Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, GTA, The Outer Wilds, and Kenshi are just a few open-world games that have amazing (and very different) cities. Even if the majority of a campaign happens in the wilderness, most entries in the genre include at least one major metropolis as either their hub area or the player's base of operations. However, exceptions exist to every rule, and some of the greatest open-world games ever forego the inclusion of a city.
These releases often emphasize isolation and survival as key themes, or they bring to life gorgeous (or terrifying) worlds consumed by nature. You might get some camps or villages, but nothing that comes close to something like Night City. If you are looking to escape the hectic city life, these games might just do the trick.
Ah, the age-old question: When does a town become a city? We will do our best to avoid games that have such massive towns that they are basically cities.
Gothic
An Open-World All About Prison Life
Gothic
- Released
- November 23, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
So, let's start with a somewhat controversial pick. Gothic has the New and Old Camps, which have well-established rules, ideologies, social pecking orders, and detailed NPC routines. Honestly, they feel more alive than most massive towns in games, and they share traits with the genre's best cities; however, they are undeniably small encampments built out of necessity and desperation. The game goes out of its way to immerse you in an unwelcoming environment where you can quickly get lost, which helps to make the world feel alien, unforgiving, and inhumane.
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Due to coming out more than two decades ago, Gothic is fairly dated by today's standards, and it was already rough around the edges when it debuted. That said, the world and writing are by far the game's crowning achievements, and they are still impressive all these years later. A remake is also on the way, which will hopefully retain the original's tone and structure.
Far Cry 3
An Open-World Series That Is All About Surviving The Wilderness (And Bullets)
Far Cry 3
- Released
- November 29, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Open-World
In direct contrast to Assassin's Creed, which used to always revolve around major cities, Far Cry has always dropped players in exotic locales that are in the middle of a war for control. While enemies and allies have camps scattered around the map, the series does not regularly incorporate cities, instead opting to feature diverse areas that are defined by rare modern freedom. As the most influential entry, Far Cry 3 set the standard that future sequels have tried to duplicate its formula.
Rook Islands serves as your sandbox, and it is a gorgeous but unwelcoming realm ruled by pirates and violence. Although not the hardest game ever, Far Cry 3 does a great job of making you feel isolated and cut off from society, particularly in the first few hours. You will have to take down an army of henchmen, along with surviving encounters with wildlife. A city would take away from Far Cry 3's brilliance.
Ghost Of Tsushima & Yotei
Open-World Games That Bring Japanese History to Life
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Ghost of Tsushima
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9 /10Display card main info widget-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end- Released
- July 17, 2020
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
WHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONDIGITALPHYSICAL- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
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Ghost of Yotei
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10 /10Display card main info widget-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end- Released
- October 2, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITAL- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5
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Sucker Punch produced something special with Ghost of Tsushima, and then the developer repeated that triumph with its sequel. Although set roughly 300 years apart, Tsushima and Yotei have relatively similar-feeling worlds that primarily consist of vast stretches of gorgeous fields, hills, forests, and mountains.
During their journeys, Jin and Atsu run into splashes of civilization that foreshadow the country's eventual development, but these areas are generally tiny villages and have a long way to go before expanding into something more. Despite building up a roster of companions, both protagonists are classic lone wolves, and their stories are complemented by the open maps and lack of traditional hub areas.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Hyrule Has Never Felt Lonelier
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Wii U, Switch
OK, Breath of the Wild has plenty of towns and villages with well-defined cultures that set them apart from each other, but none of them are big enough to be called cities. They consist of small groups of people who are trying to live after the end of the world. These areas are revisited and expanded by Tears of the Kingdom, and it is fascinating to see their evolution between games.
BOTW is effectively a post-apocalyptic story, with Link reawakening in a Hyrule that has not only fallen, but been turned into ruins. Occasionally, you might stumble across remnants of past communities that have long since been wiped from existence. Almost entirely covered by nature, the world is simultaneously beautiful and haunting. You can go hours without running into another friendly NPC; heck, you might not even stumble upon a Bokoblin camp.
Subnautica
Explore As Much As You Want, You Will Not Find Atlantis Here
Subnautica
- Released
- January 23, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Now, this is an alien planet! Crashing on a world simply called 4546B, you embark on a journey to discover, learn, and hopefully survive. A few sprinkles of land aside, Subnautica almost entirely takes place underwater, with the game demanding that players explore the intimidating depths in pursuit of an escape from this unique type of hell. The map has no cities, towns, or villages, although traces of a past civilization can be found.
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Subnautica is a brilliant open-world game that manages to scratch a few itches. If you want a challenging but accessible survival game, you will not find many better options. Craving a mystery? You will constantly be uncovering secrets. Want elements of horror? Don't worry, 4546B has its share of nightmares.
Shadow of the Colossus
A Desolate Open-World That Inspires Introspection
Shadow of the Colossus
- Released
- October 18, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Team Ico
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2
All these years later, Shadow of the Colossus is still an impressive achievement for the PS2. A genuine open-world experience, the game is a masterpiece that has aged fantastically, even though you can just play the 2018 remake for a more modern alternative. To save the life of one girl, you must kill 16 massive colossi, roaming creatures who are mostly minding their own business.
During each hunt, the protagonist travels across The Forbidden Last, a realm that is empty except for the colossi and a solitary temple. This quiet solitude encourages reflection, and you might find yourself asking whether the lengths the protagonist is willing to go are remotely justified.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Just Snake, Camps, & The Dirt
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
- Released
- September 1, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
- Genre(s)
- Action, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Metal Gear Solid did not need to go open-world, but when that time came, the franchise delivered a novel spin. Surprisingly lacking in story beats compared to previous entries, The Phantom Pain emphasizes gameplay, with players having to execute missions as Venom Snake.
Although featuring a pretty big map, you are mostly just traveling to waypoints that contain the next target, which are typically found in enemy outposts that you have to infiltrate. You might find the occasional area that resembles a village, but they are tiny and war-torn. The world is barren and purposefully lifeless.
Honorable Mentions
As we could not include every open-world game without cities, here are a few honorable mentions that you might wish to check out.
- Tchia
- Days Gone
- Immortals Fenyx Rising
- Prey (Technically, the intro takes place in a city)
- A Short Hike
- Sons of the Forest
- No Man's Sky (But players have built some incredible cities)
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