If there is one thing that almost every open-world game has in common, it’s exploration. It doesn’t matter if you’re shooting off into outer space or journeying to a fantastical kingdom; there is always a need to explore, but it is safe to say that some games handle it with far more creativity than others.
The creative sense can come from the literal modes of transport, like mounts or movement abilities, the way the environment is laid out, and even just the general progression of the playthrough. Whatever the case, these select few games manage to deliver a borderline perfect experience, whilst still leaving plenty of room for some pretty satisfying exploring.
This is by no means intended to be a definitive list of open-world RPGs with creative progression.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Building A Way Forward
Details:
- Ultrahand and Fuse make exploration endlessly creative
- The world constantly rewards unconventional thinking
Tears of the Kingdom builds upon Breath of the Wild’s revolutionary design by giving you even more tools to solve problems creatively. Whether constructing elaborate vehicles with Ultrahand, combining weapons through Fuse, or using Ascend to bypass entire puzzles, there is rarely just one correct solution to any obstacle, and in a lot of cases, the method can actually be more fun than the actual exploring.
That philosophy extends across the entire world, with so much additional verticality requiring a good amount of experimentation, for which you are always rewarded. It’s that outside the box that makes it so engaging to play, and I would easily say it surpasses the original by making the adventure feel so much more personal.
Elden Ring
Landmarks Guide You To Greatness
Details:
- Distant structures act as the main tool for exploring
- Secret paths through illusory walls
Elden Ring certainly goes a long way to avoid being placed into a single box, having a much higher level of intensity and difficulty than most of its contemporaries, but it is the exploration that many consider to be the game’s greatest asset. You have no real sense of where to go, and instead, it is all about what you want and what structures you think look the most interesting across the gigantic landscape.
Then there are the more structured locations, like the legacy dungeons, which include dozens of intertwining paths and hidden walls that often lead you even deeper into the depths below the world. Even after several hundred hours, I still find myself finding new routes into the unknown, and I am always taken aback by the level of creativity that exists in the game’s world design, and hence, the way you can explore it.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
A Planet At Your Fingertips
Details:
- Massive environments invite curiosity
- Skells fundamentally alter the navigation
There are a lot of enormous planets out there in the open-world genre, yet very few are anywhere near as thrilling to explore as in Xenoblade Chronicles X. Mira is filled with huge continents, towering creatures, hidden caves, and faraway landmarks that encourage you to wander far beyond the main story and into the alluring wilderness.
Every region feels distinct, constantly rewarding those willing to stray from the beaten path, and the freedom expands dramatically once you unlock Skells. Being able to fly completely changes how the world can be explored, opening previously unreachable locations and making familiar regions feel entirely new, and by the end, you will feel as though you are playing an entirely different game.
ELEX
The World That Doesn’t Wait For You
Details:
- Dangerous regions demand creative problem-solving
- Exploration is more about knowledge
ELEX challenges you to think differently about open-world progression. Powerful enemies roam the map from the very beginning, and direct combat is a pretty unwise solution in many situations, so instead, you need to get thinking and use everything from stealth to route planning to survive those early hours.
The game’s jetpack adds another layer of creativity by opening unconventional paths through both the forests and more civilized locations. Combined with its refusal to bend to your will, the result is an ever-evolving puzzle that I find to be one of the unique RPGs out there today.
OK, “near-perfect” is a bit of an exaggeration for Elex, but Eurojank is part of the charm of a Piranha Bytes RPG. While we went with Elex due to its expanded movement system, Gothic would also fit here.
Outward
No Shortcuts To Survival
Details:
- Success depends on preparation
- Players solve problems through long-term planning
Outward makes it clear right from the start that you are going to be using your head a lot more than brawn. Before setting out, you need to think about supplies and what you will need for the journey ahead, and that thought process always involves multiple additional variables like the weather and the specific biomes.
When you do eventually get to the fighting, that same philosophy reigns supreme, with traps and environmental hazards proving to be just as effective, if not more so, than traditional attacks. I think it is a great game for when you get tired of endless grinding, and for when you want something that requires a lot more thought to get through every challenge.
Outward certainly has room for improvement, but it achieves its goal of being a player-driven adventurer’s RPG well. Hopefully, the sequel will be even better.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
As Realistic As It Gets
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Details:
- Grounded and pure style of exploration
- Many questions require genuine investigation
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II continues the series’ commitment to realism by turning your attention to the world itself rather than simply following objective markers. Forest paths make for ideal markers for objectives, while villages open the door for new and interesting stories, turning the act of exploration into something far more fluid and authentic.
Many quests reinforce that philosophy by asking you to gather information or follow subtle clues scattered throughout the environment, and I would say that the best missions in the game are the ones where you have the least information. Rather than providing immediate answers, the game rewards patience and logical thinking, creating an exploration experience that feels refreshingly different from most modern RPGs.
Crimson Desert
From Dragons To Flying Mechs
Details:
- Insane number of movement options
- Content littered on all layers of the land
Crimson Desert aims to make player creativity a central pillar of its open world. While it takes a while to unlock and gain access to everything that really allows exploration to shine, you eventually end up with a whole host of movement options, each with specific strengths that you can use to clear specific quests or to reach far-away locations in a much timelier manner.
Complementing the extensive list of mounts and mobility abilities is a map that is about as jam-packed with content as you could ever want. You may begin by flying over a city, but then bump into a floating landmark or spot a looming tower in the forest, and there are only upsides to scouring the edges of the world and using whatever tools you can to get there.
