Though not necessarily a bad thing, the following titles feel more like linear experiences than true open-world games.
Most people connect open-world gaming with a great deal of freedom, allowing players to accomplish whatever chores they want in any order they want without feeling tethered to a pre-defined route. Of course, as sandbox gaming has progressed, most people would assume that this sense of freedom would only grow, but this isn’t always the case.
In truth, there are some open-world games that do not live up to the non-linear promise in the least. More often than not, this environment serves as a backdrop for players to explore and complete tasks in a fixed order, with the many other activities in these games serving as filler. This isn’t always a bad thing, but the following games feel more like glorified linear experiences than true open-world games.
Mafia
Mafia is a fantastic open-world game that depicts life in the Italian mafia. The plot in this game is good and conveyed in a cinematic fashion, but the open world is at best stage dressing. There isn’t much to do in the city of Lost Heaven, and players have no motivation to explore other than to get to the next quest or objective.
This may appear to be a letdown, but Mafia’s atmosphere and narrative more than compensate for its dreary open world. In fact, Mafia 3’s attempts to incorporate a more sandbox vibe in the environment backfired after players got dissatisfied with how monotonous the action became beyond a certain point.
Final Fantasy 15
Final Fantasy 15 was plagued by a slew of development challenges that delayed its release significantly. Keeping this in mind, Hajime Tabata did an excellent job of collecting the components and assembling a good game that, despite its flaws, is actually enjoyable to play. Final Fantasy 15’s characters and gameplay are quite compelling, but the open world perhaps holds it back.
The tone of the plot and the events that follow make it feel as if the open world wasn’t really a required element of the overall package. It’s a shame, because the landscape is stunning, but it lacks the interactivity that most people anticipate from a modern open-world game.
God Of War
God of War is not a standard open-world game, but its environment can be explored at any moment and backtracking is encouraged. In many aspects, this game feels like a 3D metroidvania. Even if the path to the tale is quite linear and lacks many distractions.
Even with its side quests, God of War feels like a one-stop shop from beginning to end. Which isn’t necessarily a negative thing. After all, the plot of this title is amazing, portraying Kratos in a more sympathetic light than his rage-fueled escapades in Greek mythology.
Shadow Of The Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus is a unique open-world game that aficionados of the genre should definitely check out. The game creates an atmosphere of mystery that makes the tale appear less sophisticated than it is. The act of chasing down colossi is quite engrossing and fulfilling. At least until the truth about the protagonist’s deeds is revealed.
Shadow of the Colossus’ open world is hauntingly gorgeous yet strangely deserted, hinting at the true purpose of this place. Players can collect apples and hunt lizards to boost their health and stamina. But that’s about the only reason they’d bother exploring this world in the first place.
Metro Exodus
The Metro series began with two tightly-woven linear experiences that were a lot of fun to play through. With this in mind, many fans were concerned about the transition to an open world. But they were relieved to learn that the Metro series’ identity remained intact despite this change.
Metro Exodus is a wonderful product that will compel players to explore Funny Shooter 2 game’s numerous enormous locales and learn all of its mysteries. Having said that, the primary story has few to no diversions. And guides players through multiple linear levels along the way.
Borderlands 2
Borderlands 2 is the game that placed this co-op shooter on the map. Thanks to its fantastic cel-shaded art design and exciting combat. It’s a wonderful sequel in every regard. And it’s a shame that the third game in the series didn’t provide the same amount of delight.
Borderlands 2 has a very large setting in which players can screw around and fight opponents. But there isn’t a lot of freedom in terms of how the plot progresses in this title. This isn’t always a negative thing, as players will be too preoccupied with having fun with their pals to notice the lack of a truly open-world experience.
Rise Of The Tomb Raider
The Tomb Raider reboot trilogy did an excellent job of reintroducing Lara Croft to the public. Even if the sequels never quite achieved the heights of 2013’s Tomb Raider. The following two games opted for an open-world approach, with mixed results.
Many say that this transition was unnecessary, with Rise of the Tomb Raider seeming quite linear despite having more mysteries to discover. This design philosophy is carried over to Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Which suffers as a result and feels archaic in comparison to other recent open-world games.
