Summary
Open-world games are all about giving the player as much freedom as they can muster, but in massive worlds, the player’s probably going to need a vehicle to get around. The very best open-world games throw caution to the wind and let the player use their vehicle as a weapon, too, resulting in all kinds of chaos.
Whether it’s futuristic hot rods with machine guns attached to the hood or remote-controlled trucks being used like battering rams, plenty of open-world games have great creative uses for vehicles as weapons.
ThoughCyberpunk 2077was released in a bit of a sorry state, it’s hard to deny that Night City and the driving experience were anything less than exceptional. CD Projekt Red worked hard to imagine what the automobiles of the cyberpunk future would look like, eventhe free four-wheeled menaces, resulting in all sorts of mayhem.
Of course, any of the game’s vehicles can be used as a battering ram against foes galore. Still, several of the fancier vehicles have autonomous weapon systems and can be remote-controlled. In Night City, the player’s ride is their fortress.
TheFar Crygames, particularly postFar Cry 3, have been adored for their chaos-generating game design where simple encounters can turn into impromptu action movies as things get increasingly chaotic. While each game differs in approach,Far Cry 6takes an interesting retro approach to vehicles.
That’s because the game takes place in a fictional parallel of Cuba where the majority of vehicles are actually outdated compared to modern day. That means the old-school cars take center stage as the distinct voice of the game and can act like brutal battering rams as the player careens through the humid streets at top speed.
From the very first reveal ofWatch Dogs, the implicit fantasy was that the player could hack anything in the world and take control. While that fantasy has waxed and waned throughout the franchise, none has gone quite as hard asWatch Dogs: Legionin trying to deliver on that original promise.
InWatch Dogs: Legion, not only can the player playas almost any NPC on the streets of dystopian London, but a whole range of hacks become available where vehicles can become remote-controlled death-dealing machines where the player doesn’t even need to drive them. Every vehicle is a theoretical weapon, resulting in some genuinely creative setpieces.
Even for 2008,Mercenaries2was a little old-fashioned. Where games likeCall of Duty 4andAssassin’s Creedwere trying to push AAA video games into the realm of the cinematic telling of Hollywood-style stories,Mercenaries 2was a much simpler proposition from a bygone era. Just have as much fun as you like.
Mercenaries 2is a massive sandbox where everything is susceptible to being torn down by explosions. In the sheer chaos of utter destruction, players can pilot all manner of offensive vehicles to assist in the chaos. InMercenaries 2, players are responsible for their fun, making it a quiet cult hit among its fans.
BeforeGrand Theft Auto 5, other game devs were still trying to out-compete the brilliance of Rockstar open-world crime simulators, andSaints Rowwas the main competition. However, whileGrand Theft Autotends to counterbalance its silliness,Saints Row: The Thirdleaned into absurd comedy and chaos, which separated it from the pack and helped it becomeone of the most beloved entries in the entire series.
Naturally, the absurd comedy doesn’t just come from weapons or the story, but also from the wide variety of crazy vehicles that become the Boss’s most fearsome weapons. Sci-fi, fantasy, and horror are all on the table, with a toybox sensibility at every juncture.
TheJust Causefranchise has always prized massive maps, fast mobility, and chaos at every turn. These games are all about causing the biggest explosions imaginable while navigating a massive map with countless hours of fun. While protagonist Rico Rodriguez has his trademark grappling hook and parachute to play with, vehicles also play a big roleacross the entire franchise.
In the latest entry inJust Cause 4, the vehicle list is just as big as it’s ever been, stretching from rickety three-door cars all the way to military-grade tanks. Vehicles are one of the best ways to cause massive destruction inJust Cause 4, especially when they’re rigged to blow with a small country’s worth of C4.
Most open-world games tend to fuse vehicles and on-foot action, giving equal attention to both. However, particularly in modern open-world games, it’s increasingly rare to find a game that prioritizes vehicle combat over on-person combat, soMad Maxstill stands out today as one of the best vehicle-based open-world games ever made, and it remains surprisinglywell-connected to the movie seriestoo.
In the game, players are encouraged to upgrade their Magnum Opus, Max’s signature car, which will become their primary weapon in the game from the first hour to the very last. Grappling hooks, weapons, wheels, and roaring engines are where the fun is found here, and the Magnum Opus is one of the best open-world vehicles ever designed.
Despite being over ten years old, open-world games are still struggling to compete withGrand Theft Auto 5. Los Santos is the ultimate playground for players looking to let loose, and its ever-growing roster of vehicles largely defines it.
While the base game has its share of military vehicles, the continuing success ofGrand Theft Auto Onlinemeans that increasingly wild vehicles populate players' garages, ranging from flying cars to gun-toting mobile fortresses. At this point, it seems that only the upcomingGrand Theft Auto 6could surpass it.
