Yakuza (any of them)

If you’re looking for: Well-written crime drama set in an open world
Available: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X/S, PC

Yakuza games hearken back to the great beat-‘em-ups of old like Final Fight and Streets of Rage 2 as you prowl the streets, frequently clobbering the living daylights out of a broad assortment of ne’er-do-wells in immensely satisfying, over-the-top bare-knuckle combat. The games are also packed with excellent writing, soulful characters, a slew of side activities, and vividly realized Japanese locales. With the exception of Like a Dragon, which uses turn-based RPG-style combat, Yakuza games offer a nice level of freedom in their fisticuffs, giving you a host of wild moves to perform and letting you smash foes senseless with whatever objects you might find lying around. It’s all part of the series’ signature fiery personality that has kept fans coming back for several entries now. In Kotaku’s review for 2021’s Lost Judgment (a Yakuza spin-off), Luke Plunkett had this to say about the series:

Yakuza games have never been renowned for how precise their fights were, but by God, they were fun. Being reminded of that while playing Lost Judgment, after Like a Dragon’s tedious grind, was like going back in time to the Good Old Days, a sharp reminder that, yeah, while the writing and exploration and attention to detail in convenience stores will always be Yakuza hallmarks, there’s nothing that really sums up the series quite like smashing a bike into a man’s face.