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 ten video games combining adrenaline-fueled challenges with sweet free roam so needed during breaks from the everyday rush. Make this day go your way!

NameRelease dateDeveloper
Burnout Paradise Remastered 2018-05-21 Criterion Games
Test Drive Unlimited 2 2011-02-01 Eden Games
Forza Horizon 5 2021-11-09 Playground Games
Snowrunner 2021-05-18 Saber Interactive
My Summer Car 2016-10-24 Amistech Games
Need for Speed Heat 2019-11-08 Ghost 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

Burnout Paradise: Remastered

Release date:2018-05-21
Developer:Criterion Games

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 full 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!

Key features
  • Play the remaster of the fantastic title from 2008
  • Explore Paradise City for adrenaline-fueled competition
  • Choose your favorite car and freely roam this beautiful open world
  • Play career mode solo or compete with others in multiplayer

Test Drive Unlimited 2

Release date:2011-02-01
Developer:Eden Games

Travel to Ibiza, unlock access to the Hawaiian O’ahu island, and enjoy the most beautiful tropical routes – solo or in 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 a low-end PC!

Key features
  • Play exciting from zero to hero story
  • Explore two islands enjoying beautiful views
  • Race, earn money, and buy properties
  • Play solo or in multiplayer

Forza Horizon 5

Release date:2021-11-09
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!

Key features
  • Have fun at the Horizon Festival in Mexico
  • Take part in dozens of hilarious or serious competitions
  • Explore diverse environments and experience the ever-changing weather
  • Play solo or in exciting multiplayer

SnowRunner

Release date:2021-05-18
Developer:Saber Interactive

It is not your 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 is a game for those who miss the wilderness and want something more than the classic competitive experience.

Key features
  • Drive 40 powerful vehicles
  • Complete quests and spend money on modifications
  • Explore the dangerous wilderness
  • Play solo or in multiplayer with up to four players

My Summer Car

Release date:2016-10-24
Developer:Amistech Games

It is 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.

Key features
  • Play as a teenage boy tasked with repairing an old car
  • Explore the area and do whatever you want
  • Earn money, take part in rallies, or drink beer behind the wheel
  • Chat with your neighbors and learn stories about your parents

Need for Speed Heat

Release date:2019-11-08
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 is a time of illegal competition for the most daring drivers. Be careful not to fall prey to sneaky cops!

Key features
  • Play the twenty-first installment in the iconic motorsport series
  • Race night and day to earn cash, reputation, and unique car parts
  • Customize your vehicle collection and escape the cops
  • Play solo or in multiplayer

Assetto Corsa

Release date:2014-12-19
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 driving 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!

Key features
  • Play highly realistic motorsport simulation
  • Travel the world to test yourself on the most challenging tracks
  • Customize the gameplay rules and enjoy life-like external factors that change the whole experience
  • Play solo or in multiplayer

The Crew 2

Release date:2018-06-29
Developer:Ubisoft Ivory Tower

This game is not just about cars! Here you can take part in a multitude of exciting competitions also using boats or planes. Or go anywhere you want!

The Crew 2 features a massive map of the United States where four factions organize 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.

Key features
  • Enjoy free roam in MMO game
  • Participate in competitions to earn money and eternal popularity
  • Unlock higher-level challenges
  • Explore the open world of the United States

Need for Speed Unbound

Release date:2022-12-02
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!

Key features
  • Play an exciting story-driven game with realistic vehicle physics
  • Take part in illegal races to reach your goals
  • Choose from 150 epic vehicles
  • Play solo or in multiplayer for up to 16 players

BeamNG.drive

Release date:2015-05-29
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 that makes every playthrough more fun. BeamNG.drive is a recommendation for experimenters, so join this inspiring game and show what you got!

Key features
  • Play one of the most realistic motorsport games
  • Customize vehicles and discover stunningly realistic physics
  • Explore an open world of diverse environments
  • Enjoy brutally accurate destruction

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 video games from recent years, such chill activities are within everyone’s reach!