Summary
Open-world gameshave a ton of room for creating intense emotions through storytelling, and when this is accompanied by great gameplay, and both parts of the game merge seamlessly, the results are pure masterpieces. From immemorial classics that defined the last two decades in terms of game design, to revolutionary games that broke the mold and dared to go beyond the bar set by great titles.
This list has several Open-world Games where Gameplay and Storytelling are perfectly aligned, and will transport players into some of the greatest settings in the gaming world, empowered by immersive gameplay.
This list might contain spoilers for certain popular games. Read at your discretion.
Red Dead Redemption 2is a game that has it all: beautiful level design, an enormous open-world sandbox to explore,memorable characters with unique personalities, incredible attention to detail, and, of course, gameplay that intertwines perfectly with its profound and thrilling narrative.
It is not just a Wild West simulator like some dared mention, but a whole cowboys and outlaws experience that will force players to become glued to the chair, and add it to their list of favorites in no time. It only takes a few hours for the player to become attached to Arthur. After all, his design is heavily inspired by the legendary John Wayne, one of the greatest cowboys of all time.
The story of how Henry of Skalitz rose to chivalry from the mud of a blacksmith shop is an adventure that spans over two huge open-world games (Kingdom Come Deliverance I & II), which perfectly merge narrative and game design into the ultimate medieval RPG. With intense combat, formidable foes, and a hyperrealism that is hard to find in any other game from the same genre,Kingdom Come: Deliverance IImarks a before and after in the history of open-world RPGs.
Setting the bar high,KCD2throws players into the merciless lands of Bohemia during the 15th Century. With a war of attrition between Wenceslaus (legitimate ruler of the lands) and Segismund, king of Croatia and Hungary, who is invading the lands and trying to force his iron fist rule upon its denizens. This tug of war between two rulers will plunge players into a thrilling plot filled with conspiracies, colorful characters, and bloody battles. It is a masterful merge of narrative and game design.
The Witcher 3: Blood and Wineis not simply an expansion for one of the greatest Open-world ARPGs of all time; it’s a whole new story to discover. From the moment players set foot on the picturesque Touissaint, it’s likediving into a chivalry talewith the characteristic lore of theWiedźmin (The Witcher)series.
Solving a tremendously complex political conspiracy, tracking down an ancient vampire, dealing with strange women lying in ponds distributing swords, and preparing Geralt for his retirement as he takes care of the Corvo Bianco wineyard are all part of a large and complex story that is perfectly intertwined with the core gameplay of the series. Until the announcement ofThe Witcher 4,the game was the perfect closer for Geralt’s tale, and player agency (meaning the decisions they took in the main game) had a true impact on how Geralt ended his Witcher career, and who shared his retirement home with him.
From the first moment players step into the Wasteland, incarnating Courier Six, they are received in the worst possible way: A bullet to the head. From that point on, everything goes from bad to worse. The merciless lands surrounding New Vegas are plagued with more than the average deranged scavenger, the brutal super mutants, or dangerous murder-bots. But that’s precisely what makesFallout: New Vegasthe best gameof the franchise.
With memorable quests and characters,New Vegaswas crafted with the idea of being a spin-off, but ended up becoming such an intrinsic part of theFallout lore that there is no way to play a game of the franchise and not think about that cool-looking NCR armor set. The game also implemented various gameplay changes that fitted the narrative style of the game like a glove. Like the Damage Threshold, which prevented players from endlessly roaming (at least they encountered a deadly Deathclaw that they couldn’t beat).
The Long Darkis a weird game, but one that nails it at creating thefeeling of isolation and hopelessnessthat a real survival experience should have. It does that by merging the narrative of a world slowly reaching a new ice age, with characters living in solitude and struggling, and, to top it off, a thrilling action plot about finding the main character’s missing wife before it’s too late.
Of course, the game also has a standalone survival mode that challenges players to survive for as long as they can, scavenging for resources and weapons and fending off the increasingly aggressive fauna that will try to turn them into an easy meal. The cold is another important actor in the overworld narrative of the game, constituting more than a major enemy to beat. The harsh weather will be the sole companion of players during the adventure, forcing them to adapt and seek shelter, heat, and a hot meal. That’s part of the charm ofThe Long Dark,its merciless weather system will always remind players of how dangerous this game is. There is simply no time to get comfortable, and that’s really what it means to be in a survival experience.
