Best Open-World Games With Satisfying Progression

Summary

Horizon Forbidden West prioritizes deliberate exploration and character growth, making every upgrade feel earned.
Marvel’s Spider-Man rewards players with momentum-based combat, customizable suits, and evolving traversal.
Dying Light transforms players from wimps to agile wall-runners through skill upgrades and gear improvements.

Open-world video games often overwhelm players with maps brimming with mystery symbols, tasks lists longer than tax documents, and the fervent expectation that things will become satisfying at some point. However, certain games excel at incentivizing exploration, making each advancement feel well-deserved, and transforming every upgrade into a mini triumph for the player.

Instead of mere environments for wandering, these games are intricately designed systems intended to make players experience authentic growth, transformation, and proficiency. They offer seamless movement enhancements and combat abilities that escalate into a thrilling chaos, showcasing the games that perfectly capture the compelling feeling of progression.

7. Horizon Forbidden West

Climbing Feels Better When You Earn It

In about ten minutes of playing Horizon Forbidden West, it becomes clear that this isn’t just an improved version of Zero Dawn. Unlike its predecessor, the sequel doesn’t simply expand its world; it makes exploring it more purposeful. At first, players are grounded, learning to survive, gather resources, and fight all over again. However, as Aloy soars off mountain peaks, dives into submerged ruins, and commandeers colossal robot serpents with an upgraded spear, the progression is noticeable.

Progress doesn’t just fall into your hands; you must strategically select skills from various skill trees, enhance gear using components from progressively challenging machine types, and acquire tools like the Shieldwing and Pullcaster by completing the story. The Western wilds are filled with tantalizingly inaccessible areas early on – unreachable cliffs and locked doors that seem to mock you until you have the right tool or override. However, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as returning hours later, fully equipped, and finally gaining access to those previously unattainable locations.

6. Marvel’s Spider-Man

Power Comes With Practice (And Cool Suits)

In Marvel’s Spider-Man, gliding through Manhattan isn’t just enjoyable; it becomes increasingly gratifying as players invest more time into the game. The upgrade system emphasizes momentum, offering rewards for bold moves and seamless combos with an array of gadgets that expand choices during battles. As abilities are unlocked, a rhythm to the combat emerges, growing both complex and satisfying. What’s particularly appealing is how the combat starts to mimic intricate comic book brawls as more skills become available.

The true excitement lies in the character suits, each equipped with a distinct ability and customizable through various mods to cater to diverse gaming approaches. Ranging from web blossom finishes to spider-bro drone aids, the gameplay becomes personalized by the endgame. Moreover, even side activities contribute to this advancement system – research stations, challenge tokens, and enemy lairs provide substantial rewards rather than just unnecessary clutter. Remarkably, the movement, initially astounding in the first hour, continues to enhance itself by the twentieth with features like Point Launch boosts that transform the cityscape into a playground.

5. Dying Light

From Wimp To Wall-Runner

In the game Dying Light, Aiden initially doesn’t seem particularly skilled or cool. He struggles during his initial pursuits, climbs ledges as if he’s missed leg day, and swings a pipe around clumsily, like a brawler in a rowdy bar fight. However, this is precisely the purpose. The parkour system isn’t merely present; it evolves. As players upgrade their stamina, unlock skills, and master techniques such as wall running and vault kicks, they dramatically change how they navigate rooftops and alleyways.

With grappling hooks and paragliders added, moving around becomes as instinctive as breathing. Players transition from hanging onto edges with trepidation to leaping across districts effortlessly, even in the dark when the Volatiles are active. The pleasure comes from conquering a city that initially seeks to eliminate the player at every turn. It’s not just the skill trees doing all the work—survivor rank, inhibitor collectibles, and gear rarity also contribute significantly to making the world more navigable, one rooftop at a time.

4. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Nothing Says Progress Like Being Overleveled In A Toga

In contrast to previous games in the series, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey doesn’t conceal its desire for players to engage in repetitive tasks, but instead presents this grind as the conquest of a nation, one fort at a time. The leveling system is prominently featured, with each new level of equipment bringing along additional perks, engravings, and enticing stat bonuses that can improve an assassination’s efficiency or enhance a Spartan kick with style.

Discovery fuels expansion, as every cave, island, and stronghold contains valuable insights or rewards, such as ancient carvings or boss battles that bestow legendary treasures. The mercenary system also introduces an innovative element to advancement, enabling players to ascend their own personal bounty hunter rank, reaping tangible perks from this journey. The world unfolds organically as the player progresses, both through the storyline and gameplay mechanics. Notably, by the end of the adventure, Kassandra (or Alexios) will feel like a semi-divine being, having slain cultists and leaped from statues of Zeus.

3. Elden Ring

Getting Lost Is A Skill Tree In Disguise

In Elden Ring, there isn’t a guide or map marking the path like in other games, nor a helpful waypoint directing you to exciting treasures. But this is what gives its gameplay an authentic sense of achievement. Every boss defeated, every hidden crypt discovered, and every dragon slain in some eerie marsh was probably stumbled upon by chance. This unexpectedness is a significant part of what makes leveling up feel rewarding.

In this game, stat points aren’t just simple numbers; they significantly alter the gaming experience. For instance, adding a few extra points to Dexterity opens up the possibility of wielding a new katana. Boosting Mind, on the other hand, makes Spirit Ashes persist longer instead of dying quickly. Overcoming challenges in older dungeons like Stormveil Castle gives players a clear sense of their growth, from initially struggling against dogs in Limgrave to overcoming obstacles. The unfolding map itself is part of this progression too. Riders might expect a new environment when they ride east, but instead find themselves in the nightmarish Caelid filled with decaying monsters and no easy escape route. Overcoming such challenges signifies advancement.

2. Ghost Of Tsushima

Mastery Looks Like Poetry In Combat

Initially, Jin Sakai is a samurai adhering to a code and wielding a katana. However, by the conclusion of “Ghost of Tsushima”, he transforms into a one-man force capable of obliterating an entire Mongol camp unscathed. Yet, this progression isn’t just about mechanical upgrades; it’s deeply embedded in the narrative. Jin’s transition from an honorable warrior to a strategic ghost is mirrored in every skill tree branch and armor enhancement.

In this game, players gain access to various stances to tackle distinct enemy kinds, stealth-friendly ghost weapons, and charms that subtly alter Jin’s behavior during combat. However, the most rewarding aspect might be the Ghost Legend system. As Jin gains recognition, enemies grow fearful, battles transform before they start, and even duels take on a unique twist. The island adapts to him. As shrines are discovered and foxes are tracked, the map becomes clearer, with each upgrade bringing us one step closer to either rebuilding Tsushima or destroying it in style.

1. The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Curiosity Is The Best Skill Tree

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, power isn’t distributed in the conventional manner. There’s no experience bar to level up or passive skill tree to gradually improve. Instead, progression is tied to the environment. Players become stronger as they ascend greater heights, endure longer periods, conquer more complex shrine puzzles, and grasp the subtleties of a world that gently penalizes hasty actions and encourages exploration and experimentation.

Initially, the character begins with just a worn-out hoodie and a staff, yet swiftly transitions to performing extraordinary feats like leaping through Hyrule with explosive jumps and gliding on dragons’ backs. The Great Plateau serves as a base for learning basics, but after that, everything is flexible—and this flexibility is what makes the journey so captivating. Mastering shield surfing from mountain peaks or figuring out how to utilize metal containers as improvised weapons during storms, the environment itself acts as the upgrade system. Solving mysteries without a map marker, sparked by an intriguing dilapidated ruin, offers no greater pleasure than the sense of accomplishment that comes from it.

2025-07-21 07:04