Summary
- Open-world games offer non-linear, leisurely experiences with various threats like dangerous environments, wildlife, and hostile inhabitants.
- The Long Dark challenges players with brutal weather, wildlife, and natural threats in a frozen wilderness survival setting.
- Subnautica creates fear with unknown sea dangers, giant monsters, and the risk of getting lost without being able to reach the surface.
Open-world games have been rising in popularity over the years, offering diverse worlds to explore, survive, and make a home in. Part of what makes them appealing is their non-linearity, often giving players the freedom to follow the plot (if there is any at all) at their own pace, with plenty to do and discover in between.
18 Best Relaxing Slow-Paced Open-World Games
There are some great open-world games that are perfect for those who want to relax, and these are the best options to play.
While a lot of open-world games offer leisurely experiences, some worlds are not so fun to navigate. With harsh environments, formidable wildlife, and hostile inhabitants, these are games with the most dangerous open-worlds that constantly put players in the path of peril.
The open-worlds listed are considered dangerous in terms of active threats rather than lack of resources and the need to manage stats; the games aren't necessarily the hardest or most complex.
10 The Long Dark
The Environment Is The Player's Biggest Enemy
The Long Dark
- Released
- August 1, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Hinterland Studio
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
There is no shortage of open-world survival games, but one that stands out for having particularly brutal environments is The Long Dark. Caught in the freezing Canadian wilderness after a geomagnetic storm cut out power, players must survive for as long as possible.
The Long Dark places emphasis on weather and natural threats. Blizzards and fog, as well as being cold, can make navigating and spotting other hazards much harder. Likewise, the likes of electrified water and weak ice can be fatal. These dangers, alongside wolves and bears, make staying alive no mean feat.
9 Sea Of Thieves
Grapple With Unpredictable Seas
Sea of Thieves
- Released
- March 20, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Rare
- Publisher(s)
- Microsoft Game Studios
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
A pirate's life; the call of the sea, the camaraderie, the promise of treasure, adventure, and heroic fights. Sea of Thieves is an online multiplayer game that offers all of this. Players can sail an open-world, completing missions for trading companies in return for gold and reputation.
It's not all plain sailing, though. On their voyages, players may encounter all manner of dangers, from lightning to on-board explosions to sea monsters, not to mention the skeleton armies and ruthless rival players. It's best to get a whole crew together to stand a chance against the nautical dangers.
8 Dying Light
Even Humans Aren't Players' Friends
Dying Light
- Released
- January 27, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Techland
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Brothers Games
- Franchise
- Dying Light
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Survival Horror
Survival and horror games are, at this point, saturated with zombie narratives. However, while many follow the same craft and kill formula, Dying Light stands out as a much more terrifying experience with its fast-paced parkour and melee-focused gameplay.
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Most notorious are the "Volatiles", nocturnal infected able to chase players across rooftops with their superhuman strength and speed. But zombies aren't the only threat; humans and bandits from rivaling factions aren't too friendly either. Feeling safe in Harran is a rare luxury.
7 The Witcher 3
Lands Riddled With Otherworldly Monsters
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Franchise
- The Witcher
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
The Witcher 3 is one of the most iconic open-world monster-fighting RPGs, letting players step into the shoes of the gruff Geralt as he fights against evil to save Ciri and The Continent. It's almost impossible to traverse anywhere in the game without encountering bandits or creatures.
It's not only monsters that make the world dangerous; wielders of magic and non-humans face persecution just for existing. While it's relatively safe in towns and cities, drawing the attention of unsavory characters can have dire consequences, making The Continent an all-around treacherous place.
6 Subnautica
Unknown Dangers Lurk Beneath The Water
Subnautica
- Released
- January 23, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Gearbox Publishing
- Franchise
- Subnautica
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
The fear of deep, vast water is not uncommon, and for good reason. As land mammals, the idea of living underwater is both unnatural and terrifying. Subnautica, while not exclusively a horror game, plays on these fears very well.
The player, after crash-landing on an alien planet, must scavenge resources to survive and uncover the mysteries of the planet. Infected sea life, hostile aliens, and giant monsters are all part of the ocean package, but perhaps more worrying is the chance of getting lost underwater and not being able to reach the surface in time.
5 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chornobyl
Navigate Life In The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
- Released
- November 20, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- GSC Game World
- Franchise
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter, Open-World, Post-Apocalyptic, Survival
The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Franchise reached somewhat of a standstill after Call of Pripyat was released in 2009. However, the 2024 release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl sparked new interest in the series, further building on the foundations that the previous games had laid down.
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While the Exclusion Zones in all the games are unsafe in their own right, the world in Heart of Chornobyl feels significantly more dangerous. With larger, more deadly arch anomalies, powerful mutants, hostile factions, radiation, and emission storms, every traversal is a risk.
Metro: Exodus has a similar premise with nuclear fallout and mutants but hasn't been included on this list for the sake of variety.
4 Fallout 3
Environmental And Societal Deterioration
Fallout 3
- Released
- October 28, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
When it comes to post-apocalyptic games, the name Fallout is, more often than not, at the forefront of discussion. Taking place post-nuclear war, it's no surprise that the world is unfriendly, but Fallout 3 is particularly dire. While there is a vague sense of society rebuilding, the landscape (and its inhabitants) are unforgiving.
The Capital Wasteland is home to aggressive super mutants, riddled with Deathclaws, and patrolled by the self-righteous Enclave, but the most prevalent and consistent obstacle is radiation. Fallout 3' s open-world is certainly dangerous, with the land itself being fatal enough on its own.
3 Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War
Mordor Is Riddled With Sauron's Forces
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
- Released
- October 10, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Monolith
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Bros. Games
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Franchise
- The Lord of the Rings
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Anyone familiar with Tolkien's works will know the dark lore - the evil and corruption that riddles the land, particularly in Mordor. Tolkien's world (and Peter Jackson's interpretation), being so in-depth, has reached legendary status on paper and screen, and translates incredibly well into game format.
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Continuing on from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Shadow of War once again has the players attempting to defeat Sauron and end his rule over Middle-earth. Naturally, this involves facing off with Orcs, Wargs, and Graugs alike; treachery that only a hero can overcome.
2 Diablo 4
Demons Around Every Corner
Diablo 4
- Released
- June 5, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Blizzard
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Franchise
- Diablo
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash
When it comes to dangerous locations, hell simply has to make the shortlist. Diablo 4 marked the franchise's shift to a fully open-world game and, while this makes the multiplayer elements feel sparse, there's no shortage of demon hordes to fight.
Combat might be relatively straightforward, but players face constant threats. Caught in a battle between Heaven and Hell, and living among opposing groups within the Sanctuary, butting heads with bandits, cannibals, and vampires is just as inevitable as encountering demonic forces.
1 Elden Ring
Formidable Gods And Savage Beasts
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment, From Software
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
Elden Ring made a huge splash in the gaming world when it was released in 2022. Despite being years old, it remains one of the most epic RPGs of all time - not surprising considering Game of Thrones' s George R. R. Martin and Dark Souls's Miyazaki collaborated on the project.
Although the world is undeniably beautiful, it is full of peril. Demigods and twisted wildlife stand in the player's way. In true FromSoftware fashion, the boss fights are notoriously hard, but the cinematic experience makes the challenge easy to forgive. While many games have some semblance of safety in settlements or civilizations, the devastation in Elden Ring has laid so much waste that the average person's chance of survival is slim at best. The Lands Between is no place for the weak.
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