Games Like The Witcher 3: 9 Story-Driven Open-World Games

CD Projekt Red's other worlds

If you want more of The Witcher 3's writing, Cyberpunk 2077 is the studio's other big RPG. It shares the attention to side characters and quests that develop into bigger stories. It is first-person and set in a futuristic city, so the feel is different, but the design philosophy is the same.

The PEGI database lists Cyberpunk 2077 for PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch 2.

A defined hero instead of a blank slate

One reason The Witcher 3 works is that Geralt is a fully written character. Many RPGs let you create your own, which suits some players but weakens the drama for others. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Henry), Red Dead Redemption 2 (Arthur Morgan), Ghost of Tsushima (Jin) and Horizon Forbidden West (Aloy) all give you a defined protagonist with their own voice.

For create-your-own-hero RPGs with deep choices, see games like Baldur's Gate 3.

Choice also matters in a different way here. The Witcher 3 lets you shape Geralt's attitude without changing who he is. Mass Effect Legendary Edition works similarly with Commander Shepard, while Assassin's Creed Odyssey lets you choose your protagonist at the start and then decide how ruthless or kind they become. Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yōtei keep their heroes' arcs more fixed, focusing on a single story told well.

Side quests that feel like main quests

The Witcher 3's side quests are famous for turning simple tasks into stories with twists. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and Cyberpunk 2077 are often praised for the same thing. Ghost of Tsushima's tales and Horizon Forbidden West's side quests also have their own characters and arcs.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey has a huge number of quests, though quality varies more. GreedFall is smaller but focuses on faction stories and companions.

Monster contracts are a smaller but much-loved part of The Witcher 3: you investigate, prepare with the right oils and potions, then fight. Few games copy this exactly. Horizon Forbidden West comes closest in spirit, because studying a machine's weak points and choosing the right ammunition is central to every big fight. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II replaces monsters with very human problems, but its investigations and quest twists will feel familiar to Witcher fans.

Ratings and mature themes

The Witcher 3 is PEGI 18 in the PEGI database, with Violence and Bad language descriptors. Every pick here is PEGI 18 except Horizon Forbidden West, which is PEGI 16. Red Dead Redemption 2 and Mass Effect Legendary Edition carry a Gambling descriptor; Cyberpunk 2077 lists Sex and In-game purchases; Kingdom Come: Deliverance II lists Drugs.

These are adult games. For younger players who want an adventure with a strong story, games like Zelda is a better starting point.

Planning around very long games

The Witcher 3 is a very long game, especially with its expansions, and most picks here are similar. Red Dead Redemption 2 and Assassin's Creed Odyssey are among the biggest. GreedFall and the Ghost games are more manageable.

If long games tend to stall for you, read our finishing your backlog guide, or see story-rich games for shorter narrative picks.

Where to play these story games, and how to choose

The Witcher 3 is on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch. Most picks are on PC and PlayStation, while Ghost of Yōtei is listed for PS5 only. Red Dead Redemption 2 and Assassin's Creed Odyssey are listed for PS4 and Xbox One, which are generally playable on newer consoles through backwards compatibility.

To choose, think about what kept you playing The Witcher 3. If it was Geralt himself, choose a game with a defined hero, such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance II or Red Dead Redemption 2. If it was the side quests, Cyberpunk 2077 and Ghost of Tsushima are strong choices. If it was the moral choices, Mass Effect Legendary Edition and GreedFall let your decisions shape the story more directly.

Platforms below come from PEGI and Steam listings.

• PC: Cyberpunk 2077, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Red Dead Redemption 2, Ghost of Tsushima, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, GreedFall, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, Horizon Forbidden West.
• PlayStation: Cyberpunk 2077, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Red Dead Redemption 2, Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yōtei, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, GreedFall, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, Horizon Forbidden West.
• Xbox: Cyberpunk 2077, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Red Dead Redemption 2, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, GreedFall, Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
• Nintendo Switch / Switch 2: Cyberpunk 2077.