Open-World Games Where The Seasons Directly Impact Gameplay

As open-world games continue to get larger and more technologically impressive, there continues to be a push and drive for more features and new mechanics. The more dynamic an open-world environment can be, the more immersed players will feel as they travel through it.

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One real world phenomenon that often gets overlooked in open-world games is the changing of seasons. It's easy to understand why, for developers, articulating four environments that get a quarter of screen time each isn't as appealing as just focusing on one. That said, whether it's sprawling PvP open-worlds or tighter, story-focused ones, that drive to keep innovating remains the same. Here are a few titles that have taken the plunge to give tangible, gameplay-affecting seasons to their world.

5 The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall

Magic And Traversal Are Altered By Seasons

The Elder Scrolls has die-hard fans of most of its installments that will swear by their favorite game being the best one in the series. While players wait for the incredibly hyped Elder Scrolls 6, it's the perfect time to see why so many people still swear by these older titles like Daggerfall. Daggerfall represents such an interesting junction in the Elder Scrolls' history — the expansive, dynamic open world, with purchasable housing and ships, and dynamically changing seasons represent a game series that would have its scope narrowed considerably by the next installment.

The seasons in Daggerfall are not just esthetic. There isn't a temperature mechanic to speak of, but the changing weather impacts various spells and enchantments that grow and diminish in power based on what season Tamriel finds itself in. Changing out magical equipment to suit the seasons is an under-utilized mechanic in games today.

4 Sons Of The Forest

Seasons Make Survival That Much Harder

For all but the most hardened of survival veterans, Sons of the Forest is a very difficult game. Surviving on an island of vicious cannibals, not just for its own sake but to find a missing billionaire, presents a range of dangerous scenarios. The shift from day to night brings with it a whole host of new challenges and opportunities, and truly solidifies the "horror" part of this survival horror series. Armed with nothing but wits... And maybe a few weapons for good measure, players need to venture deeper and deeper into this monstrous isle.

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The introduction of seasons to this title adds an entirely new layer of challenge and dynamism to the gameplay. An essential water source might be frozen over in winter, or animals and vegetation will be more abundant in summer. Cold is as dangerous a threat as any cannibal in this game (or almost as dangerous, the cannibals are pretty scary), and being unprepared for the cooler seasons will have drastic consequences.

3 Stardew Valley

A Farming Sim Built Around The Passage Of Time

Stardew Valley is one of those games that completely and utterly enraptured an entire fanbase. Years after its release, it's still seen as one of the greatest entries in the farming sim genre, and it contributed greatly to the revival of the genre in the indie scene, leading to a plethora of new titles for players to explore today. There's something so idyllic and cozy about the slow pace and warm atmosphere of this title, and it's no surprise to see how popular it is.

Seasons greatly affect the farming aspects of Stardew Valley, with each new season dictating the types of crops available to be grown, as well as the attitudes of NPCs and the special holidays that will be occurring.

2 Outward

A Survival Focused RPG With A Seasonal World

While beginners might find the game a tad difficult, Outward presents an immensely rewarding gameplay experience for those who can learn to balance the survival and exploration mechanics of this expansive and highly unique title. Part of what makes the realism and attention to detail so rewarding in Outward is the focus on seasons, which last upwards of 10 days a piece and in general provide a great deal of dynamism to the game.

Players will have to be equipped to deal with the changing of seasons, ready to account for growing too cold or too hot to ensure they don't suffer any stat penalties.

1 Coral Island

Cozy Seaside Farming With Seasons

Few games can match the coziness and level of freedom offered by the fantastic Coral Island, a seaside-flavored farming sim with an emphasis on exploration and building relationships with the incredible host of NPCs found in town.

One particular draw in this title is the sheer number of romanceable NPCs, and it's here, alongside the number of harvests players can expect, that seasons affect gameplay. Beyond seasons directly impacting the viable crops on any given day, the entire world shifts between seasons, offering new events and NPC birthdays to keep track of for those looking to form a bond with someone in particular.

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