Games with giant maps that don't waste your time (exploration without fillers)

The Assassin's Creed franchise can be credited with helping set modern standards for open-world gaming. With each new Assassin's Creedthe worlds got bigger and filled with more things to do, but then it got a little bloated with release Assassin's Creed Unitywhich had too many icons on the screen. Flooding a map with too much can make players feel like they're playing a checklist simulator rather than an open game.

That's why these open world examples are worth recommending. They may have a lot to do in their large expansive worlds, but rarely will things feel unnecessary. Everything is there, waiting to be discovered to enrich players' curiosity. Red Dead Redemption 2 comes close with great story features to be found, but it's also pretty empty considering that. These other games have a better balance.

The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Test your skills in mini dungeons

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild features a huge version of Hyrule, which is desolate after a post-apocalyptic event. Still, there are towns to visit, random NPCs, monster camps, and more, all of which don't interfere with the map in any significant way. The biggest feature on the map is the shrines, and there are over a hundred, which may seem like a lot, but Nintendo made each one special. Not only are they designed to help Link upgrade his stats, but the puzzles inside are brain twisters, which will make players feel like they're getting smarter.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

A story behind each monster

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt changed how quest systems should work in large sprawling RPGs. Every small task that players take on will lead to something bigger, even if it feels like a fetch mission that involves returning some kitchen utensils. The map itself is huge without a lot of trinkets of any kind, so if something pops up in the world and looks, chances are it's connected to something important, either with a main quest or a side quest. This makes the world feel less like a video game and more like a real world filled with magic, mystery, and danger, even if players aren't finding something every minute.

Fallout 4

Taking care of reality

Fallout 4 is a more explicitly post-apocalyptic world filled with rubble, irradiated earth and mutants. What fans like about it and Fall-out series overall is that they can travel to famous places from real life, albeit through the lens of a video game, which is cheaper than traveling.

The game takes place in the Boston area, and players can find amazing versions of attractions such as Fenway Park, Faneuil Hall, and the Old North Church. This makes the world more interactive for history buffs or players who grew up in the Boston area, making every discovery exciting in addition to getting more loot for crafting. No structure or monument feels like a waste of space, even if it isn't based on anything.

Fire Ring

Danger lurks around every corner

Fire Ring is full of danger as a soul corpse between normal monsters, mini-bosses and actual boss encounters. If something looks suspicious, like a big open field with nothing around it, or a cave, chances are something tough is lurking inside. On the plus side, they often guard a cool piece of equipment, so defeating these horrors will always feel extra rewarding. There are no traditional villages to speak of, but occasionally there will be a cryptic NPC with a story to tell, from witches to talking jars, plus traversing this bleak world is more fun than most, as the mountain, Torrent, can double jump.

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Welcome to the new LA

Xenoblade Chronicles X takes place on an alien planet where a new colony, labeled as New LA, has established itself. There isn't much in the way of notable locations like villages or moments, but it's still a compelling world to explore because of the danger, which Fire Ring. In all parts of the game, players will find towering monsters that can kill the party in a single hit. However, it will be rewarding to return to these colossi later as a stronger party or when players unlock their Skells, which are the mechanisms of this RPG world. Xenoblade Chronicles Xs world is massive and seamless, allowing players to feel lost on a terrifying new planet.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

Reconstruction of society

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is somewhat empty on the surface as humanity has retreated underground in both Mexico and Australia, the two continents players can explore. There are seemingly miles of stretches in the game where players can only see plains, rivers, and mountains, making the appearance of a bunker or some sort of structure more intriguing.

It's also great to discover the remnants of railways or highways, because with the right materials, players can repair these structures to reconnect bunkers and stations again. This is also the only open game where players can share their structures via asynchronous multiplayer. One world will differ from another depending on how the servers connect, so in a way, rebuilding the world is a global team effort.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Men

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 isn't the biggest map compared to other entries, but what can be explored in the different neighborhoods of New York City is interesting. As either Peter or Miles, players can swing or slide around the city looking for various side activities such as stopping random thieves or solving some technical puzzles, adding to the role-play of being Spider-Man. If a building looks unique, chances are there's a secret hiding around it, including The Avengers Tower. Thanks to its density, this is an open world map that players will be forced to 100% because it doesn't take long, and every upgrade will feel significant.

Build mother base

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain has several open areas to explore. The main goal, beyond the story, is to build up the Mother Base, the hub area, and players can do that by finding supplies and recruits in these biomes. Players will find enemy bases, and if they knock out an enemy, they can then send them back to Mother Base and assign them a task like weapons research. The stats are randomized, so it's a bit like finding Pokemon, forcing players to try to get the very best for their ocean utopia. In addition to random recruitment, there are other secrets hidden in these areas, such as specific unique characters, including Hideo Kojima himself, animals or rare weapons.