. Id rather the tired old 'elves and dwarfs magic kingdom' or those poorly written but sweet childish tales from a 'cuddly' jrpg. Thats just what Im looking for.
It does sound like Im missing a fantasticly crafted world, well written characters and intelligent system designs though, which is a shame. But I just dont want to be a medieval peasent in a harsh world, the role itself is just not one I wish to inhabit.
Respect to everyone who does, and gets to enjoy such a well put together rpg though.. shame, but I cant change what Im seeking...
@Titntin
Cheers, buddy, that's for you to decide. I thought I'd give it a go, though. You see I teach old dogs new tricks for a living🐶
And besides, I used to be just like you - but then I took an arrow to the knee. That arrow was KCD. It will kick you off the saddle, sure enough, but if you keep on, you'll soon find yourself not as the knave but the shining Knight in white armour.
Like, one mission you're supposed to flee a battalion of soldiers combing through the woods for you - and by using poisoned blades and tactical movement as well as my knowledge and skills in the deep sword fencing mechanics I managed to kill. every. single. one. of. them.
Anyways, I also like the more fantastical RPGs, but KCD just KEEPS surprising me hundreds of hours and multiple playthroughs later (still on the first playthrough of kcd 2, but I'd recommend you playing the first of course).
@EfYI I really am delighted you love it so much. If I didnt have a backlog its gonna take a year to clear, maybe Id try anyway, but it makes sense to play the stuff I think I might enjoy before the stuff I think I wont 😀 One day it might be really really cheap and I jump in and love it. Ill try and remember and message you here says ng 'you were right!'
Again, if it had PS5 in the award title it should only be PS5 exclusives, or has PS5 not got enough exclusives yet for it's PS5 awards lmao
Death Stranding lucky to even get a nomination , so boring and pretentious.
STALKER 2. I'm on well over a 100 hours in, no where near finished & still loving it
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