Open-World Games That Invite You To Stay Forever

Open-world games are known for having a lot to discover, and some create such immersive stories and worlds that players lose themselves in them for hours. These games are designed to support long playtimes without rushing the main story. Many even include extra content after the story ends, like new challenges or the ability to start over with your progress, offering virtually limitless enjoyment within a single game world.

These games really let you lose yourself in the adventure! Instead of rushing you to finish, they reward you for exploring and staying immersed. We’ve put together a list of five fantastic open-world games – spanning genres like RPG, adventure, and survival – that you might just get lost in. Prepare to be captivated!

1. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt (& DLCs)

An Enormous Game, That Has Yet Another Story To Tell

The world of The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is huge, similar in scope to games like Skyrim and Red Dead Redemption 2. The game’s expansions add even more to explore, particularly Blood & Wine, which introduces the beautiful new region of Toussaint. While often overlooked, The Witcher 3 is incredibly immersive. This is thanks to its rich story, tons of side quests and random encounters, and, of course, the addictive card game, Gwent.

The announcement of a new expansion, taking players to the distant land of Zerrikania – the homeland of the character Borch Three Jackdaws from the original book series – really highlights how much this game’s world continues to grow. Even now, the game offers hundreds of hours of fun and monster hunting, especially if you use mods. Just be warned – it’s incredibly addictive!

2. Valheim

Never Cease To Amaze Players Who Lose Themselves In Its World

Valheim has a special quality that’s hard to ignore. Its huge worlds are created using a system that generates them randomly, and players can even create new worlds whenever they want, adding to the game’s replayability. Each world is filled with massive landscapes and diverse environments, making every journey feel like a fresh experience. While the game encourages you to defeat a boss in each area, you’re not forced to rush. In fact, Valheim invites you to take your time and explore at your own pace.

Players can easily spend many hours traveling between each boss fight, and that’s perfectly normal. Valheim extends the gameplay by carefully distributing resources across different areas, particularly in the Meadows and Swamp. The game encourages exploration and base-building – whether starting from scratch or renovating existing structures – all designed to keep players engaged as they explore, survive, and build a life in the world.

3. Red Dead Redemption 2

A Beyond And After This Game, There’s No Point In Denying It

A truly memorable journey is all about discovering new things, and Red Dead Redemption 2 constantly delivers on that promise. Everywhere you go in the game, there’s something new to experience, whether it’s the stunning landscapes, detailed environments, unexpected events, realistic wildlife, or the sheer number of things to do. Many consider RDR2 to be the best game in the series, and even those who don’t love it acknowledge how beautiful it is – it’s a world you could easily get lost in forever.

It’s easy to get sidetracked and lose focus on the main story, especially if you’re trying to unlock everything in the game. Getting all the collectibles, like the Legend of the East outfit, can be tough, and often requires finishing the story first. Because the main story and the epilogue are separate but connected, many players hesitate to play the final mission, “Our Best Selves,” and say goodbye to Arthur. Luckily, there’s no need to rush – you can take your time and enjoy the game at your own pace. The payoff is experiencing everything this incredible world has to offer before finishing what is considered one of the best games in two decades.

4. Subnautica

There’s No End For This Game (If You Want It That Way)

Subnautica is a top-tier underwater exploration game that’s both captivating and challenging. It will really put your courage and patience to the test, especially if you’re afraid of the ocean! If you’re searching for a game that truly grabs your attention and doesn’t let go, look no further – Subnautica is hard to beat. You’ll spend hours diving, discovering new creatures (some of which are dangerous), improving your equipment, and simply trying to survive in this alien underwater world. But beyond all that, you’ll also have to make a big decision: will you find a way to escape, or try to make a life for yourself there?

While escaping the alien planet seems like the obvious goal, players are encouraged to continue exploring and discovering the wonders of this beautiful world – even if it means facing dangerous creatures like the Leviathan. In Subnautica, the more you uncover, the harder it becomes to leave.

5. The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

This World Goes Beyond Open-World

Nintendo truly showcased the potential of the Zelda series with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as an open-world adventure. The game isn’t just massive with lots to do; it also features some of the toughest optional challenges in any Zelda title. In fact, about a third of Breath of the Wild players haven’t beaten all the game’s sub-bosses, and even fewer have completed all 76 side quests.

Breath of the Wild is incredibly addictive, keeping players engaged for hours on end. Without Tears of the Kingdom to follow it, it likely would have been one of the Zelda games with the lowest completion rates. The game’s world is beautifully designed and endlessly explorable, which is why it’s considered one of the best Zelda titles of all time.

2026-01-22 20:07