Open-World Games Where Fast Travel Ruins the Experience

Fast travel is a common feature in large, open-world games. While it saves time when traveling across vast distances – even with a vehicle or horse – it can also discourage genuine exploration. Instead of stumbling upon hidden areas and enjoying the scenery, players might just jump directly to quest markers and major locations. This can ruin the feeling of being immersed in the world, as seen in games like Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 3, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance, which emphasize discovery and environmental appreciation.

Some game developers are now adding costs or drawbacks to fast travel to keep players immersed in the game world. Other games encourage exploration by rewarding players who stick around with hidden quests, large dungeons, and surprise events. Here are a few open-world games where using fast travel will likely ruin the experience.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

You’ll Miss Out On Some Juicy Side Activities

While the main story of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is excellent, new players will get the most out of the game by exploring the world instead of immediately using fast travel. Places like Velen, Skellige, and Novigrad are full of interesting stories, hidden treasures, and Witcher contracts. Many of the game’s best moments are found in its side quests, and you definitely won’t want to skip those – or Gwent!

The world is incredibly beautiful and worth exploring. If you enjoy collecting items, it’s best to travel by horseback (with Roach) instead of using fast travel. The biggest drawback is needing to reach a fast travel point to do so – a feature that was also added to Cyberpunk 2077, which actually made driving around much more fun because you’d stumble upon unexpected events.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Dragons, Bandits, Dungeons, Oh My!

Bethesda games are famous for their unpredictable events and immersive worlds, but you’ll miss a lot if you just fast travel everywhere. In Skyrim, exploring the landscape is a key part of the fun. You never know what you’ll find – maybe a bandit attack, a shady deal for skooma, or even a chance to confront some Thalmor soldiers and deliver your own brand of justice.

Exploring beyond the main roads in Skyrim reveals tons of hidden places – dungeons, caves, and secrets you’d likely miss if you only used fast travel. If you’re finding it slow to run everywhere and are running out of stamina, it’s a good idea to get a horse. A great way to get one is by completing the Dark Brotherhood questline. This gives you quick travel while still letting you experience all the details of the world, and it feels much more realistic than simply jumping between cities.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

It Might Just Be Safer To Skip Fast Travel

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a realistic and challenging game, almost like a true medieval knight simulator. It has very detailed systems – you’ll need to learn skills like reading and manage things like your character’s stamina. Even traveling around the world feels authentic and dangerous, just as it would have been in medieval times, and that applies even when you fast travel.

Even while fast traveling, you might run into unexpected events, and some can be truly dangerous. You can attempt to avoid or ignore these encounters, but there’s no guarantee you’ll succeed. These random events can be particularly punishing early in the game, potentially making you avoid fast travel altogether. This system is cleverly designed, as it adds a risk to a convenience mechanic that could otherwise pull you out of the game. It realistically reflects the dangers of traveling as a vulnerable newcomer, Henry, in a perilous world, forcing you to face the consequences of your choices.

Fit the 9 games into the grid.

Criteria Grid Pick a tile to place a game.

Time: 00:00

Results

—

More Games

Pick a game

Choose 1 of 9

Dragon’s Dogma Games

Costly And Limited In Scope

Similar to other games we’ve discussed, Dragon’s Dogma really encourages you to explore on foot instead of fast traveling. You’ll experience so much more of the world – like unexpected encounters and your companions reacting to things around you – if you do. These little details are what make the game special. Plus, fast travel isn’t free; just like in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, there’s a real cost to it in Dragon’s Dogma.

Fast travel in the game isn’t random, but you need to carefully manage two things: Ferrystones and Portcrystals. Ferrystones let you travel quickly, but you only have a limited number of them. Portcrystals are used to create fast travel points. While the first game gave you an unlimited Ferrystone, the sequel doesn’t. Some important locations already have Portcrystals set up, and you can place your own wherever you like. This system encourages you to think of fast travel as a tactic to be used only when necessary, so you don’t waste your limited resources.

Red Dead Redemption 2

The Real Meat Is In Exploration

It seems ironic that Red Dead Redemption 2 offers fast travel, considering how much the game emphasizes the experience of getting from place to place. Rockstar Games created an incredibly detailed and expansive world, making you wonder if a game of this scale will ever be seen again. The story is deliberately paced, emotionally resonant, and truly shines when you avoid fast travel – which you even have to earn access to for your camp anyway.

Honestly, before fast travel, getting around felt pretty natural – trains and stagecoaches fit the world perfectly, and I appreciate Rockstar didn’t just snap you everywhere. But what most of us fans agree on is that Red Dead 2 is a game you really need to take your time with. Seriously, don’t rush! Especially once you hit Chapter 2, that’s when the game really opens up and there’s so much to discover. Just enjoy riding around, exploring the wilderness, and soaking it all in – it makes the story so much more meaningful as you go.

Starfield

Dogfights And Random Encounters Make It Special

While Starfield didn’t receive overwhelming praise, it excels in many areas, especially spaceflight. The game lets you pilot your ship manually between star systems, and during these journeys, you’ll experience unexpected events. These could range from pirate attacks to story-driven encounters – for instance, if you have the ‘Wanted’ character trait, bounty hunters will frequently come after you. You’ll also find engaging quests and interactions that start as you enter new systems, like responding to distress calls or helping passengers.

The new Free Lanes update and Terran Armada DLC will make space travel much more interesting. You’ll be able to walk around your ship while traveling at light speed, and Bethesda has added new interactions that will happen as you do. This means there’s more reason to actually travel through space instead of just fast-traveling on the map. Plus, space is full of things to discover – from abandoned ships with mysterious histories to hidden treasures. If you approach it with a spirit of exploration, you’re sure to have fun!

2026-03-29 15:38