Best Open-World Games Where The Grind Is Totally Worth It

Generally, players don’t enjoy grinding in video games. It refers to the act of spending a large amount of time on repetitive, unimportant tasks to unlock abilities or gain experience. Most gamers don’t appreciate having to do this to progress.

However, grinding isn’t always a negative experience in games. When players invest time improving their stats and become significantly more powerful, they often enjoy the rewarding feeling of easily defeating their enemies. This sense of accomplishment can make the effort worthwhile, turning what might have been tedious into a satisfying experience. It’s about the payoff after all!

Elden Ring

Exploring The World And Getting Stronger Helps The Tarnished Tackle Tougher Bosses

What makes Elden Ring so appealing is that it’s difficult, but also offers players many different ways to improve. Collecting resources and leveling up doesn’t feel repetitive because you’re constantly discovering new things as you journey through the vast open world and collect the Runes needed to become stronger.

Players, known as the Tarnished, will enjoy continually improving their strength, ultimately becoming powerful enough to defeat previously challenging bosses. If players can protect their Runes and avoid careless errors, the game’s progression-or grinding-is quite manageable and even enjoyable.

Octopath Traveler 2

Players Must Get Stronger To Deal With Harder Bosses That Don’t Let Up

The expansive world of Octopath Traveler 2, and its freedom to explore, lets players gain levels at their own pace without making the game too easy. Exploring is more lively than before, with lots of optional dungeons and a day-night system that changes what you encounter depending on the time of day.

The fantastic music and fun combat system make battles in Octopath Traveler 2 consistently enjoyable. Spending time leveling up will make the game’s tougher optional content more manageable, and it will prevent level restrictions from slowing players down for too long when trying to use special Hero Actions.

Kenshi

Grinding Is Necessary For Players Who Don’t Want To Die Over And Over Again

Kenshi isn’t a game for those who want instant results. You’ll need to spend time building up your character and skills – it’s essential if you want to survive even the earliest fights outside of town and avoid being quickly defeated.

Developing your companions’ combat abilities takes time, but it’s worth it. Doing so prevents them from being easily defeated in this game’s challenging open world. This gradual progression will help players appreciate Kenshi‘s depth and clever design, especially after overcoming a difficult start.

Gothic

The Early Grind Helps Players Become Better At This Punishing Game

Right from the start, when players enter their first fight in Gothic, they quickly understand how unprepared they are. Even the weakest creature can quickly overwhelm players and defeat them, making them rely on sneaky and cautious strategies to survive even the easiest battles.

The beginning of Gothic is really challenging, so players will appreciate any experience they can get before reaching a camp and finding someone to train them. Learning new combos, boosting stats, and getting better at fighting makes Gothic a very exciting game that players will enjoy.

Yakuza 0

Kiryu And Majima’s Skills Become Better If Players Engage In The Side Activity Grind

Yakuza 0 offers a lot of side content, and some of it, like the Cabaret Club Czar and Real Estate Royale minigames, can require a bit of repetitive effort. While these activities can take up a significant amount of time, the engaging stories and funny moments keep things interesting. Plus, successfully managing these side businesses unlocks a fourth fighting style for both Kiryu and Majima.

Okay, so Real Estate Royale isn’t the *most* exciting thing ever, but it’s definitely playable. I’m really enjoying Cabaret Club Czar though! It’s a lot of fun, but just a heads-up: you might need to play for a while if you don’t want to bother with getting sponsorships for Club Sunshine. It’s not a huge deal, but it’s something to be aware of!

Monster Hunter Wilds

Despite Its Issues, The Combat Is Still Fun And Worth The Grind Players Must Undergo

The Monster Hunter games are known for requiring a lot of dedication, and Monster Hunter Wilds continues that tradition. The game offers players tons of hunts to complete, which allow them to gather the resources needed to improve their gear and become more powerful.

The core of Monster Hunter Wilds is a consistently fun cycle of crafting improved equipment and battling increasingly challenging creatures. Even though some dedicated fans have expressed concerns about this new installment, Capcom typically adds so much content that players will endlessly enjoy cooperating with friends to defeat gigantic monsters.

Genshin Impact

The Grind Isn‘t Unbearable And Ensures That Players Can Have Fun Without Spending A Single Penny

Genshin Impact is a hugely popular open-world game that has found success even with its use of gacha mechanics. While players can spend a lot of money to get ahead, the gameplay isn’t so difficult that it forces them to do so. The amount of effort needed to progress without spending money is reasonable.

Considering it’s a free-to-play game, Genshin Impact offers a huge amount of content, keeping players engaged as they unlock new characters and try out their skills in a stunning open world. Though some initially dismissed it as a copy of Breath of the Wild, a free-to-play version, Genshin Impact has become a standout open-world game that players can easily spend countless hours enjoying.

Diablo 4

The Open-World Approach Makes This ARPG And Its Grind More Engaging Than Ever

Diablo 4 will be consistently updated and improved by Blizzard, with the goal of providing players with enough content to enjoy for hundreds of hours in this expansive action RPG. When players first start playing, they may feel a bit overwhelmed by just how much there is to do and experience.

Repeating tasks is typical for players in any Diablo game, and the fourth main game in the series is no different. This repetition is important if players want better gear and to level up, which will give them the confidence to face the biggest challenges the game has to offer.

2025-10-03 03:02