Greatest Open-World Games That Are All About The Journey

Our society often emphasizes results and accomplishments, and many games reflect this. Typically, you need to win to advance, unlock the story, or earn rewards. This focus on winning can sometimes overshadow everything else in the game, making the journey itself less important.

But some games actively encourage players to slow down and enjoy the experience. They either penalize rushing, or they captivate you with expansive worlds, engaging side quests, or the freedom to create your own story. Here are some games that will make you value the journey as much as, or even more than, reaching the end.

Subnautica

Getting Off The Planet Is Secondary With A Whole Ocean To Explore

It’s understandable to immediately try and escape after crash-landing on the water planet in Subnautica. But focusing only on escape means missing out on the game’s incredible depth – and we mean that in both senses of the word! It’s a truly immersive open-world survival experience.

It’s really tempting to spend all your time building amazing underwater bases and improving your equipment in Subnautica – sometimes, actually trying to escape feels less important. Even without that goal, exploring is thrilling, especially when you discover new and frightening creatures. If you’re afraid of the ocean, though, be warned: diving into the deepest parts of this game will be a truly terrifying experience.

Elden Ring

Only A Few Bosses Are Necessary, But Why Not Slay Them All?

Like many games, including its expansion Shadow of the Erdtree, Elden Ring can be finished quickly or take a very long time. Players can beat the main bosses rapidly, but doing so means skipping many optional areas, bosses, and valuable items.

This game rewards exploration and curiosity – you’ll want to carefully check every area to uncover its secrets. The game doesn’t have a traditional quest list, so it’s best played at a relaxed pace to fully appreciate its hidden and unusual backstory. If you rush, you might miss important characters and discover they’ve moved to new locations.

No Man’s Sky

Artemis Path? More Like Your Path

No Man’s Sky offers a huge galaxy to explore, and it’s easy to lose yourself in its vastness. While there is a storyline and quests, like the Artemis Path, they aren’t the most memorable parts of the experience. The real appeal lies in the freedom to explore and discover on your own.

Honestly, this game is all about you and what you want to do. I can build up a massive space base, tweak my ship to be a beast, and explore tons of different planets and weird creatures. Or, if I’m feeling a little mischievous, I can just become a space pirate and raid everything! The cool thing is, there’s no real finish line. It’s all about my adventure and how I want to leave my mark on the galaxy.

Death Stranding

Slow And Steady Wins The Delivery Race

With Death Stranding, taking your time is key. The game is designed to be played deliberately, encouraging players to carefully plan their journeys and appreciate the beautiful landscapes as they explore.

The game has a compelling story, but much of the gameplay revolves around carefully transporting goods through a dangerous wilderness. It emphasizes the importance of taking your time and enjoying the process, rather than rushing to the end. Speed and carelessness will damage your cargo, so a steady hand is key.

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Plot Isn’t The Main Event, Hyrule Is

Breath of the Wild is a highly acclaimed game known for its incredible open world and sense of adventure. Players often find themselves more captivated by exploring the environment than following the main story. A key part of its appeal is how you can get around – you can walk, ride a horse, climb almost anything, or even glide through the air!

You have complete freedom to explore the world whenever you want, without any forced paths or order. Feel free to tackle side quests, approach puzzles in your own way, and discover hidden secrets in every town, tower, and encounter. It’s easy to get lost in exploration and even forget there’s a main story to follow!

Sable

A Desolate And Beautiful Journey

Sable is a delightful indie game with a distinctive art style. You play as Sable, embarking on a journey called the Gliding. The game features a beautiful, vast desert landscape filled with stunning views and intriguing places to discover, encouraging players to explore.

Okay, so I was biking across this desert in the game, and suddenly this amazing thing appeared in the distance. That’s what this game is all about – that feeling of pure discovery, like when you were a kid. Honestly, if you rush through it, you’re going to miss out. And it’s not a one-and-done kind of thing either. The story splits into different paths, and the puzzles are so good, they make you want to jump right back in and play again.

The Long Dark

Make Your Mark In An Unforgivable World

The Long Dark offers two main ways to play: a story-driven campaign released in episodes, and a free-form sandbox survival mode. While the story isn’t particularly groundbreaking, it does provide some interesting background information and world-building details as you progress.

The core of the game lies in its free-form survival mode. You’ll focus on managing everything you need – from food and energy to equipment – in a vast and dangerous world. Because death is permanent, every choice you make matters. You can hunt, fish, and explore numerous side activities, and the game lets you customize almost everything. For dedicated survival game enthusiasts, it offers incredibly engaging and difficult challenges. Ultimately, it’s more satisfying to simply live your own adventure than to follow the main story.

Minecraft

Beating The Ender Dragon Is Only The Start

While it’s true that Minecraft is an open-ended game with no strict limits, defeating the Ender Dragon does trigger the game’s credits, essentially marking a conclusion. Although skilled players can reach and defeat the dragon very quickly, the true spirit of Minecraft isn’t about speedrunning – it’s about the journey and endless possibilities.

This game is at its best when you take your time and create your own adventure. You don’t need to rush to beat the game; instead, enjoy discovering all the different landscapes and new places added over time, like Ancient Cities and Trial Chambers. Many players feel that defeating the dragon and earning the ability to fly is just the start, as flying makes building and exploring so much easier and more fun.

Kenshi

Your Unique Journey Is Kenshi’s Greatest Offering

Kenshi doesn’t follow a traditional storyline, and that’s one of its greatest strengths. It’s a game focused entirely on the experience of playing. Be prepared for a challenging journey – you’ll face hardship after hardship. This isn’t a game about becoming a powerful hero; instead, Kenshi will test your resilience, resourcefulness, and strategic thinking.

Kenshi offers incredible freedom – you can be anything from a thief to a farmer, and the game responds to your choices in a realistic way. Be warned, though: if you’re not careful, you could end up enslaved, killed, or even eaten! But if you survive, you’ll likely look back on your chaotic journey through Kenshi with a lot of satisfaction. It’s a truly unique and open-ended experience, like the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure.

Outer Wilds

Don’t Look Up The Solution, But Slowly Figure It Out

In the game Outer Wilds, players are caught in a mysterious time loop and must uncover the reason behind it. Piloting a spaceship, they explore a solar system filled with unique planets and hidden secrets, all in an attempt to understand what’s really going on.

Look, I get it – you can beat this game super fast if you just look up the answers. But trust me, that’s not the way to go. This is one of those games where the fun is in figuring things out yourself. It’s all about that feeling of slowly putting the puzzle together, even if it means messing up a lot and having to start over again and again. Honestly, dying and retrying is part of what makes it so good!

2025-12-11 08:35