Sometimes we all feel like dropping everything and driving off into the sunset without thinking about anything. Luckily we can!
Open-world racing games are fun, engaging, and relaxing. Implanted in often beautiful and realistic environments, they encourage unlimited exploration of the entire map and player’s skills. Understanding this longing sensation, we’ve gathered seventeen video games combining adrenaline-fueled challenges with sweet free roam so needed during breaks from the everyday rush. Make this day go your way!
| Name | Release date | Developer | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Burnout Paradise Remastered | 2018-05-21 | Stellar Entertainment |
 | Need for Speed Heat | 2019-11-08 | Ghost Games |
 | Test Drive Unlimited 2 | 2011-02-01 | Eden Studios |
 | Assetto Corsa EVO | 2025-01-16 | KUNOS-Simulazioni Srl |
 | Driver: San Francisco | 2011-09-01 | Ubisoft Reflections |
 | Forza Horizon 5 | 2021-11-09 | Playground Games |
 | Snowrunner | 2021-05-18 | Saber Interactive |
 | Wreckfest | 2018-06-14 | Bugbear Entertainment |
 | My Summer Car | 2016-10-24 | Amistech Games |
 | Assetto Corsa | 2014-12-19 | Kunos Simulazioni |
 | The Crew 2 | 2018-06-29 | Ubisoft Ivory Tower |
 | Need for Speed Unbound | 2022-12-02 | Criterion Games |
 | BeamNG.drive | 2015-05-29 | BeamNG |
 | Mad Max | 2015-09-01 | Avalanche Studios |
 | Grand Theft Auto V | 2015-04-14 | Rockstar North |
 | Dakar 18 | 2018-09-25 | Bigmoon Entertainment |
Burnout Paradise: Remastered
| Release date: | 2018-03-16 |
| Genre: | Racing game |
| Developer: | Stellar Entertainment |
It’s a remake of the 2008 video game where players can do whatever they want! Drive 150 different cars to show others that you are the true king of these challenging roads.
Set in Paradise City, BP: Remastered offers a vast, open world of diverse competitions. Race on the city streets, participate in crazy Takedowns, or enjoy spectacular mountain rides! This game is all about unlimited competition. Want some demolition? Be sure to try Showtime, a mode created for enthusiasts of epic destruction. Every action looks incredibly realistic in your new remaster of this iconic game!
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Test Drive Unlimited 2
| Release date: | 2011-02-01 |
| Genre: | Race |
| Developer: | Eden Studios |
Travel to Ibiza, unlock access to the Hawaiian O’ahu island, and enjoy the most beautiful tropical routes – solo or multiplayer!
The second installment in this sensational series means bigger maps and more cars! Choose from off-road, classic, and sports vehicles to race and expand your car collection. Your goal is unimaginable wealth, as the plot of this game also includes buying beautiful villas and plastic surgery. Choose what you feel like doing at the moment. Drive around with a friend, engage in trade, or climb the ladder of a great career. Even on low end PC!
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Forza Horizon 5
| Release date: | 2021-11-09 |
| Genre: | Racing |
| Developer: | Playground Games |
This part of the Forza Horizon series is a dream come true for anyone who dreams of unlimited freedom. This time in Mexico!
Design the avatar and throw yourself into a competitive adventure at the legendary Horizon Festival! This vast open world provides a rich variety of environments: forgotten deserts, mysterious rainforests, ancient ruins, sleepy towns, and the slope of a mighty volcano. Trying over 500 unique cars, you will discover plenty of contests available, modify your favorite vehicles, and create your own challenges. All this in the company of ever-changing weather conditions that make each race unique!
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SnowRunner
| Release date: | 2021-05-18 |
| Genre: | Simulation |
| Developer: | Saber Interactive |
It’s not your typical motorsport game. It’s a game where you race against Mother Nature!
SnowRunner is an off-road title in which the goal is to deliver cargo in dangerous conditions. Exploring Alaska, Michigan, and Taymyr, players battle obstacles and hardcore weather to reach their destination. Enjoy your progress and unlock all forty machines, including Caterpillar 745C, Royal BM17, and ZiKZ 605R. It’s a game for those who miss the wilderness and want something more than the standard competitive experience.
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My Summer Car
| Release date: | 2016-10-24 |
| Genre: | Indie |
| Developer: | Amistech Games |
It’s another game that is not only about competition but also everything else. Play as a teenage boy who left to himself during the summer, fixes an old car, and does whatever he wants!
When your parents go on vacation, you have one job to do – fix your old car. Or engage in a multitude of other activities! Explore a town, gossip with grandma, drive while drinking beer, and download games on MS-DOS. You can also earn cash by completing various jobs in the area or taking part in exciting rallies. But be careful – every death is final! My Summer Car is the work of a one-person studio, perfect for those who miss the 90s.
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Need for Speed Heat
| Release date: | 2019-11-08 |
| Genre: | Racing |
| Developer: | Ghost Games |
Welcome to the world where street competition is an everyday thing! Visiting Palm City is your best chance to participate in legendary challenges. Legal and entirely forbidden!
Try yourself in street challenges, dangerous drifting, and hardcore off-road competitions. This game divides into two parts – day and night. You can race in the exciting Speedhunters Showdown to win money and fame. And at night? It’s a time of illegal competition for the most daring drivers. Be careful not to fall prey to sneaky cops!
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Assetto Corsa
| Release date: | 2014-12-19 |
| Genre: | Indie |
| Developer: | Kunos Simulazioni |
If you are into realistic graphics and accurate vehicle behavior – choose this game. As a simulator, it delivers the most life-like experience!
Drive dozens of licensed cars, choose from various game modes, and be amazed by the factors that noticeably affect the handling quality. In this game, you will visit the most famous tracks like the Red Bull Ring in Austria, Silverstone in the UK, or Laguna Seca in the US – solo or in multiplayer!
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The Crew 2
| Release date: | 2018-06-29 |
| Genre: | MMO |
| Developer: | Ivory Tower |
This game is not just about cars! Here you can take part in a multitude of exciting competitions using also boats or planes. Or go anywhere you want!
The Crew 2 features a massive map of the United States where four factions throw themed competitions: Freestyle, Street Racing, Pro Racing, and Offroad. As you’ve probably already guessed, you can try anything! Take part in the most challenging competitions to gain experience and upgrades. Or get behind the wheel of your favorite vehicle and set off on a pleasant ride in an unknown direction.
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Need for Speed Unbound
| Release date: | 2022-12-02 |
| Genre: | Racing |
| Developer: | Criterion Games |
This game has it all: plot twists, high-octane illegal races, escapes from police chases, and absolutely stunning graphics. Are you ready?
Unbound is over 150 best cars like the Ferrari F40, McLaren P1, or Bugatti Chiron Sport. In this story-driven adventure, you will participate in illegal races to earn money and achieve the ultimate victory. Always be careful – the more fame you get, the more cops will be interested in your persona. Luckily, this rich open world allows fleeing in any direction!
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BeamNG.drive
| Release date: | 2015-05-29 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | BeamNG |
Last but not least – BeamNG.drive game is an impressive title combining competition with a driving simulator. Thanks to soft-body physics, you will discover what authentic vehicle behavior and realistic destruction mean!
Choose from dozens of customizable cars to design them however you want. The game features engaging missions, diverse environments, and an evolving modding community, making every playthrough more enjoyable. BeamNG.drive is ideal for experimenters, so join this inspiring game and show what you got!
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Mad Max
| Release date: | 2015-09-01 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Avalanche Studios |
This absolute PC, Xbox One, and PS4 legend lets you play as Mad Max – an iconic hero trying to survive in a brutal post-apocalyptic reality where the right vehicle can decide one’s fate.
While Mad Max’s greatest dream is to leave his former life behind and find the legendary Plains of Silence, he must now stand in an unforgiving vehicular battle against the malicious bandits of the Wasteland. Will he manage to build the mighty Magnum Opus? Fight, explore forgotten locations, collect scrap, and lose yourself in this devastated world!
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The Crew Motorfest
| Release date: | 2023-09-14 |
| Genre: | Racing game |
| Developer: | Ivory Tower |
Head to the Hawaiian island of Oahu to participate in the epic Motorfest and master your skills in exciting competitions!
The Crew Motorfest is a dream come true for gamers desiring action-driven experiences. This game lets you enjoy everything you can think of! Participate in themed challenges, race, pick from hundreds of vehicles, and fight in adrenaline-fueled competitions. And when you’ve had enough, ride across this beautiful land of mighty volcanoes and wild nature!
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Forza Horizon 4
| Release date: | 2018-10-02 |
| Genre: | Racing |
| Developer: | Playground Games |
If the Mexico map of Forza Horizon 2 doesn’t feel like your thing, play Forza Horizon 4 set in the open world of Great Britain!
Test over 700 unique vehicles while driving through the spectacular Great Britain landscape as a participant in the legendary Horizon Festival. Customize your character’s look, participate in classic races, or choose from many challenging events involving unexpected vehicles. Want some off-road fun? Here you go, but good luck finding that one perfect car for your adventure!
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Dakar 18
| Release date: | 2018-09-25 |
| Genre: | Racing |
| Developer: | Bigmoon Entertainment |
It’s a highly realistic simulator of the legendary Dakar Rally, taking its players to the open world of Bolivia, Argentina, and Peru.
Test your skills on 14 challenging tracks that take 20 minutes to an hour to complete. Dakar 18 faithfully recreates the rally’s reality, so you should rely on your sense of direction, notes, and the co-pilot’s guidance. Luckily, the title isn’t just about challenges – you can choose from multiple gameplay modes or free-roam this impressive map!
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Grand Theft Auto V
| Release date: | 2015-04-14 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Rockstar North |
GTA 5 is all about you deciding what to do next, so no other game on this list provides such a sense of ultimate freedom!
GTA V puts three playable characters in the middle of the criminal underworld ruling the city of Los Santos. The men lose themselves in shady jobs like heists, escaping police chases, and thefts. However, nothing stands in the way of players getting into their favorite vehicle and exploring this vibrant world to their hearts’ content (which often leads to discovering GTA V’s delicious Easter eggs and secrets!).
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Need for Speed Most Wanted
| Release date: | 2020-06-18 |
| Genre: | Race |
| Developer: | Criterion Games |
If you have enough of cheesy plots and conversations, know that Need for Speed: Most Wanted focuses solely on delivering races in their purest form!
Get into dozens of licensed car models to drive your way and evolve as the most wanted driver. Race in illegal competitions, freely switch cars, compete with other players, challenge them, and escape the cops. Or drive around until you encounter another challenge!
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Driver: San Francisco
| Release date: | 2011-09-01 |
| Genre: | Action & Shooter |
| Developer: | Ubisoft Reflections |
When Tanner falls into a coma, he finds himself in a dreamlike version of San Francisco. Will he uncover the details of Jericho’s evil plot before it’s too late?
Equipped with a brand-new skill of shifting between people’s bodies, Tanner tries to navigate the dreamlike version of the city to discover what Jericho is up to. Use this unique ability to race, explore, and escape the gravest situations! The game features over 100 fantastic vehicles, including powerful trucks – a dream come true for those craving a simulation with a supernatural twist!
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Conclusion
This list provides a rich choice for players craving adrenaline and relaxing exploration. Some feature an engaging storyline, so if you plan to combine completing quests with total freedom – now you can. You don’t need a driver’s license to choose one of the best vehicles and roam the realistic open world determining your destiny. Thanks to free roam car games from recent years, such chill activities are within everyone’s reach!