Summary
- Overwhelmingly large game worlds can make exploration feel exhausting and hinder the overall gaming experience.
- Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Starfield have large worlds with content that can lead to player fatigue.
- Games like Dark Souls 2 and Pathologic 2 feature tense exploration that can drain players quickly.
Exploration is something that every game must nail if it's a central part of its gameplay loop. Role-playing games are no exception, with countless players often loving the idea of exploring massive worlds with a ton of distractions to keep them satisfied.
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However, there are times when some games can feature worlds so overwhelmingly large and bloated that exploring them can be a massive pain. While the rest of the game may be solid, exploration can be exhausting after a point, compelling players to not spend too much time on this side of things if they don't want to start actively disliking the experience.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
The Exhaustion Caused By This Game's Open World Caused Fans To Beg For A Return To The Series' Basics
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
- Released
- October 15, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Open-World
While most fans appreciated Assassin's Creed' s attempts to reinvent the formula, emulating The Witcher 3 could only help them out for so long. In fact, fans were already exhausted by this approach when Assassin's Creed Odyssey came out.
Those who love this title tend to enjoy it for many reasons, but exploration isn't always one of them. The world is too large, and most of the content isn't worth uncovering, which can be a slap in the face for those who assumed that this open world would keep them occupied for hours on end.
Starfield
The Procedural Generation Can Make Some Planets A Chore To Explore
Starfield
- Released
- September 6, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
Starfield could've been a home run for Bethesda, but one of the studio's strongest core pillars was compromised to expand the number of planets in the game. Enduring the many loading screens in this title is irritating enough as is, but it becomes especially infuriating if players go through all of that just to explore one of the many uninteresting procedurally generated planets available.
The fact that players should ideally avoid these distractions in the game takes away from the magic of exploration that Bethesda games rely on. This is a big reason why many gamers have mixed opinions when it comes to Starfield.
Dark Souls 2
Exploration Isn't As Great As That Of Its Predecessor, And The Game Is Also Full Of Ambushes
Dark Souls 2
- Released
- March 11, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
While Dark Souls 2 has its issues, many fans still have a soft spot for this title. However, that takes nothing away from the infuriating exploration featured here, which discards the clever interconnected nature of the previous game in favor of complicated areas with numerous ambushes and tough enemies for players to deal with.
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After a point, the sense of dread that FromSoftware fans are familiar with is replaced with a growing sense of exhaustion as players try to make progress without facing one cheap death after another. It's one of the main reasons why Dark Souls 2 is one of the more divisive entries in the series.
STALKER: Clear Sky
The Toughest STALKER Game By A Country Mile With Tense Exploration
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
- Released
- September 15, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
Every STALKER game features tough gameplay and tense exploration, but this is dialed up to a whole new level in Clear Sky. The first few hours will make it clear just how unforgiving this title is.
Exploration quickly becomes draining in this game, with players being left to try and explore new areas without being shot to death, mauled to pieces, or just encumbered after looting for a while. Thankfully, the patented STALKER gameplay ensures that fans will always come back to this title the next day with a fresh mind, but the journey will likely exhaust them once again.
Pathologic 2
Dying Incurs Penalties That Make Exploration A Nerve-Racking Affair
Pathologic 2
- Released
- May 23, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Violence
Pathologic 2 is not a game for impatient players. Exploration is nerve-racking, and death incurs permanent penalties that can only be reversed if players are willing to lose access to one of the game's many endings.
Every step that players take is tense, and this can lead to a ton of fatigue quite quickly. This is why most players prefer to play Pathologic 2 in short bursts, especially if they're getting frustrated with this title's unforgiving gameplay loop, despite loving the surreal narrative and unique setting.
Kenshi
Exploring The World Can Be Tiring, Especially When Players Have No Idea What To Expect
Kenshi
- Released
- December 6, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- nr
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Open-World, Survival
Kenshi unceremoniously dumps players into a wasteland where survival is not guaranteed. Even after players figure out that grinding out skills, hoarding money, and getting a ton of party members will make their adventure easier, surviving is never a done deal.
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After a point, the exhaustion of exploring this game's massive open world can get to players. When this happens, taking a break and coming back with a fresh mindset is necessary, especially if players want to become powerful enough to tackle stronger enemies and unlock new avenues of progression.
Fear & Hunger
Players Will Cross Their Fingers And Hope That Exploring A Dungeon Doesn't End Their Run
Fear & Hunger
- Released
- December 11, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Fear & Hunger is not for the faint of heart. The game is dark, brooding, and disturbing, and this is all evident from the very beginning. Players can even be mauled to death by wolves the moment they start this game.
It's clear that exploration will be a nerve-racking affair in this title, and players will need to stay on their toes if they don't want to be ambushed by tough enemies. After a point, there's only so many times that players can be careful and wary during exploration before they get exhausted and make a mistake that ends their run and forces them to start from the beginning of their journey.
Final Fantasy 12
The Incessant Hunts Can Make Exploration Feel Draining
Final Fantasy 12
- Released
- October 31, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
As incredible as Final Fantasy 12 may be, the title's Hunt system has also become somewhat dated. Taking on these contracts and backtracking over and over again to take on powerful foes can become incredibly grating after a while.
The Zodiac Age may allow players to speed up the process, but this is an inelegant solution that doesn't address the core problem. Even taking multiple Hunts on at once isn't enough to truly lessen the dreaded exhaustion of exploring the many massive zones of this epic RPG. That said, most players will likely get over this fatigue once they start to appreciate Final Fantasy 12's incredible strengths.
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