Open World Games That Have Great Day & Night Cycles

The passage of day and night is an effective way to enhance immersion in a game, particularly in an open-world setting. This feature not only makes the game world feel more alive but also provides a visually dynamic experience through the various stages of sunlight and moonlight.

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5 Open-World Games Best Played At Night

If you want to escape to wondrous worlds this dark and stormy season, here are some open-world games that are best experienced at night.

In other cases, the day and night cycles do more than just change the lighting; they breathe life into virtual environments and influence gameplay mechanics. In open-world games, the day and night cycle can play an integral part in how a player operates, whether it’s avoiding certain hazards or utilizing different forms of lighting to accomplish their goals.

8

The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

Time Plays A Big Part In The Central Gimmick

Systems

Released

October 26, 2000

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes

Every 3D game in The Legend Of Zelda franchise features a day and night cycle in which enemies spawn at night. However, The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask takes full advantage of the cycle thanks to the time loop gimmick that has the player attempt to complete as much as possible in the realm of Termina within three days before resetting time.

Particular events and quests are exclusive to certain hours of the three days, whether they are small character-driven quests or major story quests. This gimmick was a divisive one, but it is what has helped turn The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask into a memorable entry in the beloved franchise.

7

Dying Light

Zombies Get Even Scarier At Night

Open-World

Survival Horror

Released

January 27, 2015

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language

Dying Light already stands out for allowing players to freely roam a zombie-infested city using parkour and wielding makeshift equipment. It’s intense with the zombies being a genuine horror from beginning to end, but things get worse when the player first experiences nighttime. Zombies are not only more aggressive, but there are special variants known as Volatiles that come out at night.

Volatiles are faster and deadlier than the regular infected with the added ability to leap and scale any surface, so even parkour doesn’t help. They are far from the only special zombies seen in Dying Light, but they are enough to make a player want to stick to traversing the city during the daytime.

The Time Of Day Can Help Snake’s Infiltration

Released

September 1, 2015

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language

Heavily inspired by the survival gameplay elements of the third game, Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain goes even farther by not only including weather effects but also day and night cycles that can heavily affect Snake’s missions in the open world map of Afghanistan. It is the first game in the Metal Gear Solid franchise to embrace an open-world style.

On top of the realistic lighting allowing for better stealth abilities, enemies can behave differently at night, and specific resources can only be found at night. It allows the infiltration of enemy bases to be easier, especially if weather such as rain or other storms are in play, hiding Snake even more.

5

Minecraft

The Overworld Can Be Equally Tranquil And Stressful

Released

November 18, 2011

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence

The game that helped redefine the survival game genre, Minecraft, is all about exploring the overworld and building anything the player desires. However, that can come with many challenges, from having to delve into ancient dungeons for materials to having to survive the perils that came out at night.

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During the day, Minecraft can be one of the most relaxing experiences thanks to its charming blocky visuals and lullaby-esque music. That all changes when the moon rises and monsters are almost constantly spawning: zombies, skeletons, giant spiders, and more. First-time players might be overwhelmed if they don’t have a shelter to rest in for the night.

4

The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

The Sequel Took Everything To The Next Level

Systems

Released

May 12, 2023

ESRB

Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes

Nintendo went above and beyond to give longtime fans and newcomers the most expansive version of Hyrule yet in The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild. The sequel, The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom went even further with a larger map and the addition of sky islands.

Carrying over from Breath Of The Wild, the various environmental conditions can assist or hinder Link on his journey in Tears Of The Kingdom. During the day, a mountain may simply present a traversal challenge. However, when night falls, temperatures can drop to sub-zero levels, putting Link’s life at risk. Additionally, the emergence of more challenging enemies at night adds an exciting layer to the gameplay.

3

V Rising

Daylight Is The Enemy For A Vampire

Systems

Released

May 17, 2022

ESRB

T For Teen due to Blood, Violence

Unlike most games where the daylight is the more tranquil time to play, V Rising is about controlling a vampire who stalks its prey at night. As the player explores, fights, and upgrades their undead prowess, they can expand their castle, which becomes their home base and protection from the perils of daytime.

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As a result, daytime is far more deadly, with more enemies out and the sun’s rays creating extra damage against the player. While V Rising is an enjoyable survival hack and slash game in solo, even more challenges can arise playing PVP, in which players can raid other player castles for loot.

2

Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora

Pandora Is A Wonderful Planet At Any Point Of Day

Released

December 7, 2023

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Language, Mild Blood, Violence

Living the life of a Na’vi in Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora is equally thrilling as it is captivating. The titular alien planet of Pandora is brimming with details straight out of the blockbuster movies, from the alien creatures to the flora, resulting in an experience where exploring is not only fun but incentivized.

When roaming the extraterrestrial jungles and plains of Pandora, the visuals change drastically between night and day, with the night being filled with bioluminescent flora and fauna. Additionally, every resource that the player collects has environmental recommendations for harvesting; some require heavy rain for a perfect harvest, while others can only be harvested at night.

1

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Monster Hunting Requires Patience And Research

Released

May 19, 2015

ESRB

M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content

Geralt Of Rivia is, at the end of the day, a monster hunter and the player will be spending most of their time completing contracts and other side quests featuring deadly monsters plaguing the land. It’s part of what has turned The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt into an iconic RPG, even a decade since its initial release.

Slaying monsters in The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt requires more than running in with a sword and slashing them. The player has to learn the target’s preferred surroundings, weaknesses, and active hours. Some monsters only come out at night, or even at a specific time at night.

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For those seeking great open-world games featuring supernatural abilities, these video games have got you covered.