Summary
- Open-world games champion creativity: build, craft, invent machines, vehicles, bases, and gadgets.
- Many titles grew post-launch (No Man’s Sky, Fallout 76) and add multiplayer to expand creative play.
- Standouts: Minecraft, Tears of the Kingdom, No Man’s Sky, Palworld, Death Stranding 2, Dragon Quest Builders 2.
Everyone comes into an open-world game with different objectives in mind. Some like open-world games to simply explore and discover new things, from caves hidden behind waterfalls to secret NPCs. Some like quests and getting involved in the game’s deep lore. Then there are those who like open-world games with creative mechanics.
Innovative gameplay can involve building structures or vehicles, crafting gear, or even digging into the earth itself. These open-world experiences are some of the most freeing out there, and creative players need to check these games out. Some have huge communities, while others need a bit more time to grow. Creativity means more than literally creating, though, as some examples never cease to surprise with new elements.
Open-World Games That Are Better With Co-Op
Not all open-world games should have multiplayer, but these examples make good use of co-op, and are actually better when played with friends.
Minecraft
The Go-To Choice
Minecraft
- Released
- November 18, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, Survival
It’s hard to imagine a video game surpassing Minecraft in terms of its outreach. The gamer offers a giant sandbox to play around in, unique to every player as the game creates Seeds. Players can mine things like rocks and trees for materials to build their homesteads and weapons to defend against the nighttime monstrosities. The coolest part is that players can activate a godlike mode to build to their heart’s content in Minecraft, creating everything from original monoliths to recreations of popular video game cities, like Pallet Town from the Pokemon series.
Fallout 76
The Apocalypse Can Be Creative Too
Fallout 76
- Released
- November 14, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
When Fallout 76 launched, series fans were disappointed due to the lack of content. But after numerous updates over the years, there’s now a lot more to do. Players can create buildings and weapons by themselves, or they can team up with friends to have fun in the post-apocalypse. It’s the nearest thing Fallout fans have to an MMO, and they’re quite all right with that, but maybe one day Bethesda will make a true MMO.
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
The Legend Of Hand
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Released
- May 12, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
It’s hard to believe that another game set in the same Hyrule as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild could be good, but Nintendo managed to prove to its fans that there was still more juice left in the tank. Thanks to a special hand that Link gains in Tears of the Kingdom, he can maneuver objects with ease to create weapons or build machines.
There Are Almost No 10/10 Open-World Games, But These Masterpieces Come Close
These open-world games surpassed even the highest of expectations to reach near-perfection - a difficult thing to do in a genre that demands so much.
While it is possible to build some sort of fortress in the game, the mechanics are best for creating machines like flying cars or jet-propelled boats. This makes exploring in many instances easier, and thanks to fans, there’s a huge community online detailing how to build a huge array of creations.
No Man’s Sky
Make Your Mark All Over The Galaxy
No Man's Sky
- Released
- August 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
No Man’s Sky had a similar problem as Fallout 76 when it first launched, but hard work from Hello Games has made this game a galactic paradise. Players can customize their ships and fly all over an endless galaxy, with each planet different from the last. They can visit them to collect minerals or study life, or they can make a home. Every planet can become a vacation home for players if they want. No Man’s Sky is pretty much the definition of endless, as the galaxy is wide open.
Palworld
Become A Trainer Or Explorer
Palworld
- Released
- January 19, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Shooter, Survival
Palworld is still in Early Access at the time of writing, but it has already figured out how to be a better Pokemon game in some aspects. For example, its version of monsters, called Pals, can be used for battling, traversal, weapons, or laborers. Players can build camps and put their Pals in charge while they explore the world and fight back against evil terrorists. It may seem monstrous to turn Pikachu into an electric-based gun in the Pokemon games, but Palworld has proved how fun this can be from a gameplay perspective.
Grounded 2
Buggy Builders
Grounded 2
- Released
- July 29, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Grounded 2, like Palworld, is in Early Access, but the game already feels fully furnished. Players can choose between four playable kids, all of whom play the same, but once they get their bite-sized journey started, it's up to them to see where the story goes.
Best Open-World Games For Feeling Like A Force Of Nature
Become one with the wind and destroy enemies in your wake in these open-world games.
Gamers must fight bugs, collect their materials, and explore for other resources. Everything can be used to build furniture, shelter, or gear. This is where Obsidian Entertainment really shines, as everything looks realistic to scale, from ant-based claw weapons to pallets made of grass.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Deliver It Your Way
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
- June 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has a massive open world to explore between Mexico and Australia, and it’s a big overhaul from the original. Players will learn to create new things the more they deliver to bunkers. They can boost Sam’s carrying potential, like giving him antigravity batteries to reduce the weight of packages, or build exoskeletons. In between bunkers, players can create hideaways of their own to rest.
The coolest thing is that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has asymmetrical multiplayer. Things that players build or restore in their world will pass on to others online.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
A Hero’s Quest
Dragon Quest Builders 2
- Released
- July 12, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Adventure
Dragon Quest Builders 2 can best be described as Minecraft, but with more action. Players can create their hero and then go from village to village, assisting them in recreating their layouts one brick at a time. They can be as creative as they wish, but the real fun happens in multiplayer.
With others, players can build a town on an island separate from the rest of the game world. It’s kind of like a more RPG-inspired Animal Crossing island, and that’s something even Nintendo should consider testing.
The Ways Elden Ring Surpassed The Open-World Genre
The ring may be ancient, but its world is still teeming with life, albeit in horrific forms.