Best Open-World Games That Don't Take Themselves Seriously

Summary

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has a dark story but light-hearted quests for players to enjoy.
Grand Theft Auto 5 pokes fun at serious themes with quirky protagonists and humorous gameplay.
Open-world games like No More Heroes add mundane tasks for comedic contrast to intense main stories.

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the list of goofy open-world games you’ve compiled is nothing short of a delightful journey down memory lane. Each game on this list has its unique charm and humor, which sets them apart from their more serious counterparts in the genre.

Games frequently incorporate certain elements or mini-games to provide relief from the main gameplay. For instance, in the game Final Fantasy 7, players are engrossed in terrorism, identity crises, and impending apocalyptic events, but they still find time to breed the perfect Chocobo for winning races at the Gold Saucer. Similarly, even the cursed town of Silent Hill 2 hides its latent evil behind an old-timey mechanical console, operated by a dog, which is discovered by players.

Open-world games might be less somber than Role-Playing Games (RPGs) or Survival Horrors. They offer players the freedom to explore and interact with cities, landscapes, oceans, and more as if they were their personal playgrounds. However, games like Assassin’s Creed, InFamous, Prototype, and Horizon Zero Dawn are quite intense. Relative to these games, open-world titles often have a lighter tone, with the craziness factor serving as a ranking system among them.

10. The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

The Calamity Can Wait, Link’s Got Seeds To Find!

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, King Rhoam of Hyrule and its Champions met their end at the hands of Calamity Ganon, who caused the Guardians and Divine Beasts to attack Hyrule’s inhabitants. To provide a chance for Hyrule, Princess Zelda confines herself and Ganon in seclusion while Link is revived within the Shrine of Resurrection. The game’s narrative can be quite somber and melancholic, but why is it here? (To emphasize the darker aspects of the story)

Instead of dwelling on despair, even though Link’s champion friends have perished, they manage to keep their spirits high. Revali, as aloof as ever, maintains his haughty demeanor from his days as a spirit. However, players can embark on more optimistic missions throughout Hyrule. They can prepare scrumptious dishes, compete in exhilarating sand seal races, enjoy a round of golf, and collect Korok seeds to receive a humorous reward – a piece of poop! It’s evident that the game developers infused their work with a delightful sense of humor.

9. Grand Theft Auto 5

Bringing Chaos To Los Santos

Grand Theft Auto, renowned globally as one of the most popular open-world game franchises, often displayed a lighthearted approach rather than getting overly serious. While it featured themes like torture, murder, conspiracies, and betrayals, it also poked fun at various targets such as gun enthusiasts, conservative groups, law enforcement, the Driver series, and its developer Reflections. It’s quite challenging to pinpoint which game within the series offers the most laughs.

Generally speaking, many gamers favor Grand Theft Auto 5 due to its well-developed protagonists, especially Michael whose family struggles resemble a comedic take on The Sopranos. Trevor, on the other hand, embodies anarchy, whether engaged in missions or simply arguing with non-player characters (NPCs). In contrast, Franklin serves as the relatively composed figure, yet he too has his share of memorable moments, such as tracking down GTA’s most elusive mythical creature.

8. Journey To The Savage Planet

Boldly Going To The Weirdest Places

If you just read a summary of the game, “Journey to the Savage Planet” might seem like an intense exploration game. However, the players’ task is to investigate planet ARY-26, catalog any plant and animal life they find, and decide if it’s suitable for human colonization. At best, it could resemble a Star Trek-like adventure, potentially unfolding into some scientifically dry yet engaging sci-fi storyline.

After viewing the screenshots, they find out that the planet is a vibrant world populated by quirky aliens reminiscent of those in an _Oddworld_ game. The player’s astronaut character, with its futuristic retro design, has access to an engaging collection of gadgets, such as the “Better” and “Best” Utility Belts, the Precious Stuff magnet, and a Postcard Detector (obtained through the Hot Garbage DLC expansion). However, despite its quality, they conclude that the game’s name is misleading.

7. A Short Hike

The Lengths People Will Go To For Phone Reception

Instead of being engrossed in fast-paced, open-world games where one expands a criminal empire or saves streets from invading gangs, solves complex conspiracies, etc., what if players preferred a more leisurely pace, as in the game “A Short Hike“. Rather than dealing with added drama and trauma, players aid Claire, a blackbird character, in her quest to reach the summit of Hawke Peak to get cellphone reception.

Characters in this game are capable of running, swimming, leaping, and navigating various hurdles across Hawke Peak, accomplishing tasks for those requiring assistance. In return, they receive new tools to aid exploration and movement, such as a compass to determine directions and running boots. These enhancements conserve their energy, which can be boosted with golden feathers.

6. No More Heroes

Can’t Become #1 Without Mowing A Few Lawns

When No More Heroes revisited the open-world format with NMH3, fans anticipated it would surpass its predecessor’s performance. On the Wii, players had the freedom to roam Santa Destroy, but there weren’t many interesting sights or activities. They could travel to various locations for upgrades, or for job-based minigames that were incredibly boring compared to the exhilarating action sequences.

In a playful twist that seems reminiscent of Suda 51’s design approach, the game appears to be a satirical take on open-world genres. Instead of typical minigames like saving people from gangs, you find yourself engaged in activities such as lawn mowing, graffiti removal, and pest control. The ordinary tasks serve as a stark contrast to the chaotic action stages, making for an intriguing gameplay experience.

5. Untitled Goose Game

Honking Up The Neighborhood

One way to rephrase the given text in a natural and easy-to-read manner is:

House House’s creation drew inspiration from the Hitman series by allowing players to creatively eliminate targets through the use of game world elements. Instead of a violent approach, they developed an alternative version where a goose causes mischief by attempting to steal items, damage objects, deceive people, and more, using only its wings, beak, and persistent honking. It was straightforward, humorous, and garnered three DICE awards in 2019.

4. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands

Dungeons & Dragons Gets Twisted And Turned Upside Down

In a simplified rephrasing: The creators of the Borderlands games refer to these games as more “open-zone” rather than “open-world.” This is evident in their spin-off, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. Players choose an area from a whimsical map, and they’re free to explore it fully to accomplish tabletop RPG-style missions using the first-person shooter gameplay style of Borderlands. Players also get to pick one of 6 or 7 character classes, customize their character, and then dive into Tiny Tina’s game.

In the game “Tiny’s Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep”, Fatemaker, who previously defeated the Dragon Lord, must prevent them from resurfacing again. Since this is essentially a D&D campaign led by Tiny Tina, she alters things spontaneously as the dungeon master. Furthermore, many characters reflect self-awareness about their roles within the storyline. Given that “Borderlands” seemed to require a more humorous approach, it appears they’ve succeeded in achieving that.

3. Yakuza 0

Kiryu’s Journey Is Anything But Normal

It’s become a bit of a meme to say the Yakuza/Like a Dragon games are deadly serious, and then bring up their sillier moments. But all the games do indeed offer serious main stories, where criminal conspiracies, dramatic betrayals, and shocking revelations among others get revealed. Players can feel for Kiryu in Yakuza 6 when he’s just sick and tired of Kamurochō after all he’s been through.

In the same city, as depicted in the game Yakuza 0, he schooled some pretentious rock stars on how to be tough, shielded Miracle Johnson from his zombie-filled music video set, and even employed a chicken to oversee his property business. Meanwhile, his friend-turned-foe Goro Majima had equally eccentric escapades in Sotenbori, such as thwarting a sinister cult, preserving the cabaret industry from a group modeled after Sailor Moon’s club network, and mastering “the hustle” under the tutelage of Mr Libido. It appears that humor can indeed coexist within the world of yakuza.

2. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

An 80s-Inspired Dive Into Insanity

The Far Cry series had its highlights, but they were predominantly intense experiences. Notably, Far Cry 3, where the character Jason Brody embarked on a mission to rescue his friends from pirates and the unhinged residents of the Rook Islands. This game provided an ideal foundation for a humorous 1980s action movie parody. In Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, players are transported to a distant, post-apocalyptic future year of 2007 (or at least it was far off in the 80s).

In the role of Sergeant Rex “Power” Colt, it’s up to him to thwart Colonel Sloan, a renegade elite agent bent on plunging humanity back into primitivity using the Blood Dragons’ blood. However, the Blood Dragons aren’t the only adversaries Colt faces; he also battles cyborg sharks, robotic crocodiles, sinister goats, and the Omega Force. Yet, nothing can deter Colt from triumphing, or from his hobbies of gathering VHS tapes and CRT TVs while grooving to Power Glove’s synthesized music.

1. Saints Row 4

The Saints Head To A Galaxy Far, Far Away From 3rd Street

Initially, the first Saints Row was considered as a fun alternative to the GTA series, acting as a temporary replacement until the high-definition GTA was released on consoles. When some players were put off by the somber tone of GTA4, they gravitated towards the more lighthearted and chaotic Saints Row 2. As time went on, Volition amplified the silliness in Saints Row the Third, introducing murder-based game shows and hooker assassins. However, these quirky elements failed to mask the diminished gameplay mechanics.

In a playful departure from reality, Saints Row 4 took things to an extraordinary level by having players battle against extraterrestrial invaders in a simulated universe. Equipped with an array of supernatural abilities and weaponry, the protagonist could obliterate foes using fireballs, mind control, or the Inflato-Ray, Black Hole Launcher, and Dubstep Gun’s powerful wub-induced explosions. Despite its lighthearted tone, this unconventional game had significant repercussions for the development studio, Volition.

2024-12-16 04:37

Best Open-World Games That Don’t Take Themselves Seriously