Open-World Games With Optional Progress

Many popular open-world games now focus heavily on making progress. They often give you urgent main quests, like saving the world, which can make it feel like you shouldn’t be exploring optional side content. A great example of this is Fallout 4. The game’s story revolves around finding your kidnapped child, a very personal and pressing matter, so it seems strange to pause and do anything else. However, the most enjoyable parts of Fallout 4 are actually found in those very side quests.

If you’re tired of open-world games that feel like a constant grind – always pushing you to level up and complete tasks – you might appreciate these relaxing alternatives. They still offer vast worlds to explore, but with no pressure to achieve anything. The main goal is simply to wander, discover, and enjoy the scenery. While some may include optional quests, you won’t be penalized for ignoring them. Here are some of the best open-world games for a chill, laid-back experience.

Honorable Mention – The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

I know Skyrim gets recommended a lot, but it’s truly a special game. What makes it stand out is the sheer amount of extra content available – you don’t even need to focus on the main story or being a hero to have a great experience.

With the Hearthfire expansion, you can build and customize your own home in Skyrim. Beyond that, the game offers a variety of skills to master, like fishing, hunting, cooking, blacksmithing, and alchemy. You can even get married and purchase a pre-built house if you’d prefer. But honestly, a big part of the fun is simply exploring the beautiful world. While the game focuses on the role of the Dragonborn, I think it’s really about the freedom to live a life within that world, and that’s why I wanted to mention it.

A Short Hike

It’s About The Journey, Not The End

Let’s start with A Short Hike, a wonderfully relaxing game. One of the first things you’ll notice is its beautiful art style – warm colors and charming pixel art. The goal is to reach the top of a mountain, but the real fun is in the journey. Don’t rush! Take your time to explore, wander off the beaten path, and you’ll discover interesting characters and hidden secrets. That’s what makes this game so special – it’s all about enjoying the experience.

There’s no single way to reach your goal, and you can take as much time as you need. Rushing will cause you to miss out on the fun! Feel free to pause your journey and explore – you can even go fishing or swimming whenever you like. If you enjoy games like Animal Crossing (and I do!), you’ll likely love the charming style of A Short Hike and the friendly animal characters you’ll meet along the way.

Eastshade

A Low-Pressure Quest-Driven Experience

Many games like this don’t feel as much like a traditional RPG as Eastshade does, but I still wanted to recommend it. It’s a relaxing and charming game that focuses on enjoying the world and exploring, rather than intense action or saving the day. You play as a painter, and completing quests simply opens up new areas to explore and new tools to help you on your journey. There’s no pressure or urgent threat – it’s all about taking your time and enjoying the atmosphere.

While the game does give you things to do and places to explore, Eastshade is really about slowing down and enjoying the world around you. You’re encouraged to take your time – whether it’s finding the perfect spot to paint, going fishing, or even just making a cup of tea. It’s a relaxed take on the role-playing game, so if you want a game with some goals but without a lot of pressure to rush ahead, I think Eastshade is definitely worth checking out.

Slime Rancher 2

A Simple Life Of Growing Cute Slimes

The highly anticipated follow-up to Slime Rancher, released in fall 2025, offers more of the charming slime-collecting gameplay fans loved, though some players have noted it requires a bit more effort. Despite this, it remains a delightful and stress-free farming game set in a vibrant open world filled with slimes of every color and shape. With its adorable designs, Slime Rancher 2 is perfect for anyone looking for a cute, relaxing, and low-pressure gaming experience.

Similar to many open-world survival games, you can play at your own speed. There’s not much pressure to achieve specific goals, and unlocking new technology simply makes things easier – it’s entirely up to you how much effort you put in. You can focus on exploring and caring for your cute slimes, or really dive into optimizing everything for maximum efficiency. The game doesn’t push you in any direction, making it a perfect choice when you just want to relax and play without the pressure of a big, important quest.

No Man’s Sky

Story? Quests? You Choose Your Path In The Universe

No Man’s Sky has a bit of story and some optional quests, but you’re never forced to do anything specific. It’s most similar to Minecraft, but set in space – though it’s a little more complex, with a stronger focus on technology and surviving in a sci-fi environment. Ultimately, it’s a sandbox game where you’re free to do almost anything you want, especially in the standard game mode, which is what we’ll be focusing on. You start on a planet and, after a quick introduction, it’s up to you to explore and decide what to do next.

When I first start a new game, I usually just plop down a base right where I land, but honestly, you can also hop in your ship and head to a totally different planet if you want. This game has come so far since it launched – the devs really stuck with it and kept adding tons of stuff. Now there’s so much to do! You can scavenge derelict ships, raid stuff, trade with other players, or even just jump into a friend’s game to hang out. It’s not a game you need to rush through, though. It’s all about soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the ride, you know?

Minecraft

Getting To The End And Killing The Dragon Is Optional At Best

Games like Minecraft perfectly illustrate that progress isn’t always necessary. In fact, you decide what progress means. You might be perfectly happy spending your time simply farming and living a peaceful life in a humble home, enjoying the scenery. The main goal, in the standard survival mode, is just to stay alive – keep yourself fed and avoid death. Even if you fail, it’s not a permanent setback; you can always start a new game.

Minecraft is a game where you can spend your time however you like – building, collecting resources, or even just enjoying time with a pet. While there are ‘endgame’ goals like defeating the Ender Dragon or getting special items, they aren’t required to enjoy the game. You can always switch to creative mode and fly around if you get bored! It’s a truly open sandbox – you make your own rules and set your own goals, but only if you want to.

2026-01-13 20:09