Exploration is an integral part of any adventure game. It's one thing to have a compelling story, but another thing entirely to have a world that is actually enjoyable to traverse. Many games manage to capture the perfect blend of satisfying exploration with the true feeling of adventure, sending players on a journey that is exciting, alluring, and unexpected in equal measure.
8 Narrative Adventure Games You Might Have Missed
Discover the best narrative adventure games you might have missed. Must-play titles for fans of rich storytelling and relaxing gameplay.
It doesn't matter if players are diving deep below the ocean waves, scaling mountains to reach the next objective, or riding across a breathtaking landscape; true adventure requires a compelling loop of exploration. With so many worlds to explore, only a few stand out above the rest as the pinnacles of exploration within the adventure genre.
Subnautica
Discovery Within The Depths
Subnautica
- Released
- January 23, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
Subnautica delivers one of gaming’s most captivating exploration experiences, plunging players into the alien ocean of Planet 4546B with nothing but the desire to escape to guide them. Stranded and alone, survival depends on scavenging, crafting, and venturing into the deep to uncover the planet’s secrets, meaning that no progress can be made without delving into the daunting and unknown darkness.
From glowing reefs to pitch-black trenches filled with ancient leviathans, the world is equal parts serene and terrifying. No two expeditions will have the same outcome. Some allow the player to return with crucial minerals, others with severe injuries and a broken spirit. The narrative itself is tied to the player's exploration, connecting the movements of the ocean directly to the story and encouraging bravery at all times.
No Man's Sky
As Close To Infinity As It Gets
No Man's Sky
- Released
- August 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Animated Blood
- Developer(s)
- Hello Games
No Man’s Sky stands as one of gaming’s most ambitious visions that has now blossomed into what is effectively a near-endless universe full of planets and galaxies to explore. Players awaken on an unknown planet with a broken ship and a single goal: survive long enough to take off into the stars. From there, the universe is just a playground waiting to be explored, with countless alien species and many mysteries that are scattered across every single world waiting to be solved.
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What makes No Man’s Sky so extraordinary is how the limitless scope is actually realized. It isn't a facade that simulates what an endless universe could look like; it actually executes it with more perfection than anyone could have ever dreamed of. It captures the raw thrill of discovery and can give players a true adventure of a lifetime, spanning hundreds of star systems with no limits on where they can go.
Ghost Of Yotei
A Journey Of The Self And The Spirits
Ghost of Yotei
- Released
- October 2, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Open-World
Ghost of Yotei redefines the art of environmental storytelling through its hauntingly beautiful depiction of feudal Japan’s northern frontier. Set beneath the shadow of Mount Yōtei, players embark on a meditative journey through frozen forests, misty temples, and desolate villages, surrounded by memories and myths from a time long past. The backdrops never feel like they are just filler. Instead, they act as deliberate devices for setting up specific encounters and tying the exploration directly into the world itself.
The world feels large enough to hold the player's attention for a significant amount of time, but restrained enough to feel digestible and never overwhelming. It really does take players on a path towards meaning, pulling them forward with stillness and solitude rather than constant action and reinforcing the idea that the journey is just as important as the destination.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Creating Connections Throughout The World
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
- June 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
Death Stranding 2 takes the idea of exploration and makes it the primary mechanic and driving force for the narrative. Rather than entering giant castles or hunting in lost cities, the game sends players across breathtaking landscapes with the single mission of delivering lifesaving packages to those in need. Humanity and the world beyond are bound together, creating an environment that is equal parts beautiful and haunting. While the story itself may remain abstract, it is a step up from the more ambiguous narrative of the first game.
As players get used to trekking alone across the land, they become more and more connected to the world, building a bond with both the characters and the environment they live in. That intimacy allows the more quiet moments to feel reflective rather than drawn-out, letting the player absorb the weight of their task and fully take in the grandeur of the surrounding landscapes.
Hollow Knight
Guided By The Will To Explore
Hollow Knight
- Released
- February 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Developer(s)
- Team Cherry
- Genre(s)
- Metroidvania
Hollow Knight sets a new bar to clear for the Metroidvania genre, taking players on a quiet yet intense adventure that will test their mechanical skills and mental prowess in equal measure. Nothing is ever straightforward, as even the simple act of checking the map has barriers for the player to clear, like finding the map-selling NPC and venturing back to the surface to purchase pins that mark everything from checkpoints to the player's position in the world, forcing them to often hunt without clear guidance or the security of knowing where to go.
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Though fighting does take the spotlight in a lot of sections, players will also find themselves exploring for a significant portion of the game's runtime. Crystal caverns and poisonous rivers make for some pretty engaging traversal challenges, and because players only gain access to skills like dashes through finding them in the world, exploration becomes mandatory for seeing the adventure through to the end.
Red Dead Redemption 2
The Wild And Wonderful West
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
Red Dead Redemption 2 takes the blueprint of an open-world western and blows away any and all expectations for what a single piece of media can accomplish. Arthur Morgan's adventure is grand yet deeply human at the same time, showing all walks of life from the highest highs to the deepest falls, all within a world that oozes with character and realism in every way possible.
The reason the game has received so much praise is down to the unmatched level of detail that coats the entire world. Individual characters react to the player's actions, weather impacts how certain pieces of terrain function, and the visuals make it appear more like a blockbuster movie than a video game, immersing players in a ride that demands to be explored and rewards those willing to search its most forgotten corners with an unforgettable experience.
Elden Ring
One Doorway Can Lead To An Entire City
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
Elden Ring is beyond impressive in terms of how it handles the integration of exploration into the adventure. FromSoftware is known for its ability to create compelling worlds that players want to explore without needing to be told where to go, but bringing that formula to a huge open landscape makes every direction feel like an entire journey of its own. There are just as many challenges and riches to be found in one location as most games can pack into a full-length adventure.
Where the game really steps things up is how it turns seemingly small locations into doorways to hidden worlds that lie just out of sight. A single pathway in an underground cave can unlock a city of stars, a shortcut through a dungeon leads players to a sea of red rot, and even main-story sections can have a secret path tucked just behind the beaten path, meaning that no matter where players go, they will be met with another adventure.
Outer Wilds
Knowing Is Half The Battle
Outer Wilds
- Released
- May 28, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence, Alcohol Reference
- Developer(s)
- Mobius Digital
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Outer Wilds is a masterwork of curiosity and consequence, sending players to a solar system trapped in a time loop with seemingly no end. During each cycle, the sun inches toward destruction, forcing players to hastily explore alien worlds, decode ancient civilizations, and uncover the truth behind the universe’s fragile clockwork before it all resets. There are no upgrades or combat, only the desire to learn more and the potential to put a stop to the cycle of destruction by doing so.
Every discovery brings both clarity and melancholy as the player pieces together a cosmic mystery that feels otherworldly but also deeply personal. The reward for exploration is learning about the environment in the wider context of the solar system, lending the game a unique psychological feel that rewards careful attention in a way that no other adventure game can truly capture.
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Prepare for an exciting journey filled with discovery in these upcoming games.