Summary
- The complexity of open-world games hinges on realistic wildlife AI to aid immersion.
- Games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and theHunter: Call of the Wild excel in hunting mechanics.
- Yakuza 5 and Horizon Forbidden West offer unique hunting elements in open-world settings.
Open-world gaming has become more and more complex as major AAA studios have striven to push the envelope with each new title. While the work involved in creating these massive games is gargantuan, most fans love the end product if it does justice to the developer's hard work and showcases revolutionary mechanics that aid immersion.
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Games with a focus on natural environments need to strike a harmony between flora and fauna to let players enjoy the illusion of a living, breathing world. Planting static trees, bushes, flowers, and other such elements of nature isn't the most challenging thing in the world, but some games go the extra mile to ensure that the animal AI in their games is spectacular and life-like too.
1 Red Dead Redemption 2
Boasts The Best Wildlife AI In Gaming History
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Red Dead Redemption 2 is the perfect game for fans who want to immerse themselves in a massive, beautiful open world. The state-of-the-art systems powering this game are in a class of their own, to the point where even the hunting mechanics are simply astounding.
Players must keep track of everything from their scent to the ammo they're using to hunt down animals, as these details can determine both the success of their hunt and the quality of the resulting materials. Herbivores are relatively easy to shoot down, but players must be wary when they deal with carnivores who can leap at them at a moment's notice and maul Arthur. Players can't underestimate how smart and calculating these creatures are.
2 theHunter: Call Of The Wild
The Central Loop Involves Exploration And Hunting
theHunter: Call of the Wild
- Released
- February 16, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
It's only a given that a game about hunting would have to boast some excellent wildlife AI. TheHunter: Call of the Wild gives players many tools to use during their hunting endeavors, which they must use efficiently if they want to bag some game.
Going on a hike to enjoy the game's vibes does a decent job of highlighting how detailed the animal AI patterns are, but hunting is where the game shines. Without a game plan, players will waste a ton of ammo until they finally follow what the game tells them and use the proper tools and knowledge for each individual animal instead of bum-rushing potential targets.
3 Yakuza 5
Saejima's Side Activity Revolves Around Hunting
Yakuza 5
- Released
- December 8, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
Yakuza 5 is one of the most important games in the series, establishing a structure that future games in the series would go wild with. While the franchise constantly evolves with each entry, this game is where Yakuza's identity became stronger than ever before.
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Each main character had a dedicated optional side activity that featured a story of its own, coupled with some unique gameplay elements. Saejima could hunt in the frozen wilds and find game to sell for a pretty penny, which was the slowest side activity of the lot but did a great job of immersing players in the role of a hunter as they tracked scents, set up traps, and outsmarted their prey.
4 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
The Wildlife Of This Game Interacts Naturally With The World
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
An open-world game that has become the poster child of innovation in this genre, it's amazing how The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild perfected so many mechanics that fans had seen in previous sandbox games to make for a special experience. Along with the monsters in this game, who have unique behavior patterns of their own, the game also features regular animals who behave pretty much how players expect.
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Wolves attack in groups and stalk their target, skittish deer run at the first sign of trouble, and bears will charge at Link if he's perceived as a threat. These realistic patterns make it all the more rewarding when players manage to down an aggressive beast or mount a wild animal to let Link explore the world in a unique manner.
5 Green Hell
An Open-World Survival Game Where Players Must Survive The Hostile Amazonian Rainforest
Green Hell
- Released
- September 5, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Crude Humor, Strong Language, Use of Drugs, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival
Green Hell is an open-world survival-crafting game that can get pretty challenging at times. Players must survive in the Amazon Rainforest by any means necessary, forcing them to forage and hunt for resources to get by every single day.
Wildlife plays a major role in the game, as one would expect. Players should be on the lookout for easy prey and stay sharp if a predator in the jungle catches a whiff of their scent, triggering a brutal fight that can have dire consequences.
6 Horizon Forbidden West
The Robotic Wildlife Feels Natural In This Post-Apocalyptic World
Horizon Forbidden West
- Released
- February 18, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
The beauty of video games is that the term "wildlife" doesn't need to be constrained by the limits of the real world. In the case of the Horizon series, this can apply to the robots in the game that have taken over Earth after a cataclysmic event that sent humanity back to a second Stone Age.
Horizon Forbidden West improves and polishes many areas from the first game, including machines that either travel in packs or hunt by their lonesome, boasting impressive AI both in and out of combat. Aloy must be swift on her feet at all times if she doesn't want to be smashed and killed by these massive creatures when they get aggressive.
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