Video games mean virtual worlds that you can explore, but some games are so vast that exploring them can become exhausting.
Hello guys, welcome to AyushBlogWorld. In this blog post, I'm going to talk about some games whose open-world maps are seriously massive. If you're an open-world game lover like me, then staying here will be a treat for you.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Legend of Zelda games have always been famous for their open world and designs. Players get a huge map to explore right from the first game, with cool and unique dungeons filled with varied and unique enemies.
Breath of the Wild, the prequel to this game, where players get a beautiful open-world map to explore and a unique interaction system where they can tackle different enemy encounters on their own.
Some people might think that Breath of the Wild is already vast enough, and what more could developers offer? Enter Tears of the Kingdom, which lets players explore floating architectures in the sky. Not only that, but Tears of Kingdom is three times larger than Breath of the Wild in terms of map size.
The best part is that players can go anywhere and do anything right from the start, making it a dream come true for any open-world gamer.
Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
We all know the Assassin's Creed franchise is reputed for its open-world maps. What players love about these games is that they are not just set in mountains, deserts, or jungles. Each Assassin's Creed game is set in a different period and place, teeming with NPCs, shops, and intricate details that make exploration seriously fun.
Now I know some players, including myself, found Assassin's Creed Origins and Odyssey to be a bit of a turn-off. But let me tell you, boys, try AC Valhalla. This game is different from the other AC games. The main story is good, but if you get tired of the main missions, there are many secret boss fights that are not part of the main story, providing some cool fighting moments that I enjoyed.
One of the best things about this game is the secret weapons you can track and find throughout the map. I spent most of my time doing just that in this game.
Dying Light 2
Dying Light is a first-person zombie survival game that combines first-person perspective with parkour and melee zombie fighting. Needless to say, this game is seriously fun. Even though the first game was quite good with excellent map design, it's the second game that became my favorite.
As I mentioned, the first-person camera, open-world design, and parkour mechanics provide a unique experience not found in other games today. Dying Light 2 is on a whole different level.
What I loved about this game was the small Easter eggs and scenarios the developers created for players to discover. These aren’t part of the main game but are little details that feel rewarding when found, like scoring a goal with a football. I mean, who in a zombie game would kick a football lying around? However the developers paid attention to this little detail, and players can spend over 100 hours exploring this game.
Elden Ring
We all know that FromSoftware games like Dark Souls and Sekiro are known for their brutally difficult combat. But one thing many might not know is that Elden Ring, the developers' most recent game, is a massive open-world game with many secrets hidden for players to find.
Seriously, the game's story is just ⅓ of the whole game. The remaining ⅔ consists of optional missions, side quests, and a plethora of secrets that normal players might never see unless they specifically search for them.
The developers know that mostly hardcore gamers play their games, who would probably play all night and then all day and then all night again. So, this game is especially for those who want to spend the next 100 hours playing a very difficult hack-and-slash game and exploring a massive and dense open world. And after the new DLC release, this game is heaven for hardcore gamers.
Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
Morrowind is the third game in the Elder Scrolls series, released in 2002. So yes, this game is now 22 years old, and many might not want to play it anymore. But the reason this game is on this list is because exploring it is a challenging task in itself.
Today's games gradually unlock maps, tell you which areas are dangerous, provide fast travel options, and offer way markers.
Well, Morrowind has none of that. Players have to talk to NPCs, read notes and signs, and travel to places on foot without knowing what lies ahead. And once you’ve explored a place, you have to remember where things are since there are no markers.
This level of exploration is something my Gen Z brain can no longer handle.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Yes, yes, we all knew Rockstar Games would be on this list, and I would include Red Dead Redemption or GTA games. So, let's just keep RDR2 on this list and leave out GTA because everyone already knows about it.
If you search RDR2 secrets on YouTube, you'll find thousands of videos where people have made long videos on this topic. What amazes me is the amount of effort and production value that went into creating every corner and secret of this massive open world.
Spoiler alert: if you keep walking in the game, you'll get information from beggars, find witches in the forests, and even uncover UFO and alien mysteries.
Once again, the main point is that these are not small Easter eggs hidden in the corner of the map with a poster or image. These are full-blown animated and motion-captured events that players can experience, along with an amazing story, of course.
So yes, Rockstar is the king of open-world games, no doubt.
Hollow Knight
Let me tell you, I love Hollow Knight. If by any chance you're bored with 3D first-person shooters and third-person games like GTA, please try Hollow Knight.
Hollow Knight is a Metroidvania game with a huge and nonlinear map for exploring. But bro, believe me, as you play and explore the world, you'll realize that the game has many secret paths, branching paths, and shortcuts that you've never seen before. And not to mention, the boss fights are quite fun.
This is one of those games you need to finish at least twice to fully appreciate, and it's designed in such a way that the second playthrough doesn't bore players. The game encourages players to go to places they haven’t seen before, which is amazing.
Cyberpunk 2077
CD Projekt is one of those developers whose games are always massively successful and always win some awards. We all know how amazing Witcher 2 and 3 are. Then comes Cyberpunk 2077, which had a lot of issues at its initial launch. But gradually, with patches and updates, the developers have made this game tiptop, and let me tell you, this game is amazing now.
Cyberpunk 2077 fulfills our fantasy of what the world will look like in the future. The game's Night City is densely packed with things, interesting NPCs, and many secrets to uncover.
No joke, there is a full Doom-style mini-game in Cyberpunk. If by any chance you haven't played this game yet, I highly encourage you to start the game with the Phantom Liberty expansion, which simplifies many of the starting tutorials and RPG elements and throws players straight into the action, which is honestly great.