8 Open World Games That Feel Linear

As a gamer, I truly appreciate open-world games that offer me the freedom to explore and play without restrictions. These games should be immersive landscapes, inviting me to wander wherever my heart desires, make choices that suit my gaming style, and adapt accordingly, ensuring an engaging experience at every twist and turn.

The game should offer numerous activities outside the primary plot, plenty of interactive features that enhance the enjoyment of the world, and a substantial amount of additional content whose quality matches or even surpasses the main storyline.

In many cases, some games marketed as open-world don’t truly feel open due to their structured, linear design that restricts exploration beyond a set path to the conclusion.

Some folks may find this appealing, while others could find it irritating. Regardless, it’s important to note that these games seem less open compared to many others within their genre, whether we’re looking at them as a list of recommendations or a set of warnings.

8. L.A. Noire

Press X To Doubt

You might find it unexpected that a Rockstar title takes up room, given their reputation as the undisputed ruler in open-world sandbox development. Yet, L.A. Noire stands out as somewhat of an exception within the Rockstar clan.

In this game, the primary narrative takes center stage and is divided into multiple investigative cases. As you progress, your task involves uncovering key evidence, questioning possible culprits, and, of course, employing the handheld weapon provided by the authorities when necessary.

However, when venturing off the typical path, the open-world gameplay can seem rather monotonous, resembling a cookie-cutter version of games such as Mafia and GTA. The driving is clumsy, the world appears largely devoid of life, and although the scenery is visually appealing, it lacks engaging elements to keep you engaged for longer periods.

In simpler terms, progressing through the main plot is what most players will instinctively do, as engaging in other activities might unnecessarily complicate or prolong the gameplay experience.

7. Infamous: Second Son

Great Traversal, Dull World

Over the years, I’ve often thought that the Infamous series is an underappreciated gem in the gaming world, with Cole McGrath’s adventures being legendary. But unfortunately, Second Son and consequently, Last Light, don’t live up to that reputation.

Let me clarify, InFamous: Second Son is an enjoyable game with engaging traversal, well-balanced combat, and a serviceable narrative that supports the action. The problem lies in its open-world elements, which are less captivating, resulting in players being guided through a somewhat uninspiring storyline.

1. The tale isn’t particularly impressive; the leading character is tough to stomach, and all gamers can do to avoid it is play through a string of overly-celebrated treasure hunts scattered throughout the city.

2. The narrative isn’t worth sharing with family back home; the principal figure is difficult to accept, and players can only find respite from it by completing a sequence of highly-praised scavenger hunts scattered across town.

As a devoted admirer, I must admit that I appreciate how the game’s mechanics are intertwined with the narrative progression. This means that each step I take in the story unlocks new abilities for my character, making them more exciting and rewarding to control. Furthermore, the different zones of the map also become accessible as the story unfolds, creating a sense of adventure and exploration that keeps me engaged and invested in the plot.

6. Hogwarts Legacy

Hollow Beyond Hogwarts

My feelings towards Hogwarts Legacy are somewhat mixed. Initially, I was deeply engaged for about ten hours, but after that, I found myself growing increasingly disappointed with the game’s progression.

This observation fits well with our discussion, because once the game allows you to roam freely beyond Hogwarts, the initial excitement and curiosity evaporates since the open world outside feels rather lifeless and uninteresting compared to Hogwarts.

1. The design encourages players to stay near the school premises and progress with the primary plot. Additionally, the structured level system in this game restricts player autonomy.

2. This game design makes players cluster around the school area and advance through the main narrative. Moreover, its level-based structure takes away a lot of player control.

As a gamer, I find myself often encountering zones that are too tough to traverse because the enemies there are way too powerful for me right now. However, to unlock story missions that require a certain level, I’ve got no choice but to grind and level up. This means taking on tasks and odd jobs in the exact sequence the game designers have planned out for me.

In essence, what we have here is an impression of liberty and variety within this expansive setting, but should you truly be free, the sights beyond Hogwarts and Hogsmeade are rather limited.

5. Horizon Zero Dawn

Who Needs Mechanical Flowers?

In a nutshell, Horizon Zero Dawn is an extraordinary game boasting a deeply engaging storyline filled with unexpected twists and turns. It offers a unique take on a post-apocalyptic world. Yet, despite its strong narrative base, the expansive gameplay environment could use some refinement.

As you progress through the main plot and transition smoothly from one task to another, the game feels as if it were crafted especially for you. Yet, it’s clear that the developer is guiding you along the way.

However, as you strive to reclaim your autonomy and venture out to experience and be part of the world, you’ll discover that things seem somewhat uninteresting or dull.

Some notable moments include the hunting lodge challenges, however, most of the expedition involves navigating towards map symbols, completing minor tasks, and receiving underwhelming compensation in return.

If you’re looking for more gameplay after the ending, the extra content is satisfactory. However, it doesn’t offer anything particularly captivating compared to the main storyline missions.

4. Borderlands

I Feel Clap Trapped

Borderlands could also be seen as having a unique blend of open-world and linear gameplay elements, offering a distinctive gaming experience.

The Borderlands series consistently provides players with an unruly sandbox environment full of fun and chaos, where they are transported to the world of Pandora, equipped with a variety of weapons, and challenged to survive amidst the hostile psychopaths.

This feature is quite impressive, as the game offers numerous random rewards, engaging side missions, and superb downloadable content. Perhaps you’re curious about why it made our list?

This game has lots of exciting random loot, fun side missions, and cool extras to download. Maybe you’re wondering why it’s on our recommended list?

In essence, what this game does is divide essential locations and limit your activities within them based on the story’s advancement. As a result, you’re typically confined to performing a few tasks at any given moment instead of having unrestricted access to traverse the world freely as you wish.

You constantly find yourself repeating a sequence of actions – reaching a checkpoint, defeating an enemy leader, completing a mission, and then progressing to the next challenge. To put it simply, this pattern is as straightforward as it can be.

3. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

Linear Design Lingers

As someone who’s played through countless gaming adventures, it’s no secret that the previous titles in this series were heavily linear. Yet, surprisingly, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, despite being an open-world game, still carries a strong thread of its linear roots.

In this game, missions aren’t so much found as they are set off. They seem more like carefully designed playgrounds compared to the accidental discoveries you might make in other open-world games.

This results in a mission structure that is quite strict and sequential, with each task completed before progressing to the next. There’s a definite start and finish for each mission, allowing for a brief return to home base in between.

You can wander through two distinctly different worlds, discovering intriguing items as you go. However, it’s the storyline advancement that offers the most substance, and venturing into the world won’t necessarily move you forward in the plot.

2. Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Stay in the Safe Zone

Since the launch of Assassin’s Creed: Origins, the series has significantly evolved, offering players an expansive open world ripe for exploration on their terms. This approach has essentially been adopted by subsequent games in the franchise.

Although you have complete freedom to traverse the world from the onset in these games, it’s more akin to a futile pursuit, and this sentiment holds true for Assassin’s Creed: Shadows as well.

In this game, progression is quite harshly restricted to specific levels. If you venture too far away from the designated area, you could be taken out by a common enemy with just a single strike.

In simpler terms, this implies that you should focus on a limited region initially and gradually expand your influence across the entire map. Some might find it fulfilling, while others may perceive it as restrictive.

Combine this with the horseback riding that often requires traversing mountains or navigating dense bamboo forests for what seems like forever, and the rather predictable side missions. This setup makes the game more enjoyable primarily for its main storyline, which the game itself essentially encourages you to experience in a sequential manner.

1. Ghost of Tsushima

Keeps You Penned In

Speaking about Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it’s important to bring up Ghost of Tsushima as well since both games share many aspects that contribute to a sense of linearity in their gameplay. This isn’t a surprise given the commonalities between them.

Without a doubt, additional engaging elements can be found within Ghost of Tsushima, with certain side missions and duels often stealing the show and being among the game’s most memorable moments.

Instead, the game’s layout consistently confines your exploration to a protected area because it employs a system that restricts access to higher levels.

As a fan, I find this system intriguing because it allows me to discover the game’s content at the game’s pace, creating a more tailored and curated gaming experience as opposed to an emergent one, which is often associated with open-world games.

Compared to Game of Thrones (GoT) and Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it’s undeniably the more enjoyable option, yet it remains equally restrictive in allowing free exploration.

When it comes to GoT and AC Shadows, this one is clearly the more appealing choice. However, like them, it maintains a similar reluctance to give full freedom of action.

2025-04-15 14:40