Most open-world games tend to have combat in them these days, with the vast majority featuring guns in one way or another. For those who enjoya good shootout, this certainly isn’t a bad thing. However, this does mean that players who don’t like the idea of using guns in video games may find that their options are a little limited at first glance.
Thankfully, there are some great examples, although it’s important to note that just because a game doesn’t have guns, that doesn’t mean that it’s suitable for kids. In fact, some of the bestopen-worldgames that don’t have guns are actually a lot more violent than their firearm-flourishing counterparts, with swords and other bladed weapons able to do just as much damage as guns; if not more so.
Although the playable protagonists in games likeMarvel’s Spider-ManandBatman: Arkham Knightdon’t use guns, many of the enemies that they come up against do. As such, these titles will not be considered for this list.
Shenmuewas originally conceived as aVirtua FighterRPG. Plans ultimately changed over the course ofthe firstShenmuegame’s development, but one thing that remained the same was the heavy emphasis that the series placed on martial arts, with main character Ryo Hazuki using his family’s signature style of Jujutsu and a variety of other techniques to fight his way towards vengeance.
Although some of the enemies that Ryo comes up against do brandish bladed weapons, there are no guns in any of theShenmuegames, despite what an infamous Cheat Planet article would have its readers believe (see “Reo Hazuky’s gun”).Shenmue 2is arguably the best of the three titles when it comes to open-world exploration and combat, although they’re all well worth checking out.
Combat inMinecraftis pretty basic when compared to some of theother great open-world games that are on the market, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t still be a lot of fun. Taking down Skeletons, Ghasts, and Creepers with an assortment of hand-crafted weapons often proves to be an absolute blast, as too does PvP inMinecraftSurvival Games.
When all’s said and done, though,Minecraftis all about crafting, which is where it’s at its absolute best. If players can imagine it, they can probably build it inMinecraft, with all manner of weird and wonderful structures having been created in the title over the years. This includes recreations of real-world landmarks andridiculously complicated resource farms.
At the beginning ofGhost of Tsushima,Jin Sakai is an honorable Samuraiwho’s called upon to protect his home from the invading Mongol forces. However, it soon becomes clear that the people of Tsushima are no match for Khotun Khan’s men, which forces Jin to rethink his approach and set aside some of the values and ideals that he’s been raised to follow.
Although Jin tries to resist his transformation into the Ghost at first, he begins to embrace his new persona as the game goes on, eventually accepting that protecting his homeland and its people is far more important than blindly following the samurai code. This face-off between honor and pragmatism is immensely compelling and helps to makeGhost of Tsushimaone ofthe best open-world gamesaround.
Despite having more bugs than a Bali bathhouse,Skyrimis a truly incredible game. More than a decade on from its initial release, there are still tens of thousands of people playing this open-world masterpiece at any given moment, thanks both to the game’s intricate combat system and its wonderfully well-fleshed-out world.Skyrim’s fantastic modding scenesure helps a lot as well.
When it comes to combat,Skyrimfeatures a wide variety of weapons, including swords, maces, and axes. Those looking to spice things up a little can also use magic, with dozens of spells available. Players can add firearms to their arsenal if they really want to thanks toEnroys' Lore Friendly Guns of Skyrim mod, but the vanilla version of the game is thankfully gun-free.
When it comes to open-world role-playing games, few developers can compete with CD Projekt Red. Over the past decade or two,the Polish developer has helped to revolutionize the genre, with many consideringThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntand its top-tier side quests and worldbuilding to be the studio’s crowning achievement.
Although he’s more than capable of holding his own in a fistfight,Geralt is best known for using two swords: a silver one for dealing with monsters and a steel one for taking down beasts, the latter of which includes humans and other intelligent species. The titular Witcher can also use a special type of magic known as Signs, with five of these available in the third game.
FromSoftware games have always excelled in the combat department, with most of them offering players a compelling narrative as well.Elden Ringcranks both dials right up to eleven though, with the Lands Between being one of the best video game settings of all time. The world is steeped in lore and wonder thanks to contributions from George R. R. Martin: the American author whoseA Song of Ice and Fireseries served as the basis forHBO’sGame of Thronesseries.
Elden Ringis the perfect game for players who love challenging combat and meaningful exploration, with near-unlimited potential when it comes to character builds and a vast and varied array of map locations to check out. Then there’s theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC, which is arguably one ofthe best video game expansions of all time, providing another sizable serving of excellence for those who still find themselves hungry after polishing off the base version of the game.
Combat is probably the most divisive element ofThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomand its 2017 predecessor due to the way that most weapons break after a certain amount of use. Thankfully,Tears of the Kingdomat least provides players with a way torepair weapons before they breakand an unbreakable Master Sword, the latter of which can be a godsend for players who just want to get on with the story.
However, those who do stick to using only the Master Sword run the risk of missing out on the game’s fantastic Fuse ability, which, as the name suggests, can be used to fuse items together. Fusion allows for the creation of someimmensely powerfulTears of the Kingdomweapons, especially when Zonai Devices are thrown into the mix, which can in turn make exploring the game’s sizable open world feel that much more magical.
