Some games focus on one thing and do it well. For example, the Devil May Cry series is all about stylish action. There’s not much in the way of distractions like mini-games or crafting elements, and that’s okay. Some franchises are better off not adhering to trends.
Then there are some games that give players freedom to do a wide array of activities, and yet they are still solid through and through. The kitchen sink design mentality will not work for every game, but for these examples, it did. For any player looking to get more out of their games, these examples have a lot of variety, from action games to RPGs.
Minecraft
Sump Out The Bucket Of Digital Bricks
Minecraft
- Released
- November 18, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, Survival
Minecraft is one of the best games to play when everything else gets too exhausting. Players can create a world seed and then start exploring, gathering, and building to their heart’s content. They can create a cozy village, welcome others to join in, or they can simply pile dirt into the sky and see how far they can travel. There is a certain amount of combat as well, for players who like to play at night, but overall, Minecraft is a great building sim with plenty of options and no story to get in the way.
Stardew Valley
Pixelated But Innovative
Stardew Valley
- Released
- February 26, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Simulation
Stardew Valley is a bit like a top-down version of Minecraft, but more complex, funnily enough. Players can create their character and choose a farmstead to start their new life in. Quests and NPCs will prod players along, but they never have to follow these requests if they don’t want to.
The main objective is to cultivate a farm with crops and animals, but there are other opportunities as well. Players can go into mines to gather minerals and fight monsters, they can fish, or they can pursue marriage through several options.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Need A Vacation?
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Released
- January 26, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Simulated Gambling, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the eighth main entry in the Yakuza series, which puts players in a completely new region: Hawaii. Players can roam around Honolulu and other districts which are teeming with gangsters, shops, and mini-games.
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Players can take pictures of weirdos, deliver food, or go scuba diving in addition to competing in turn-based combat. There’s even an island players can boat to, which allows them to cultivate a land and build upon it, which is one of the most expansive side activities in the series to date.
Dark Cloud 2
An Endless Time
Dark Cloud 2
- Released
- February 17, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Dark Cloud 2 is a marvel of a PS2 game from Level-5 that offers players so much. Compared to the first game, the party was smaller, but protagonists Max and Monica had a wealth of options for combat. Their melee and ranged weapons could level up and evolve, plus Max could pilot and customize a mech while Monica could transform into encountered monsters. In dungeons, players could find materials to rebuild towns throughout time in a mini-town-building arcade. There was also fishing and golf to do as side activities.
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
Chill Out And Be Free
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
- Released
- May 21, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is another game from Level-5, but it’s a modern example with even more activities to explore. There are three types of classes, or Lives, that players can choose from: the combat type Paladin, the gatherer type Miner, and the crafting type Blacksmith. These Lives will dictate how players level up, and each method is different from the last, except for all the combat-focused Lives. Beyond that, players can customize their home in-between fighting monsters, gathering materials, and crafting, all of which can be accomplished alone or with friends.
Dreams
If You Can Dream It, You Can Build It
Dreams
- Released
- February 14, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Language
- Genre(s)
- Game Creation System
Dreams has a campaign built by the developer, Media Molecule, which is fun, but the true genius of the game is the set of creation tools. The developer has come a long way since LittleBigPlanet, which was a 2D game with level creation tools. In Dreams, players can freely build whatever type of game they want in 2D or 3D, and the options are astounding.
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There are homages to shooters like Call of Duty, RPGs like Final Fantasy 7, and even platformers like Crash Bandicoot. Players are still creating games years later despite Media Molecule stepping away to focus on a new project.
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist Of Memories & The Envisioned Land
Presto, Change-o!
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land
- Released
- March 21, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen // Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes, Mild Language
- Genre(s)
- JRPG, Crafting, Action
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is a great entry in the Atelier series for anyone who wants to start, thanks to the customization options as far as difficulty goes. It may seem overwhelming at first, as there are a lot of tutorials, but the gameplay loop will become second nature fast.
In various biomes, players will set up shop as an alchemist to help locals out. They will need to gather materials and fight monsters to help create whatever villagers want, from desks to potions, and the alchemic mini-game can be as complex or simple as players want. Beyond quests, players can also customize their working area to make it more cozy.
Retro Game Challenge
The Ultimate History Adventure For Gamers
Retro Game Challenge
- Released
- November 15, 2007
- ESRB
- E For Everyone // Alcohol Reference, Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- indieszero Co., Ltd.
Retro Game Challenge was an obscure game on the DS in 2009 for North America, and it’s even more obscure now thanks to its relatively dark presence online. It’s a meta-game as well, following a young Japanese kid right when the Famicom was launching there.
The console is fake, as are the games, but players will go through them one by one, from platformers to Zelda clones. There’s more to it as well, involving hearing cheat codes from friends and reading magazines. It’s the ultimate history lesson to emulate what it must have been like to grow up in this early console era, and that’s just plain magical, giving players access to a wide plethora of genres along with things to look up and do in the room.
