Summary
Open-world gamesare among the most innovative games ever created, attempting to immerse players in fully developed realms of imagination that come to life. The burden of an open-world game is to give the player a sense of freedom in all aspects, from exploration to decision-making. There are several approaches to this, all of which are highly challenging, makingopen-world gamesa particularly risky investment.
However, more often than not, a game can check all the boxes and create a truly special experience. Some open-world games can even make playersfeel like the king or queenof the game world through story or gameplay elements. Being the ruler of a virtual world is a wonderful feeling in video games, and only a small few do it justice. Here are some ofthe best open-world games that make their players feel like a king or queen.
Minecrafthas one of the largest player populations in the world and has sold over three hundred million copies. It is an open-world fantasy survival game that allows players to manipulate and create anything from housing to weapons and armor.
With a creative focus, players harvest blocks of multiple materials and use them to build, mix them to produce new materials, and craft more advanced equipment, allowing for limitless freedom to explore the world. Players can build entire kingdoms from scratch and, with the help of mods, garner dedicated servants and followers, and even play alongside their friends to build rival kingdoms.
Assassin’s Creedhas explored multiple eras in history, taking players on incredible and fantastical journeys. EachAssassin’s Creedgame delves into some of history’s greatest legends and brings them to life in an exploratory way. InAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, players step into the life of Eivor as either a male or female viking.
While progressing through the main story, players must also expand Eivor’s clan and its territories, making narrative decisions that impact the game world. Players cut a bloody path to superiority, as raiding enemy bases while fortifying their own is a main staple of the game.
The Elder Scrollsfranchise is the standard when it comes to vast fantasy tales that allow players the freedom to interact with the game world in any way they see fit.The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimreshaped the gaming community with its vast open world and winding story that took players across a living world filled with war, dragons, and bandits.
Skyrimalso features thousands of mod-creators packing the game full of even more content, many of which open the door to extended story quests that allow players to become a ruler with additional gear, housing, and even a throne and crown, perfect for the next king or queen of Tamriel.
TheDragon Ageserieshas consistently delivered grand stories and powerful experiences that immerse players in their narrative and game world. InDragon Age: Inquisition, the game is set in an immersive open world that tasks players with stopping an interdimensional invasion by uniting multiple factions and traveling the world.
Players will have to rub shoulders with powerful allies, make decisions that reshape the world, and slay monsters and enemies in between.Dragon Age: Inquisitiondoes a fantastic job of providing a level of freedom and power to the player that other entries in the series lack, putting them in a position of power and asking them how they intend to wield it.
TheFableseries is packed with immersive freedom, granting players the ability to choose their desired path from the very beginning. The franchise thrives on being the hero of the story or the villain of nightmares. InFable 3, the game takes this concept a step further, making the players destined for glory as the future king or queen of the realm.
After obtaining the crown, players must establish order in Albion and make decisions that will impact the world as a whole, as well as their perception by the NPCs within the game. With a new installment in the series slowly approaching, many fans hope that this feature remains.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Waris one of the most innovative games ever made, thanks to the addition ofthe Nemesis system. As players step into the role of Talikon, they must combat the growing Orc menace and forge a new ring of power to confront Sauron, the evil of all evil.
Players must establish an army of their own filled with the orcs they “dominate” throughout the campaign, and create their own fortress as a base of operations. Leading a custom army of the best and strongest orcs in the land gives the feeling of being a crowned warrior with the fate of the world resting on the player’s shoulders.
Grand Theft Auto 5was a massive success, breaking record after record, selling over 200 million copies, and garnering a dedicated player base over the last decade. The game drops players into a world to experience three characters' stories across a winding plot of treachery, ambition, and finality.
The game also features an extensive online mode where players can create custom avatars and explore Los Santos to their heart’s content. With enough craft and enough cash, players can rule Los Santos with an iron fist, establishing illicit businesses, running heists, and taking over the criminal underworld one step at a time.
Pathfinderis a popular tabletop role-playing game published by former Wizards of the Coast creators who founded a new company called Paizo. The game’s success has led to its expansion into other media, including video games.Pathfinder: Kingmakeris a turn-based adventure game similar toBaldur’s Gate 3.
InPathfinder: Kingmaker, players must cleanse the chaos of a lawless territory and slowly make their way up the ladder to becoming King or Queen. The game features a vast, open-world fantasy setting with detailed narrative choices that impact the physical and political environment of the world, making every decision the player makes significant and consequential.
