First things first – this list does not include games that feature flying by using mounts or vehicles. There’s plenty of those games and I want to put the focus on games where actual characters fly either by using their own power or a small wearable gadget so their body is still visible. And I’m not talking about kinda sorta flying like the glide in Prototype but actual gravity resisting flight. So without further ado, let’s jump into the list.
Superman Returns
Starting the list unceremoniously. Probably the only thing Superman Returns got right was the scale and the flying. It’s a game I would still to this day pop in for some good old flying around and no other game portrayed the amazing flying speed of man of steel before or after.
Gravity Rush
Even I, in my Gravity Rush 2 review said that this game doesn’t feature flying, but falling in the desired direction and changing said direction at will. Well, technically, I just described flying. Definitions aside, Gravity Rush doesn’t offer super tight control of your movement, but it still gives an amazing feeling of soaring through the air in an amazing setting that just begs to be explored.
Infamous 2: Festival of Blood
Infamous 2: Festival of Blood is a DLC that I call, the vampire game that’s not about vampires. While the base game had you gliding using electric powers, the DLC upped the ante by including a whole host of vampire-based powers, among them the ability to turn into a swarm of bats and freely fly around. It opens up the game even more by un-restricting you from the parkour and glide mechanics of the original.
Divinity 2: Dragon Knight Saga
Divinity 2 Dragon Knight Saga is, despite being rough around the edges one of my favorite RPG games to date. It starts really slow but in no time, you’ll be able to transform yourself into a dragon which plays into the story quite a bit and is not just an empty gimmick to look cool although it most certainly does.
Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell
If Saints Row wasn’t quirky enough, Gat Out of Hell takes you straight to hell and grants you a pair of wings to fly around the location. The flying is not just an afterthought like many things Saints Row but is essential to finish the game as well as surprisingly fun while feeling great to control.
Just Cause 3
Just Cause 3 is all about being in the air and performing insane action movie stunts. The Flying Fortress DLC adds another tool to your ever-growing arsenal in the form of a jetpack. Combining it with all the other traversal tools at your disposal makes for an insanely fun experience as well as a total eye candy as you can ditch airplanes and literally fly like a bird.
DC Universe: Online
What would an MMO game about superheroes be without your player created character being unable to fly? Not much. That’s why flying is one option for your character traversal skill in DC Universe Online. Considering that the game features multiple open world zones, the view is best enjoyed from high up.
Dark Void
Dark Void is a game that takes you to an alternate reality where not soon thereafter, the player character is outfitted with a jetpack. Not only does it enable you to take on flying saucers, but it enables you to have all sorts of setpieces and vertical cover shooting you’ve probably never seen in any other game.
Aion
Another MMO on this list. While there are plenty of MMO’s that feature flying mounts, not many enable you to fly with your character and make a big deal out of it. But in Aion, it’s one of the core features and main draws of the game. As soon as you hit the level requirement your character sprouts customizable wings and off you go exploring the beautiful fantasy world from a new perspective.
Lego Marvel Superheroes
Lego Marvel Superheroes is such a fun game. But to me, the main idea of fun is picking a character from an insanely packed roster and jumping off the hellicarrier into New York city to free-roam around it by flying. Even if you dislike lego games, this is sure to put a smile on your face.
Honorable mentions (with mods):
Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Skyrim is an insanely moddable game, that’s why we have a dozen articles dedicated exactly to top Skyrim mods. One such mod enables you to fly freely around the world, and not in a wooden, no clip fashion, but with full flight animations that will surely make you feel like a powerful if un-lore friendly character.
Fallout 4
Fallout 4 is also one of the games that’s really mod-friendly. It takes an approach to fly that’s a bit different than the one seen in Skyrim – through technology. Mods enable you to fly using jetpacks in a really immersive and believable way, so much so that you’ll think flying was an integral part of the game all along.
Grand Theft Auto 5
GTA 5 is not very mod-friendly, but thanks to persistent modders and the popularity of the game itself, mods introduced plenty of new stuff. One such thing is, of course, flying with mods such as Iron Man, Superman, Green Goblin and plenty more. Although rough around the edges, mods are a ton of fun and flying in a world that’s believable and reactive to the player such as GTA’s is an amazing experience.
So that’s our list of games where you can fly with your character. If you feel like we missed a game, please let us know in the comments as we would most certainly love to try them out for ourselves.
Ajay Saxena
I have never used a play station.. Yet i answered all the questions 😂
imnotarobot
Iron man. Best flyable combat character EVER
Jim_Raynor
Mario 64 with wing cap
Hos3nsch3issa
Gta san andreas with jetpack
Saints row 4 and prototype 1&2 with gliding
Tes 3 morrowind : (levitation spell)
Pilotwings 64 (obviously)
Spechtkalender 3
Zelda breath of the wild (gliding)
Banjo kazooie & tooie