Open-World Games So Good, You’ll Play Them Twice

Red Dead Redemption 2

A Perfect Blend Of Narrative And Freedom

Red Dead Redemption 2’s legacy is indisputable in 2025, with nearly everyone agreeing it remains Rockstar’s best work to date. Combining an ambitious narrative with a reactive open world unlike any other, and NPCs that genuinely feel alive, RDR 2 adds even more nuance to its story and complex characters through a subsequent run.

Experiencing the story a second time feels like peeking behind the curtain, as players gain a deeper appreciation for the slow buildup to major events and the early-game moments that carry far-reaching consequences. On top of that, Red Dead Redemption 2’s Wild West setting is so alive and full of surprises that players are still discovering new details and events more than seven years after its launch.

Fallout: New Vegas

No New Run Is Like The Previous

Fallout: New Vegas stands as a true gem both within the iconic series and in Obsidian’s vast RPG catalog, offering a deeply branching narrative and unmatched freedom of roleplay. With its intricate faction and companion systems, and quests that can be approached in countless ways that encourage creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, New Vegas remains the epitome of old-school RPG design philosophy. It’s long overdue for a proper remaster, or even a full remake.

No matter what wild character builds players create, Fallout: New Vegas fully supports them, allowing complete freedom to embody whatever hero (or antihero) they choose to be. It’s one of the few open-world RPGs that truly delivers on the promise of each new playthrough feeling completely different.

Cyberpunk 2077

A Fascinating Setting Worth Returning To

Players who experienced Cyberpunk 2077 at launch would hardly recognize its current state, given the stream of patches and content updates CD Projekt Red has released over the years. Yet even newcomers to the game’s final edition might find it difficult to leave Night City after just one playthrough.

And it’s easy to see why. Cyberpunk 2077 is built like a true RPG, with a robust character creator, gender and backstory options that influence certain quests or even unlock new ones, and the developer’s trademark branching narrative featuring multiple endings and the ability to shape the fate of nearly every key NPC. On top of that, the flexible character-building system makes each subsequent run feel fresh by offering entirely new ways to approach combat, stealth, and dialogue.

Elden Ring

There’s Always Something New To Discover

Unlike traditional RPGs such as Fallout: New Vegas or The Witcher 3, Elden Ring takes a different approach, with fewer NPCs and side quests hiding around every corner. Despite offering several endings, some of which can be difficult to obtain, Elden Ring may not feel drastically different on a second playthrough, but it still provides plenty of reasons to keep playing.

Elden Ring’s secret lies in its unparalleled variety, from enemies and bosses to weapons, spells, and abilities. That’s why players continue returning to it years later, experimenting with different builds, collecting gear they missed before, and uncovering hidden areas and entire questlines that are easy to overlook on the first run.

Replaying It Is Always A Good Idea

Skyrim is a game that RPG fans have been steadily playing for years, often starting a new playthrough right after finishing the previous one — or simply spending time in its unique, familiar, and beloved world. For many, Skyrim represents the epitome of a gaming second life, made easier by its availability on nearly every platform.

On PC, Skyrim can be customized to anyone’s liking thanks to its thriving modding community and thousands of mods that alter every aspect of the game, ensuring each playthrough feels distinct. Even for those who stick to the vanilla version, Skyrim delivers everything expected from an epic fantasy adventure built on freedom.