Open-World Games That Aged Badly

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Summary

  • Modern open-world games are constantly evolving, causing prominent titles to age poorly in terms of scope, mechanics, and graphics.
  • Games like Grand Theft Auto 3, Far Cry, and Dead Rising have not aged particularly well.
  • Despite being groundbreaking in their time, games like Body Harvest or Saints Row can feel clunky, lack content, and feature outdated graphics and mechanics.

As a huge fan, I’ve noticed how much open-world video games have changed! They’re so different from what we were playing even just ten or twenty years ago. It’s amazing how the genre is always shifting and getting better, and honestly, that’s a big part of what makes these games so fun and keeps me hooked!

However, this quick development also means that some once-beloved and highly-regarded titles havenā€™t held up well over time – their scope, stories, gameplay, and visuals now feel dated. Here are some of the best examples of this. Of course, just because these games show their age doesnā€™t mean theyā€™re not enjoyable today; it simply means players should know what to expect before trying them out.

Body Harvest

The Predecessor To The 3D Grand Theft Auto Games

Before creating the 3D version of Grand Theft Auto (GTA 3), DMA Design – later known as Rockstar North – developed an exclusive Nintendo 64 game called Body Harvest. It received a lot of positive attention as one of the earliest 3D open-world games available.

The idea of searching for and chasing aliens across a large, vehicle-explorable map was considered innovative and forward-thinking, and it influenced the direction of the Grand Theft Auto series in later years. However, as an early example of this type of game, Body Harvest hasn’t held up well over time compared to more recent titles. Its limited viewing distance, clunky third-person combat (whether on foot or in vehicles), and outdated graphics all contribute to this.

Grand Theft Auto 3

The Very First 3D GTA Game Canā€™t Even Compare To Its Sequels

Following Body Harvest, DMA Design achieved massive popularity with Grand Theft Auto 3, a groundbreaking open-world game that allowed players complete freedom to explore. It rapidly became both a critical and commercial hit, and it really brought this new style of gameplay to the forefront of the gaming world.

GTA 3 was a groundbreaking video game and hugely influential, but looking at it today, it hasn’t held up very well, particularly when you compare it to games like Vice City and San Andreas. While the game world was impressive when it first came out, it doesnā€™t feel as large now, and there isn’t a lot to do beyond following the main storyline. The way you control vehicles and shoot feels awkward and outdated, and the main character, Claude, isnā€™t very engaging or interesting.

Far Cry

Can Barely Be Considered An Open-World Game By Modern Standards

Today, Ubisoft’s Far Cry games are famous for their large, open environments packed with dangerous enemies and wild situations. However, many players primarily discuss the third game in the series and all the ones that followed. While the original Far Cry released in 2004 is a good game, it hasn’t held up very well over time.

Far Cry started with a really interesting idea, looked great when it came out, and had good shooting gameplay. However, the way you explore and the open world itself arenā€™t as good as what came later in the series. It lets you roam around freely as a first-person shooter, but it still feels limited. The map feels less like a vast, open world and more like a larger, more open-ended version of a standard FPS level.

Saints Row

It Was Once Seen As Just Another GTA Clone

The increasing success of the GTA series in the early to mid-2000s heavily influenced the development of numerous comparable open-world games centered around gangsters and criminal activity, with 2006ā€™s Saints Row being a well-known instance. Much like GTA 3 and Far Cry, itā€™s not a *poor* game, but it doesnā€™t quite measure up to its later, better installments.

The first Saints Row game was a really enjoyable open-world title, featuring likable characters and stories that kept fans entertained while they anticipated GTA 4. However, it occasionally felt a bit formulaic, and looking back, character customization options were limited, and some of the gameplay felt awkward and old-fashioned. Thankfully, the follow-up, Saints Row 2, was a significant improvement and established the series as a key player in the open-world genre.

The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Dark And Hyper-Realistic Graphics Donā€™t Always Age Well

Although older 3D Legend of Zelda games might not look as amazing today, many of them – including Ocarina of Time, Majoraā€™s Mask, and The Wind Waker – are still surprisingly enjoyable. However, by the mid-2000s, the seriesā€™ formula for open-world action-adventure games was starting to feel repetitive, and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is a clear (and somewhat odd) example of this – it actually feels more dated than the games that came before it.

Itā€™s clear that Twilight Princess is a fantastic action-adventure game, boasting a compelling story, memorable characters, well-crafted dungeons, and thrilling boss battles. However, its open-world aspect isnā€™t as strong. The game world feels larger but also more empty compared to earlier installments, and traveling across it can sometimes feel tedious. Surprisingly, there isnā€™t much to discover while exploring. Furthermore, Twilight Princess moved away from the vibrant, cartoon-like art style of The Wind Waker, opting for a darker, more realistic look. While visually impressive when it was first released, this choice hasn’t held up as well over time.

Dead Rising

An Outdated Zombie Game With A Lot Of Interactive Elements

The fact that Dead Rising features a zombie outbreak immediately dates the game, considering zombie titles aren’t as widely played now as they were in the mid-2000s and early 2010s. But what really makes it stand out-and remains fun even now-is its unique core idea.

I remember playing Dead Rising, and what really stood out was the mall setting – it was huge, and you could interact with *everything*. Seriously, you could pick up almost any object and use it to defend yourself or take down zombies. Even now, that level of interactivity is awesome. But honestly, pretty much everything else hasn’t held up. The controls are super awkward, both for fighting and just moving around. The enemy AI, especially the bosses, can be really unfair at times. And that time limit in the main game? It really hinders what could have been truly open-world gameplay.

The Witcher

The Start Of A Legendary Game Franchise

These days, almost everyone is familiar with and loves the Witcher franchise. However, most players have only experienced the highly praised third game, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and the first two installments have largely been overlooked. When it comes to the original, simply called The Witcher, this is often because it doesn’t feel as modern as newer games.

Released in 2007, CD Projekt Redā€™s take on Andrzej Sapkowskiā€™s stories received a lot of positive feedback for how it looked and felt like a movie, its captivating world, and its thoughtful combat. However, when you play it today alongside other open-world RPGs (and especially compared to the later Witcher games), it clearly shows its age. Even with its sometimes slow and clunky action, awkward camera angles, repeated character designs, dated graphics, and complicated menus and HUD, it remains a significant game. It laid the groundwork for the amazing sequels and helped establish CD Projekt Red as a major developer.

Assassin’s Creed

Established A Unique Gameplay Formula That Was Improved In Its Sequels

Like many games on this list, the original Assassin’s Creed was once highly praised but has since been outdone by its sequels, which refined the open-world experience. When it first came out, it was a unique and captivating game. The idea of traveling back in time to experience history firsthand was innovative, the gameā€™s atmosphere was immersive, and the combination of stealth and action-based combat was enjoyable.

Even so, the original Assassin’s Creed doesn’t hold up well today. The gameplay becomes very repetitive, the climbing is clunky and hard to master, the parts with Desmond in the present day are uninteresting and break the experience, and Altair isnā€™t a particularly engaging character. Luckily, Assassin’s Creed 2 and the games that followed addressed almost all of these problems, though this first game still has a certain unique appeal.

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2025-10-01 01:58