Open-World Games That Let You Fly

Open-world games have long captivated players with their freedom, offering diverse methods of traversal across sprawling environments. As technology and the genre have evolved, new ways to explore have emerged, including flight without traditional transport, which is arguably the most thrilling way to navigate vast worlds. Many standout open-world titles now let their players fly naturally, explained through varied means like superhero-like abilities, magical artifacts, scientific gear, special suits, or even rideable flying mounts.

Though still relatively uncommon in the genre, non-vehicle flight elevates the experience—both literally and figuratively. It provides players with fast, exciting ways to reach their destinations while, more importantly, offering a breathtaking new perspective on the game’s beautiful landscapes, revealing intricate environmental details from above.

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For this list, we’ll rank modern open-world titles (released no earlier than 2015) with stunning graphics, focusing solely on games that let players fly using skills, abilities, special gear, or exotic mounts, thus excluding conventional vehicles like planes or helicopters, which are far more common in the genre. Rankings are based purely on flight mechanics, and not any other aspects of a game.

8

Palworld

Ride Fast Flying Pals With Almost No Restrictions

Open-World

Shooter

Survival

Released

January 19, 2024

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Violence

Developer(s)

Pocket Pair, Inc.

OpenCritic Rating

Fair

Palworld’s runaway success owes much to its creature-collecting charm, captivating fans of Pokémon-style games. Beyond the creatures players can gather for various tasks, the game introduces flying Pals like Nitewing, Vanwyrm, Beakon, Ragnahawk, Frostallion, and Jetragon. These act as handy flying mounts, offering sustained, nearly unrestricted flight limited only by occasional stamina depletion. Fortunately, stamina recharges quickly; players simply let their Pals rest briefly to catch their breath before taking to the skies again.

While Palworld’s flight mechanics show promise, the game remains in early access with a relatively small development team. As a result, flying isn’t as refined or thrilling as it is in some other open-world titles, at least for the time being.

7

Batman: Arkham Knight

Gliding Isn’t Quite Flying, But Shines When Mastered

Released

June 23, 2015

ESRB

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

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Even years after its release, Batman: Arkham Knight remains one of the finest Batman games ever crafted and a pinnacle for Rocksteady Studios. The open world of Arkham City is vast and stunning, offering players multiple ways to explore, from roaring through the streets in the Batmobile to soaring with impressive gliding mechanics.

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Though Batman’s cape-based gliding doesn’t fully qualify as flight, players can unlock upgrades to boost aerial control, distance, and speed. Better yet, combining the cape with the grappling hook and leveraging the environment can extend airtime significantly. Once mastered, this traversal method comes remarkably close to vehicle-free flight, becoming the go-to way to navigate the city.

6

Immortals Fenyx Rising

Soar Across A Vibrant Greek World With Magical Wings

Released

December 3, 2020

ESRB

T for Teen: Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Greek mythology offers a rich wellspring for gaming inspiration. It boasts a roster of mythical monsters and artifacts that bestow godlike powers on its heroes. In Immortals Fenyx Rising, players acquire several such tools throughout their journey, with the wings standing out as the most valuable. This mythology-infused open world from Ubisoft prioritizes exploration, making aerial abilities a cornerstone of the experience, so getting the wings quickly to be able to fly is a must.

Crafted by Daedalus, these wings allow Fenyx to glide and briefly take flight after building momentum, with stamina upgrades extending their potential. Players can unlock various improvements, and thus more airtime, by defeating the servants of Typhon the Titan. Before long, they’ll soar with skill enough to rival Icarus himself.

5

No Man’s Sky

Going Beyond Spaceships For Aerial Exploration

Adventure

Action

Survival

Released

August 9, 2016

ESRB

T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Animated Blood

OpenCritic Rating

Fair

Players who haven’t touched No Man’s Sky in a while might find this surprising, since the game has always featured plenty of flight strictly through spaceship mechanics. Yet, post-2021 updates have significantly shaken things up. Among various new features and gameplay options, these updates introduced rideable flying mounts that players can tame.

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These aerial creatures provide near-unrestricted flight across planetary surfaces, distinct from spaceship travel. They enable organic, low-altitude soaring over procedurally generated worlds. With a variety of tamable creatures boasting impossible designs, players gain a fresh and unique way to navigate a galaxy of unmatched scale.

4

Just Cause 4

A Wingsuit Rivaling Batman’s Cape

Action

Adventure

Open-World

Released

December 4, 2018

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language

OpenCritic Rating

Fair

The Just Cause series is renowned for its massive open worlds, making varied traversal options a necessity for player convenience. The addition of a wingsuit paired with a grappling hook proves brilliant. It lets protagonist Rico Rodriguez glide skillfully across the landscape, using momentum and the environment to his advantage.

The wingsuit debuted in Just Cause 3, but its sequel, Just Cause 4, elevates the chaotic sandbox experience further. It introduces even more unique tricks to Rico’s toolkit. Players can still turn to traditional aircraft when needed, or even use their gear to hijack vehicles mid-air. Now, you don’t get to see something like this in gaming too often.

3

Horizon Forbidden West

Hack And Soar Above A Vibrant World On Flying Machines

Systems

Released

February 18, 2022

ESRB

T for Teen: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

The post-apocalyptic Horizon world brims with machines of all sorts. Most resemble dinosaurs, posing a constant threat to the surviving human tribes. Fortunately, protagonist Aloy wields a staff to override their programming and turn them to her advantage. Some become mounts, carrying her across the treacherous landscape. The sequel builds on this concept by introducing aerial mounts, though players must advance well into the story to unlock this feature.

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In Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy can hack a Pterosaur-like machine called a Sunwing. Riding this creature offers a stunning bird’s-eye view of the primitive world below, although its implementation could benefit from more creativity. Nevertheless, from such heights, even the massive T-Rex-inspired Thunderjaw appears insignificant.

2

Anthem

One Of The Finest Flying Suit Implementations Yet

Released

February 22, 2019

ESRB

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

OpenCritic Rating

Weak

Anthem may not have fully realized its potential, hampered by a shallow story, repetitive missions, and a general lack of content and polish, but it shines in key areas. The world stands out first: a vast, breathtaking expanse filled with lush vegetation, vibrant colors, and enigmatic ancient ruins. The second highlight is the Javelin exosuits, which players don before venturing out from Fort Tarsis to explore.

In Anthem, these Javelin exosuits come equipped with flight capabilities, letting players glide effortlessly over the alien open world. Flight anchors both exploration and traversal as a core mechanic. With features like stunning air dashes, the option to cool suits and prolong air time by diving swiftly or skimming waterfalls, and striking visual design, Anthem remains a standout in this regard. It’s a compelling example that invites other games to draw inspiration from its concept and top-notch execution.

1

Hogwarts Legacy

Broomstick Or Magical Beast? The Choice Is Yours

Released

February 10, 2023

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Hogwarts Legacy ranks among the most versatile open-world games with flight mechanics to date. This open-world RPG invites players to explore Hogwarts and its surrounding areas through fluid aerial traversal, offering more than just one method to take flight. Instead, players can pick their preferred tool for seamless soaring: a trusty broomstick or one of several magical creatures.

True to the Harry Potter universe, this world teems with magical beings that rule the skies. The most iconic are Hippogriffs, striking creatures blending eagle and horse traits, with various types available to ride. Other options include Sepulcheria, Thestrals, and Graphorns. Though not as nimble as broomsticks, these majestic avian-equestrian mounts bring a grander flair to flight. Better still, they can carry players across Hogwarts and its sprawling countryside with ease. What more could a Potterhead want?

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