Summary
- Caves in open-world games can offer tough enemies, puzzles, and environmental hazards to overcome for rewards.
- Terraria's deep, hazardous caves require tackling monsters, traps, and offer a great risk-reward balance.
- Deep Rock Galactic's procedurally generated caves are filled with environmental hazards and hostile creatures.
Not every game is set above ground, some take place in an entirely subterranean environment. Others simply feature large cave systems as part of an open-world map that players can explore. Often, caves are used as the spawn locations for bosses, or rare loot and resources.
6 Open-World Games With Realistic Environmental Hazards
Open-world games are often full of treacherous environmental hazards. These games, however, are in a league of their own.
Developers often populate caves with tough enemies, puzzles that must be solved, and environmental hazards the player must overcome to survive. Some games have integrated the underground aspects of the map so well, that they stand out in front for having the toughest, most dangerous caves to explore, and, of course, the best rewards for overcoming this challenge.
8 Terraria
2D Sandbox Adventure
Terraria
- Released
- May 16, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Re-Logic
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Vita, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, 3DS, Stadia, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Since its launch, Terraria has become something of a surprise hit, considering it was created by a small indie developer. Exploration is absolutely vital in this game, and this means heading into the dangerous cave systems.
Terraria: Hardest Bosses & How To Beat Them
Not every boss in Terraria is a straightforward fight. Some battles require serious planning.
Some of the caves in Terraria are very deep, and the further down into the cave the player goes, the more hazardous the environment becomes. This includes dangerous monsters to fight, and nasty traps to uncover and avoid. The risk and reward balance in these caves is excellent, and the reason Terraria made this list.
7 Ark: Survival Evolved
Open-World Survival
ARK: Survival Evolved
Ark: Survival Evolved is one of the most successful open-world survival games to date, with a huge following, and a pretty big esports scene. In Ark: Survival Evolved, players have to learn to survive on an island inhabited by prehistoric creatures.
There are numerous caves dotted around the map, and many of these are the best locations to find the best resources and battle the most dangerous creatures. Good preparation is key before descending into the most dangerous of the caves in Ark: Survival Evolved.
6 Far Cry: Primal
Stone Age Survival
Far Cry Primal
- Released
- February 23, 2016
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The second game on this list that features prehistoric creatures, Far Cry: Primal, takes place in the Stone Age. Players need to survive whilst competing against other Stone Age tribes, in a unique survival scenario.
Caves in this game are a major part of the gameplay. They are great for providing shelter, and many players make their home inside of caves However, the larger cave systems can be very dangerous, and are generally used as locations for major combat encounters. But of course, there is a reward for exploring these caves, in the form of valuable resources.
5 Deep Rock Galactic
Play As A Space Dwarf!
Deep Rock Galactic
- Released
- May 13, 2020
- Developer(s)
- Ghost Ship Games
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Deep Rock Galactic is a pretty unique game in many respects. The premise is simple in this first-person shooter. Players explore procedurally generated cave systems on alien planets, and mine the valuable resources found within.
Deep Rock Galactic: Best Perks
Deep Rock Galactic is a creative first-person shooter that's been around for more than 5+ years and is still very much alive due to a dedicated team.
But of course, the reality is a little more complex. The cave systems in Deep Rock Galactic all have environmental hazards and are populated by hostile alien creatures. Furthermore, there is always a risk of a tunnel collapsing, which causes its own set of problems. The cave systems are exceptionally well crafted, despite the fact they are all procedurally generated.
4 Tomb Raider
Blends Puzzle Solving With Combat
Tomb Raider Reloaded
Tomb Raider blasts onto mobile. Play as the legendary Lara Croft like you’ve never seen her before!
Inspired by the original Tomb Raider games, wield Lara’s iconic twin-pistols and get ready for a globetrotting adventure!
Travel through the golden arch-shaped doors of the treacherous underground tombs, across hazardous mountain caves, flourishing jungles, lush waterfalls, even an ancient temple, and dungeon or two!
On your quest you’ll avoid hidden traps, discover ancient relics, solve a wide variety of puzzles and face off against different enemies and dungeon bosses (is that a T-Rex I hear!?) Both new and familiar to the Tomb Raider series. Jump into battle with bloodthirsty wolves, poisonous snakes, epic dinosaurs, skilled archers, fearsome golems and magical elemental creatures, escaping certain doom!
Gameplay features roguelike and procedurally generated adventure stages for a new and varied dungeon run experience with every run. As you progress through each level, you’ll be able to stack abilities and perks such as piercing shots, experience boosts, grenade throws and arch shots for more powerful battle attacks, quicker character leveling and a wider range of damage. If you are a fan of adventure games this is the rouge like shooter gun game for you.
The Tomb Raider franchise encapsulates movies, books, and, of course, video games. The first game in the franchise was released way back in 1996. However, this list entry is focused on the 2013 reboot of the original game. Playing as Lara Croft, the player has to explore and overcome the treacherous cave environment.
The underground cave systems in Tomb Raider require puzzle-solving skills, and combine a platformer style of gameplay with combat mechanics. Caves are cram-packed with traps and puzzles that the player must solve. There is a real sense of exploration in Tomb Raider, as the player never knows what lies just around the corner in the next cave.
3 Hollow Knight
Underground Action-Adventure
Hollow Knight
- Released
- February 24, 2017
- Developer(s)
- Team Cherry
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS, Linux
- Genre(s)
- Metroidvania
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Hollow Knight is another smash-success indie game. It has a unique, dark, and foreboding aesthetic, taking place entirely underground. This is a 2D action-adventure game, that combines solid platformer gameplay with fiendishly challenging puzzles, and plenty of hidden secrets to uncover.
Best 2D Games To Play After Hollow Knight
If you find Team Cherry's Hollow Knight to be a masterpiece, these 2D Metroidvanias and RPGs are worth checking out.
The cave system itself has been lovingly hand-crafted, and the attention to detail is evident everywhere. Combat is surprisingly complex for a 2D game as well. However, it is the dark, dangerous cave system that steals the show in Hollow Knight. Even players who prefer 3D games might like to give Hollow Knight a try, as it is truly exceptional.
2 The Forest
Survival Horror On A Strange Island
The Forest
This survival horror game is renowned for being tough. The player finds they have survived a plane crash, and are now stranded on a strange island that is inhabited by cannibalistic natives, and strangely mutated creatures. Thus begins the quest to unlock the secrets of this island and its strange inhabitants.
The Forest has some of the toughest cave systems of any video game. Unfortunately, the player can’t simply avoid going into the caves in The Forest. Much of the game lore and clues are found within the cave systems, as are the most powerful weapons and rare resources.
1 Subnautica
Stunning Undersea Cave Systems
Subnautica
- Released
- January 23, 2018
- Developer(s)
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Set on an ocean planet, almost entirely covered in water, Subnautica offers a different take on survival gameplay mechanics. Oxygen is always a consideration, but there are other, different hazards, such as depth pressure that must be kept in mind to avoid death.
Pro Tips For Subnautica You Need To Know
There's a reason that famous YouTubers like Markiplier have posted 70+ episode series of them playing Subnautica.
The open-world map features many underwater cave systems, many of which won’t be accessible until the player can craft the equipment they need to safely explore them. These caves contain many hazards, including hostile monsters and increased pressure, which can crush the player.
7 Best Games Set In Caves
Exploring deep, dark caves is the name of the game in the following titles. From Spelunky to Deep Rock Galactic, fans are sure to have a good time.