doug

GTA, Rage 2, Cyberpunk 2077, Days Gone, heck you can go at your own pace on most open world games.

Fallout 4, CyberPunk, Dying Light, Far Cry, GTA are huge open worlds with great exploration. I would've had those over most on your honorable mention lists.

Days Gone, The Witcher 3 have some nice mountains. Clearing a horde on the snowy mountain was memorable for sure. The Witcher 3 was challenging to climb in some areas.