Open world games continue to be some of the most popular and entrancing in each generation. As technology has evolved, developers and modders alike have fully embraced creating worlds full of wonders and sights to explore and see. One of the best ways to take it all in is from the skies in some form or fashion.
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Flying in video games brings players to new heights (literally) and offers gorgeous sights, new game mechanics, and a ton of fun. What's even better is when the flying is in an open-world game. Open-world games offer almost limitless exploration within the game's world. Sometimes it's part of the original game's design, and sometimes it's available thanks to a talented modder. Regardless, these are some of the best open-world games where you can fly.
Updated August 26, 2022 By Ben Jessey: Games give people a chance to do many things in a virtual setting that they'd never be able to do in the real world. A prime example is flying.
In real life, you may ride in a plane, but unless you're a pilot, you'll never know the feeling of actually controlling one. And you certainly will never get the chance to just fly naturally without any vehicles. It's unfortunate, as several open-world games make flying seem so fun. Some examples made it onto the original version of this list, and we've now added a few more.
In Saints Row 4, you gain access to a litany of powers. However, you never gain the ability to fly. That changes in the standalone DLC Gat Out Of Hell, which tells the tale of Johnny Gat and Kinzie going to hell to save the Boss.
While inside the place of the condemned, the characters gain giant angel wings, which they can use to fly around the map. They are surprisingly smooth to control and are visually stunning. In fact, they're arguably the highlight of the DLC.
There has been a litany of Dragon Ball games. Kakarot is arguably the most accurate re-creation of the anime with its fast-paced brawling and almost perfect re-telling of the Dragon Ball Z story. It also gives all the main characters the powers they have in the show.
As a result, every playable warrior can fly, as that is a standard technique for those in the DBZ world. You float around during most fights. More importantly, though, you can fly all around the in-game world. You do it quickly, too, as these heroes all move at super speed, which is very useful for an open-world title.
The best thing about Lego Marvel Super Heroes is that it gives you access to a litany of playable characters. Almost Marvel's entire roster is included, and they all have their own styles and abilities. Between missions, it's best to use characters like Iron Man or Thor to roam the open world.
This is because these fellows can fly. The playboy uses his jet-powered boots, while the Asgardian uses his hammer. Some other characters have their own ways of shooting into the sky, too. Regardless of which flight-capable individual you control, it's a lot of fun to traverse Lego New York City this way.
Fallout 4 has always been a game that has a well-developed modding community. Over the years, a number of really great mods that improve the game have been released. What makes Fallout 4 even more fun is being able to fly.
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While the base game does include a jetpack, it runs through power cores fairly quickly, and flying can't be sustained. Fortunately, there are a number of mods that allow you to traverse the wasteland by flying. Some mods allow you to just fly while others utilize the jetpack.
While some games allow players to fly using supernatural powers, jetpacks, or even as a dragon, some open-world games rely on flying by using a good old fashion aircraft.
Grand Theft Auto 5 lets players fly airplanes and helicopters. There are a number of ones to buy, but make sure you have a helipad to land on. If you're feeling super adventurous, you can mod it so your character can fly. When doing so, they take on the free-falling animation to move around through the sky and it looks somewhat realistic.
What really makes an open world thrive is the inclusion of dynamic weather. Just Cause 4 includes tornadoes, blizzards, and thunderstorms. All of these add up to the perfect storm for the game's wingsuit and grappling hook.
With these two tools, you're able to fly around the vast nation of Solís in style. While the wingsuit can be tricky to learn, mastering its techniques allows you to fly and zip around the world. There are also airplanes and jets you can employ to take out enemies or just to get around.
With the main plot of Skyrim centered around Dragons, you'd think the game would allow you to fly at some point. While it does let you hitch a ride on a dragon in the Dragonborn DLC, you're not able to control it.
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However, thanks to some dedicated and talented modders you can fly in style. The Animated Wings Ultimate Mod allows players to choose from over 60 fully animated wings to explore the world. From fairy wings to dragon wings, there is a little something for everyone.
Despite its rocky start, No Man's Sky has finally become the game many hoped it would be in the beginning, a place where you explore a procedurally generated world.
The game itself is the largest open-world game ever thanks to the way it is built and you're able to explore it in your spaceship, zipping around the stars and planets to your heart's content. Now, thanks to the Prisms Update, you're also able to take and ride flying creatures on the planets you explore.
Few games that include flying really capture the sense of wonder that comes with flying through the air at high speeds as everything around you blurs. Gravity Rush 2 turns flying on its head and the game's main character, Kat, moves through the manipulation of gravity.
The game also includes multiple ways to play ranging from abilities that allow higher jumping to ones that make Kat heavier. There are a lot of ways to use Kat's ability as you move through the game's open-world - which is two and a half times larger than the first game's.
As kids, almost everyone dreamed of flying around like a superhero. Thankfully, as the popularity of the Marvel Universe exploded in the last several years, more and more games starring favorite superheroes have been released. Before that, however, a well-known DC Superhero got his own game.
Superman Returns was billed as the ultimate open-world superhero game, letting players fly around as the titular character. He can travel upwards of 800 miles per hour and will need to fly toward the sun to replenish his energy.
While most players might not think of Breath of the Wild as an open-world game that you can fly in, it's possible. While the Paraglider does allow for flying for short distances, the game has some wild mechanics with the use of the various Sheikah Slate powers that, when used correctly, allow Link to fly.
By stopping time and hitting objects, Link can cause them to move through the air. If he jumps on them right before they launch, he too will join in on the flight. There have been many viral instances of players utilizing the game's mechanics to make Link fly through the use of bombs, stopping time, and even creating frozen pillars.
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