15 Best Open-World Video Games Of All Time

3. Batman: Arkham City

For the longest time, Spider-Man 2 was the ultimate superhero game, and it seemed impossible for anything to ever take its place. That is, until Rocksteady released Batman: Arkham Asylum in 2009. An open-world Batman game; at last, the dreams of comic book fans everywhere had come true.

Exploring Arkham Island was a joy, making it seem unlikely that Rocksteady could ever top it, but they were up to the challenge and released Arkham City, a game that is in every way superior to Arkham Asylum.

For the first time, you could control Batman in an open-world city with buildings and skyscrapers, heading down to the streets below to deliver some justice. It's a wondrous experience, putting you directly into the boots of the Batman. Gliding around the city is freeing, as the wind rustles through your cape and creates a sense of real velocity.

Running around the city, beating up random bad guys in the middle of their crime sprees - it was everything you ever wanted in a superhero game, borrowing loose elements from the No Man's Land storyline with an isolated city that left you feeling trapped, yet powerful thanks to all of Batman's skills.