The Greatest Open-World Games That Make Players Feel Like Superheroes (2024)

One allure of open-world video games is the ability to cause nearly endless destruction and chaos across a large map. Of course, this is not always the case with every title in the genre, but most open-world games allow players to destroy everything in sight.

Many open-world games go further, letting players run through the world with superpowers. Some of these games where you have superpowers are based on comic book properties, while others are original superhero stories created from the ground up by the developers. Most recently, Insomniac has released a sequel to one of their best games with Marvel's Spider-Man 2, where players can become Marvel's biggest hero in an amazing open world, proving there's still much more growth for the genre.

Updated on August 8, 2024, by Michael Colwander: There have been many approaches to the open-world genre whether it's realism or over-the-top explosive action. Decades later, some of the most fun players have had in open-world games are those that let players use superhuman abilities. More games have been added.

30 Dragon Ball Z Kakarot Was The Game Dragon Ball Fans Have Been Waiting For

For all the many Dragon Ball games in existence, few have truly provided the feeling of playing through the full story. Very few have made Dragon Ball's world feel alive. The Legacy of Goku series did, but that's limited to the technical prowess of the Game Boy Advance. Dragon Ball Z Kakaot, however, fully realizes that dream.

Dragon Ball Z Kakarot chronicles the entirety of Dragon Ball Z in an open-world format full of side quest, iconic places to visit, and even new lore. Flying around Dragon Ball's world is a dream come true and one of the best representations of the Dragon Ball franchise yet.

Dragon Ball Z Kakarot

Action

RPG

Fighting

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:73/100 Critics Recommend:54%

Franchise

Dragon Ball

Platform(s)

Stadia , PS4 , Switch , Xbox One , PC , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

January 16, 2020

Developer(s)

CyberConnect2

Publisher(s)

Bandai Namco Entertainment

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

ESRB

T for Teen: Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

How Long To Beat

30 Hours

Metascore

76

PS Plus Availability

Extra & Premium

See at Amazon

29 South Park Finds Itself In Its Own Captain America: Civil War In South Park: The Fractured But Whole

This may be a stretch, but the town of South Park is fully open and explorable in South Park: The Fractured But Whole and the premise of the game involves the kids of South Park roleplaying as their superhero alter egos.

The Fractured But Whole is the fantastic RPG follow-up to South Park: The Stick of Truth and sees the kids of South Park divided into rival factions. The player plays as a silent new kid who just arrived in town and can customize their character to fit different fighting archetypes. Unlike its predecessor, fights in The Fractured But Whole take place in a grid environment where movement and location matter similar to Final Fantasy Tactics.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole

RPG

Systems

See Also

The best superhero games on PC

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:82/100 Critics Recommend:81%

Franchise

South Park

Platform(s)

PS4 , Xbox One , Switch , PC

Released

October 17, 2017

Developer(s)

Ubisoft San Francisco

Publisher(s)

Ubisoft

Engine

Snowdrop

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Mature Humor, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs, Violence

How Long To Beat

20 Hours

PS Plus Availability

Extra & Premium

28 Batman: Arkham City Took The Arkham Series To The City Itself

Batman: Arkham Asylum was one of the best games of 2009. It was tough to imagine how the trailblazing superhero game would top it. Turns out, bringing Batman out of Arkham Asylum and into the wider Arkham City itself more than sufficed.

Batman: Arkham City carries over much of what made Arkham Asylum good and adds a slew of new bells and whistles that make traversing the iconic city extremely satisfying. Even in the face of its successors like Batman: Arkham Knight, there's still something very special about Arkham City that makes it still the best Batman game to date whether it's the initial wow factor of playing it in 2011 or simply the lack of Batmobile tank combat.

Batman Arkham City

Action

Adventure

Systems

Franchise

Batman

Platform(s)

PS3 , PC , Xbox One , PS4 , Xbox 360 , Wii U

Released

October 18, 2011

Developer(s)

Rocksteady Studios

Publisher(s)

Warner Bros. Interactive

Engine

Unreal Engine 3

ESRB

T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco, Violence

How Long To Beat

14 Hours

Metascore

96

PS Plus Availability

Premium

27 BioShock Is Full Of Wild Powers To Use

BioShock was a revolutionary game when it was first released. From the moment players laid eyes on Rapture they knew that they were about to experience a game unlike any other. That very same Rapture is full of secrets, lore, and terrifying residents.

Throughout BioShock, players can collect and use different Plasmids – serums that genetically modify to body, gaining it access to a unique superpower. These powers can include basic things like telekinesis or unleashing a jolt of electricity, but also creative powers like sending out a swarm of hornets with Insect Swarm. It's really fun to experiment with the many different abilities in BioShock, which help make it an all-time great game.

26 Superman Returns Made Players Feel Invulnerable

While Superman Returns delivered on the open-world promise and featured innovative ideas like city health instead of player health, the story felt repetitive and lacking. Many hoped Rocksteady would make a Superman game after the Arkham games, but fans are still waiting. The closest thing they got was news that the Suicide Squad game featured the Man of Steel.

Superman Returns featured combat mechanics that made it stand out, letting players fly across the cityscape of Metropolis for good measure. However, the forgettable boss battles and lack of a captivating story made Superman Returns a likewise forgettable entry in the Man of Steel's long history of video games.

25 Lego Marvel's Avengers Had Playable Versions Of The First Two Avengers Plots

By 2016, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was more real in people's minds than the comics ever were. So when Traveller's Tales launched Lego Marvel's Avengers in 2016, it made sense that the story focused on the MCU. Players explored a world where they could play through the events of the first and second Avengers movies. There were also levels devoted to several other major MCU films, including Captain America movies and Iron Man 3.

However, gameplay wasn't limited to MCU characters. On the contrary, players were given access to hundreds of playable characters, including the Young Avengers and Jane Foster Thor. Though short, traversing the city and smashing villains with major heroes' powers was entertaining.

24 Mass Effect: Andromeda Offers Psychic Powers In The Distant Future

The popular Mass Effect series needed a new direction after the major events of the trilogy. So they went with Mass Effect Andromeda, which sends players to an entirely different galaxy to find a new home for those who left.

The Mass Effect games have always given players some level of power, and this game is no different. While gunplay is the series' main focus, they can also rely on special biotic abilities. These powers resemble telekinetic abilities, allowing players to manipulate objects, or send energy blasts to destroy their foes.

23 Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Pits The Heroes And Villains Against Brainiac

The Lego Batman franchise was one of WB's most successful video game franchises for a time. By the third game, the series decided to expand beyond just the city of Gotham. When Brainiac brings his forces to bear against Earth, the Justice League and the Legion of Doom must team up to save their planet.

With an idea like that, it's not surprising that players were given control over more than just Batman. The players can control over 200 characters in the game, each with a power set similar to the comics. Players can tear both enemies and the different open-world areas down into studs as they play.

LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham

LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham hews close to the series’ formula, pairing uncomplicated gameplay with a deep, charming dive into decades’ worth of DC Comics stories and history. But after the impressive freedom of LEGO Batman 2 and LEGO Marvel, LEGO Batman 3 feels great and continues the fun-filled adventure with its use of blocks and pieces. Picking up from the end of LEGO Batman 2, the villain Braniac drives most of the fun in the scattered plot of LEGO Batman 3.

22 Infamous: Second Son Grants The Ability To Swap Superpowers Freely

In 2014, Sucker Punch revised the formula for inFamous with inFamous: Second Son, a title that left Cole McGrath behind for a new protagonist, Delsin Rowe. After the government's oppressive Department of Unified Protections attacked Delsin's reservation, he and his brother Reggie made their way to Seattle to save people from a horrible fate.

As Delsin Rowe, players had the power of smoke and fire, and they could steal the abilities from other Conduits. Swapping between powers like Neon and Video granted players super-speed and flight respectively, altering the gameplay enough to make every combat encounter with the DUP an experiment in perfecting power usage.

inFAMOUS Second Son

Action

Adventure

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:82/100 Critics Recommend:77%

Released

March 21, 2014

ESRB

T For Teen due to Blood, Drug Reference, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence

Franchise

Infamous

Platform(s)

PlayStation 4

Developer(s)

Sucker Punch

Publisher(s)

Sony

Engine

Havok Engine

How Long To Beat

10 Hours

PS Plus Availability

Extra & Premium

21 Spider-Man 2 Mastered The Feel Of Proper Web Swinging

Spider-Man was an adaptation of the live-action movie released on Xbox, PS2, and GameCube. Developed by Treyarch and Activision, the game quickly gained recognition as the first open-world superhero game. It was followed up by the fan-favorite Spider-Man 2 in 2004 and tied into the live-action movie franchise.

Players could play through missions that altered and expanded on the story from the movie. They could also swing freely through New York City, with a swinging system that felt more realistic than any game released before or after. Thanks to taking advantage of Spider-Man's power set, the game helped reinvigorate the open-world superhero genre and jumpstarted a long and successful partnership with superhero games.

20 Saints Row: The Third Grants Incredible Powers Upon Completing The Game

Saints Row lets players wreak plenty of destruction and started as a foil to Grand Theft Auto. It soon found its own identity after Saints Row The Third. By one hundred percent completing the game, players eventually unlock infinite ammo for all of their weapons and become virtually invincible, among numerous other powers.

Saints Row IV takes things even further by giving players incredible abilities. These include leaping across the entire map in the blink of an eye. Being able to play as a gang member with superpowers elevated the Saints Row franchise above other open-world games like GTA.

19 Megaton Rainfall Pits An Indestructible Superhero Against An Alien Invasion

Players step into the powerful body of an intergalactic being attempting to protect the Earth from an invading alien armada in Pentadimensional Games' 2017 hidden gem Megaton Rainfall. The unique spin on superheroes and the open-world game makes Megaton Rainfall an unforgettable experience.

Megaton Rainfall's unique open-universe design lets fans freely explore Earth as they fly around the mostly destructible cityscapes of the planet to battle alien invaders. However, the fun doesn't stop there. Gamers can also leave the planet and fly through the galaxy in first-person.

18 DC Universe Online Offers A Variety Of Superpowers To Emulate

Dimensional Ink Games released MMO DC Universe Online in 2011. Because the game is free-to-play and still receives additional content, it remains the perfect choice for players wanting to explore a superpower-themed sandbox. Despite featuring iconic DC heroes, DC Universe Online never became as popular as it could've been.

Players step into the world of the comics as their superpowered characters and interact with the most popular heroes and villains of the DC Comics universe. While only the iconic cities of Metropolis and Gotham City are truly open-world, there are many accessible locations for players to run or fly through between superhero or villain missions.

17 Gotham Knights Follows The Bat-Family Against The Court Of Owls

In a world where Batman lost his life in a battle with Ra's Al Ghul, it's up to the members of the Bat-Family to discover the truth behind Bruce's last case. Players took control of Nightwing, Tim Drake's Robin, Batgirl, and Red Hood as they tried to get Gotham City under control. Along the way, the heroes are tested by some of Batman's most dangerous villains and must find the one hero who will ascend to become the true protector of Gotham City.

After a successful trilogy in the Arkham series, Gotham Knights took Batman in a new direction. Players were let loose in an open-world Gotham City, but this time with RPG elements as they built specialized suits to deal with unique threats. Though the Bat-Family rarely has "superpowers," some of the abilities available in Gotham Knights certainly feel that way, as their armors can create elemental effects.

16 Prey Offers Alien Powers At The Cost Of The Player's Humanity

2017's Prey from Arkane Studios has established itself as one of the best games on Xbox Game Pass. The events are set aboard a massive space station tasked with experimenting on a powerful alien race. They soon escape and threaten to bring down the space station while players use stolen alien abilities to fight back and try to escape.

Prey isn't initially open-world since players must systematically unlock the various sections of the ship while experimenting with neuromods to gain new psionic alien abilities. Once the full station is unlocked, players can explore and gain new powers and skills.

Prey

Prey is one of the latest titles on this list, and it is definitely one of the most memorable as well. As a 1st-person horror adventure, it offers a tense and moody atmosphere with a unique and terrifying alien threat. The game also has shooter gameplay, but that’s less robust compared to the narrative and the sense of dread the game builds. Made by the developers of Dishonored, the game is a challenging and emotional journey. It offers plenty of scares but also explores something far more frightening - the human condition.

FPS

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:81/100 Critics Recommend:75%

Franchise

Prey

Platform(s)

PS4 , Xbox One , PC

Released

May 5, 2017

Developer(s)

Arkane Studios

Publisher(s)

Bethesda

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence

How Long To Beat

16 Hours

X|S Enhanced

No

File Size Xbox Series

37 GB (October 2022)

Metascore

84

PS Plus Availability

Extra & Premium

15 Batman: Arkham Knight Is The Ultimate Batman Simulator

Batman: Arkham Asylum drew fans into the hit trilogy when it launched in 2009. The game series expanded with the fan-favorite Arkham City, which introduced a small open-world map closed off by barbed wire-covered concrete walls.

Arkham Knight closed out the trilogy with a larger map that players could finally drive through in the Batmobile. While Batman as a human doesn't have any special abilities, the various devices, gadgets, and weapons players use more than makeup for the Caped Crusader's lack of powers. This combined with the cathartic free-flowing combat system, thrilling stealth action, and gliding mechanics made this an immensely satisfying Batman simulator.

Batman: Arkham Knight

With his back against the wall, Batman turns to his closest allies to help him save Gotham City from the clutches of Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight's army. A familiar face also returns to give The Dark Knight a message he cannot ignore.

Action

Franchise

Batman

Platform(s)

PS4 , Xbox One , PC

Released

June 23, 2015

Developer(s)

Rocksteady Studios

Publisher(s)

Warner Bros. Interactive

Engine

Unreal Engine 3

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

How Long To Beat

17 Hours

14 Agents Of Mayhem Set Players Loose With Superpowers In A Saturday Morning Cartoon Show

Volition followed up the hit Saints Row and Red Faction franchises with the fun and chaotic Agents of Mayhem on PC, PS4, and Xbox One in 2017. The game featured multiple trios of characters that each featured special abilities and weapons and could be interchanged to produce a unique team for each player.

Blockbuster superhero movies and Saturday morning cartoons inspired Agents of Mayhem. It also featured storylines and characters established in other Volition games. Players controlled selected characters from their chosen team while building up points to use powerful superhero powers and attacks that differed between each type of character.

13 Sunset Overdrive Combined Awesome Traversal With Exciting Combat

Insomniac Games is mostly known for making PlayStation exclusives. Before Sony bought them, they developed one of the most vibrant titles of the 2010s. The Microsoft-exclusive Sunset Overdrive was one of the most distinctive action-adventure games of the last decade.

Among Sunset Overdrive's major innovations was the smooth method of traversing through the environment by riding rails, an experience that helped them make 2018's Marvel's Spider-Man. Sunset Overdrive didn't sell well, but the company is still interested in continuing the series if the opportunity presents itself.

Sunset Overdrive

Set in 2027, a corrupt corporation known as FizzCo has released a new energy drink called Overcharge Delirium XT, which turns everyone into mutated monsters.

Third-Person Shooter

Open-World

Platform(s)

Xbox One , PC

Released

October 28, 2014

Developer(s)

Insomniac Games

Publisher(s)

Microsoft Game Studios

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence

How Long To Beat

10 Hours

12 LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Challenges Heroes To Defeat Loki And Doctor Doom

Many LEGO games are based on comic book properties, and each lets players toy with superpowers. However, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is among the best. Like other LEGO games, players jump into popular characters' LEGO brick forms to explore their favorite worlds from pop culture.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes features a huge roster of playable characters, each with their own powers and abilities. Players can explore Manhattan on the streets or in the skies as they work to thwart a plot from Doctor Doom and Loki that features the usual comedy of the LEGO games.

11 Gravity Rush Had An Undeniable Charm

The first Gravity Rush was a PS Vita exclusive until a remaster arrived on the PS4. The sequel, Gravity Rush 2, took full advantage of the console. Some took issue with the large world, which felt empty and inorganic. Still, the pros outweigh the cons, offering immense joy in traversing the environment by manipulating gravity.

Throwing oneself and objects around in the environment never grows old, and Gravity Rush's fantasy world remains endlessly charming. Players can use their gravity manipulation powers to travel not just through their world, but through the many floating cities and environments that can only be reached with their unique powers and abilities.