Elden Ring was a huge success in 2022 thanks to a number of factors. It continued the pedigree that FromSoftware established when they released Demon’s Souls in 2009 and thus made Soulslike history. Elden Ring was more than a Soulslike, though, as this game took place in an open world. While still challenging, some found it more accessible because the map allowed players to tackle most major bosses and areas out of order.
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There was not much of a story or a series of checklists to point players in the right direction. Instead, Elden Ring promoted self-discovery, leading to some genuinely surprising and exciting moments. While its open-world setting is great, these other open-world games have a slightly better reason to explore their worlds, like their traversal mechanics. They may not do everything better than Elden Ring, but the exploration bits are the keys to their success.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Connecting Continents
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
- June 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach takes place across sections of Mexico and Australia, wherein players have to connect bunkers together through a deep network. Not many people live above ground anymore, in fear of entities known as BTs and human raiders, so they rely on couriers to deliver them supplies, which is where the protagonist, Sam, comes into play. In a desolate world formed mostly of deserts, players have to make their way through sandstorms, rain that can age them and packages, and BT hives. Bunkers are the major discovery players will make, but most of them are attached to the story. However, there are also creations that players from other games can add into the worlds of others, which adds to a greater sense of exploration since it is user-generated.
It’s like the invasion aspect of Elden Ring and other Soulslikes, but on a positive level. With a helpful shelter built by others, players could wait out a storm, or with a fixed road, they could get to bunkers more quickly. There’s no other game with this level of sophistication when it comes to asynchronous multiplayer, and it’s quite amazing. Also, there are developer-made side areas as well, and these lead to some truly remarkable quests, like a battle with a colossal lake monster or a chance meeting with a ghost hunter. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has Hideo Kojima, the director, written all over it for better or worse. While it is mostly a passive game about delivering packages and exploring, there are plenty of guns to shoot down BTs or raiders, too.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Beauty In Destruction
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a remarkable action-adventure masterpiece on every level that is fully open, almost from the start, with a greater roster of mobility than Elden Ring. For starters, this version of Hyrule is wonderfully realized with watercolor-like art, but that doesn’t mean it is peaceful. The monsters can take Link out quickly if players aren’t careful, making it harder than most Zelda games. Difficulty aside, players will earn a set of tools they can use to affect the environment, which are mostly used to solve mini-dungeon puzzles, but they can also create new pathways.
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Players can freeze ice, for example, to make pillars for platforming purposes. Beyond Link’s tools, players can also climb nearly any surface, provided they have enough Stamina. Lastly, players can glide off climbed architecture to fly toward whatever area seems interesting in the distance, and there is plenty of surface area to cover in this hauntingly empty world, save for a few settlements. The vertical exploration accompanied by the gliding ability was just a one-two punch that made The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild such an innovative open-world game, and for a console launch no less.
No Man’s Sky
Going Beyond Earth
No Man's Sky
- Released
- August 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Hello Games
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
No Man’s Sky did not have the best of launches, but through continued support by its developer, Hello Games, it certainly got there. Now, it’s recognized as one of the greatest achievements when it comes to open-world games, although it’s more like an open-universe experience. With their starting ship, players can travel to any planet they want, which will randomly generate. There are some things to consider, such as fuel and other supplies when traveling, but most resources can be harvested on planets.
There is some combat in first-person, but first and foremost, No Man’s Sky is an exploration-first kind of experience. Think of it more like Star Trek than Star Wars. Scan plant and animal life, collect some samples, or maybe build a base. After a while, some planets may feel too much of the same thing in repeat, but discovering what other players have built through co-op adds some extra zest to the experience. Also, there’s fun to be had in space between looking for planets, other friendly ships, or getting into dogfights.
Red Dead Redemption 2
The Dusty Plains Of The American West
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Red Dead Redemption 2 takes place in 1899, when the Old West was becoming more settled. Gunslingers and bandits were becoming a thing of the past, but one group was determined to rob this period for all it had: the Van der Linde gang. As one of its members, Arthur Morgan, players can decide if they want to go full criminal or try to be a good cowboy who is stuck in a bleak situation. As the name implies, it’s all about redemption, be it for personal goals or to become a saint among crooks. While there are plenty of dusty plains to ride past, there are also settlements, big plantations, swampy forests, and more to discover.
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Typical of Rockstar games, players will also find plenty of Easter Eggs and secret missions as they explore, because they don’t like making it easy. One example involves a serial killer, and only upon investigating crime scenes can players piece the mystery together. Quests like this are similar to the more vague leads players can gain in Elden Ring, but Red Dead Redemption 2 has an advantage, as it can pull from the familiar. It’s far scarier to encounter something in reality than it is in a fantasy world, which makes these parts of the Western frontier still dangerous and unsettling.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
Fortifying Civilization
Xenoblade Chronicles X
- Released
- December 4, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Monolith Soft, Nintendo SPD
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Wii U
Xenoblade Chronicles X lets players start fresh on a new planet, as they help settle in a new Earth colony, aka New L.A., which seems very much like a future meme. Like Elden Ring’s world, the planet in Xenoblade Chronicles X is dangerous as players can easily get smoked by monsters quadrupled their levels. Even grinding for hours in the MMO-style combat won’t suffice, so sneaking past them is the best bet. They can be tackled later thanks to mechs called Skells.
It takes a while, but eventually these transforming mechs will make life a lot easier if players put in the time. They can battle scary monsters, drive on land, or fly. The Skell-based transversal options open up a whole new world for players to discover. Rare monsters, hidden chests, supplies for NPC quests, and more all litter this expansive world. It was impressive on the Wii U, but much more accessible on the Switch, or even a Switch 2, thanks to the remaster. Xenoblade Chronicles X’s newly discovered planet has its dangers, but it’s also a wondrous tropical paradise if players give it a chance.
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