The Best Open World Games For Feeling Weak & Underpowered

Summary

Some open-world games challenge players with overpowered enemies and constant difficulty spikes.
Games like Zombi and Days Gone emphasize survival and avoiding fights for better gameplay.
Elden Ring and Monster Hunter Wilds focus on player adaptability with tough enemies to defeat.

Open-world games usually let players become powerful as they explore and overcome obstacles. But some games do things differently – they intentionally keep players feeling weak, throwing constant challenges and unexpected difficulties their way, forcing them to learn and adapt to survive.

Many games let you strengthen your character to tackle tough obstacles, but a lot of open-world games – like horror, action, or RPGs – throw incredibly powerful enemies and increasingly hard levels at you. This means even after you’ve maxed out your character’s abilities and gotten the best gear, you can still feel unprepared for what’s coming.

9. Zombi

Beginners Are In For A Relentless Romp Through London

With so many zombie games available, *Zombi* is a surprisingly good one that often gets missed. It’s set in London and feels inspired by classic British zombie films like *28 Days Later* and *Shaun of the Dead*. The gameplay involves carefully managing your limited supplies, much like in *Resident Evil*, and facing constant, challenging zombie attacks. When you die, you don’t just reload – you start as a new survivor who has to track down and deal with their previous, zombified character.

The idea behind *Zombi* really sets it apart, and it also makes it a remarkably difficult zombie survival game. Players have to thoroughly search every part of London for resources, and even progressing a small part of the story can take a long time. What’s more, the zombies remain challenging no matter how powerful your weapons become.

8. The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Nintendo Changed The Legend Of Zelda For The Better

In previous Zelda games, Link could defeat any enemy if he had the right gear. But in *The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*, even weak enemies like Moblins can easily defeat him. Once you leave the starting area, you’re free to explore all of Hyrule, which means you might run into incredibly powerful enemies like Guardians and Lynels before you’re ready – and Link will likely lose the fight.

In *The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*, weapons and shields wear out and break, which can be annoying at first while you get used to finding new ones. Link is also more vulnerable than in previous *Zelda* games – most enemies can deal enough damage to take away three heart containers with a single attack. This means players need to spend time completing shrines and finding upgrades to become strong enough to survive.

7. Subnautica

The Entire Planet Is An Ocean Of Terror

Subnautica really shines at making you feel completely alone as a spacecraft survivor on a mysterious alien planet, lost in a vast ocean. It does a great job of combining the fun of building tools and weapons with the constant fear of huge creatures lurking below.

In *Subnautica*, players face bigger and more dangerous sea creatures as they explore. The game’s beautiful graphics combined with its focus on staying alive have made it a beloved favorite. New players often feel a sense of panic at the beginning, struggling to manage air and avoid the many creatures while trying to build a safe haven and a way to travel.

6. Stranded Deep

Sharks Are The Least Of The Players’ Concerns

Imagine a game that combines the survival elements of *Cast Away* with the open-world building of *Minecraft*. That’s *Stranded Deep*! You’ll explore a vast ocean dotted with remote islands, gathering resources like wood and stone to craft tools and fend off dangers – including sharks. It truly feels like being dropped into a real-life survival situation.

Even if you know how to make something, finding the materials in the game’s randomly created world can be tough. Islands don’t always have what you need to progress or even survive – you’ll have to watch out for dangers like sharks, poison, and the sun, which can quickly be fatal.

5. Days Gone

Players Are Better Off Never Fighting The Zombies

In Days Gone, Deacon St. John is resourceful, but he’s not invincible. He can’t simply overpower the Freakers, the game’s zombie-like creatures. Most of the time, you’ll be trying to avoid them, especially large groups. When Freakers swarm together, they’re incredibly difficult – and often impossible – to defeat.

I absolutely love how central the motorcycle is to *Days Gone*. It’s not just about hopping on and going, though! You really feel like you’re maintaining a bike in the apocalypse – constantly needing to find gas and keep it in good repair, or you’ll be stranded. And honestly, even when you’re fully geared up with the best weapons, it’s usually smarter to sneak around the Freakers instead of trying to blast your way through. Stealth is seriously effective in this game!

4. Don’t Starve

A Game That Manages To Be Cute And Stressful All At Once

Don’t Starve is a survival game that shares similarities with Minecraft, but it has a uniquely dark and quirky visual style reminiscent of Tim Burton’s films. While the game looks charming, it’s actually quite challenging, especially for new players who are still learning the ropes and figuring out how to craft essential items to stay alive.

During the day in *Don’t Starve*, it’s tough to gather resources, and even a simple mistake – like interacting with the wrong item – can have major repercussions, potentially teleporting you to the other side of the map. But nighttime is when *Don’t Starve* really changes. The complete darkness can drive you insane, which negatively impacts how you play the game.

3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Hunting Ghouls And Goblins Is Not A Walk In The Park

Even though Geralt of Rivia is famous as the Continent’s best monster hunter, battling creatures in *The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt* is still quite challenging. Players need to carefully research the best weapons, oils, and magic to use, and also make sure their character is strong enough for each fight.

No matter how prepared you are, battles in *The Witcher 3* can still be unpredictable. The game features huge, sometimes overwhelming areas to explore, filled with dangerous creatures like trolls, spiders, and the undead. Simply button-mashing won’t work, particularly against tougher enemies who can easily evade attacks or withstand a lot of damage.

2. Monster Hunter Wilds

Upgrading Equipment Is The Bread And Butter Of The Series

The core idea behind *Monster Hunter*, and continuing in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, is feeling like you’re facing a tough challenge. The game features a vast, open world where you’ll hunt creatures and use their parts to craft better gear, but it always remains difficult.

Every new monster in *Monster Hunter Wilds* is a huge, powerful creature with dangerous features and special abilities, making the game a real challenge for players, particularly those playing alone. While each monster has its own specific vulnerabilities and requires careful strategy to defeat, even well-equipped hunters will find completing hunts difficult.

1. Elden Ring

Even Dark Souls Veterans Aren’t Ready For It

FromSoftware, the team behind challenging games like *Dark Souls* and *Bloodborne*, really turned up the difficulty with *Elden Ring*. It builds on the *Dark Souls* formula – expect incredibly tough enemies and bosses that can defeat you quickly. You’ll earn experience, but losing a fight means losing everything you’ve gained.

Even though *Elden Ring* refines and builds upon the familiar Souls formula, players of previous FromSoftware games will quickly recognize the tough challenges it presents. Unlike earlier titles, simply repeating battles to gain experience isn’t very effective for leveling up. Instead, you’ll mostly improve your character by finding items dropped by enemies, which means newcomers will need to adjust their usual strategies.

2025-09-16 07:35