Open-World Games With The Weirdest Stories

Highlights

Many open-world games offer vast content, deep world-building, and engaging stories, but some stories can be strange or hard to follow.
Games like Fable 2 and Metal Gear Solid 5 have weird plots, unexplained villains, and awkward moments in gameplay.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Elder Scrolls 4 have cool mechanics but struggle with story balance and player engagement.

As someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the vast and intriguing worlds of open-world video games, I’ve come to appreciate a good story that transports me to new and exciting realms. However, there are some titles that leave me scratching my head in confusion, wondering what I just experienced.

In open-world games, players are given the thrill of discovering new territories, encountering eccentric characters, and embarking on exhilarating quests. These types of games captivate explorers with their vast offerings and intricately designed environments. Nevertheless, the engaging narratives are equally crucial elements that shape the overall experience.

As an avid fan of open-world games, I’ve come across some stories that left me scratching my head in confusion. In these immersive worlds, it’s not always clear if we’re the heroes or just part of the scenery. Some of the oddball narratives in open-world games are downright surreal, others defy logic, and a few even include cringe-worthy moments that make me question the developers’ creative decisions. Why did they think these seemingly random elements would enhance my gaming experience?

6 Fable 2

The Villain Makes No Sense, And The Story Crumbles

Open-World Games With The Weirdest Stories

As a passionate fan of Fable 2, I can tell you that from the very beginning, the moment we step into Albion, we notice things have taken a drastic turn. The once idyllic landscape has given way to the harsh realities of industrialization. The old ways of life have been all but forgotten, and the once chaste system is now a shadow of its former self. And if that wasn’t enough, an evil lord has reared his ugly head once again. But this isn’t just any run-of-the-mill evil lord; no, he’s got a classic, clichéd backstory. He’s lost the love of his life – his wife and daughter – and now, he’s determined to make the entire world pay for their loss.

From my perspective as a fan, the narrative in Fable 2 takes a dark turn when Lord Lucien abducts and ends the life of my beloved sister. The atmosphere around this event is eerie and unsettling, shrouded in themes that are best left unexplored. Despite these strange circumstances, I’m compelled to seek out other heroes to join forces and put an end to this wretched villain. However, the quests that follow seem devoid of meaning, leading us through a series of events that mirror the French Revolution. Make no mistake; Fable 2 is an exceptional game, but its storyline leaves much to be desired in terms of coherence.

5 Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning

Cool Mechanics And World-Building But A Weird Story

In partnership with the acclaimed Todd McFarlane, this game was anticipated to shake up the RPG genre with its vibrant yet ominous setting rooted in Fae folklore. However, despite possessing the essential elements for triumph, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning failed to achieve massive success and spawn multiple sequels. Why? What prevented this game from reaching new heights?

An aspect where the game fell short was its method of conveying story through the environment. Relying too heavily on players discovering hidden lore, the characters failed to captivate with their lackluster charm and enigmatic dialogues. The narrative itself was confusing, fluctuating between overly philosophical and simplistic parts. The game struggled to strike a balance between player freedom and a cohesive plot, resulting in an uneven experience filled with “singing stones” that were essential for deciphering the unfolding events. Additionally, following the release of gaming industry giants like Skyrim, it faced immense expectations.

4 Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

A Strange Story That Can Be Hard For Players To Follow

In Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, the development team shifted away from the heavy use of cutscenes and cinematics that were once a staple of the franchise. Instead, they opted for audio logs saved on cassettes, which players could find throughout various missions to learn about the story’s events.

The experience fell short of expectations: a vast and barren landscape dotted only with outposts and monotonous missions that lacked a clear connection to a larger narrative. Many gamers found themselves aimlessly completing task after task without a compelling overarching storyline. The enigma surrounding the primary antagonist’s intentions left players questioning if Snake was truly battling an elusive adversary rather than a genuine villain like Liquid Ocelot or Skull Face. It’s unfortunate that the narrative in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain fails to deliver, despite its exceptional mechanics.

3 Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion

Tasks Players With Many Unusual Quests

In simpler terms, the game “Oblivion” from the “Elder Scrolls” series may come across as unusual. Initially, players are made to think they’re the saviors of Tamriel. However, an unexpected twist reveals that instead, the characters unintentionally obstructed the Emperor’s escape plan. With no other option, he takes a convict along on his clandestine route while attempting to evade danger himself.

In the tale that follows, the Emperor unfortunately passes away and sends the protagonist on a mission to locate his surviving heir, who was born from a union with a handmaiden and hidden in a monastery. Surprisingly, it’s this heir who ultimately emerges as the true hero of the narrative, whereas the Hero of Kvatch serves merely as an errand boy who just happens to be present at crucial moments. The downside is that players must complete a string of seemingly irrational tasks to seal portals and prevent the invasion of a Daedric realm. This realm, if left unchecked, would wreak havoc with its minions like Scamps (mischievous pyromaniacs) and Daedroths (fire-breathing alligators). The storyline of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, despite being a remarkable contribution to the open-world genre, can’t help but leave one scratching their head due to its peculiarities.

2 Starfield

A Weird Plot That Leads To An Bizarre Ending

As a gamer, I was excitedly looking forward to Starfield’s promise of immersing me into the role of a space explorer and possibly a pirate. However, what I ended up experiencing felt more like a mix between an aimless stroll through a virtual world and an open-world game. In essence, the game boasts “open worlds,” but the reality is far from it. Instead of allowing me to actually land on the numerous planets in the galaxy and explore them at my own pace, I was merely taken on predetermined tours via cutscenes that left me feeling disconnected from the experience.

As a fan, I’d describe it this way: In this peculiar tale, I find myself rooting for a miner character who inexplicably comes across an alien artifact and subsequently gets drawn into the clutches of a shady group, tasked with retrieving more of these enigmatic slabs to complete their mysterious agenda. The climax? A revelation that our universe is just one among many, and I, as the protagonist, transform into a Starborn – an interdimensional being capable of traversing realities. Starfield‘s narrative is undeniably intriguing with its multiverse themes, but it also leaves me feeling slightly disoriented with its bizarre ending. My character encounters another version of myself from another reality, who enlightens me that the entire journey was merely a means to unlock an infinite New Game+ loop.

1 Atomic Heart

A Strange Premise That Explorers Might Struggle To Keep Up With

Right from the start, Atomic Heart players are immersed in a compelling alternative history of the URSS, where they triumphantly won the Cold War and progressed far beyond human civilization. Daily life is filled with robots and androids, and players take on the role of a powerful Russian agent equipped with cutting-edge nanotechnology. But, as in many sci-fi utopian stories, things begin to unravel, and it’s the fault of the scientist who created this technology. The Russian super-soldier must now step in and restore order by overcoming the ensuing chaos.

The world in “Atomic Heart” is vast and populated with lethal robots, yet the plot is so peculiar and complex that players might struggle to fully grasp it while keeping up with the unfolding events. Moreover, advancing in the game requires engaging in quirky and somewhat uncomfortable exchanges with a sentient vending machine. Therefore, “Atomic Heart” offers an intriguing open-world experience, but its storyline may present some challenges for players to follow.

2024-07-17 11:33