Open-World Games Worth Playing Just For Their Exploration

Open-world games come in so many different styles and focus on such diverse themes that it’s hard to directly compare them. Games like Just Cause 2, My Time at Sandrock, Kingdoms of Amalur, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Conan Exiles, and Cyberpunk 2077 are all open-world, but each offers a very unique experience. However, most of these games do encourage, or even center around, exploring the game world, which is a key difference from more straightforward, story-driven games like Mafia.

Exploring in games can be enjoyable in different ways. Sometimes the fun comes from finding hidden things like side missions, backstory details, and valuable items. Other times, simply being in the game world and experiencing it is rewarding enough. A few games, like Marvel’s Spider-Man and Forspoken, make exploration especially fun with their unique ways of moving around. While most open-world games aren’t worth playing just for exploring, some truly rely on it to be successful.

Okay, so this isn’t a list of the best open-world games, and I definitely haven’t included everything. It’s more like a shout-out to some games that are just really fun to explore – if you love wandering around and discovering stuff, these are worth checking out!

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom
Outward
Outer Wilds
Elden Ring
Kenshi
Subnautica
Death Stranding
Xenoblade Chronicles X
Elex 2
Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning

7. Space Engineers

A Whole Galaxy To Explore

Space Engineers is a challenging open-world survival game where you must work to live and succeed in the dangerous environment of space. It’s a particularly tough survival game, because early on, you’ll need to quickly secure essential resources like oxygen and power before they run out.

One of the best parts of playing Space Engineers is exploring! You can find important resources only by venturing into space, mining asteroids, or visiting certain planets. Exploring is essential because it’s the only way to get these rare materials.

6. 7 Days To Die

Explore Hundreds Of POIs

In 7 Days To Die, exploring the game’s world isn’t just enjoyable—it’s essential. Many important resources can only be found by searching locations called POIs. Once you’ve thoroughly searched the POIs near where you start, you’ll need to venture further across the map to find more.

Before venturing out in 7 Days To Die, it’s important to prepare and create a simple combat setup. Once you leave the starting area, the world becomes significantly more hazardous. You’ll encounter threats like vultures circling while you explore the desert, and wolves hunting you in snowy regions.

5. Once Human

Fantastically Detailed World Map

This horror game, inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, successfully blends elements from different game types. It features satisfying shooting, an interesting story, and a fulfilling base-building system. However, the game truly stands out thanks to its exceptionally well-designed maps.

One of the best parts of playing Once Human is discovering the world around you – it’s visually beautiful and packed with detail. But exploration isn’t just about enjoying the scenery. You can find secret places like caves and valuable resources while you venture off the beaten path.

4. ELITE Dangerous

Explore A 1:1 Scale Galaxy

When it comes to open-world games, Elite Dangerous really stands out for its massive size. It boasts over 400 billion star systems for players to discover! But because the game recreates the galaxy at a realistic, one-to-one scale, exploring it all takes a lot of time.

As a big fan of Elite Dangerous, I’ve seen players do some seriously amazing things! It’s pretty common for explorers to take off on journeys that last weeks, sometimes even months! But it’s worth it, because discovering new systems and planets in Elite Dangerous can earn you a ton of credits when you sell the data you collect back at a space station. It’s a great way to fund your adventures!

3. Red Dead Redemption 2

Adventure And Exploration In One Package

Many games encourage players to thoroughly explore their environments, and Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prime example. The game world is remarkably detailed and enjoyable to discover on its own, but exploring also provides players with extra benefits and rewards.

Exploring the world in Red Dead Redemption 2 often leads to interesting finds, like rock carvings, stories revealed through letters in old buildings, and collectible cards. Taking the time to wander the wilderness can be a surprisingly enriching experience.

2. No Man’s Sky

Explore And Survive

The core of No Man’s Sky is exploring a vast universe. The game was specifically designed to let players uncover new worlds, and everything from star systems and planets to plants and creatures can be discovered. The first player to find something gets to name it!

The game frequently hosts community events called expeditions, which focus entirely on exploring and uncovering new things. These are like mini-stories with rewards earned as you progress. Expeditions are designed to lead players on a guided tour of interesting places and reveal more about the game’s story.

1. Valheim

Set Sail For New Shores

All players of Valheim will need to explore the game world to advance. This is because you have to find and defeat each boss, and only the first one is near where you begin.

In Valheim, you’ll need to construct a boat and explore the vast map to find each boss, as well as gather new resources. The game truly captures the spirit of being a pioneer as you sail off into the unknown, discovering distant lands. While it includes survival elements, combat, and crafting, Valheim is primarily about exploration, and it consistently feels rewarding.

2025-12-07 21:06