Summary
- Play as diverse animals in open-world games for unique gaming experiences.
- Games like WolfQuest offer realistic insights into animal behavior and life.
- Experience chaos and mayhem as a shark in Maneater or as a mischievous goose in Untitled Goose Game.
Open-world games are among the most fun to explore in video gaming, allowing players to experience a different time, culture, or even a complete fantasy universe. Some games allow players to take control of an animal, giving them a wholly unique perspective, unlike the majority that feature humanoid protagonists.
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Freely exploring the wild or even a more developed environment as an animal can be incredibly liberating, gaining an insight into life as a completely different creature. Here are some of the best open-world games where you play as an animal, ranked based on a combination of the game’s overall quality and popularity.
1 Maneater
Humanity And Sea Creatures Being Terrorized By A Shark
Maneater
- Released
- May 22, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Tripwire Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Tripwire Interactive, Deep Silver
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
For those who wish to dish out some punishment to humans for their many transgressions, Maneater is the perfect game. Playing as a young bull shark, the goal is to survive in the dangerous waters around Port Clovis and ultimately seek revenge on Scaly Pete, the hunter responsible for disfiguring her and killing her family.
Presented as a game show and featuring hilarious narration by Chris Parnell, there’s plenty to do in Maneater, as players grow their mutant shark into a gigantic apex predator. Some side quests and the constant need to feast on prey can feel somewhat repetitive, but overall, it is fun to wreak havoc along the coastline and battle other large oceanic monsters in the sea.
2 BioMutant
A Mammalian Creature Decides The Fate Of The Tree Of Life
BioMutant
- Released
- May 25, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Experiment 101
- Publisher(s)
- THQ Nordic
- Platform(s)
- PS4, PC, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Character creation has a huge impact on gameplay in BioMutant. Taking control of a small mammal, players determine its stats based on physical attributes during the creation process, such as a larger head, meaning that the creature has greater intellect, or a heavier build that makes it slower and capable of causing more damage.
The world is an interesting mixture of overgrown nature and steampunk, featuring branching storylines and several tribes that the player can ally with or destroy in battle. Some critics found the approach to puzzles and general goals to be repetitive, but BioMutant’s unique premise, charming art design, and uncommon approach to its 'gun fu' combat has caused many to declare that the game is an underrated gem.
3 Goat Simulator 3
Wreak Havoc As A Goat
Goat Simulator 3
- Released
- November 17, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Coffee Stain North
- Publisher(s)
- Coffee Stain Publishing
- Genre(s)
- Simulation, Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
By now, most players are probably aware of the over-the-top game where goats cause absolute mayhem, and Goat Simulator 3 is even more chaotic than its predecessor. Skipping over the second numbered entry in the series, the development team of Goat Simulator 3 claims that the map is 18 times larger than in the first game, and up to four players can join in the zany fun.
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There is a story mode involving rising through the ranks of the Illuminati, but the main attraction of this game is to lick and headbutt pretty much everything in sight. There are also seven minigames for those engaging in multiplayer — and a customizable Goat Castle. Sadly, for goat enthusiasts, it’s not a completely realistic simulation of life as the horned farmyard animal, but it makes for an insanely fun time.
4 Cattails: Wildwood Story
Cozy Life Simulation With Cats
Cattails: Wildwood Story
- Released
- March 2, 2023
- ESRB
- E For Everyone: Fantasy Violence
- Platform(s)
- PC, macOS, Nintendo Switch
Often compared favorably with Stardew Valley, Cattails: Wildwood Story puts players in the furry paws of a fully customizable cat, as they build and lead a colony. There are plenty of different biomes in the enigmatic Wildwood, from swamps and forests to beaches and volcanoes.
Other cats can be enticed to join the colony and help build the town, and there are plenty of different herbs to cultivate and prey to hunt. Even romance is a possibility, forming a bond with a fellow feline to produce baby kittens. Not all is completely wholesome, however, as there are mysterious enemies that must be repelled, so keeping the colony safe is imperative.
5 WolfQuest: Anniversary Edition
Accurate Depiction Of Life In A Wolfpack
WolfQuest: Anniversary Edition
- Developer(s)
- eduweb
WHERE TO PLAY
- Publisher(s)
- eduweb
- Early Access Release
- July 25, 2019
- Genre(s)
- Life Simulation, Survival, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PC
Praised by many for its accuracy, Wolfquest: Anniversary Edition is not only a fun simulation of the wolf lifestyle but also educational. Taking place in Yellowstone National Park on a stretch of wilderness almost fifty square kilometers in size, players can hunt, tackle other predators head on, and even tussle with rival packs of wolves over valuable territory or other commodities.
Sniffing is a key mechanic, as are interactions with other wolves, including a family-friendly courtship so that offspring may be produced to carry on the lineage, and the game, beyond the death of the player character. Multiplayer options are available too, for those who want to experience life as a wolf with their friends.
6 Little Kitty, Big City
A Small Cat Trying To Find Its Way Home... Eventually
Little Kitty, Big City
- Released
- May 9, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Double Dagger Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Double Dagger Studio
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Sometimes, large urban settings can be daunting, but that is not the case in Little Kitty, Big City. The titular little kitty is a domesticated cat trying to find its way home after getting lost in a Japanese city. The journey is as much of a joy as the end goal of reaching the owner’s apartment, with the metropolis acting as a playground for all kinds of action.
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Seeing the human-made environment from a cat’s perspective is fascinating, and players have the choice of causing a ruckus if they wish. There are plenty of fellow animals to befriend and different fish to eat, which can help the player-character climb to higher locations and is required if they wish to make it all the way home.
7 A Short Hike
Climbing A Mountain And Enjoying The Journey
A Short Hike
- Released
- April 5, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
A game that can be completed in just a few hours, A Short Hike stars an anthropomorphized bird called Claire as she aims to reach the top of Hawk Peak. Seven golden feathers must be collected to gain the ability to run, climb, swim, and glide to the summit, though there are twenty scattered around the island for those who wish to find them all.
Apart from climbing the mountain, players can converse with other hikers, even assist some of them, who will return the favor. There are also tons of activities and minigames, such as fishing and beachstickball, which is similar to volleyball. It may be a short game, but exploring the charming island is certainly a memorable and wholesome experience.
8 Untitled Goose Game
Be A Troublesome Goose
Untitled Goose Game
- Released
- September 20, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
Taking place in a peaceful English village, Untitled Goose Game presents the opportunity to turn this quiet rural spot upside down. Taking on the role of a pesky goose (or two of the feathered devils if a friend joins in local co-op), there are plenty of treasures to steal, people to torment, and messes to be made in just a few hours.
Some may doubt the open-world credentials of Untitled Goose Game, and while the full map is not available immediately, completing just a few tasks in each area gradually unlocks the map until it is a fully explorable sandbox environment with many shortcuts and secrets. The dedicated honk button is worth the price of admission alone, adding to the overall charm and to the irritation of the local residents, whose days are inevitably ruined when the belligerent poultry comes crashing through.
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