With games becoming more and more comfortable following a tried-and-tested template, it's easy to see why playing most mainstream games has become second-nature for fans. They largely know how the controls in these games work, barring a few minor changes.
Players tired of this formulaic design can check out open-world games that will feel completely different to play than what they're used to. These unique sandboxes have a ton of things to keep players invested once they get accustomed to their gameplay loops.
8 Best Open-World Games To Just Explore, Ranked
Open-world games are known for their exploration, and these titles shine the brightest in this area.
The Matchless Kungfu
Unique Combat And An Ingenious Way To Expand The World
The Matchless Kungfu
- Released
- November 6, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, RPG
The Matchless Kungfu is an underrated open-world game that more people need to check out, especially if they want to check out a game with unique combat and a novel progression mechanic. Setting blocks to expand the world as players become stronger feels great every single time.
This ensures that the world opens up organically as players become more adept with the game's combat. Everything is possible in this title, and players must be smart about their approach if they don't want to be beaten down and imprisoned by unscrupulous folks.
Caves Of Qud
An Open-World Roguelike Inspired By NetHack
Caves Of Qud
- Released
- July 15, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike, RPG
Fans of classic games like NetHack will have a blast with Caves of Qud. In this procedurally-generated open world, players control either a True Kin or a mutant in a hostile world where a single wrong step can lead to a person's demise.
The ruthless difficulty of this game means that players are bound to die a few times after making mistakes they weren't aware of. All of this prepares them to handle the challenge of the early game before eventually allying with factions and making their lives easier in a title rife with numerous possibilities.
Kenshi
Leaves Players To Their Own Devices
Kenshi
- Released
- December 6, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- nr
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Open-World, Survival
Kenshi is a freeform open-world game where players have no goal. Rather, they must carve out a destiny for themselves in a hostile world full of so many dangers that death is an inevitability...that is, unless they're captured by slavers.
8 Open-World Games That Have Complicated But Great Combat Systems
Despite having a somewhat steep learning curve, the combat systems in these open-world games are some of the most engaging.
Based on their background, players are dropped in the middle of the world and must figure out what they want to do on their own. With minimal tutorials, players must take a hands-on approach as they figure out what to do in Kenshi. It's easier said than done, but makes for a highly rewarding experience once players figure out what to do.
Death Stranding
A Walking Simulator Above Anything Else
Death Stranding
- Released
- November 8, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Action
Fans of the Metal Gear Solid games expected something similar with Death Stranding, only to be treated to a compelling walking simulator with a gameplay loop that was totally unexpected. As a result, some people didn't get Death Stranding and dropped this title in no time.
It took a long time for players to realize what Death Stranding was trying to achieve, appreciating this game's uniqueness as they controlled Sam and completed deliveries across the surface of America. Players must adhere to the game's core gameplay loop, which becomes oddly riveting over time as players optimize their routes from one corner of the game to another.
Sunless Skies
Incredible Exploration And Story-Driven Nature
Sunless Skies
- Released
- January 31, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Blood, Language, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
Unlike most other open-world games, Sunless Skies takes place entirely in a vehicle. Players control the captain of an airship in the universe of Fallen London, which has seen some major changes. The story-driven gameplay encourages players to uncover a wealth of riveting narratives in their journey to achieve a goal set by the player from the start of the game.
Selling goods, hiring crew members with unique stories, and avoiding the game's numerous horrors make for a fun gameplay loop. The improvements over its predecessor make Sunless Skies a great game with many narratives to uncover, which will force players to adhere to the game's rules or die over and over again.
Outer Wilds
Knowledge Is The Key To Progress
Outer Wilds
- Released
- May 28, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence, Alcohol Reference
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
With the 22-minute time loop and a pressing need to save the universe from extinction, players must uncover Outer Wilds' mysteries and figure out how to make progress in this beautiful open-world puzzle game that is in a class of its own.
8 Open-World Games With The Scariest Encounters, Ranked
Not all open-world games guarantee a player's safety. Here are some examples that feature incredibly scary encounters.
Instead of following checklists, players must use the knowledge they obtain to make progress in this world. It makes for a fun gameplay loop as players uncover a story for the ages. Players should take their time and savor what this world has to offer, making it one of the best indie games players can get their hands on.
Elden Ring
Combines Organic Exploration With Scintillating Combat
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Elden Ring is one of the greatest video games ever made, with a huge reason for its success being its approach to the open world. The game uses excellent open-world design and visually distinct locations to nudge players in the right direction as they slowly but surely become stronger after tackling the game's challenges.
Players must master the game's tough combat and organically explore the world, something that is missing in most modern open-world games that prefer to make things easy for the player. This isn't the case in Elden Ring, although the massive sandbox ensures that players will become ridiculously strong in no time.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Bucked Genre Norms And Felt Great To Play
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
A huge reason why Breath of the Wild became such a major hit was because it was unlike any other open-world game out there. With the use of towers, the organic open-world design ensured that players would head to locations based on how interesting they looked, instead of gazing at icons on the map.
This allowed players to carve out a path of their own in the quest to save Hyrule. The exploration is surprisingly relaxing, and the game's systems interact neatly with each other, forcing players to use different playstyles than they do for every other open-world game in sight.
6 Best Open World Games That Don't Hold Your Hand, Ranked
These open-world games refuse to guide you, as getting lost is the point. From STALKER to Morrowind, they reward the bold and punish the careless.