Open-World Games With Extremely Hostile NPCs

Open-world gaming is something that players can’t get enough of, with the idea of exploring massive sandboxes tantalizing fans to this day. For the most part, these games are welcoming and feel like a great stressbuster after a hard day’s work.

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However, some open-world games immerse players by letting them explore a world where its residents are quite unfriendly. Most of these NPCs just need an excuse to start a fight and show the protagonist their place.

8

Gothic

NPCs Aren’t Huge Fans Of The Nameless Hero And Lash Out At Him More Often Than Not

Gothic

Systems

Released

November 23, 2001

Developer(s)

Piranha Bytes

OpenCritic Rating

Weak

Gothic is one of the hardest open-world games players can get their hands on, and it’s not until a few hours that players can take on tougher opponents without being one-shot. Until then, they must try and reach a camp, taking out weaker monsters and completing regular quests to stock up a decent amount of experience.

During their stroll through the camps, it’s common for players to be extorted and robbed if they’re not cooperative. It’s a shame whenever players lose their hard-earned ore, but it serves as a lesson to not anger people who can beat the Nameless Hero into a pulp. Sometimes, taking out a weapon is all it takes to aggrieve NPCs who will chastise the player until they sheathe their blade.

7

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

People and Monsters Are Extremely Prejudice Against Witchers

The Witcher 3 is one of the most groundbreaking and beloved open-world games of all time. The questing in this title was unmatched, with Geralt’s profession as a witcher allowing him to take on monster contracts for a decent payout.

However, his mutated form is the source of much hatred in society, with many people looking down on him and treating him with disdain. This can lead to Geralt getting into pub brawls with people who call him a mutant or receiving some verbal barbs from people during negotiations when all he wants is fair pay for hard work.

6

Grand Theft Auto 5

It’s Easy To Antagonize NPCs And Get Into Brawls

Systems

Released

September 17, 2013

Developer(s)

Rockstar North

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Grand Theft Auto 5 parodies many aspects of American culture, giving its satire the cutting edge it needs to stand out in the minds of players. As a result, it’s easy to see why aggression among people is ramped up to the max.

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NPC behavior is quite complex, with some people starting a fistfight if the player so much as scratches their car. Sometimes, just talking to a person for too long will cause them to start throwing hands, even if the playable character was hurling a ton of insults at them.

5

Fallout: New Vegas

The Reputation System Means That Players Can Be Targeted By Groups Who Hate Them

Systems

Released

October 19, 2010

Fallout: New Vegas is one of the best RPGs players can get their hands on. The game features a complex reputation system that governs who loves or hates the Courier, causing them to either welcome the player with open arms or shoot them on sight.

Angering the NCR or Caesar’s Legion will cause them to send hit squads that hunt down the player at regular intervals. Along with this, some opportunists in the Mojave try to take advantage of the Courier and take them out whenever possible, adding to the hostility exhibited by the NPCs in this post-apocalyptic world.

4

Kenshi

A Wide-Open Sandbox Where Players Will Receive Little To No Help From Most NPCs

Kenshi wastes no time in throwing players into the game world with little to no direction on what they can and cannot do. It’s easy for players to leave the starting town only to be torn to shreds by a Bonedog, making it clear that they need to level up their skills to stand a chance of surviving in this unforgiving game world.

Unfortunately, this means that players must spend a long time trying to earn money and unlock a training ground that will be very useful in their travels. Even after making progress in the game world, hostile NPCs will arrive to extort the player, demand tribute to leave their thriving settlement alone and kidnap them to turn them into slaves.

3

Caves Of Qud

An Open-World Roguelike Where Factions Can Turn On The Player In No Time

Caves of Qud finally enjoyed a 1.0 launch in December 2024, letting players enjoy one of the deepest and most engaging open-world roguelikes they can spend a ton of time in. The game boasts a steep learning curve where players will die over and over again until they finally figure out what to do.

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The procedurally generated open world and its factions are brutal towards the player if they get on their bad side. Even if players try their hardest to please everyone, they’re bound to antagonize a group that will treat them with hostility whenever players venture into their area.

2

Red Dead Redemption 2

Arthur Can Get Into Arguments And Fights With Many NPCs

Red Dead Redemption 2 boasts one of the most beautiful open worlds players can get lost in. It helps that this sandbox is full of NPCs with complex routines and AI that adds to the joy players can experience as they experience Arthur’s incredible journey.

It’s easy to get on the bad side of people and the law, with players being narced on as they accrue a bounty that must be cleared before things get unmanageable. While antagonizing NPCs is something players may find easy to avoid unless they want to pursue a Low Honor playthrough, something as simple as bumping into other people on a horse is enough to trigger an unmanageable wave of hostility from the game’s NPCs.

Everyone Is Hostile Towards The Outlander

Systems

Released

May 1, 2002

Developer(s)

Bethesda Game Studios

Vvardenfell is the land of the Dunmer where the Nerevarine is unceremoniously dropped. The city of Seyda Neen serves as the player’s starting point in Morrowind and sets the stage for an epic adventure where players will be reminded about their status as an outlander by the Dark Elves.

While it’s easy to get into a person’s good graces with high Speech skills and money, it’s only a matter of time before players antagonize an entire group with their actions. Players have to stay on their toes to avoid drawing attention as an unwanted outlander, especially given how haughty the Dark Elves are in the world of The Elder Scrolls.

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