The idea of a massive video game world that demands dozens upon dozens of hours of investment from the player can be a daunting one, especially with so many games competing for your attention, but at the same time, theres an undeniable allure to that promise. From open world experiences to those adopting different structures but still crafting massive worlds for players to explore, weve had plenty of games in 2024 that have delivered exactly that kind of experience. Here, were going to speak about a few such games that stand out in memory.FINAL FANTASY 7 REBIRTHFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthwent full open world, and boy did it do so in the most thorough manner possible. Across this epic odyssey, you travel to a vast number of locations throughout the Planet, which means there are several large open world maps to explore, each completely different from the other in their biomes, design, and more. A barrage of optional activities and side quests, unique traversal mechanics to each area, and more allow each area to feel yet more distinct, with all of it coming together in whats easily one of the most massive (and impressive) games of 2024.S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: HEART OF CHORNOBYLIn the lead-up toS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2slaunch, GSC Game World promised one of the biggest open worlds ever made, and boy does the game deliver. At over 60 square kilometers,S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of ChornobylsExclusion Zone is a gargantuan play space, and brimming with things to see. There are over 20 distinct areas comprising the map, featuring a healthy mix of new locations and locations that will be familiar to fans of past instalments (many of which have been expanded or overhauled). Huge doesnt begin to do it justice.DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARDBioWare failed to nail the open world formula withDragon Age: InquisitionandMass Effect: Andromeda, as a result of which the developer reverted to a semi-linear mission-based structure withDragon Age: The Veilguardthis year- but that doesnt mean this game is small in scale by any means. Though story missions are decidedly linear, between such missions, the game lets you explore a number of semi-open world maps that are not only sufficiently large, but also hide no shortage of optional content and hidden secrets. Even thoughThe Veilguardisnt open world, this is still the largest Thedas has ever felt in a game.ONCE HUMANPost-apocalyptic survival game Once Humansopen world design is different from some of the games weve spoken of so far, primarily thanks to the fact that this is a multiplayer-centric game. Regardless, in terms of size, its definitely one of the largest games of the year.Once Humansmap is 16 kilometers by 16 kilometers, all of which is split into four separate zones, each of which brings its own unique biome. Whether its size youre looking for or variety, Once Humansworld doesnt disappoint.ELDEN RING: SHADOW OF THE ERDTREEElden Ringdelivered a mind-bogglingly huge world when it launched in 2022, and though the new map initsShadow of the Erdtreeexpansion wasntquiteas large, it was still a much bigger map than most had expected from an expansion. Exploring the Land of Shadow fully and seeing everything it has to offer is not something youre going to be able to do if you dont have plenty of time on your hands. More importantly, the incredible level design exhibited throughout the map ensures youll never have a dull moment as you explore every nook and cranny.LIKE A DRAGON: INFINITE WEALTHLike a Dragon games never fail to deliver dozens upon dozens of hours of content, but they generally tend to do that through density rather than size. The same is true forInfinite Wealth. The eighth mainline entry in the series takes players to Hawaii, and though the map is definitely a large one (certainly much larger than anything else weve seen from the series in the past), its not nearly on the same level as some of the other open worlds weve discussed here thus far. Still, the game does a great job of encouraging you to explore every inch, not only because of the immaculate vibes, but also the abundant content on offer (most of which is a heck of a lot of fun).STAR WARS OUTLAWSTheres plenty thatStar Wars Outlawsgets wrong, but even many of its critics will tell you that as far as its open world is concerned, its one of Ubisofts best productions in years.Star Wars Outlawsavoids the pitfalls of open world bloat, which weve grown more familiar with over the years than wed like to admit, by ensuring that none of its maps ever feeltoolarge, and that exploration always feels organic. Its a compelling open world experience, and one that makes great use of its impressive scope.BLACK MYTH: WUKONGHeres another example of a game that manages to achieve a sense of scale in spite of being a non-open world level-based game. No, its nowhere near as big as most other games on this list, but with a mix of linear levels and larger, more open-ended areas, it does manage to craft a sizeable world nonetheless. This is a game you can easily spend over 50 hours in (depending on how extensively youre engaging with the optional content), which tells you that theres plenty to explore for players.SONS OF THE FORESTAfter spending a year in early access, Endnight Games highly anticipated open world survival gameSons of the Forestcelebrated its 1.0 launch this February, and it didnt take long for players to fall in love with it- which didnt come as a surprise, after the games early access period. Theres a lot to love inSons of the Forestshorrific world, of course, and its sizeable map is high on that list. Not only is it significantly larger and much more detailed than the map in its predecessor, its also a constant thrill to explore, with the game doing a remarkable job of making exploration feel consistently terrifying and yet rewarding.SATISFACTORYAfter five and a half long years in early access,Satisfactorylaunched in full this September, and though a a large map isnt necessarily something youd expect from a factory management simulation game, not only doesSatisfactorydeliver it, it also uses it to great effect. Exploring its vast and hostile world always remains one of the experiences highlights, and contributes significantly to the games engaging core loop.DRAGONS DOGMA 2Dragons Dogma 2is a wholly unique game, delivering a kind of emergent open world experience that you cant find anywhere else. A lot of that is down the games complete refusal to hold your hand and its systems-driven sandbox nature, but the size of its world is also a big part of the games success. Exploring the massive fantasy world ofDragons Dogma 2is always a blast, whether youre exploring the lush landscapes in Vermund or the harsh desert landscapes of Battahl. Though more environmental diversity would have been appreciated, at least theres plenty to explore, and consistently enjoyable, dynamic combat shenanigans to get into.DRAGON QUEST 3 HD-2D REMAKEDragon Quest 2 HD-2D Remakeis obviously a very different kind of experience from most other games in this feature, given the fact that it is deliberately designed as a throwback experience that harkens back to classic RPGs with its overworld exploration, town-hopping fantasy odyssey, dungeon crawling, and what have you. And though it is ultimately an old game made new, its also a sufficiently large experience- large enough, in fact, that theres plenty to whet the appetite of all intrepid explorers out there. Its world isnt colossal, but it feels large enough nonetheless, and exploration always remains gratifying.RISE OF THE RONINYes, weve mentioned a few rough-around-the-edges games here, butRise of the Ronincertainly does deserve its place here. Team Ninjas first crack at an open world game, though it suffered from formulaic design and cookie cutter open world content, it also wasnt without its strengths. For starters, the game deserves credit for bringing its 19th century setting to life, at least from a visual perspective (even if the locations can feel a bit too lifeless at times). More prominent, however, are the traversal mechanics, with the mix of horseback riding, gliding, and running around making for a fun loop that keeps exploration enjoyable.LIGHTYEAR FRONTIERSince its early access launch in March,Lightyear Frontierhas been praised by most who have played it, and its tranquil open world map in particular is something that many have shined a light on. Calm exploration and zen traversal are the name of the game inLightyear Frontier,owing to its very nature, which is a perfect fit for the pleasant, beautiful environments that you tend to find yourself in as you explore its world.MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR 2024Recreating literally the entire planet Earth,Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024follows in the footsteps of its 2020 predecessor in going above and beyond with its open world map. That is, however, an important part of the experience here, just as it was in 2020, and once again, theres no shortage of things to see, and even more things to do. The world sports a much greater level of detail and boasts an even greater level of authenticity, which makesFlight Sim 2024a great experience for all the virtual tourists out there.