Summary
Open-world gamescan be some of the most demanding experiences in gaming. For those unaccustomed to the idea, being given the keys to a giant world can be daunting. What’s more, if players don’t keep up with playing them, they may forget what they were doing.
While these examples also have that same problem in places, they are easier to get into because of their more relaxed narratives, or because they are a live-service game with constant updates that also support multiplayer. There’s nothing better than having daily or weekly rituals with friends, and some of these open-world games reflect that idea. These games will be ranked based on quality and how casual of an experience they can be.
The Good Lifecomes from the mind of Swery65, the director ofDeadly Premonition,which is one of the most divisive games of all time. This game follows a New York City reporter who goes to a quaint English village in the country for some investigating.
What she finds is odd, to say the least, as people canturn into catsand dogs, including her. Players can explore this tiny countryside to follow the case, or they can catch up with townsfolk, but overall, this is not an ordinary game.
Sky: Children of the Lightis the next game from Jenova Chen, who had previously shaken up the indie world withJourney. Like that game,Children of the Lightis purely a passive experience without combat, wherein players can fly around floating islands with friends or strangers and collect items.
It’s a free-to-play game that isn’t hindered by microtransactions, allowing players to immerse themselves in the experience fully. Instead, it’s there for players who want anotherJourney-like experience, but one with a bigger scope and the ability toplay with friends in the other environments.
Palworldis still in Early Access,but it’s a very playable game in its current state, even though it can be a bit messy. This experience is for players who like open-worlds, monster-catching, and survival games.
Players can explore the world to gather materials and Pokemon-like Pals either alone or with friends. They can also build bases with their Pals by giving them jobs, from farming to construction. There is a tutorial-like mission structure, but no story, so it’s not a demanding game by any means, making it easy to jump in and out of leisurely.
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Painis a suitable game recommendation here because players will actively recruit members to staff their Mother Base. InThe Phantom Painand the game that preceded it,Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, players can capture enemy units via a balloon system and have them work at Mother Base.
Players can assign recruits to work on new gear or build up better facilities. It’s a game filled with features, such as Hideo Kojima’s swan song to the series andBig Boss as a character. The story is important, but players can jump in and out of the open-world areas to engage in missions at a more bite-sized pace if they prefer a casual approach.
Monster Hunter Wildsis as intense as the previous entriesin the series, but now with more quality of life improvements. It’s not a casual game overall, but it can be played like one, since its entire emphasis relies on four-player co-op.
It’s easy to jump into the game, explore a bit, and then hop into a match to fight some monsters with friends. The content updates have not been steady, but given the franchise’s history, Capcom should be able to keep up with demand so that players can keep coming back to this latest entry whenever they feel the hunger for more monster hunting.
Infinity Nikkiis a unique experience because it’s an open-world platformer, and that’s not a genre combination that comes around often. There are open-world games with some platforming, likeThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,butInfinity Nikkiis a much more passive experience that is all about exploration and fashion.
As the titular Nikki, players cannot craft her facial appearance, but they can put her in a vast assortment of fantastic outfits. There is a story, but it’s not important, so players won’t feel the pressure of playing through the game non-stop. Plus, there isn’t much to the combat, which makes it accessible to more casual players.
Sea of Thievesstarted as an Xbox One exclusive without much of a point to the gameplay, but now it is also on PS5. After seven years, a multitude of improvements and content updates have been released to make the game feel more cohesive. There have even been crossover events with movies likeThe GooniesandPirates of the Caribbean.
Players can raise their pirate flags, sail around with friends, and treat the experience more like a pirate-themed sim, or they can go heavy on thepirate combat and looting aspects. Either approach works and is equally engaging.
Mario Kart Worldis the biggest leap the franchisehas taken sinceMario Kart: Double Dashon the GameCube. Players can race through courses alone or with friends like a normalMario Kartentry, or they can activate a new mode called Free Roam.
This mode gives players access to the entire map at once, and they can just cruise around without the need for objectives. There is optional content, like collecting costumes or going on missions, but it’s not a crucial to engage with it. It’s just there to enjoy, and Switch 2 fans are loving it so far.
