The Best Open World Games for People Who Don't Like Guns

Most open-world games tend to have combat in them these days, with the vast majority featuring guns in one way or another. For those who enjoy a good shootout, this certainly isn't a bad thing. However, this does mean that players who don't like the idea of using guns in video games may find that their options are a little limited at first glance.

Thankfully, there are some great examples, although it's important to note that just because a game doesn't have guns, that doesn't mean that it's suitable for kids. In fact, some of the best open-world games that don't have guns are actually a lot more violent than their firearm-flourishing counterparts, with swords and other bladed weapons able to do just as much damage as guns; if not more so.

Shenmue 2

Ryo Fights Using His Fists

Shenmue was originally conceived as a Virtua Fighter RPG. Plans ultimately changed over the course of the first Shenmue game's development, but one thing that remained the same was the heavy emphasis that the series placed on martial arts, with main character Ryo Hazuki using his family's signature style of Jujutsu and a variety of other techniques to fight his way towards vengeance.

Although some of the enemies that Ryo comes up against do brandish bladed weapons, there are no guns in any of the Shenmue games, despite what an infamous Cheat Planet article would have its readers believe (see "Reo Hazuky's gun"). Shenmue 2 is arguably the best of the three titles when it comes to open-world exploration and combat, although they're all well worth checking out.

Minecraft

Steve Fights Using Swords and Bows

Combat in Minecraft is pretty basic when compared to some of the other great open-world games that are on the market, but that doesn't mean that it can't still be a lot of fun. Taking down Skeletons, Ghasts, and Creepers with an assortment of hand-crafted weapons often proves to be an absolute blast, as too does PvP in Minecraft Survival Games.

When all's said and done, though, Minecraft is all about crafting, which is where it's at its absolute best. If players can imagine it, they can probably build it in Minecraft, with all manner of weird and wonderful structures having been created in the title over the years. This includes recreations of real-world landmarks and ridiculously complicated resource farms.

Ghost of Tsushima

Jin Fights Using a Samurai Sword and Bow

At the beginning of Ghost of Tsushima, Jin Sakai is an honorable Samurai who's called upon to protect his home from the invading Mongol forces. However, it soon becomes clear that the people of Tsushima are no match for Khotun Khan's men, which forces Jin to rethink his approach and set aside some of the values and ideals that he's been raised to follow.

Although Jin tries to resist his transformation into the Ghost at first, he begins to embrace his new persona as the game goes on, eventually accepting that protecting his homeland and its people is far more important than blindly following the samurai code. This face-off between honor and pragmatism is immensely compelling and helps to make Ghost of Tsushima one of the best open-world games around.

Skyrim

The Last Dragonborn Fights Using Medieval Weaponry and Magic

Despite having more bugs than a Bali bathhouse, Skyrim is a truly incredible game. More than a decade on from its initial release, there are still tens of thousands of people playing this open-world masterpiece at any given moment, thanks both to the game's intricate combat system and its wonderfully well-fleshed-out world. Skyrim's fantastic modding scene sure helps a lot as well.

When it comes to combat, Skyrim features a wide variety of weapons, including swords, maces, and axes. Those looking to spice things up a little can also use magic, with dozens of spells available. Players can add firearms to their arsenal if they really want to thanks to Enroys' Lore Friendly Guns of Skyrim mod, but the vanilla version of the game is thankfully gun-free.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Geralt Fights Using Swords and Signs

When it comes to open-world role-playing games, few developers can compete with CD Projekt Red. Over the past decade or two, the Polish developer has helped to revolutionize the genre, with many considering The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its top-tier side quests and worldbuilding to be the studio's crowning achievement.

Although he's more than capable of holding his own in a fistfight, Geralt is best known for using two swords: a silver one for dealing with monsters and a steel one for taking down beasts, the latter of which includes humans and other intelligent species. The titular Witcher can also use a special type of magic known as Signs, with five of these available in the third game.

Elden Ring

Tarnished Fight Using Bladed Weapons and Magic

FromSoftware games have always excelled in the combat department, with most of them offering players a compelling narrative as well. Elden Ring cranks both dials right up to eleven though, with the Lands Between being one of the best video game settings of all time. The world is steeped in lore and wonder thanks to contributions from George R. R. Martin: the American author whose A Song of Ice and Fire series served as the basis for HBO's Game of Thrones series.

Elden Ring is the perfect game for players who love challenging combat and meaningful exploration, with near-unlimited potential when it comes to character builds and a vast and varied array of map locations to check out. Then there's the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, which is arguably one of the best video game expansions of all time, providing another sizable serving of excellence for those who still find themselves hungry after polishing off the base version of the game.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Link Fights Using Swords and Whatever Else He Can Find Lying Around

Combat is probably the most divisive element of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and its 2017 predecessor due to the way that most weapons break after a certain amount of use. Thankfully, Tears of the Kingdom at least provides players with a way to repair weapons before they break and an unbreakable Master Sword, the latter of which can be a godsend for players who just want to get on with the story.

However, those who do stick to using only the Master Sword run the risk of missing out on the game's fantastic Fuse ability, which, as the name suggests, can be used to fuse items together. Fusion allows for the creation of some immensely powerful Tears of the Kingdom weapons, especially when Zonai Devices are thrown into the mix, which can in turn make exploring the game's sizable open world feel that much more magical.