Old Karsten and open worlds, that’s a difficult subject at times. As is well known, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the huge worlds of online role-playing games for many years, and I really enjoy it. This is different in single-player games with a big story focus, which also use an open world. Oftentimes, these triple-A blockbusters are so big and so crammed with optional (and often boring) content that I’ll run away at some point, even though I’d really like the setting, the characters, and the important story content .
For example, I’ve hardly played through a GTA or Assassin’s Creed, even though I’ve put hundreds of hours of my life into the two series. For the games in Bethesda’s Fallout and Elder Scrolls series, I often needed several attempts. There are many reasons why I gave up early: Sometimes I had to take a longer break because of work and then couldn’t find my way back to work afterwards. Sometimes it was a certain quest that annoyed me or it was bugged, the boring core gameplay or I was just annoyed by the next generic title with Ubisoft formula.
When it suddenly clicks…
However, other open-world games in recent years have easily lured me to the credits in front of the television or monitor. There are different reasons for this as well. For example, I really like it when moving through the open world is fun. Marvel’s Spider-Man (plus Miles Morales) and Infamous Second Son are two good examples.
But it often has to do with how the developers have arranged and designed their open world and how the content of the game world is created. In the following I would like to introduce you to some of these open worlds that have inspired me enormously in recent years. Which open world has inspired you in recent years?
Note: I will not include the huge worlds from online role-playing games in this article, because there was already a special about them Eorzea, Tyria, Azeroth – we are happy to save these online worlds.
If it’s fun to move through an open world, then that’s already half the battle.
Source: Insomniac Games/Marvel
The latest highlight: Elden Ring
who my Ranking of Souls games by From Software and the Trial of Elden Ring who has read knows: The intermediate countries have completely blown me away. Even today, several months after my last session, I keep thinking about this particular world that Hidetaka Miyazaki presents to us in Elden Ring.
Similar to Breath of the Wild, I am also guided through the atmospheric intermediate lands, primarily through “points of interest”, i.e. through things that I can already see from afar and that seem so interesting, unique and exciting that I absolutely have to go there want. And the design of the intermediate lands is so brilliant over long stretches (and every trip feels so rewarding) that I end up exploring every nook and cranny. Yes, Ubisoft, something like that works even if you don’t bombard the map with a thousand symbols.
In addition, From Software focuses on the core gameplay and strengths of the Souls games, while remaining unusually accessible. Exploring, fighting and character progression are so much fun that weaknesses such as the cryptically told story, the nebulous because poorly documented quests or other little things hardly matter.
I have three more open world recommendations for you on the next page. In the last section there are also a few games from the last few years that have great game worlds, but with a “but”. Which open world has inspired you in recent years? How did you like the games that I particularly praise?
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