Aug 11, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
Ben Brosofsky has been writing for Screen Rant since 2022 and editing since 2024. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor’s in Cinema & Media Arts. Writing serves as a much-needed distraction from tackling a backlog of Steam games that will never be surmounted.
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*Red Dead Redemption 2 *is often hailed as one of the greatest video games ever made, and that also makes it one of the hardest acts to follow. Finishing the saga of Arthur Morgan and John Marston can leave a giant hole in anyone’s heart, putting extra pressure on whatever game comes next. Looking for a free option on Xbox Game Pass can be even harder, but there are actually plenty of strong choices.
The best games like *Red Dead Redemption 2 *on Xbox Game Pass encompass a variety of RDR2’s strong points, ranging from the compelling take on a Western setting to the presence of fantastic side quests. A couple of the strongest options have sadly left the service in recent months, with both *Grand Theft Auto 5 *and *Hunt: Showdown 1896 *departing the catalog. There’s still plenty to enjoy, however. While none of them tick every possible box, some might be just as good or even better in their own ways.
No discussion of open-world games is complete without Red Dead Redemption 2, but *The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim *is an equally vital inclusion. For years, *Skyrim *stood as the benchmark for open-world hits, and exploring the frosty northern reaches of Tamriel can be just as fun today.
Skyrim’s main story can’t really compete with Red Dead Redemption 2, but it features plenty of memorable side quests and characters. *Morrowind *and *Oblivion *are also great Xbox Game Pass options — even better, I would argue — but if you’re new to The Elder Scrolls, *Skyrim *is the easiest entry point.
A racing game might not seem much like *Red Dead Redemption 2 *at a glance, but *Forza Horizon 5 *is a lot closer than most. After the franchise’s trip to the United Kingdom in Forza Horizon 4, it returned across the Atlantic to take root in Mexico, succeeding the first *Red Dead Redemption *in one way that *RDR2 *didn’t.
Unlike the *Forza Motorsport *series, *Forza Horizon 5 *is all about the sense of freedom and the open road. Races are fun, but cruising across the gorgeous vistas is often even better. While you won’t find any rich character-building here, there are more than enough cool cars to make up for it.
Although Xbox Game Pass isn’t exactly bursting at the seams with Westerns, Evil West qualifies as one standout on the service. This one’s all about the action, assigning players the task of dealing with vampiric hordes in single-player or co-op. It does provide a narrative framework for all the bloodshed, so it’s not purely mindless.
*Evil West *isn’t one of the best games on this list, but it’s a solid way to scratch that Western itch. If you wish *Red Dead Redemption 2 *had been followed by an out-there expansion like the original game’s Undead Nightmare, *Evil West *is your best bet.
The American West has changed a lot since the days of Red Dead Redemption 2, but it’s still a rich ground for storytelling. *Far Cry 5 *goes all-in on this opportunity, transforming rural Montana into a sandbox for the franchise’s patently over-the-top storytelling. Like Far Cry’s take on settings like the Himalayas and the Caribbean, it’s a crude parody where accuracy and nuance aren’t really on the table, but it’s interesting to see that lens turned on the United States for a change.
*Far Cry 5 *isn’t worth playing for the story in the same way as Red Dead Redemption 2, but its gorgeous scenery and fun potential for chaos still have plenty of appeal. If the lush mountains of the northwest are calling your name, this is another solid Xbox Game Pass choice.
*Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 *might be the biggest Xbox Game Pass standout of 2025, and it’s also a strong choice as a Red Dead Redemption 2 alternative. At its core, it’s all about the storytelling, and it tackles some heavy topics with the kind of skill that’s hard to find outside of Red Dead Redemption 2.
The turn-based combat and a classic overworld system have less in common with Red Dead Redemption 2, but its JRPG inspirations shouldn’t be a turn-off. Fun tweaks like a parry system give *Expedition 33 *wide-ranging appeal, and it’s no surprise that it’s been such a breakout hit.
Many games attempt movie-style storytelling, but few pull it off as well as Red Dead Redemption 2. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, however, makes it look easy. The game’s approach to emulating Spielberg is significantly more successful than *Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’*s silver screen attempt, delivering a long succession of set pieces with sheer cinematic excitement.
Like Red Dead Redemption 2, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is also incredibly responsive to player actions (as a side note, *Dishonored *is another Game Pass option that excels in this regard). Rather than simply shooting your way through the adventure, you’ll whack fascists with sledgehammers and yank them down from guard towers. Its globetrotting scope never lands in the Old West, but it handles locations like the Vatican City and Thailand deftly.
If *Red Dead Redemption 2 *is the definitive game about the American West, *South of Midnight *is arguably the definitive game about the American Deep South. While its take on the setting is more fantastical, *South of Midnight *dives into the beauty, danger, and folklore of its setting with equal passion.
*South of Midnight *isn’t as tight on the gameplay front, with relatively routine action-adventure mechanics. The art and narrative, however, are capable of carrying the experience. With a roughly 12-hour runtime, you’ll be in and out a lot more quickly, so you don’t need to worry about a major time investment if you’re unsure.
Assassin’s Creed’s gigantic open-world games don’t really compare to the *Red Dead Redemption 2 *standard, but *Origins *is about as close as it gets. Despite being the first pivot to the larger, RPG-lite formula of the modern games, *Origins *pulled it off with more aplomb than several later entries.
Bayek is one of the most compelling *Assassin’s Creed *protagonists, and it’s easy to get sucked in by the intoxicating rhythm of exploring Egypt. *Odyssey *and *Valhalla *are also fun Xbox Game Pass inclusions if the different settings seem compelling, and *Assassin’s Creed 3 *is another fun foray into American history.
Like The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, the name *The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt *is a constant presence in conversations about open-world games. For *Red Dead Redemption 2 *fans in particular, this could be an even better choice. In the same vein as RDR2, *The Witcher 3 *focuses on a compelling protagonist rather than a custom character. There’s no one quite like Arthur Morgan in gaming, but there’s also no one quite like Geralt.
The world of *The Witcher *is fantasy, but it’s not an incredibly far cry from Red Dead Redemption 2’s critical take on the American West. Grounded in complex politics and filled with flawed characters, *The Witcher 3 *is consistently interested in examining the conflicts and prejudices of its setting. With an emphasis on a compelling main story alongside plenty of fantastic side quests, it’s hard to imagine any *Red Dead Redemption 2 *fans getting bored here.
*Fallout: New Vegas *might lack the polish of Red Dead Redemption 2, but in other regards, it’s the best competitor you can find. Despite the post-apocalyptic riff on America, *Fallout: New Vegas *is just as much of a Western, bathing in the ambience of a ruined Mojave Wasteland.
While the playable Courier is a more loosely defined character than Arthur Morgan, Fallout: New Vegas is an equally fantastic achievement of storytelling, spinning up a memorable, nuanced, and frequently funny narrative full of interesting loose ends. The main story isn’t as long as Red Dead Redemption 2, but with so many interesting choices to make and side quests to explore, you won’t have any trouble spending just as much time in this Xbox Game Pass** title.
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