Best Open-World Games That Make You Feel Weightless

Movement is often a deciding factor for many people when deciding which game to play. Sometimes the transition options are clunky, or there's a lack of depth, forcing many players to be immediately rejected, but in some cases, the boundaries are gone, allowing players to soar high into the sky and be one with the clouds.

This feeling of weightlessness is truly breathtaking when done right, and there are plenty of games out there that manage to achieve that feeling perfectly. From cozy adventures to realistic simulators, these games effortlessly capture what it means to take to the air.

8

Sky: Children of Light

The beauty of flying together

Details:

• Free gliding over a range of different environments

• Movement feels soft and fluid rather than stiff

Sky creates a world built around serene, almost fluid movement that lets players glide and sweep through the sky without a care in the world. Its smooth animations and minimalistic world design make every movement feel like a soothing journey, ensuring players are constantly relaxed rather than stressed.

As players ride wind tunnels, soar above seas of clouds, and chain-glide between floating islands, the world begins to invite players to see and do more. Total, Sky's traversal is designed to feel liberating as opposed to challenging, giving players all the power to reach for the stars and never look back.

7

Lay

Riddles to solve from the sky to the sea

Details:

• Free flight on top of a magical manta ray

• Multiple islands to explore, each with puzzles and secrets to find

Lay is a charming exploration game that is all about soothing movements and easy flight. Players are accompanied by a lovable manta ray that can grow in size and transform a cute pet into a mount that can take them across the landscape and high into the clouds.

Everything about the game just screams comfort, as even the various puzzles around the world never feel too difficult to solve. Often players will find themselves simply sweeping across the landscape, enjoying the movement and feeling of being completely free of gravity.

6

Gravity Rush 2

Physics in the palm of your hand

Details:

• Free fall in all directions

• Large open areas full of enemies and places to see

Gravity Rush 2 redefines movement by allowing players to reverse gravity at will and treat the world as a three-dimensional playground. Instead of just jumping or climbing, players instead use calculated falls to navigate the gigantic world, seamlessly switching planes whenever they want.

The ability to redistribute gravity mid-flight creates a real sense of freedom that no other game can truly achieve. Despite the impressive verticality, huge distances can become trivial thanks to the lack of restrictions on where players can go and how they can get there.

5

Just Cause 4

Creativity in flight

Details:

• Tools like a glider and a grappling hook to traverse the world

• Movement can be combined to increase speed and allow for insane vertical options

Just cause has always been a pioneer in open world freedom, but this entry takes that idea to a whole new level. Starting from a stationary position, players can quickly fight and wingsuit at insane speeds, gliding across the island without even physics getting in the way.

Due to how scattered parts of the map are, players will often have to move around a lot to progress missions or unlock new items. Thankfully, no distance is too far, as players can zoom from one end of the map to the other through the sky, all while looking pretty awesome at the same time.

4

Xenoblade Chronicles X

No mountain too high

Details:

• Mech flight allows players to launch into the sky from anywhere

• Massive landscapes that feel closer thanks to the flight mechanics

Xenoblade Chronicles X offers an almost unparalleled level of freedom when it comes to driving through. The moment players unlock the flight, the entire world becomes much more accessible and the huge environments become backdrops that set the stage for the upcoming flight.

The movement is so fluid and freeing, and the scale of the map allows players to glide across the landscape without a care in the world. Towards the later stages, the player will really feel as if nothing is in his way and can reach any height.

3

Marvel's Spider-Man

Brings the hero to life

Details:

• Classic web-swinging action

• Seamlessly transition between buildings effortlessly

Marvel's Spider-Man puts players in the web-slinging hero's shoes and lets them live out their childhood dreams of becoming a heroic superhero. The city feels like a jungle gym for players to explore, as with just a few simple inputs they can quickly fly over skyscrapers and high above the skyline itself.

Movement transitions effortlessly into combat, where players feel as fluid and weightless in combat as they do gliding through the air. The overall experience takes the comic book world into the player's hands, removing all boundaries and allowing them to live out their dreams to the fullest.

2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Every corner of the world

Details:

• Authentic flight simulator

• Uses real physics to create a realistic flight experience

Microsoft Flight Simulator is about as close to a perfect flight game as there's ever been. With no real goals other than seeing the world, players can take off and fly from one side of the planet to the other, taking in the sights and seeing Earth from a completely different perspective.

The variety is pretty crazy, as players aren't limited to just airplanes and can use anything from helicopters to jets, to even gliders, to get around the map. It's the perfect game for players who want to experience the freedom of the sky, but still want a grounded environment that feels as close to home as humanly possible.

1

High up

To soar above the clouds

Details:

• Large floating islands with glider-based traversal

• Emphasis on moving between locations and using height to gain speed

High up sends players into an open world made up entirely of floating islands suspended in the sky. Traversal relies heavily on gliders, wind currents and aerial structures that encourage players to jump, soar and drift between land masses, all within a world that feels far cozier than it does dangerous.

Light survival mechanics help bridge the gap between moments in the sky, but the real draw is the movement and potential options players have. After playing for a while, players will find it hard to touch the ground, because flying is so much fun, they will forget almost everything except the freedom of the air.