Given how cathartic video games have become, it’s almost impossible for this medium to really say something meaningful that doesn’t aggravate the player in the process. While games are meant to evoke emotion, it’s harder to sell the experience when said emotion isn’t a particularly positive one. It’s these reasons that have popularizedthe idea of open-world gaming, with players being able to do pretty much everything they want in these sandboxes with little to no meaningful consequences.
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However, there are some games that strive to recreate the actual nuances of living in a world where freedom can be an illusion, even if it comes to the detriment of a player’s enjoyment. For what it’s worth, the following games are popular specifically because theydeconstructthe open-world genreand provide a fresh experience that is unlike anything ever seen before in this particular aspect of gaming.
10Mafia
TheMafiatrilogy forms some of the most unique open-world experiences around, even if the third game might make too many sacrifices when it comes to the DNA of the series. However, the first two titles did a great job of incorporating an open world where players needed to stay within their limits.
Driving too fast, running people over, or everything else along the same lines would lead to strict police intervention that can be hard to get rid of. On top of that, the violent confrontations in these games make it clear that leading a life of crime is anything but rewarding, unlike other games in the same genre.
9Deadly Premonition
Deadly Premonitionis a unique detective game that fans ofTwin Peakswill definitely enjoy. The title itself is quite janky, has many puzzling mechanics, and can take quite a while to get used to.
The very act of using a car can prove to be a downright chore, with players having to refuel and maintain the car at regular intervals. However, it’s moments like these that show justhow stubbornDeadly Premonitionreally is when it comes to sticking to its vision.
8Death Stranding
Exploration is definitely a huge part of any video game, but nowhere is it gamified more thanDeath Stranding. There’s a reason why this game was so polarizing upon launch, with its off-the-beat mechanics being quite jarring for fans of open-world games that have been following a template for the longest time.
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Death Strandingdoesn’t shy away from frustrating players if they ignore its unique traversal mechanics. Going from Point A to Point B becomes a riveting gameplay experience, to the point where the shoehorned combat segments feel pretty out-of-place in comparison.
7Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Most people would assume that playing a medieval open-world game would be a blast, and it is… in most games that utilize this setting. However,Kingdom Come: Deliverancemakes it clear that medieval times were harsh, with death awaiting people at every corner.
Henry is the son of a blacksmith, and he definitely fights like one.Without proper training, pretty much every bandit in this vicious world will turn Henry into a walking pincushion before he can even think of delivering his father’s sword in the first place.
6Shenmue
Shenmueis one of the most legendary open-world games of all time. It cost a pretty penny to be developed and never ended up recouping these costs despite the substantial investment.
Controlling Ryo Hazuki as he strives to get revenge for his father’s murder makes for a great time, even with all the busy work that goes into living out a virtual life with a proper day-night cycle. Certain events get locked out at specific times, and players need to keep track of the time if they want to avoid any needless frustrations.
5Gothic
Gothicisa pretty underrated fantasy RPGset in a brutal open world where death awaits the player at every corner. It doesn’t help that the combat system ofGothicis pretty obtuse and will heavily punish the player for the smallest mistakes.
Every NPC has a routine, and players need to actually learn combat moves and the like from fighting veterans to even stand a chance of battling a ton of enemies in the overworld.Gothicmay be frustrating early on, but it’s pretty rewarding for players who power through its brutal difficulty.
4Minecraft
Minecrafttook one single concept of letting players use blocks in whatever way they want and added a massive sandbox for players to experiment around with this mechanic. If that wasn’t good enough as is, thenMinecraftalso populated its world with a bunch of interesting things that players would love to check out.
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The end result is an amazing sandbox where players can get lost for hours on end. There’s a reason whyMinecraftis one of the most popular video games around, and this boundless freedom is a huge reason why this is the case.
3Kenshi
Players who don’t know whatKenshiis all about and play their first game completely blind unwittingly embark on a speedrun to become a tortured slave. The title is brutal, and players who have no clue what they’re doing will either lose all their limbs or have their organs harvested by nefarious individuals.
In a way, the sense of freedom provided by this game is so overwhelming that people have no clue which path to take. However, this is the beauty ofKenshi— each and every playthrough becomes a unique experience, with the oppressed becoming the oppressor once they learn the death of the game’s mechanics.
2Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor
The Nemesis system inMiddle-earth: Shadow of Mordoris one of the most revolutionary mechanics ever introduced in a video game. It’s a shame that this unique system has been copyrighted since other games could’ve gone all out with the reactive nature of the Nemesis system.
Each and every orc thatplayers will fight in their playthroughis unique, and it’s the manner in which players can interact with them that makesShadow of Mordorand its sequel such a blast. Players can be defeated by other orcs, have these chieftains seek them out for revenge, betray them during a battle, or just be caught off-guard during an ambush!
1The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
In a way,Breath of the Wildis more of a reconstruction of the open-world genre than a deconstruction, showing major AAA developers exactly what has been missing in their games. The fact thatthis open-world titlecompletely removes a compass that gives them a hint for any areas of interest makes for a brilliant mechanic.
This forces players to actually look at the map they’re traversing and mark areas of interest as they witness from afar. It’s this amazing open-world design that has madeBreath of the Wildsuch a unique title, and fans can’t wait to see howTears of the Kingdomwill build upon this design ethos.
