Most open-world games are set as soon as players start the game. There may be changes in towns based on how the story progresses, but for the most part, change happens because of the player. There aren’t many games with evolving worlds that happen without the player’s input, but the following are some good examples.
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Some changes are more obvious than others, and there is a way to keep tabs on how these evolutions work. Either way, these open-world games should be celebrated because of how unique their internal mechanics are, making them some of the most inspirational games of all time. Perhaps there will be more open-world games released down the line that embody this idea more.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Asynchronous Multiplayer At Its Best
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
- June 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is perhaps the best example of this idea because it uses asynchronous multiplayer. Players will be connected to others once they start playing, and there is no rhyme or reason for when things will appear or change.
Players cannot directly interact with others. Highways could be finished, for example, as that’s a group effort, or players could stumble upon a lost package and decide to deliver it for someone else. Players may even entrust one of their packages to foreign couriers instead, which could be delivered at random.
Middle-earth: Shadow Of Mordor
Your Orc Nemesis
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
- Released
- September 30, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor has a copyrighted mechanic that only Monolith Productions could use, although that now belongs to Warner Bros. Since they shut Monolith Productions down in 2025. It’s called the Nemesis System, and essentially every enemy that players attack in the game has a chance of coming back from the “dead” if players don’t finish them off. They will return scarred, stronger than before, and often higher ranked with many followers. Players never know when they will see an old foe again, as they will quietly rebuild themselves in the background.
Elden Ring
Beware Of Invaders
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Elden Ring doesn’t have the biggest open world, but it is densely packed with content, and it’s the first open-world Soulslike. The biggest change that can happen, beyond players opening up new paths after bosses are permanently defeated, is whenever an invader crosses in. If players are paying attention, they may see a signal, but more often than not, they’ll simply see another player, who looks similar in design, start to attack. Invaders can even appear during co-op sessions, so players must be careful.
Donkey Kong Bananza
Mother Earth Repairs
Donkey Kong Bananza
- Released
- July 17, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Donkey Kong Bananza is one of the most fun open-world games of 2025. It’s not the first to do this, but the destructible environments are truly something to admire, as Donkey Kong never holds back with his rock-hard punches.
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Players cannot permanently destroy the world, though, as the earth will repair itself when players are least expecting it. This could happen with a reload or warping back and forth between zones, but either way, players can destroy to their heart’s content without having to worry about permanent consequences.
Ghost Of Yotei
Your Reputation Rises
Ghost of Yotei
- Released
- October 2, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5
Ghost of Yotei’s world changes based on reputation, and the further players get, the more difficult it will become to traverse. By taking on bounties and finishing side quests, the protagonist, Atsu, will make a name for herself. This is a bad thing, as more and more thugs and fellow hunters will start to come after her instead. The world will become more populated with enemies, and players can often find themselves in an ambush, whether that’s from being chased on horseback by enemies or tripping over a well-placed trap.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Get A Load Of That Bounty
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Red Dead Redemption 2 has a similar system to Ghost of Yotei when it comes to bounties. As this does take place in the Old West, the more dirty deeds players commit, the bigger their Wanted level becomes. It can become more difficult to come into town and buy supplies as NPCs may recognize players and start to alert the authorities. Players do have the option not to be as vicious a criminal in the game as they can make the protagonist, Arthur Morgan, change his evil ways, even if he does follow a gang.
Diablo 4
Look Out For World Events
Diablo 4
- Released
- June 5, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Blizzard
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
Diablo 4 is the first game in the series to feature an open-world to explore, and for a top-down game, it is vast. Besides fighting random waves of monsters or discovering places of interest, there are random world events that can pop up in the world. At these gathering spots, there will typically be hard-to-beat mini-bosses, and players online can start to gather in an effort to fight together. The further players get in the game, the more frequent and widespread these world events will become.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Beware The Blood Moon
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is full of features, NPCs, and events that will surprise players the first time they encounter them. For example, there is a phenomenon in the game called a Blood Moon, which can appear at random as it’s not an easy event to follow.
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The sky will be darkened by a blood-red moon that will empower all monsters in the game to an impossible level. In these dire times, players may need to abandon whatever they are doing and wait out the storm as it were, especially if players need to traverse an area full of enemies.
Minecraft
Property Bros.
Minecraft
- Released
- November 18, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, Survival
What makes Minecraft unique is that when players generate a world, it is fully theirs, as no one else in the world can have it. Players can start to mine for resources to build gear, houses, monuments, full villages, and more. If players stick to one area to build on, it will be easier to keep an eye on things. However, if they branch out and build all over the island, then it will be harder to defend everything. At night, various enemies can come and try to destroy what players have built. So, unbeknownst to players, a monument may get blown up when night passes, thus changing the landscape.
Palworld
Relying On Pals
Palworld
- Released
- January 19, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Shooter, Survival
Palworld is a bit like Minecraft except not as blocky, and it has Pokemon-like creatures called Pals. Instead of just existing as tools for battle, players can use Pals as literal weapons, mounts, and they can even assign them tasks at home base. For example, players may assign a group of Pals to build something while they go out and explore. While they’re gone, the compound may change thanks to their building abilities, or they may have had to defend it from a group of invaders trying to break in.
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Though these open-world games are good, the lack of traversal options makes them somewhat hard to navigate.