Best Slow-Burn Open-World RPGs

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Open-world games are famous for being incredibly long, often taking players between 20 and 100 hours to complete. This is because these games offer a huge amount of content, including both the main storyline and many side quests. Plus, the game worlds are so large that it takes a significant amount of in-game time just to explore everything. Interestingly, the most rewarding parts of these games often appear later on, while the beginning sections frequently serve as extended tutorials or introductions to the core adventure.

The beginning of the game isn’t necessarily slow or unenjoyable, it just builds to become more exciting as you play. This is especially true when the game world expands, allowing you to explore areas previously unavailable. A compelling story that becomes clearer as you progress is also key. It’s helpful when players feel in control, as many games have a challenging learning curve. Once you overcome that initial challenge, the experience becomes much more rewarding and enjoyable.

Elden Ring

Everything Finally Falls Into Place

Details:

  • Giant areas become accessible
  • Players get used to the combat over time

Elden Ring is well-known for its challenging beginning. Even players familiar with similar games often find the initial hours incredibly difficult. The game doesn’t offer much direction, so you’re left to explore, discover dungeons, fight tough bosses, and collect valuable items. The early part of the game primarily takes place in Limgrave, allowing you to learn the gameplay and get used to its open-world exploration. After overcoming Stormveil Castle, the world expands dramatically, truly beginning the main adventure with a breathtaking new view.

After this point, the game truly opens up, giving players a huge amount of freedom to explore and choose their own path. It can be overwhelming deciding where to go next! Some players might head back to the challenging Caelid region and its dangerous swamps, while others continue along the main storyline, entering the academy to learn its magical secrets. There’s no single ‘correct’ way to play, and the fast travel system makes it easy to switch between tackling major bosses and discovering hidden content all over the world. You can easily ride east for a while, then quickly return to a different area – the choice is yours!

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

A Slow Burn That Pays Off

Details:

  • Character arcs begin to fall into place
  • Larger meaning unfolds over time

At the start of The Witcher 3, the game focuses on smaller quests – hunting monsters and getting involved in local issues – which might seem simple considering the vast world around you. The initial combat is functional and lets you easily defeat common enemies, but it hints at a deeper, more complex system to discover later. As you progress, you’ll unlock new areas and meet characters who become crucial to the overarching story, expanding the scope of the game significantly.

After the initial areas, the game’s story really comes into its own. Quests become thought-provoking and nuanced, characters develop rich personalities, and your earlier decisions have lasting consequences, creating a much deeper narrative experience than you first encounter. Plus, large areas like Novigrad and Skellige become central to both the story and your adventures, making the world feel vast and incredibly alive.

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Freedom That Can Only Be Earned

Details:

  • Slow traversal that gets completely flipped on its head
  • Flight that unlocks the entire world

Okay, so I jumped into Xenoblade Chronicles X expecting total freedom because of its huge world, but honestly, it felt a little clunky at first. It didn’t really feel like I was taking advantage of the massive scale of things, and Mira, the world itself, was kind of overwhelming instead of exciting. I really wanted to get a bird’s-eye view, but couldn’t! It made the beginning feel surprisingly narrow. You’re spending those first few hours learning the surprisingly deep combat system and getting to know a ton of characters who join you on your journey, so it takes a bit to really open up.

Once you unlock Skells, the game completely changes, making both getting around and fighting much more dynamic and letting you experience the world as the developers envisioned. Later on, gaining the ability to fly turns Mira into a truly thrilling open world, letting you quickly reach previously inaccessible areas and landmarks. Just the improvement in movement makes pushing through the early parts of the game worthwhile, and players will really appreciate the rewards they earn.

Kenshi

Suffering Before Self-Sufficiency

Details:

  • Brutal survival and constant failure
  • Mechanics become clearer, and player agency becomes crucially important

Kenshi is known for being a very challenging game to begin with. Players start with weak characters and limited supplies in a world that doesn’t offer much help or direction. Expect to fail often, especially in the early hours, as the game’s complex systems can be hard to understand. Simply surviving is the biggest hurdle at first, and the world feels incredibly dangerous – even a small group can be quickly defeated by wild animals or desperate bandits.

What starts as a tough challenge eventually becomes the game’s biggest asset. Players will feel a real sense of achievement as they conquer obstacles that initially held them back. As their teams get better and their settlements develop, the game evolves into a completely player-directed world where they can do anything. With enough dedication, the initial struggle for survival turns into the satisfaction of building something amazing, giving persistent players incredible freedom to create their own stories.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

From Peasant To Knight

Details:

  • Early hours filled with clumsy combat and limited abilities
  • Meaningful development that quickly turns into an unmatched RPG experience

Kingdom Come: Deliverance starts off intentionally difficult and slow-paced. You begin as Henry, an unskilled and vulnerable character who has trouble with even simple actions. Early combat is tough – even a single enemy can easily defeat you. Beyond fighting, you also need to manage things like hunger, sleep, and your reputation. This strong commitment to realism can be demanding, but if you persevere, you’ll discover a medieval RPG that offers a unique and rewarding experience unlike any other in the genre.

The game starts slowly, but it dramatically improves once the initial challenges start to make sense. Sword fights transform from clumsy battles into skillful duels, and players gain real choices beyond just fighting – they can use stealth or diplomacy. This gives players a greater sense of control over their experience. The game world also becomes more responsive; your reputation impacts conversations, quest results, and even how people treat you, creating a believable and immersive environment. You begin as an unskilled peasant, but eventually rise to become a respected knight, rescuing others and building a reputation for yourself.

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2025-12-24 20:06