Games Where Exploring the World Is the Best Part of the Story

A compelling story and a well-crafted world can greatly enhance each other. Finding the right balance isn’t always simple, but when both elements are strong, the result can be truly exceptional. Ideally, just exploring the game world should be a memorable experience, enriching the story rather than distracting from it.

Some games truly excel at creating immersive worlds. They tell stories through their environments so effectively that you can get lost in them, almost forgetting the main plot. While the central quest – whether clear or mysterious – guides you through these amazing places, it also reveals the world’s rich history and lore as you explore.

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Outer Wilds

Exploring Delivers The Story’s Mystery

Outer Wilds is a game focused on uncovering its story through exploration. It’s best enjoyed without looking up guides or spoilers. You’ll travel through space, freely exploring a solar system, and gradually realize something unusual is going on. The catch? Every 22 minutes, the day resets, and you start over.

As you repeat the time loop, each planet holds new events, and you’ll need to travel between them, piece together information, and gather clues to understand the bigger picture. In Outer Wilds, exploring the planets and discovering the story are deeply connected – you can’t have one without the other. The core of the game is unraveling a mystery, and you do that by exploring with each new loop.

Fallout 4

A Fish Out Of Water Story Paired With Awe-Inspiring Exploration

Bethesda consistently excels at creating immersive worlds and telling stories through their environments, often more so than through their main storylines, and Fallout 4 is a perfect example. The game truly shines when you first leave Vault 111 and see the ruined state of Sanctuary Hills, a neighborhood that once felt so normal and lively.

Playing as the Sole Survivor feels like being thrown into a completely new world, which is perfect for Fallout 4. Especially if you’re new to the series, you’ll be discovering everything alongside your character. The main story does a great job of showcasing some of the most impressive locations the game has to offer – I won’t spoil the surprises, but be prepared for plenty of radiation!

Subnautica

Stranded With A Sense Of Wonder (And Fear)

Like many great games, Subnautica tells its story through the world around you. You start shipwrecked on an alien ocean planet, and your main objective is escape. Initially, you’ll have few supplies, so you’ll need to explore, gather resources, and craft equipment—typical for a survival game. As you venture deeper into the ocean, you’ll uncover the planet’s secrets and what lurks below.

Subnautica can be genuinely frightening, with underwater areas that will startle players who aren’t prepared. If you’re afraid of the ocean, this game might be a challenge. While it’s more open-ended than some other games on this list and doesn’t have a strong, traditional storyline, the emphasis on exploring the ocean to progress is a good reason why it deserves to be here.

Red Dead Redemption 2

You’ll Want To Linger Just A Bit Longer

Red Dead Redemption 2 is widely acclaimed for its impressive qualities. The game excels in many areas, including its music, expansive world, compelling characters, and stunning graphics. It’s remarkably polished, with very few noticeable flaws. Many players consider its story to be deeply moving, especially because it creates a strong connection between the player and the characters they encounter while playing as Arthur. Beyond the story, the game’s world is also a highlight, offering a rich and immersive experience for exploration.

Rockstar Games created an incredibly immersive and detailed world that truly feels real. The game excels at showing, not telling, its story through the environment. As you explore, you uncover details like abandoned homes and decaying remains, silently revealing the history of Arthur and his gang. The world itself evolves alongside the story, mirroring the events and overall mood. This masterful use of exploration and environmental storytelling elevates every part of the plot, making it one of the best examples of world-building in gaming.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

The Main Quest Takes You All Across The Province To Sovngarde

Similar to Fallout 4, many players found Skyrim‘s main storyline a bit underwhelming. Because of this, simply exploring the world and discovering new places – instead of fast traveling – is often the most enjoyable part of the game. You might even unexpectedly find hidden side quests that lead to entire dungeons to explore.

Similar to games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Fallout 4, Skyrim‘s story unfolds through exploration and observation, rather than direct explanation. You’ll discover hidden shrines dedicated to Talos, subtly hinting at the conflicts surrounding his worship in the game. The beautiful landscapes, immersive music, and realistic weather all contribute to a living, breathing world, and the dungeons – like Bleak Falls Barrow, Sky Haven Temple, and the Throat of the World – are truly stunning. As always, Bethesda has created an incredibly detailed and impressive game environment.

Cyberpunk 2077

See All The Facets Of The City Of Dreams

Both The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077 are fantastic games, but The Witcher 3 has a slight edge in storytelling and character development. That said, exploring Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 felt more immersive and captivating, even though Cyberpunk 2077, especially with the Phantom Liberty expansion, tells a powerful and emotionally resonant story. Night City itself is a vibrant and overwhelming world that constantly reinforces the game’s central themes – that corporations hold all the power and gangs control the streets – in a strikingly dystopian and over-the-top way.

The city feels alive with unpredictable events – you might stumble upon gang confrontations, MaxTac securing an area, or even a full-blown shootout. As you explore, you’re constantly fed bits of story through ads and news reports that react to your choices. Plus, there are tons of hidden details to uncover, like a friendly cat in your building or the grim discovery of Dex’s body – and a chance to take his gun.

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl

The Zone Is A Character Of Its Own

I’ve always felt the Zone in the STALKER games is a character in itself. STALKER 2 really nailed this, even with its technical issues, through amazing environmental storytelling. The Zone isn’t just a difficult place to survive and scavenge – that struggle is part of the story. It also subtly reveals the world’s history, both past and present, in a slow and deliberate way.

The STALKER games don’t offer much guidance, so you’ll need to use your own wits and explore carefully to understand what’s happening. You’ll discover forgotten places, labs, campsites, and even the remains of those who came before. The world feels alive and constantly changes around you – you’re just one small part of it, not the hero. You’ll often come across different groups fighting each other. To survive, you’ll have to pay attention to your surroundings and figure out where to go and what to do, as the game never directly tells you. That’s the core challenge – piecing everything together yourself.

Elden Ring

The Lore And Story Are In The Environment

If you enjoy games that don’t hold your hand, Elden Ring is a great choice. The game’s world is filled with rich history and secrets, hinted at in the opening moments. Each challenging boss and large area you explore reveals more about the story of powerful demigods and their struggles. This is why the major areas of the game feel so distinct, and why paying attention to small details is so important.

Have you ever stopped to think about the details of the Lands Between, like why the doors of Leyndell are sealed with corpse wax? Or where the dragons came from, and what happened at the crumbling city of Farum Azula? What about the mysterious Albinaurics and their hidden village? Everything you see – the landscapes, the unique look of each area – isn’t random. It all tells a deliberate story of a land scarred by a massive war. We’re just a small piece in this grand, decaying world, a Tarnished trying to find their place among powerful demigods, dragons, and other creatures. The game encourages you to explore, pay attention to your surroundings, and piece together the tragic story for yourself. FromSoftware wants you to be a detective if you want to truly understand the world.

2026-02-10 16:39