Best Open-World Games With Very Little Exploration

Open-world games are not only about giving the player choices, the format also offers a ton of possibilities for game designers. As such, not all games aim for players to explore every nook and cranny. The titles detailed below still qualify as open-world games, but they are not for those who want an experience like Breath of the Wild, Elden Ring, or even Grand Theft Auto 5.

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Instead, their open worlds are more about molding a story around its setting. The environment is still a character in this story and the game feels more immersive because of the open world, but it is not made with exploration in mind.

8

The Getaway

One Of The Most Realistic Games On The PS2

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The Getaway

Systems

Released

January 19, 2003

Publisher(s)

Sony Computer Entertainment

The Getaway feels like Guy Ritchie: The Video Game. The fast-talking characters and even faster plot feel right at home among Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels or Snatch. The game’s 24 missions take place in a fully-realized open-world London.

The game does not allow players to freely roam through its streets until they have beaten the game. There are free moments during the campaign where players can drive around freely if they wish before going to the next objective, but there is nothing of interest to do or see.

7

Red Faction: Guerrilla

A Playground Of Destruction

The third Red Faction game did away with the linear first-person shooter structure of the first two titles. Red Faction Guerrilla takes place in an open-world Mars environment. It connects to its origins through the story and the dedication to destructible environments.

There are objectives and side quests off the beaten path, but it is all laid out for players in menus. There is nothing to be gained from running around the environment looking for secrets. The side missions are still a lot of fun since they involve creatively destroying buildings.

6

Shadow Of The Colossus

An Artful Open-World Experience

The spiritual successor to Ico is built around a simple gameplay loop; follow the waypoint given by the protagonist’s sword and slay the beast at the destination. The gameplay is set in a barren open-world landscape, but it is not meant to be explored in the way one can do it Breath of the Wild‘s Hyrule.

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Other than the main objective, there are lizards players can hunt to extend their grip gauge and health and one easter egg at the top of a high spot on the map. Filling the map with little secrets and hints of life would go against everything Shadow of the Colossus‘s design aims for. There is a certain sadness behind the idea of players killing potentially the last living beings in the land.

5

Mafia

The Antithesis To Grand Theft Auto’s Liberty City

The first Mafia game feels like the anti-Grand Theft Auto. It creates a grounded 1930s setting for its serious tale about organized crime. Minor traffic offensives draw police attention, unlike the reckless speeding that’s allowed in the Rockstar Series.

This is what Mafia‘s open world is all about versus the spectacle of other open-world titles – the world aims to feel real and lived in. A free-roam mode is available with some diversions, but it is a bonus and not a main feature of the experience.

4

Far Cry 2

The Precursor To The Ubisoft Open-World Formula

The first Far Cry is a predecessor to Crysis with open combat arenas, whereas Far Cry 2 was the series’ first step into true open-world territory. It is not the Ubisoft formula players got with Far Cry 3, though. Far Cry 2‘s world is still limited and best enjoyed if players go from mission to mission without dilly-dallying in between.

There are safe houses to conquer, but it is not as engaging as later Far Cry games. While not the most beloved entry in the series, Far Cry 2 introduces a lot of elements and systems that would go on to influence the series.

3

The Godfather

Relive The Classic Movie In An Open-World Game

Coming out all the way back in 2006, the adaptation of the legendary 1972 films is the precursor to a lot of the tropes seen in many modern open-world games. The bonus content consists of simple side quests related to organized crime like extortion and taking over rackets controlled by other families.

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The map is not complex enough to encourage freely exploring its hidden parts and the world is not reactive enough to make going on a rampage like Grand Theft Auto entertaining.

2

Assassin’s Creed

Before The Series Indulged In The Open-World Format

The later Assassin’s Creed games expand the open-world concept with side quests and various scavenger hunts. The debut entry is purely about tracking down a target, eliminating it, and moving on to the next one. With each assassination, more of the story is revealed until the game ends.

There is one type of collectible to look for, but it does nothing except give Xbox players an achievement, as Assassin’s Creed was released before trophies were introduced on PS3. It is hard to tell what the series would look like or if would have maintained its relevance if it kept the same formula for its sequel.

The Most Flexible Gameplay In The Series

The fifth numbered entry in this legendary stealth-action series goes open-world. However, players still return to a hub after every mission and jump back into the world by selecting a new operation. Players are able to enter the open-world maps, Afghanistan and Africa, without a mission, but there is not a lot to do in this case except collect troops and supplies.

The open-world structure is more about giving players the freedom to approach missions any way they see fit instead of hiding secrets and easter eggs in the environment.

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