Which PlayStation 4 Game Has The Biggest Open World?
The saying "bigger doesn't always mean better" applies not only to films but to video games as well, particularly when it comes to open world games on the PlayStation 4. A decade ago, studios like Bethesda and Ubisoft created in-game maps so huge some players were likely wondering how they could ever fit inside their consoles. Perhaps unintentionally, series like Elder Scrolls and Assassin's Creed seemingly started an arms race focused primarily on which company could craft the biggest worlds. Whether the winners of this race were actually rich in content remains up for debate, but their sheer size alone is worth commemoration.
Upon figuring out which PlayStation 4 game in particular has the biggest open world, it's important to keep in mind the genre that is being dealt with. Some types of games, like racers, require large maps to accommodate for the gameplay. Since players cruise past various open spaces at breakneck speed, these locations do not actually need to be developed in detail. The same, by contrast, cannot be said about RPGs or action-adventure titles, both of which implore players to explore every nook and cranny of their worlds at a much slower and deliberate pace.
Racers and tactical shooters aside, the PS4 open world game with the biggest map is Final Fantasy XV. Clocking in at 700 square miles, the Japanese RPG is followed by Just Cause 3 (at 400 square miles), Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (with 91), DayZ (at 87) and, last but not least, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (at a still-impressive 84). Moving further down the list players encounter a sizable leap to the mere 55 square miles of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, which is disqualified from this list on grounds of it having been originally developed for the PlayStation 3 rather than the PS4.
Of course, there is something to be said about the sub-genres of the aforementioned games as well. While each technically qualifies as an open-world title, there are subtle differences between them that do not necessarily affect their quantity as much as their quality. For instance, because Just Cause 3 is a sandbox promising players the opportunity to do as they please, its world did not need to be designed with any sort of internal logic. Compared to games like Assassin's Creed Odyssey or The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, where every city, town, and roadside settlement has to appear believable and lived-in, size becomes less impressive.
Last, but not least, how do these newer titles compare to older ones? With each new generation of consoles, video games become more complex. Given how some current-gen character models contain more polygons than entire previous-gen game worlds, some players may think older titles have a tactical advantage here. Interestingly, that is not the case. Whereas Rockstar's beloved Red Dead Redemption 2 sports an admirable 29 miles, the original Read Dead Redemption only clocks in at a meager 12 — much, much less than what currently can be found in many of the PlayStation 4 titles listed above.