Open-World Games With The Best Jungle Exploration

Open-world games let you explore vast and diverse worlds, and many feature lush or dangerous jungles. These jungle settings, whether on Earth or another planet, are almost always exciting and immersive.

Jungle games that let you freely explore usually involve a mix of discovering new areas, taking action, and staying alive. The most enjoyable ones often emphasize exploration. If you’re looking for a jungle adventure and aren’t sure which game to choose, here are a few suggestions. Most of these games focus on survival elements, but we’ve also included some options for players who’d rather skip worrying about health or collecting resources.

7. ARK: Survival Ascended

A Challenging Survival Experience

As a huge fan of ARK, I’m so excited about ARK: Survival Ascended! It’s basically a complete rebuild of ARK: Survival Evolved using the amazing Unreal Engine 5. If you’ve played the original, you know it’s full of dinosaurs and other creatures that will happily make you their lunch if you’re not careful. But it’s not just the creatures you need to worry about! The world itself is really dangerous – think incredibly dense, deadly jungles where you never know what’s lurking around the next tree. It’s a truly wild and unpredictable experience.

While T. rexes are scary, the smaller, quicker predators like Raptors are actually more dangerous when you’re up in the trees, especially since they often hunt together. The game’s AI can be unpredictable, so expect some strange and sometimes frightening surprises!

Both ARK: Survival Ascended and the original ARK: Survival Evolved feature a variety of maps, and several of these include jungle environments. The Island map is a well-known example of this.

6. The Isle

Hunt, Grow, Dominate, And Survive The Merciless Jungle

The Isle offers a unique take on the survival game genre. Instead of playing as a human, you’ll experience life as a dinosaur, facing challenges like finding food, building a nest, and avoiding predators. The goal is to grow into a dominant force in your territory by surviving to adulthood.

This game is challenging and requires constant focus, as mistakes can force you to restart. If you prefer a more casual experience, a Sandbox mode lets you freely explore the island as a fully grown dinosaur without much danger.

5. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Stunning Alien Forests

While technically the environments in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora are forests, not jungles, the distinction isn’t important. The game features incredibly beautiful landscapes, and its three main regions – Kinglor Forest and Clouded Forest among them – are all unique and visually impressive, easily ranking it among the most stunning jungle/forest worlds in gaming.

The forests in the game feel familiar, yet still stand out with their unusual plants, ecosystems, and vibrant colors. Gameplay is similar to other Ubisoft open-world shooters like Far Cry, but Frontiers of Pandora lets you feel incredibly powerful as you play a character who is much larger and stronger than a human.

4. Gray Zone Warfare

Experience The Ultimate Guerrilla Jungle Warfare

Gray Zone Warfare is a thrilling war simulator and extraction shooter, even though it’s still in development. It’s a really tough game, especially because you’re dropped into a massive, open-world island covered in a dense and dangerous jungle. You’ll face off against deadly guerrilla fighters and other players who are all looking for a fight.

Gray Zone Warfare offers a remarkably realistic and challenging war experience, with tough enemies and survival mechanics that truly make you feel the danger. It’s perfect for players who want a gritty, high-stakes game where even simple things like staying hydrated or stopping bleeding can be a struggle. However, keep in mind that it’s still in development, so it’s a bit unpolished and has some ways to go before it’s fully finished. We recommend it only to players who don’t mind early access experiences.

3. Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey

Unlock Evolution

All games take some getting used to, but Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey is particularly challenging. It’s an evolution game where you begin as a fragile, early human constantly facing danger in a prehistoric jungle. The first few hours involve learning the ropes and simply trying to survive, and the game’s difficulty can be discouraging for new players.

As players learn the ropes and start developing their abilities and clan, Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey becomes surprisingly captivating. It’s a unique experience, and there aren’t many open-world or survival games quite like it.

2. Far Cry 3

Trapped In A Jungle Archipelago Filled With Wild Animals And Pirates

As a huge fan, I think Far Cry 3 is easily one of the greatest action FPS games ever made, particularly when it comes to jungle settings. Once you’re dropped into the game, you’re really fighting for survival in this dangerous island chain, and you’ll need to use everything you’ve got. It’s all because of the pirates, and especially their leader, Vaas Montenegro – seriously, he’s an amazing villain!

I’m so excited about this jungle setting, but honestly, it sounds terrifying! It’s not just about battling other players’ AI – you’ve got to watch out for everything. Seriously, snakes, boars, hyenas, wild dogs… even tigers are going to be hunting you! And it’s not even safe to swim or hang out on the beach, because bull sharks, crocodiles, and komodo dragons are all waiting to attack. Talk about a dangerous place!

1. Green Hell

Surviving The Jungle Was Never So Dangerous

Green Hell is a challenging jungle survival game known for its incredibly realistic details. Players take on the role of an anthropologist lost in the Amazon rainforest, searching for his wife and fighting to stay alive. Even minor injuries can be deadly, making survival a constant struggle.

For fans of survival games, this title will test your skills in finding safe food, purifying water, crafting basic weapons, and staying safe from both dangerous wildlife and hostile inhabitants. It’s a great fit for those who like exploring large, open worlds with intricate gameplay.

While The Forest and Sons of the Forest are good games, I didn’t include them in my list because their titles already give away the forest setting.

Special Mention: Shadow Of The Tomb Raider (Semi-Open-World)

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is perfect for gamers who enjoy sneaking around, fighting in jungle environments, and exploring large, open worlds. The game really focuses on using the jungle itself to scare and defeat enemies, transforming Lara Croft into a skilled and stealthy fighter.

This game offers a thrilling jungle warfare experience, letting you set traps, ambush opponents, and use inventive gadgets like poison arrows and smoke bombs. It’s a great choice for players who enjoy stealth and action.

Special Mention: Crysis 3 (Sandbox Levels, Not Fully Open-World)

Okay, so Crysis 3 is seriously the ultimate jungle warfare experience. You’re basically a hunter, using the environment – a totally overgrown and wrecked New York City – to take down the CELL enemies. The CryEngine makes it look amazing; it’s like a post-apocalyptic jungle has completely taken over the city. It’s a beautiful, but dangerous, place to fight!

Players take on the role of Prophet, a skilled infiltrator and leader of the Raptor team, utilizing the advanced abilities of his Nanosuit. Armed with powerful, futuristic weapons – including the formidable Predator Bow – players can strategically eliminate enemies while blending into the environment, whether it’s dense foliage or the ruins of a fallen world.

2026-01-28 18:06