When gaming, many of us get quite tired of carrying out main and side missions, combating enemies, and trying to figure out mysteries, and the open-world is salvation in these cases as we get to explore vast regions in the digital world, a mostly relaxing activity. Typically, open-world environments are interactive and contain hidden gems that trigger extra side missions, harbour collectibles or unlock more lore.
A team from Eneba video game marketplace presents a list of games with interactive in-game worlds and recommends the top five video games they have picked out exploring a myriad of breath-taking and interactive open-world environments. It so happens to be that the very same games have engaging storylines and intriguing characters that only add up to the mesmerizing gaming experiences presented.
1. The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim is a fantasy RPG game set in the fictitious world of medieval times where civil war is ravaging the area and people’s lives. You assume the role of a prophesied hero, a Dragonborn, fearless and wielding great powers to bring salvation upon the land, but with such responsibilities and a war going on, one might get just a little overwhelmed. In that case, the vast world of Skyrim is all yours to explore.
The open-world is one of the main reasons why the game remains one of the most playable RPG titles even years later. Dynamic day and weather cycles add to the strong atmosphere dwelling in the land of Skyrim, and the soundtrack, ranging from soft melodies to adrenaline-inducing pieces, creates a memorable exploration experience. The virtual areas are filled with breathtaking sceneries, lore, fauna, and flora, so if you decide to take a break from your heroic quests, the world of Skyrim awaits with open arms.
2. Grand Theft Auto V
There’s no way we can’t mention the famous Grand Theft Auto V when talking about video games with open-worlds. GTA V is one of the most popular titles in the gaming community, and for a good reason as well, since the game delivers a single-player campaign of a story filled with dark themes and humour. And for those who love the interaction with other players, Grand Theft Auto Online is the multiplayer component that takes action to another level.
The game has the most detailed open-world in the series of GTA, the environment is brimming with additional content and activities, so you may get pulled into some random mission wherever you wind up. The city of Los Santos (inspired by none other than LA) offers an abundance of activities aside from exploring every nook and cranny, and quite a few juicy collectibles hidden away. Explore the city breathing with life to your heart’s content and enjoy the myriad of hidden easter eggs to spice up your GTA V gameplay.
3. Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey
Ubisoft decided to move on from stealth-based games and transform the famous series into open-world RPGs where players have a say in how the story develops, and the breaking point happened with Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey. The story takes place in the fictional world of Ancient Greece, bathed in the beauty of the grand architecture, bountiful lands, and the Mediterranean Sea caressing the shores of the country rich with history.
The open-world of Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey is awe-inspiring not only in the sense of beautifully crafted sceneries but also in the interactivity of the world you enter. Temples, caves, villages, towns, and other various locations to explore ‘til you drop, discovering the bits and pieces that attribute to the story and the overall game lore. Besides, the developers instilled a mode where players don’t really have a map to guide them, the focus being entirely on the exploration and wandering about.
4. Watch Dogs: Legion
Moving away from the heart-stirring sceneries of the old world, we enter the cyberpunk world of another creation by Ubisoft studio – Watch Dogs: Legion. The game is set in the futuristic fictionalized version of London, controlled thoroughly by advanced technology and several antagonistic groups that oppress the citizens of London one way or another. Needless to say, the game is packed with action and fast-paced gameplay as there are so many things happening at once, but if you grow tired of the never-ending battle against authorities, there are streets of London to explore.
Curious is the fact that the developers didn’t play by the typical rules of open-world games when designing the cybernetic environment of the game. The world of dystopian London harbours a myriad of ‘micro-stories’ that get triggered as you explore. Apart from that, you can drive and sneak around, interact with NPC characters and objects, and discover bits of lore that reveal more about the oppressed future depicted in Watch Dogs: Legion. The cybernetic world is abundant with life and traffic, so every moment of your exploration is bound to be entertaining.
5. Red Dead Redemption 2
Another game with a compelling setting is Rocket Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2, a survival title with elements of action RPG, taking place in the Western world of America, 1899. Assuming the role of an outcast Arthur Morgan, you must do everything in your power to survive in the craggy lands with a weathered economy, and more often than not you will stand at the crossroads of choices, bearing the harsh responsibility to choose between morality and your life. All the moral tensions aside, the game delivers an astonishing open-world to lose yourself in for several hours straight.
The Western world is interactive and offers a variety of sceneries to admire as you travel around with your gang around America, reminding you of the beauty of this country despite the deeply rooted social norms that your character seems to despise. From snow-clad mountain peaks to miry swamps, and nebulous plains from where sunsets are seen the best. Interestingly, NPC characters react to your character’s presence in villages and towns based on the reputation stats, so you wandering around can gain another meaning based on how you decide to thread in society. Buckle up, grab a horse, and off you ride!