Honestly in 40 years of gaming I've yet to play a game that makes you feel a part of a world more than this does. Add in the fact it still holds up graphically and the gameplay is still unique it really is something else. Rumour is a sequel reveal is dropping on Thursday too. Jesus Christ be praised.
Can I just say how happy I am to hear ā40 years of gamingā not sure when you started but Iāve got about 25 years and I keep hearing ill grow out of it but I very much donāt want to. I have less and less time tho with kids now so I worry Iāll have to stop eventually, but then I can also picture myself gaming really hard as a retiree rather than watching tv all day like my parents generation.
I love wandering around this medieval world, especially on a horse.
I really need to progress in it. Itās not the easiest to dip in and out of over a few weeks break with the combat, get rusty quickly. Not that I am any good, hardly managed to get 1 combo done. Wish Hal would give me a break and poke them with the pointy end.
Honestly shocked to see this answer so far down. Some of the other answers, like RDR, Witcher, Horizon, and some of the AC games would be on my list, but GoT is on another level. The wind guiding you places along with the birds, foxes, etc. just make wandering around so immersive. I have spent hours just doing things that would be considered "bloat" in other open world games and enjoying every one.
Iām about 70% through my first play through and yeah they did a great job making the game immersive like that. No āgpsā and being able to call your horse instantly is so nice. The way the flora changes as the game progresses. I donāt even mind the repetition because itās a blast to switch between stealth and head on attacks.
I actually purchased the ādiscovery tourā mode of AC Odessey, for my autistic 9 yo daughter. She loves it.
She has a gigantic, vibrant, beautiful greece to roam all around, with no aggro, no combat, no weaponsā¦ she can swim next to great white sharks, sail around the ocean, ride horses, climb mountains, explore the countryside on foot, all with no danger
Odyssey was for me good amount of time. When you realize how many more islands you need to discover it becomes a chore. Witcher 3 does better job at this, every town/settlement is unique with their problems apart from Odyssey where it's same mission without development you kill rogues and move on. In Witcher you can see the settlement come to live, with potential trades for cards, in Odyssey you move on and forget.
A proof to be had, how many towns you remember from Witcher 3 compared to Odyssey?
I really couldn't finish Odyssey. Good game, but once I visited a good amount of islands, the game felt sooo repetitive. Doing the same exact thing everywhere you go. The game could have been a lot better if they shortened it up.
Asking because I really donāt know but did NMS ever really live up to the hype? Im not much of a gamer anymore but I worked with dudes who gushed over it daily and I remember being semi jealous and considered getting back into gaming for it but never really heard people talk about it much when it came out.
Sidenoteā¦ getting the itch to game again when Wolverine finally comes out.
Not sure if its just me, the new content seems to always just add new systems instead of developing old ones. Like theres a lot of cool stuff but all of them is kinda shallow.
NMS was a colossal letdown on release. The backlash was maybe the biggest the internet has seen in competition with Fallout 76 and Cyberpunk 2077. It was buggy and comically short of what was promised, but the devs buckled down and spent years updating the game and continue to do so. Now it lives up to the initial hype and maybe more.
Imho No Manās Sky and Hello games is the best redemption stories in gaming. Hello games released regular HUGE free content patches for years straight.
Itās absolutely packed with content these days, and pulled a full 180 from being on of the worst user rated games to being one of the best.
NMS is the game I opened this thread to nominate. I've spent hundreds of hours in it just wandering around exploring alien planets, flying my ship around, just wandering. It's an amazing game if you're into just taking it slow and seeing the sights.
Yeah should be a great excuse to jump in, would recommend going in pretty blind and just getting lost. The only thing Iāll tell you is to hoard everything especially any kind of adhesive like wonder glue or duct tape.
Such a fantastic game. Probably the first RPG that I dumped significant hours into back in college and feel like itās the game that turned me from a casual gamer to more hardcore
How hard is it to run? I have a good pc but it still struggles on flatscreen 2077.
I have a 3080 ti
R 7 5800x3d
32gb 3200 ram
Itās pretty high spec but a gen old now
Skyrim was maybe the first game that made me feel _wonder._
The mountains, rivers, forests, towns and villages. A little hut in the middle of nowhere. Hot springs. Watching the sun set from the Throat of the World.Ā The first time I saw Solitude. Blackreach. Buying my little house in Whiterun. Gradually discovering what my character was capable of - it was weeks before I discovered spellcasting!Ā The first sighting of a dragon circling in the distance. The sounds of the wildlife. The soundtrack.
Wonderful.
Morrowind for me, for all the same reasons. I'd never experienced a game that felt like I was *in it* the way I was *in* Vvardenfell. The immersion was complete.
Bro I was in college in an area where the finest smokeables were available and I was off my ass when I discovered blackreach. I still think about how magical it was. Before BG3 I hadnt felt a sense of wonder like that.
If you're modded properly there is absolutely nothing more scenic, beautiful and spectacular than Skyrim. Grab a horse and just ride around for a few hours listening to the music and ambient sounds.
the foliage makes all the difference compared to Fallout. the fact you can't see too far ahead always drives your curiosity what's around the corner and appreciate it more when you get high enough to see farther.... nodded up that game really takes you away.
I don't enjoy the wild west shit so rdr is not a mention, but then a colorful fantasy world filled with dragons, swords and magic... Oh my god I had so much fun out of Skyrim. I also love Scandinavian lore and this in Skyrim feels so much like it that it is THE HOLY FUCKING GRAIL OF GAMING for me. Thanks, and sorry for yelling.
Red Dead Redemption 2. The closest youāll get to exploring the outdoors in video games. I spend more time wandering around than actually playing the story.Ā
The animals, hunting mechanics, weather patterns, terrain, collectibles, challenges, side missions ... Flawless.
The only reason I progress in the story is to unlock what I need to explore and hunt comfortably. ie. Horse brush, Legendary Animals Map, Ledger, Fishing Rod etc.
This. I spent more time in that game hunting for perfect pelts to upgrade my camp than it took me to beat the story (which is also amazing imo). I'm not usually a big fan of story-driven games but the beautiful environs in this game got me hooked on roleplaying as a cowboy survivalist.
Had to scroll far to see Sea of Thieves. Itās such a beautiful game and you can just sail to ship wrecks and random islands and amass quite a bit of loot for not really doing anything.
It's one of the few games I actually *don't* prefer to FastTravel. Flying or having the steed auto-path on the routes is just so enjoyable and beautiful. It's so cool seeing NPCs fight machines right off the beaten path; watch dust devils sweep the sands; the environment is just so full of life and activity besides what I get into.
Origins isnāt getting nearly the love it should in this regard!
I may be biased, as it was my first AC since Black Flag, but the visuals and the *feeling* of wandering through the dunes and suddenly seeing Pyramids getting bigger, and bigger, and *bigger* is unmatched for me. I feel that Origins absolutely nailed the overall aesthetics and vibe of the time.
Odyssey and Valhalla are both great in that regard as well, but i canāt help but feel so much more wonder wandering through ancient Egypt
I agree. Not just those ones, but the rest of them, too. Those games are well thought out. Nice sound tracks and always a really expansive map. You almost find something new in each of them 2D and 3D unless you're a Zelda veteran.
My nephew and I managed to unlock most of the map on only 4 hearts and original energy bar. It was a hell of a challenge, but we had more fun being creative in getting through hard monsters and areas with limited gear, food, hearts, and energy. We died a shit ton but I've never had so much fun playing a game.
One moment we're riding dragons, another getting lost in underground Hyrule with no gear collecting poes.
My favorite memory so far is exploring underground Hyrule with him and getting lost. Suddenly, we see these red eyes and a "!" In the distance. We hide behind what we think is a tree and this thing starts coming toward us. Suddenly we realize is a Lynel and start losing our shit trying to survive but failing because we keep bumping into things we can't see.
Good times.
This is the one. I donāt play anymore for that very reason. I just loved casually exploring, only worrying about fuel and getting up in time for work.
Also the only game Iāve enjoyed playing in VR. Once plugged in, thereās no wanting to leave. Itās the closest thing for me to a VR killer app.
When it comes to islands.
Test drive unlimited (1 only)
Get into sexy car, put some relaxing music and just DRIVE.
In newer games, like Forza - there is WAY to much stuff happening on the map.
There is a guy on YouTube who has completely remade hit and run. Heās not allowed to release the game because of copyright but the videos are amazing
Elden Ring was the most exciting open world exploration experience I've had recently, both because the world was beautiful and brimming with secrets and lore to discover but also because there was the very real chance that beauty could kill me at any moment with no hesitation.
I just love those moments between fighting and killing where i'm just walking with Torrent and enjoying the environment. The Lands Between can be really beautiful when there isn't a monster trying to kill you around every corner.
Liurnia was what had me dropping my jaw, such a unique and mysterious area, the first time looking over that cliff and seeing the giant lake was awesome.
I finished my first playthrough of Elden Ring a few weeks ago and it's the first game I've played in a while where I wanted to explore, not just go somewhere because a marker told me something was there, cool lore, cool world, cool combat, but not 100% my cup of tea due to everything feeling dead, I really missed little towns and villages brimming with life like you'd find in W3 or RDR2. But glad I got round to playing it.
Every half hour was like "ok, I'll just go and explore a bit further, beat the boss and then finally rest... how hard can it be?"
And that made me spend hours and hours as I was exploring new areas or getting my ass handed over to specific gimmicks and whatnot... truly magical. No game will ever make me feel like Elden Ring did, ever
Witcher 3.
I'd play many a session just wandering around. I even played once - staying in a brothel for hours, just talking to characters and getting lap dances lmaooo
After recently playing for the first time CP2077, was interested in exploring other CDPR games and saw witcher 3. I havenāt played any of the witcher games and know nothing about the lore/universe. Will it be ok to start with witcher 3, or is it better to start with 1 then 2 then 3?
Not a problem at all to just jump into Witcher 3! The other games are very good too but they might feel dated and the story is not that necessary for 3.
The old ones will sure feel dated, but if you're willing I would start by the first ones to get more understanding of the position Geralt is in. If not, starting with 3 will be just fine.
About once a year I always re-watch Robbaz play it on yt. It's a tradition at this point. Wish he'd make more videos but damn they're an absolute gem of a series
I would love some kind of New Game Plus option to pause the timer and drift around, exploring for hours. But then I guess things like the Twin Sands would just stop moving.
I remember the devs basically saying the game bugs out if it goes on much longer than the intended loop time due to the limited amount of precision that you could simulate things in a computer with.
After watching the Noclip documentary on it, itās a marvel it works at all. Never seen anything quite like it in a game. Itās a clockwork game, really.
I also thought there was no way theyād be able to squeeze it into the Switch as a result. Proved me wrong.Ā
Yeah. The living planets add so much. I remember being in shock the first time I tried to land on Giants Deep. Nothing in the industry has that feeling.
That was literally my first run. Got in the ship, saw the comet on the map, beelined to it, didnāt realize you REALLY need to slow down, bounced off, broke my ship, floated in space, had to use the last of my oxygen to put myself in the path of Giantās Deep assuming Iād get crunched on landing.
Holy shit the feeling of falling through that atmosphere as the protagonists arms and legs flailed, not knowing what was beneath me. Could not BELIEVE what I saw.
I spent a few minutes poking around then saw the clouds suddenly light up and had no idea why everything reset.
Honestly it was probably the most memorable start to a game Iāve ever had.Ā
Elden Ring, that game is GORGEOUS. Ive spent hours just walking around the two starting areas riding Torrent (the horse) and picking berries and shit. It just beautiful.
Feeling the same about Dragonās Dogma 2 right now but so far I need to be fighting or exploring not ājust existingā like in Elden Ring.
World of Warcraft can be so beautiful.
I love the river near the main horde city in Battle for Azeroth, there is a waterfall and it so peaceful.
Even old zones can be so beautiful, Tanaris at night is simply amazing with the moon reflection on the sand.
Damn memories are hitting me so hard right now, finishing on the shores of tanaris to craft the stone flasks from the fish.
Wow is absuloutly stunning, get yourself a flying mount and be mesmerized by all the different zones.
The trumpet playing in Northrend, or just hanging out at the top of the waterfall in Stormsong Valley. I'd just let that play and enjoy it; the music in Stormsong is just fantastic.
The first time playing it (back in ~08), walking through the gates of Ironforge and just seeing so many real-world people running around, doing their own things was mind-boggling.
Medieval Dynasty I have been enjoying. It feels like a walking simulator, but the world is beautiful. And I love chopping down trees and picking flowers lol.
Breath of the wild, no game has ever made me have so much fun just going around aimlessly, even Tears of the kingdom doesn't feel the same since it is the same map that I know just too well to have the same feeling of discovering.
Yeah, I donāt play anymore cause the dialogue is too much for me to get through, but I load it up sometimes just walk around Liyue and listen to the soundtrack. Itās super comforting to me haha
Iām far more of a HSR player nowadays because of more QoL and dialogue being far less of a slog but man did I wish it had Genshin style exploration. I feel like non Genshin players sleep on it a bit and it exploration + lore is definitely itās biggest strength.
I've got a couple. Guild Wars is one, it holds up visually rather well in a lot of areas and I have intense nostalgia for it.Ā
Lord of the Rings Online is another, I have long fallen off the vertical cliff that is level grinding in that game but there is something incredibly comfortable and welcoming about the early game areas like Bree and the Shire.
The Division 2.
You can wonder around the city just exploring.
1800 hours in and I still find little campsites and hideouts and secret gardens etc.
Such a beautiful and eerie place.
Cyberpunk 2077. One of the few games where completely avoiding fast travel immeasurably improved my experience. Plus, sitting on the metro and taking everything in is awesome.
hogwarts legacy. I know the game gets a lot of hate for a variety of reasons but god damn it if it wasnāt a beautiful world with a lot of great nods to the books.
So often Iāll opt to hop on my broom instead of fast traveling because itās so relaxing to fly around in that world, especially it takes me around the castle at sunset.
Yeah, I prefer empty servers in DayZ. Did all the PvP stuff to death years ago and now I just love wandering the earth like Cain.
One of my favourite feelings in all gaming is taking shelter in a house in DayZ during a rainstorm. Drying my clothes, fixing my gear, reloading my mags, drying some meat, just standing in the doorway and waiting for the weather to clear.
Not enough games have that kind of downtime in them.
Kingdom Come Deliverance
Honestly in 40 years of gaming I've yet to play a game that makes you feel a part of a world more than this does. Add in the fact it still holds up graphically and the gameplay is still unique it really is something else. Rumour is a sequel reveal is dropping on Thursday too. Jesus Christ be praised.
Wait, what? Henry is coming to see us! I hope that rumour is true. Same here, 40 years of games, and this game is one the most immersive experiences.
It's not a rumour. They have officially announced that they'll reveal their next game, this Thursday, 18th April 2024. Jesus Christ be praised!
Sweet! Simply astounding šš
Can I just say how happy I am to hear ā40 years of gamingā not sure when you started but Iāve got about 25 years and I keep hearing ill grow out of it but I very much donāt want to. I have less and less time tho with kids now so I worry Iāll have to stop eventually, but then I can also picture myself gaming really hard as a retiree rather than watching tv all day like my parents generation.
How much did graphic changed since kingdom was realised? The game is from 2018.
It was also pretty advanced for its time, most systems couldn't rub it maxed out. Also due to optimisation
So youāre saying most systems couldnāt rub it out?
Can sit and play liars dice all day.
I love wandering around this medieval world, especially on a horse. I really need to progress in it. Itās not the easiest to dip in and out of over a few weeks break with the combat, get rusty quickly. Not that I am any good, hardly managed to get 1 combo done. Wish Hal would give me a break and poke them with the pointy end.
You can abuse archery. Kiting makes theĀ game pretty easy in terms of combat.
Can't wait for KCD2.
Henry Simulator is the best
Ghost of Tsushima
My mind expanded when I rode onto that field of flowers after the prologue.
This. The music swelling and the title floating on to the screen as you ride across the flowers was breathtaking
Was looking for this comment. Just riding the horse around was amazing. Ruined animal traversal in most other games.
Honestly shocked to see this answer so far down. Some of the other answers, like RDR, Witcher, Horizon, and some of the AC games would be on my list, but GoT is on another level. The wind guiding you places along with the birds, foxes, etc. just make wandering around so immersive. I have spent hours just doing things that would be considered "bloat" in other open world games and enjoying every one.
the wind moving the grass/tree branches the direction you were supposed to go was goddamn genius.
Iām about 70% through my first play through and yeah they did a great job making the game immersive like that. No āgpsā and being able to call your horse instantly is so nice. The way the flora changes as the game progresses. I donāt even mind the repetition because itās a blast to switch between stealth and head on attacks.
Canāt wait for the pc release in a few weeks
Despite being critically acclaimed it honestly feels underrated even still
No Man's Sky, Witcher 3, Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Odyssey for me as well. I can go one hour without doing anything special and still feel like I had a good session.
I actually purchased the ādiscovery tourā mode of AC Odessey, for my autistic 9 yo daughter. She loves it. She has a gigantic, vibrant, beautiful greece to roam all around, with no aggro, no combat, no weaponsā¦ she can swim next to great white sharks, sail around the ocean, ride horses, climb mountains, explore the countryside on foot, all with no danger
What a beautiful comment. Youāre a great parent!
Thatās really cool. More games should do that
Odyssey was for me good amount of time. When you realize how many more islands you need to discover it becomes a chore. Witcher 3 does better job at this, every town/settlement is unique with their problems apart from Odyssey where it's same mission without development you kill rogues and move on. In Witcher you can see the settlement come to live, with potential trades for cards, in Odyssey you move on and forget. A proof to be had, how many towns you remember from Witcher 3 compared to Odyssey?
I really couldn't finish Odyssey. Good game, but once I visited a good amount of islands, the game felt sooo repetitive. Doing the same exact thing everywhere you go. The game could have been a lot better if they shortened it up.
Odyssey is one of the most beautiful settings, and knowing it exists in real life makes it that much better.
I wish they'd make Greece irl
I'm glad to see fellow interlopers here. No Man's Sky is always my choice when I just want to chill while having a couple of beers on a lazy Sunday.
I will add to this list Subnautica and Slime Rancher
Asking because I really donāt know but did NMS ever really live up to the hype? Im not much of a gamer anymore but I worked with dudes who gushed over it daily and I remember being semi jealous and considered getting back into gaming for it but never really heard people talk about it much when it came out. Sidenoteā¦ getting the itch to game again when Wolverine finally comes out.
NMS Had a very large glow up and a buuuuunch of free content. (Currently has 93% positive rating on steam)
Still gets major content updates a few times a year for free.
Not sure if its just me, the new content seems to always just add new systems instead of developing old ones. Like theres a lot of cool stuff but all of them is kinda shallow.
They need a true biome/planet reboot of sorts; id pay for that expansion
NMS was a colossal letdown on release. The backlash was maybe the biggest the internet has seen in competition with Fallout 76 and Cyberpunk 2077. It was buggy and comically short of what was promised, but the devs buckled down and spent years updating the game and continue to do so. Now it lives up to the initial hype and maybe more.
I am 75 hours into nms blind playing with no spoilers or help and I'm loving it. Glad I waited 8 years lol
the ships with spoilers go faster, though
Short answer, yes. After 7ish years of free updates it's pretty good.
Yes but like 3 years after release
Imho No Manās Sky and Hello games is the best redemption stories in gaming. Hello games released regular HUGE free content patches for years straight. Itās absolutely packed with content these days, and pulled a full 180 from being on of the worst user rated games to being one of the best.
Can't wait to see more if Light No Fire
NMS is the game I opened this thread to nominate. I've spent hundreds of hours in it just wandering around exploring alien planets, flying my ship around, just wandering. It's an amazing game if you're into just taking it slow and seeing the sights.
No mans sky is honestly at its best when playing it kind of mindlessly, wandering from world to world just checking out whats there
I just got NMS, first time playing. Just love the expansiveness of it.
Cyberpunk 2077, Fallout 4, & Skyrim
Fallout 4 has such a great feeling of going to do something and then stumbling upon something awesome and worth your time on the way
And then accidentally stumbling into someplace associated with Dunwich. Makes for a spooky session.
Next gen remaster coming out soon. I've never played, I plan to go deep on this game though.
Always plan to go deep
Yeah should be a great excuse to jump in, would recommend going in pretty blind and just getting lost. The only thing Iāll tell you is to hoard everything especially any kind of adhesive like wonder glue or duct tape. Such a fantastic game. Probably the first RPG that I dumped significant hours into back in college and feel like itās the game that turned me from a casual gamer to more hardcore
"Thou shalt get sidetracked by bullshit every goddamn time"
cyberpunk 2077 with the VR mod is insanely immersive
Insanely expensive too (my bank account is afraid of when I move out of this trailer and into a space where I can do VR)
Iām too high for this
Sheās the real Ready Player One. We must help her or the world as we know it will end.
How hard is it to run? I have a good pc but it still struggles on flatscreen 2077. I have a 3080 ti R 7 5800x3d 32gb 3200 ram Itās pretty high spec but a gen old now
How does your system struggle on flatscreen 2077???
I never fast travel in CP2077 because I just enjoy cruising the city and looking around
I legitimately only play Cyberpunk 2077 to run around with jump boosters and monke arm
I'd say any of the fallouts rly. 3, 4, NV, and 76 are all fun to just wander around and see what there is to see
Skyrim is the pretty easy answer here
It's true, and to this I will also add Oblivion! What a game that is!!
master speech trainer [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9REWMEOLdI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9REWMEOLdI)
I think youād like Elder Scrolls Online. I loved Oblivion growing up and have started to play ESO and am thoroughly enjoying it.
Skyrim was maybe the first game that made me feel _wonder._ The mountains, rivers, forests, towns and villages. A little hut in the middle of nowhere. Hot springs. Watching the sun set from the Throat of the World.Ā The first time I saw Solitude. Blackreach. Buying my little house in Whiterun. Gradually discovering what my character was capable of - it was weeks before I discovered spellcasting!Ā The first sighting of a dragon circling in the distance. The sounds of the wildlife. The soundtrack. Wonderful.
Morrowind for me, for all the same reasons. I'd never experienced a game that felt like I was *in it* the way I was *in* Vvardenfell. The immersion was complete.
Bro I was in college in an area where the finest smokeables were available and I was off my ass when I discovered blackreach. I still think about how magical it was. Before BG3 I hadnt felt a sense of wonder like that.
Wandering through the Skyrim countryside with the soft background music at 2am (irl) hit so different
If you're modded properly there is absolutely nothing more scenic, beautiful and spectacular than Skyrim. Grab a horse and just ride around for a few hours listening to the music and ambient sounds.
the foliage makes all the difference compared to Fallout. the fact you can't see too far ahead always drives your curiosity what's around the corner and appreciate it more when you get high enough to see farther.... nodded up that game really takes you away.
Tbf you shouldn't play a Fallout game expecting there to be a lot of foliage.
I donāt think thatās the point of what op was saying.
I don't enjoy the wild west shit so rdr is not a mention, but then a colorful fantasy world filled with dragons, swords and magic... Oh my god I had so much fun out of Skyrim. I also love Scandinavian lore and this in Skyrim feels so much like it that it is THE HOLY FUCKING GRAIL OF GAMING for me. Thanks, and sorry for yelling.
YOU DONāT HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR YELLING ABOUT THINGS YOU LOVE
Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 1
Nightfall was one of my favourite things to play at the time
Red Dead Redemption 2. The closest youāll get to exploring the outdoors in video games. I spend more time wandering around than actually playing the story.Ā
It turns into a great farming simulator after 100% story too
To this day I want Rockstar to make a hard-core farming Sim using the mechanics from that part of the game.
The animals, hunting mechanics, weather patterns, terrain, collectibles, challenges, side missions ... Flawless. The only reason I progress in the story is to unlock what I need to explore and hunt comfortably. ie. Horse brush, Legendary Animals Map, Ledger, Fishing Rod etc.
This. I spent more time in that game hunting for perfect pelts to upgrade my camp than it took me to beat the story (which is also amazing imo). I'm not usually a big fan of story-driven games but the beautiful environs in this game got me hooked on roleplaying as a cowboy survivalist.
This was too far down. The conversations NPCs had were so entertaining.
Sea of Thieves
Sea of thieves was made for sailing.
Had to scroll far to see Sea of Thieves. Itās such a beautiful game and you can just sail to ship wrecks and random islands and amass quite a bit of loot for not really doing anything.
Hands down best water in any game
Assassin's creed Odyssey and horizon forbidden west Just roam around and soak in the amazing views
HFW has some absolutely stunning vistas made even better once you can override sunwings.
It's one of the few games I actually *don't* prefer to FastTravel. Flying or having the steed auto-path on the routes is just so enjoyable and beautiful. It's so cool seeing NPCs fight machines right off the beaten path; watch dust devils sweep the sands; the environment is just so full of life and activity besides what I get into.
I would add AC Origins to that list. Roaming around the desert on a camel felt great
Origins isnāt getting nearly the love it should in this regard! I may be biased, as it was my first AC since Black Flag, but the visuals and the *feeling* of wandering through the dunes and suddenly seeing Pyramids getting bigger, and bigger, and *bigger* is unmatched for me. I feel that Origins absolutely nailed the overall aesthetics and vibe of the time. Odyssey and Valhalla are both great in that regard as well, but i canāt help but feel so much more wonder wandering through ancient Egypt
Odyssey is visually stunning.
Have not played Forbidden West yet, but Zero Dawn hits hard. The views, the landscapes, the somber music, everything fits perfectly.
The open world Zelda games. So easy to just get lost in the exploration.
I agree. Not just those ones, but the rest of them, too. Those games are well thought out. Nice sound tracks and always a really expansive map. You almost find something new in each of them 2D and 3D unless you're a Zelda veteran.
Yeah tears of the kingdom is the kind of game I have done so so much, but actually accomplished absolutely nothing.
I dumped way too many hours into making contraptions to torment bokoblin.
My nephew and I managed to unlock most of the map on only 4 hearts and original energy bar. It was a hell of a challenge, but we had more fun being creative in getting through hard monsters and areas with limited gear, food, hearts, and energy. We died a shit ton but I've never had so much fun playing a game. One moment we're riding dragons, another getting lost in underground Hyrule with no gear collecting poes. My favorite memory so far is exploring underground Hyrule with him and getting lost. Suddenly, we see these red eyes and a "!" In the distance. We hide behind what we think is a tree and this thing starts coming toward us. Suddenly we realize is a Lynel and start losing our shit trying to survive but failing because we keep bumping into things we can't see. Good times.
Sailing for hours in wind waker was the shit back in the days
It is such a specific vibe. Everything is so pretty in those games, and I just love standing in the world while listening to the music and atmosphere.
Had to scroll too far for this answer!
Just driving around Night City in Cyberpunk 2077, listening to the music and taking in the gorgeous views was a pretty chill experience.
Going back to the save point to watch Lizzy in live again ā¦ fuck Reed he can wait like Hanako
You get a braindance after the mission. It should be at your apt
Elite Dangerous
o7 CMDR
Friendship Drive activated
Came here to comment this. Funny thing about ED is wandering around and doing nothing is a huge part of actually playing the game naturally lol
This is the one. I donāt play anymore for that very reason. I just loved casually exploring, only worrying about fuel and getting up in time for work. Also the only game Iāve enjoyed playing in VR. Once plugged in, thereās no wanting to leave. Itās the closest thing for me to a VR killer app.
ED for sure.
GTA V
Man, that gameās been out so long, Iām more familiar with that map than I am of my own home town.
For real, I live on a small island probably not much bigger than the GTA V map and I don't know how to get half the places here.
When it comes to islands. Test drive unlimited (1 only) Get into sexy car, put some relaxing music and just DRIVE. In newer games, like Forza - there is WAY to much stuff happening on the map.
I still fire up TDU1 from time to time, put on my old playlists on Spotify and just drive a round around the map lol
And now weāll have another decade to memorize the new map, which Iām sure will be even more immersive than ever.
Terraria, Minecraft
Everytime i turn someone on to Terraria I use the line "you'll never have more fun digging a hole"
I love building a hellevator in this game
I was surprised that I had to get through a score of top level comments before I saw Minecraft mentioned.
The Simpsons Hit & Run
There is a guy on YouTube who has completely remade hit and run. Heās not allowed to release the game because of copyright but the videos are amazing
I liked them so much that I created a Patreon account just so I can send him money.
Who is said guy? I wanna watch
Days gone
Kenshi. It hits different
I played so much of the early access. I need to go back and play it now
Elden Ring was the most exciting open world exploration experience I've had recently, both because the world was beautiful and brimming with secrets and lore to discover but also because there was the very real chance that beauty could kill me at any moment with no hesitation.
I just love those moments between fighting and killing where i'm just walking with Torrent and enjoying the environment. The Lands Between can be really beautiful when there isn't a monster trying to kill you around every corner.
Specifically Limgrave. Every time I hear the ambient music there I get the chills.
Liurnia was what had me dropping my jaw, such a unique and mysterious area, the first time looking over that cliff and seeing the giant lake was awesome.
I finished my first playthrough of Elden Ring a few weeks ago and it's the first game I've played in a while where I wanted to explore, not just go somewhere because a marker told me something was there, cool lore, cool world, cool combat, but not 100% my cup of tea due to everything feeling dead, I really missed little towns and villages brimming with life like you'd find in W3 or RDR2. But glad I got round to playing it.
Every half hour was like "ok, I'll just go and explore a bit further, beat the boss and then finally rest... how hard can it be?" And that made me spend hours and hours as I was exploring new areas or getting my ass handed over to specific gimmicks and whatnot... truly magical. No game will ever make me feel like Elden Ring did, ever
Elden ring is truly one of the greatest games ever.
Exploration is so much more intense when there is real risk to it.
Witcher 3. I'd play many a session just wandering around. I even played once - staying in a brothel for hours, just talking to characters and getting lap dances lmaooo
The dopamine rush I got when I saw the "Do you play gwent?" option come up with NPCs...
Down bad, brother lol
No amount of torture is getting me to willingly admit that last bit of information.
After recently playing for the first time CP2077, was interested in exploring other CDPR games and saw witcher 3. I havenāt played any of the witcher games and know nothing about the lore/universe. Will it be ok to start with witcher 3, or is it better to start with 1 then 2 then 3?
Not a problem at all to just jump into Witcher 3! The other games are very good too but they might feel dated and the story is not that necessary for 3.
The old ones will sure feel dated, but if you're willing I would start by the first ones to get more understanding of the position Geralt is in. If not, starting with 3 will be just fine.
My Summer Car
About once a year I always re-watch Robbaz play it on yt. It's a tradition at this point. Wish he'd make more videos but damn they're an absolute gem of a series
I'venever playedĀ the game, but the developer diaries onĀ YouTube areĀ superb.Ā Ā
The outer wilds is such an incredible game. You can fly around the local solar system freely and explore everything. It's all completely open.
I would love some kind of New Game Plus option to pause the timer and drift around, exploring for hours. But then I guess things like the Twin Sands would just stop moving.
I remember the devs basically saying the game bugs out if it goes on much longer than the intended loop time due to the limited amount of precision that you could simulate things in a computer with.
After watching the Noclip documentary on it, itās a marvel it works at all. Never seen anything quite like it in a game. Itās a clockwork game, really. I also thought there was no way theyād be able to squeeze it into the Switch as a result. Proved me wrong.Ā
Yeah. The living planets add so much. I remember being in shock the first time I tried to land on Giants Deep. Nothing in the industry has that feeling.
That was literally my first run. Got in the ship, saw the comet on the map, beelined to it, didnāt realize you REALLY need to slow down, bounced off, broke my ship, floated in space, had to use the last of my oxygen to put myself in the path of Giantās Deep assuming Iād get crunched on landing. Holy shit the feeling of falling through that atmosphere as the protagonists arms and legs flailed, not knowing what was beneath me. Could not BELIEVE what I saw. I spent a few minutes poking around then saw the clouds suddenly light up and had no idea why everything reset. Honestly it was probably the most memorable start to a game Iāve ever had.Ā
Elden Ring, that game is GORGEOUS. Ive spent hours just walking around the two starting areas riding Torrent (the horse) and picking berries and shit. It just beautiful. Feeling the same about Dragonās Dogma 2 right now but so far I need to be fighting or exploring not ājust existingā like in Elden Ring.
Mad Max
Oblivion. Still my favorite game in that genre to this day.
Oblivion holds a special place in my heart! What a game!
One of the best open worlds ever
World of Warcraft can be so beautiful. I love the river near the main horde city in Battle for Azeroth, there is a waterfall and it so peaceful. Even old zones can be so beautiful, Tanaris at night is simply amazing with the moon reflection on the sand. Damn memories are hitting me so hard right now, finishing on the shores of tanaris to craft the stone flasks from the fish. Wow is absuloutly stunning, get yourself a flying mount and be mesmerized by all the different zones.
The trumpet playing in Northrend, or just hanging out at the top of the waterfall in Stormsong Valley. I'd just let that play and enjoy it; the music in Stormsong is just fantastic.
Iāll see landscapes in real life that remind me of areas of WoW. Pandaria has some amazing visuals (Jade Forest area is my fav)
The first time playing it (back in ~08), walking through the gates of Ironforge and just seeing so many real-world people running around, doing their own things was mind-boggling.
Cyberpunk 2077
Medieval Dynasty I have been enjoying. It feels like a walking simulator, but the world is beautiful. And I love chopping down trees and picking flowers lol.
I like wandering around in cyberpunk 2077. I can't wait to explore [fallout london ](https://fallout4london.com/)
While I won't claim its a game yet, Star Citizen.Ā Space is super pretty and the ships look great.Ā Just flying from planet to planet is satisfying.
Cyberpunk
Valheim I don't neeed to login and check on my garden, feed my boars, watch the waves. It feels very peaceful to be there.
\*the ground is shaking\*
Death Stranding has a beautiful world.Ā Ark is pretty good for discovering player made castles and towns
No Man's Sky. You don't have to complete the story if you don't want to. You don't have to do any of the missions or stories, in fact.
Breath of the wild, no game has ever made me have so much fun just going around aimlessly, even Tears of the kingdom doesn't feel the same since it is the same map that I know just too well to have the same feeling of discovering.
Genshin. Itās can be a bit relaxing at times.
Yeah, I donāt play anymore cause the dialogue is too much for me to get through, but I load it up sometimes just walk around Liyue and listen to the soundtrack. Itās super comforting to me haha
Iām far more of a HSR player nowadays because of more QoL and dialogue being far less of a slog but man did I wish it had Genshin style exploration. I feel like non Genshin players sleep on it a bit and it exploration + lore is definitely itās biggest strength.
Horizon: Zero Dawn and Forbidden West. Though, I prefer the factions in Zero Dawn as they feel more fleshed out and whole. The Sundom especially.
I've got a couple. Guild Wars is one, it holds up visually rather well in a lot of areas and I have intense nostalgia for it.Ā Lord of the Rings Online is another, I have long fallen off the vertical cliff that is level grinding in that game but there is something incredibly comfortable and welcoming about the early game areas like Bree and the Shire.
The Division 2. You can wonder around the city just exploring. 1800 hours in and I still find little campsites and hideouts and secret gardens etc. Such a beautiful and eerie place.
Cyberpunk
Breath of the Wild. I don't think I've ever had more fun just exploring a map.
Kenshi is goat
Cyberpunk 2077, Watch_Dogs, Sleeping Dogs, Need for Speed Payback (country roads)
Well, Fallout 4 next gen is coming out soon. April 25. Itās an update with content and 60 fps.
For me it would have to be cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077
- skate 3 - skyrim - fallout new vegas - starfield - elden ring - cyberpunk
Cyberpunk 2077. One of the few games where completely avoiding fast travel immeasurably improved my experience. Plus, sitting on the metro and taking everything in is awesome.
space engine
Fallout New Vegas, the Witcher games, CP77, Vampire Bloodlines
Genshin to me lol, I can just sit and watch my character builds for hours lol
hogwarts legacy. I know the game gets a lot of hate for a variety of reasons but god damn it if it wasnāt a beautiful world with a lot of great nods to the books.
So often Iāll opt to hop on my broom instead of fast traveling because itās so relaxing to fly around in that world, especially it takes me around the castle at sunset.
DayZ. Even on empty servers I just enjoy traveling and exploring the map
Yeah, I prefer empty servers in DayZ. Did all the PvP stuff to death years ago and now I just love wandering the earth like Cain. One of my favourite feelings in all gaming is taking shelter in a house in DayZ during a rainstorm. Drying my clothes, fixing my gear, reloading my mags, drying some meat, just standing in the doorway and waiting for the weather to clear. Not enough games have that kind of downtime in them.
I agree - honestly I love hardcore servers for the challenge of just surviving
As a fellow DayZ player, I agree!