15 Best Open-World Video Games Of All Time

8. Sleeping Dogs

Sleeping Dogs began development as a new entry in the vastly underrated True Crime franchise, but after a series of development hiccups, it was picked up by Square-Enix and turned into its own franchise. It features a slick combat system that appears to be inspired by the current crop of Batman games, but instead of raw fisticuffs, it gives the player an unprecedented set of kung-fu skills.

The driving and shooting are also quite a bit of fun, which compliments the hand-to-hand aspects quite well. As you gain control of Wei Shen, set free into the open world of Hong Kong, it begins to show the huge landscape at play.

There's a huge amount of things that you can get into that are completely unrelated to the main story, including drag races, random crimes and just plain old carnage. Wei being an undercover cop also adds a unique flavour to the whole game, causing you to question each move you make.

Like most great open world experiences, the world feels alive, as you often get the sense that your actions within the world will have a consequence.