Summary
Open-world gaming has become one of the most popular genres in gaming, with most mainstream titles going out of their way to integrate some open-world components or the other to make their AAA experiences as marketable as possible. While there are some players who are tired of the dated and overused video game design choices that lead to everything blending together in a bland mess, there are some games that do a great job of doing justice to their vast and detailed open worlds, rife with state-of-the-art visuals.
Best Open-World Games To Switch Off Your Brain While Playing
However, not all open-world games need to be these bombastic celebrations of gaming’s technical achievements. There are times when the creative side of things can also shine as bright as ever,with many indie titles and the like using rudimentary graphicsto let players enjoy a bustling open-world experience that can be pretty engaging in its own right!
7Retro City Rampage
Players wholove the classic era of top-downGTAgameswill findRetro City Rampageto be right up their alley. Not only is this title a great way to let off some steam as players unleash a ton of chaos in and around the open world, but it’s also a celebration of video game culture that is chock-full of classic references!
The game is a wild ride from start to end, with the story being little more than an excuse for players to be as chaotic as possible. The open world is simple yet engaging, and players will enjoy hunting around for secrets, unique encounters, and the like.
6Terraria
Terrariahas been unfairly labeled by many as a 2D version ofMinecraft, which is a huge disservice to the sheer level of quality present in this game. Sure, the game may have the same gameplay loops as Microsoft’s popular indie title… but there’s so much more toTerrariathan just this dismissive comparison.
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Thetitle has been updated religiously by developers, leading to the game having a wealth of content and still being infinitely playable so many years after its release. Players who want to check out a procedurally-generated open world with a great sense of wondrous exploration will love whatTerrariabrings to the table.
5Westerado: Double Barreled
The idea of playing a procedurally generated open world that is set in the West is certainly an alluring prospect, even if some people may be turned off by the prospect of playing through a game with limited visual fidelity. However, it’s the unique revenge story and endless replayability offered byWesterado: Double Barreledthat makes it so charming.
Trying to hunt down the culprit who killed the protagonist’s family inthis short-yet-sweet tale of revengeis quite engaging, with combat being functional enough to keep players engaged for the long haul. The top-down perspective messes up aiming sometimes, but that’s a small price to pay for a great open-world experience.
4Crosscode
Asingle-player experience set in an MMORPGwhere the protagonist is mute and has lost her memories is a pretty intriguing setup thatCrosscodeabsolutely rolls with. The combination of puzzle gameplay, open-world exploration, and fast-paced combat makes for a great experience that players won’t get tired of anytime soon.
The side quests may be a bit too menial for fans, but the charm present inCrosscode’s world is absolutely undeniable. It can feel a bit overwhelming at first, but it doesn’t take too long for players to get into the groove of things and really resonate with the vibe this game has.
3Dragon Ball Z: Buu’s Fury
TheLegacy of Gokutrilogy covers the entirety of the Z Saga, with each game increasing in quality. The first title was a shameless grind fest where each and every major battle took decades out of a player’s lifespan. The second game was a marked improvement in every way, even if there were moments where the title still felt unpolished.
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Buu’s Furyserves as a perfection of the formula that was slowly being improved upon, with everything from the battles to the transformations being pretty engaging in every way. The game can be a bit too easy at times, but that’s a small price to pay if players love the charm and uniqueness that is rife throughout this title.
2Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead
Players looking out fora more hardcore experience in a randomized open worldwhere death awaits them at every corner will loveCataclysm: Dark Days Ahead. The game pulls no punches with its difficulty, forcing players to learn with each death and figure out the best course of action they can take to circumvent any obstacle that comes their way.
Players who invest the time needed to learn the systems of this game can boss the open world and its threats after a point. It’s a deeply rewarding experience that no fan of hardcore survival experiences should miss out on.
1Elona
It seems that retro-inspired graphics and procedural generation go hand-in-hand quite a bit, withElonabeing another gamethat falls within both brackets. The title is open-ended at a whole new level, with players finding endless things to accomplish in this massive video game.
The sense of community around this title is quite impressive, and the stories that players can make in each playthrough are quite engaging in their own right. Anyone interested should be forewarned —Elonais a highly addictive experience and hours will fly by at a moment’s notice once people get invested in what this game is trying to achieve!
