Open World Games With Superpowers (That Aren’t Based On Comic Books)

Whether it is Batman or Captain America, there is almost always an appeal to playing a beloved character from comic book history in video game form. However, rather than being tied down to a character’s specific template from Marvel, DC, and other various comic book universes, developers have tried creating original superpowered experiences.

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Players not only have superpowers, but they also enjoy the freedom to explore an open world as a superhero, villain, or a character somewhere in between. These games can vary from science fiction adventures set on Earth or in space to magical journeys through high-fantasy realms.

9

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Biotics Are The Perfect Powers For Intergalactic Action

Systems

Released

March 1, 2017

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Violence

While nowhere near the level of the first three games, Mass Effect: Andromeda was ambitious in giving players the chance to freely explore alien planets as the Pathfinder, known as Ryder. Sadly, the fourth game in the beloved franchise was plagued with many glitches and technical issues at launch but has since gained a following as it was patched and aged.

Since Mass Effect: Andromeda features the familiar character creation as other Mass Effect games, players can give Ryder various skills and abilities. With Biotic-based versions of Ryder, the player can unleash powerful energy, manipulating mass and gravity at their fingertips.

8

City Of Heroes

Paragon City Is Back And Completely Free To Play

Released

April 28, 2004

ESRB

T for Teen

Often overshadowed by DC Universe Online, City of Heroes actually came first, launching in 2004. It provided fans with the opportunity to create their own superheroes. Similar to DC Universe Online, it is an MMO that allows players to explore their comic book fantasies in the open world of Paragon City.

City Of Heroes lasted many years until the development team at Paragon Studios was terminated, leading to the game being shut down in 2012. However, the game made a welcome return in the form of City Of Heroes: Homecoming, with thousands of still dedicated fans on the servers.

7

Prototype

A Game That Proves A Venom Spin-Off Is Possible

Systems

Released

June 9, 2009

ESRB

m

Prototype is the ideal game for those wanting a darker hero, more of an anti-hero. As Alex Mercer, the player is infected with a bioweapon that grants him super strength, durability, and the ability to form weapons outside his body. In a way, Prototype can be viewed as the closest equivalent to a Venom video game.

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The team behind Prototype also worked on The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, another superhero project. Like that game, the player has the freedom to leap and charge through the city as they see fit and said city is completely destructible, which can lead to cathartic mayhem.

6

Saints Row 4: Re-Elected

The Saints Row Franchise At Its Most Ridiculous But In A Good Way

Third-Person Shooter

Open-World

Released

August 20, 2013

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs

By the fourth game, the developers at Deep Silver decided to go as outlandish as possible. In Saints Row 4: Re-Elected, the titular criminal organization is now the ruler of the free world with the Boss as President. The world is abducted by aliens and then forced to live in a virtual reality until the aliens’ control, which leaves it up to the Saints to save it.

As weird as the concept for Saints Row 4 is, it allows for the Boss to become the ultimate superhero. In the virtual world, the player can gain access to powers, such as telekinesis, super speed, force fields, and being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, just to name a few. Like all Saints Row games, the player is given the freedom to go as wild as they wish with the powers.

5

Prototype 2

The Darker Sequel Is The Perfect Villain Simulator

Systems

Released

April 24, 2012

ESRB

M for Mature – Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language

If the first game made the player feel like Venom, Prototype 2 makes the player feel like Carnage. Not only is the new protagonist, James Heller, a much darker character, but the action-packed gameplay is even more brutal and bloody as he seeks revenge for himself by pursuing Alex Mercer.

Overall, Prototype 2 is considered to have superior gameplay mechanics that are backed up with Manhattan being just as destructible and fun to explore. James Heller also proves to be a different shade of gray in terms of mortality than Alex Mercer, as he is not a hero, but he is not the villain of the story either. He could be considered an anti-villain, allowing for a unique perspective.

4

Forspoken

Feel Like An Avatar With The Power Of The Four Elements

Systems

Released

January 24, 2023

ESRB

M For Strong Language, Violence

In Forspoken, players get to experience a classic fantasy trope of a conventionally normal person being transported to a fantasy world to become the hero of the story. In the case of Frey Holland, she ends up traveling to the world of Athia, wearing a special sentient bangle that gives her powers to fight a wide variety of monsters.

Frey gradually unlocks magical abilities based on the elements of Earth, fire, water, and air, each allowing her to traverse and fight in various ways. Forspoken may not be a game that reinvents the wheel in terms of open-world fantasy games, but there is plenty to still enjoy.

3

South Park: The Fractured But Whole

It Feels Like A Marathon Of South Park Specials

Released

October 17, 2017

ESRB

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

The adventures of the New Kid continue, only instead of a fantasy game, the kids in South Park are bringing out their superhero personas, such as The Coon and Mysterion. South Park: The Fractured But Whole maintains exactly what the first game was, a giant parody of its subject matter, but this time, it’s nothing but jabs against Marvel, DC, and other comic book adaptations.

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Similar to the first game, the player can choose classes, but this time, there are different superhero archetypes, including Speedster, Martial Artist, Cyborg, and more. The biggest difference is that South Park: The Fractured But Whole is the RPG combat, which swaps from a basic turn-based system to grid-based combat that takes a little time to get used to but is satisfying to master.

Mages Can Feels Like Fantasy Superheroes

Released

November 11, 2011

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol

For many years, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has remained a source of pure entertainment for many gamers thanks to the amount of freedom given. A player can stick to the main plot featuring dragons and civil wars or go off and get lost in the province of Skyrim, engaging in hundreds of quests and other storylines.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim also gets praise for its ingenious way of allowing players to create their classes by simply doing whatever they want. This can include using powerful magic to hurl lightning, freeze enemies, and summon monsters. Additionally, there are powers such as the Words Of Power, being able to transform the hero into a werewolf, and so much more to create the fantasy hero of the player’s dreams.

1

Infamous: Second Son

Multiple Powers And X-Men-Styled Commentary

8/10

inFamous: Second Son

In many ways, the Infamous franchise feels like a loveletter to X-Men comics and the third game, Infamous: Second Son, is no different. There are people known as Conduits discovering that they have abilities and one of them is a young man named Delsin, who uses his power to fight the government forces that herd and harm Conduits.

On top of the socio-political commentary, Infamous: Second Son gets praise for giving players the chance to control multiple power types: smoke, neon, concrete, video, and more, turning Delsin into a godlike being roaming Seattle, Washington. If the player wants to be an altruistic superhero, they have that freedom, but there is always a villainous option which had karma and consequences.

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