Most Harrowing Open-World Games

by

Summary

  • Open-world games like Pathologic 2 and Kenshi offer harrowing experiences without hand-holding.
  • Player deaths in these games lead to permanent debuffs, pushing them to learn and adapt quickly.
  • Survive hostile environments in games like Sons of the Forest and Subnautica with challenging gameplay.

Most open-world games are simple for players to start, as many titles in this genre prioritize being welcoming. However, not every game in the genre feels this way.

Many developers aim to both frighten and challenge players, resulting in incredibly intense open-world games that can be difficult to start. Once players become familiar with the gameplay, these games become a little less intimidating, but the feeling of tension will likely linger for quite some time.

Pathologic 2

Death Can Arrive At A Moment’s Notice And Lead To Permanent Debuffs

Pathologic 2 is a truly captivating open-world game. It places players in a distinctive setting where they must find a way to fight a deadly plague that’s destroying a small town. However, the game’s challenging survival mechanics and difficult combat can make it a very stressful experience for players.

Players can die quickly, but they’ll do everything they can to prevent it. Dying results in lasting debuffs that significantly hinder progress. Accumulate enough deaths, and players will find themselves burdened with so many penalties that they might even sacrifice reaching an ending just to eliminate these negative effects. It’s a serious drawback.

Kenshi

A Savage World Where Players Are Unceremoniously Dropped Into With No Guidance

Unlike many other open-world games, Kenshi doesn’t guide players with goals or quests. Instead, players build a character, select a starting history, and begin their journey in a randomly chosen area of the game world, determined by their chosen background.

The challenging world of Kenshi quickly teaches players that constantly improving combat skills and venturing out with allies are essential to avoid frequent, frustrating defeats. Even once you understand the fundamentals, Kenshi remains difficult, as you struggle to avoid being captured by slavers or becoming prey for monsters.

The Matchless Kungfu

The Open-World Sandbox Is Harrowing And Ruthless For Newcomers

Similar to Kenshi, The Matchless Kungfu lets you create your own story rather than follow a set storyline. The game world is also special because you can actually add blocks to the map, shaping it as you advance and progress through the game.

The intricate, turn-based battles and unusual reincarnation mechanic might take players some time to understand. But once they do, advancing in this open-world game – which is inspired by wuxia – is incredibly fun, even though it remains challenging throughout.

Caves Of Qud

Players Will Die Over And Over Again Before They Finally Get A Hang Of Things

If you enjoy traditional ASCII roguelikes such as NetHack, you’ll likely appreciate what Caves of Qud offers. Initially, it doesn’t really matter whether players choose to be a True Kin or a Mutant-they’re almost certain to fail until they learn the ropes.

Every time a player character dies, it’s a chance to learn and overcome the game’s initial challenges. After getting past this learning curve, players can truly enjoy Caves of Qud. However, the game stays consistently difficult, and the tension really ramps up towards the end. Players will need a well-planned character build to avoid being instantly defeated by powerful enemies.

STALKER: Clear Sky

The Hardest Game In This Infamously Challenging Survival Horror Series

The S.T.A.L.K.E.R.series is known for its challenging open-world survival horror gameplay, and Clear Sky is often considered the most difficult installment. This reputation largely comes from a brutally hard beginning; many players give up before the game truly begins and the world fully opens up.

After overcoming an initial challenge, the game truly feels like a classic STALKER title, offering gripping gunfights and strange anomalies to find. The game is deliberately difficult, which heightens the tension as players try to survive combat with minimal damage.

Sons Of The Forest

The Cannibals In This Game Are A Nightmare To Deal With

Sons of the Forest is a fantastic follow-up, building on nearly every aspect of the original game. The struggle to survive in a forest teeming with dangerous cannibals is truly intense, particularly for those brave enough to face the challenge on their own.

Just one small error can quickly result in players being overwhelmed by cannibals. This feeling of intense fear, as players desperately try to avoid mistakes, makes Sons of the Forest one of the most terrifying open-world games ever created.

Elden Ring

The Enemies In This Game Are Relentless And Punish The Smallest Mistakes

Some longtime fans of FromSoftware consider Elden Ring to be their most accessible game yet. But players new to the way FromSoftware designs its games may still struggle to learn the ropes of this expansive open-world action RPG.

Players, known as the Tarnished, need to journey across the world and become more powerful before they can overcome the challenging obstacles ahead. The game’s epic boss battles are incredibly demanding, often leaving players frustrated – they might struggle to find the motivation to grind for levels elsewhere when they’ve just been defeated by a particularly tough boss after many attempts. It’s a cycle of challenge and near-victory!

Subnautica

The Thalassophobia Is Enough To Make Things Ultra-Harrowing For Players

Subnautica is a top-notch open-world survival game, though it’s definitely challenging. While it can be quite calming at times, exploring a mysterious ocean and facing the frightening creatures within is much harder than it sounds.

For a long time, players with thalassophobia (fear of the sea) have avoided this game. However, those who didn’t know they were afraid of the ocean’s depths will likely change their minds after repeatedly being surprised by huge, frightening creatures. This game will give them a new appreciation for their fear!

Read More

2025-09-30 03:00