Best Open-World Games Where You Play As A Rebel

Key Takeaways

• Pairing open-world games with freedom-fighting narratives is great for exploring vast possibilities.
• Just Cause 3 offers thrilling combat, a freedom-fighting narrative, & an exciting rebellion storyline.
• Red Dead Redemption 2 provides an outlaw tale set in the Wild West with rich storytelling.

While not every open-world game is focused on freedom-fighting, these two concepts typically work very well together. After all, open worlds are vast and full of nearly infinite possibilities, so pairing them with a genre that is just as extensive is almost always a great idea.

Open worlds can have many different narratives, focusing on various periods and characters. However, few can deliver an experience as exciting and complex as those set around rebellion and political conflict, especially when players get to be the good guys. Here are some open-world games to play as a rebel and get to experience the flaming desire for the end of oppression.

5 Just Cause 3

A Man’s Fight For The Freedom Of His Homeland

• Rico Rodriguez will stop at nothing to liberate his homeland
• Entertaining combat and a wide variety of weapons

With over 400 square miles in extension, Just Cause 3’s open-world game has lots of things for players to discover. Set on the fictional island of Medici, 6 years after the events of Just Cause 2, the game follows the story of Rico Rodriguez as he returns to his homeland to help the rebellion fight against the evil military, led by the infamous Sebastiano Di Ravello.

This title is not only full of action-packed sequences and very entertaining combat, but it also tells a tale of freedom and explores the heroic lives of those involved in the conflict trying to reclaim their homeland at any cost. All in all, Just Cause 3 presents players with an exciting rebel narrative that everyone should play at least once.

4 Watch Dogs 2

An Epic Hacker Story Of Redemption

• Marcus Holloway is framed for a crime he didn’t commit
• Various side quests and main missions to complete

Many open worlds that follow the story of a hero looking to liberate their homeland or clear their name, are often set around the medieval period, or even in the future. However, this isn’t the case for Watch Dogs 2.

In this fictional version of the modern-day San Francisco Bay Area, the main character, Marcus Holloway, finds himself framed for a crime that he didn’t commit by the city’s security system, known as ctOS 2.0. Marcus will join the hacker group known as DeadSec to try and clear his name, as well as warn others about the dangers of the infamous security system.

Like other games in its genre, Watch Dogs 2 will have players explore the city as they interact with the various NPCs they encounter along the way to trigger both main and side quests. While it does not focus entirely on an all-out armed conflict between the rebels and those oppressing them, Watch Dogs 2 still presents players with an exciting story about resistance and opposition to conform to the pre-established order of things.

3 Far Cry 4

Ajay Ghale Joins The Rebellion By Accident, But Remains By Conviction

• Ajay Ghale is caught in the middle of a rebellion he didn’t plan on joining
• Stealth approaches and takedowns are often a good idea while exploring

When Ajay Ghale returns to his homeland in Far Cry 4’s carefully crafted Kyrat (based on real-life Himalayan regions) to spread his mother’s ashes, he finds himself in the middle of an armed conflict between the rebellion and the forces of the tyrannical dictator, Pagan Min.

The game features great combat mechanics that incorporate firearms, such as sniper rifles, assault rifles, and handguns, as well as explosive paraphernalia, like Molotov cocktails, and hand grenades. In many instances, players can choose between taking on a situation violently and without any regard for discretion or using stealth and aerial takedowns to deal with their enemies while remaining undetected. All in all, Ajay’s story, which revolves around his quest to spread his mother’s ashes and help end Pagan Min’s cruel grasp on his homeland, is not only very inspiring, but also an exciting tale about freedom-fighting.

2 Star Wars Outlaws

An Exciting Rebel Story In The Middle Of The Empire’s Peak

• Kay Vess is tricked into participating in a rescue mission
• Vast open world with various main and side quests and NPCs

Star Wars Outlaws has been out for a few weeks now and, while the reviews have been mixed, players agree that it’s a solid open-world with a lot of untapped potential and several things to discover. As the main character, Kay Vess, tries to make enough credits to escape her homeworld, she takes a job that involves stealing the fortune of one of the galaxy’s most dangerous crime bosses.

However, in an unexpected turn of events, Kay finds herself working with the Rebel Alliance and not a bunch of no-good mercenaries. While the game’s combat mechanics have a lot of players divided, it’s undeniable that this title still presents a lot of opportunities to discover points of interest, complex NPCs, and dive deeper into the Star Wars universe in general.

1 Red Dead Redemption 2

An Outlaw Story In The Last Stages Of The American Wild West

• Players can explore the vast American territory in the final years of the Wild West
• Arthur and most of the members of the van der Linde gang are not evil, just outlaws trying to make ends meet

Rockstar Games is known for creating story-rich titles with complex characters and an overall polished gaming experience. The fact that GTA V is still very popular among the gaming community even more than a decade after it was initially released, is a testament to this. And the same goes for Red Dead Redemption 2, which, while not as old as the latest installment of the GTA franchise, is still one of the most discussed titles among gamers.

Set in the final years of the 19th century, Red Dead Redemption 2 follows the story of the Van der Linde gang, led by no other than Dutch van der Linde. As the player character, Arthur Morgan, players will have the chance to explore this beautifully crafted open world, revolving around the final years of the American Wild West. With an amazing amount of NPCs that players can interact with to trigger side quests and an overall carefully crafted campaign, players will have dozens of hours of fun with this title as they cheat, lie and steal to make ends meet.

As was the case back in the day, outlaws were often persecuted and even had bounties placed on their heads to motivate bounty hunters to bring them to justice one way or another. Is there a better rebel story than that?