Many open-world games are massive, but exploring them isn’t always enjoyable. Sometimes they feel empty, lacking interesting things to discover, or they don’t offer engaging ways to move around. It’s a challenge for game creators to get everything just right, and some players simply want a beautifully designed world they can lose themselves in.
Games like Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, with its sailing, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which lets you explore on land, underground, and in the air, are incredibly engaging. But what makes these games so captivating, and what other titles share that quality? Let’s take a closer look, in no particular order.
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Results
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Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
Eating Good In The Caribbean
Honestly, I think Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is a fantastic sailing game, even more so than a traditional Assassin’s Creed title – and that’s totally okay with me! Ubisoft built on the sailing they started in Assassin’s Creed 3, and it really paid off. Playing as a pirate who also happened to be an assassin was a brilliant move. While the usual climbing and sneaking were solid, it was the sailing that really grabbed me. Exploring the Caribbean, finding hidden islands and coves, and getting into epic ship battles… it just felt like a true adventure. That game really captured the spirit of adventure in a way few others have.
A revamped version of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag is scheduled for release in July 2026. If you haven’t experienced the original game, it might be worth waiting for this updated version.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Paving Your Path Forward
One of the biggest improvements in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is that players have access to more ways to get around right from the beginning. The first game made you wait longer to unlock important tools for travel. Whether delivering packages in Mexico or Australia, players can choose how to navigate the challenging terrain – building bridges, using ropes to climb down cliffs, repairing roads, or driving vehicles, are just a few options. While fighting enemies is part of the game, the main focus is on the journey itself, and getting from place to place is both difficult and enjoyable.
Donkey Kong Bananza
Nothing Can Stand In Your Way
What made Donkey Kong Bananza so enjoyable was its freedom. Players weren’t limited by typical game restrictions; they could jump, climb, or simply punch through almost anything in their path. Donkey Kong’s powerful fists could destroy enemies and break through walls. The game also let players dig through mountains and dirt to find valuable materials called Banandium, which made DK even stronger and opened up new possibilities, like surfing across land and water, adding to the fun of exploration.
Bananza excels at letting players explore in all directions, both vertically and by rotating the camera, more so than most open-world games. Donkey Kong can break through almost any wall or floor, creating a unique sense of freedom. While the game world isn’t enormous, it perfectly captures the feeling of open exploration that these games should provide.
Elden Ring
A Scary Place To Explore Alone
Playing Elden Ring is amazing, but seriously, it’s also super unsettling. That’s just how these Soulslike games are – you never know what’s around the corner. I’ll be exploring, stumble into some hidden cave, find an NPC, and immediately wonder if they’re going to help me or lead me to my doom. And honestly, you can be cruising along, then BAM! A huge boss, like a dragon, just jumps out of nowhere. It keeps you on edge, which is both awesome and terrifying!
The intense experience of playing Elden Ring was both terrifying and thrilling, and that’s a big reason why fans loved it so much and are eagerly awaiting FromSoftware’s next game. Whether exploring on foot or riding a horse, the game’s rich world always had something interesting to discover.
Ghost Of Yotei
Following Animals To Treasures
As a fan, I really appreciated how Ghost of Yotei expanded on the exploration from Ghost of Tsushima. They added some really cool things to do, like challenging mountain climbs with hidden secrets, that sometimes made me almost forget about the awesome sword fighting! You could follow wolves to their dens, track down hidden hot springs by following birds, or just stumble across someone who needed help – all these little side quests felt really well-done. It was a nice change of pace from all the revenge-driven action, and honestly, the game looked so beautiful that just exploring was rewarding in itself.
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
From Air To The Catacombs Of Hyrule
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom built upon the world of Breath of the Wild by adding incredible new layers to explore. Players began their adventure on floating sky islands, which were challenging but beautiful, and discovered a vast underground area equal in size to the surface world. The game also introduced powerful new abilities, letting players create all sorts of vehicles and contraptions – from simple rafts to complex mining carts – to travel across Hyrule. It’s been amazing to see the creative ways players have used these tools, and the game still features all the beloved traversal options from the previous title, like gliding and climbing.
Minecraft
Digging With Friends
Minecraft is a game focused on exploring and building, with minimal fighting. The game starts you in a unique, randomly created world where you can dig for resources and gather materials like wood. Every world is different, though certain things, like finding caves filled with monsters when you dig too deep, are consistent. Minecraft encourages creativity and exploration, whether you play by yourself or with others.
No Man’s Sky
To Infinity And Beyond
No Man’s Sky is a vast game featuring countless, uniquely generated planets for players to discover. It begins on a single planet, and once you fix your ship, you’re free to explore the entire universe.
Unlike many games with a clear ending, this one doesn’t really have a finish line – you could theoretically play forever just trying to reach the center of the universe, and even then, there’s always more to explore. Similar to Minecraft, No Man’s Sky is the kind of game people can easily get lost in for years.
Red Dead Redemption 2
It’s A Cowboy’s Life For Me
While Red Dead Redemption 2 is known for its vast, dusty landscapes, the world is surprisingly diverse. You’ll find dense forests and murky swamps alongside the plains, encouraging exploration. Finding side missions, which involve interesting characters, isn’t easy, but they offer some of the game’s most memorable experiences – like tracking down killers or hunting ghosts. Of course, classic Western activities like robbing trains and engaging in duels are also a lot of fun.
Subnautica
Down Where It’s Wetter
Subnautica is a fantastic game for players who love exploring underwater worlds. The entire game is set in an alien ocean filled with unique plants and creatures to discover. It’s a thrilling experience, as some of those creatures are dangerous! Players collect resources and build equipment to dive deeper and explore more, and expansions have even added land areas to discover. However, the ocean remains the game’s most impressive feature – it’s one of the best underwater environments ever created in a video game.
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2026-05-15 03:06