Open-World game where every path leads somewhere interesting

One of the reasons for it all open world genre exists is to give players the freedom to create their own path, go in any direction they want and make sure there is something waiting for them to discover. While almost every open-world title can offer unique points of interest and countless paths to travel, it's not uncommon for such games to also fill their map with repetitive locations, objectives, and reused assets, resulting in inevitable predictability setting in sooner or later.

Fortunately, some open-world games can stay fresh throughout their 100-hour-plus runtime, with each new path leading somewhere interesting, be it a new biome, an unexpected dungeon, a valuable treasure, or simply a breathtaking view to slow down for a while. For players who value unpredictable journeys with an almost never-ending sense of discovery, the open world games below are some of the best to enjoy today.

Ghost of Yotei

One of the largest exploration streams in the genre

It's been said countless times before, but it's almost unbelievable how well seamless exploration works Ghost of Yoteicreating a unique flow of constantly stumbling upon something new and interesting and straying off the path without even realizing it. Each point of interest i Ghost of Yotei are deliberately placed in a perfect location and distance from each other to create a chain of attention grabbers, so that players never even question where to go next or open their map – the game simply carries them on the wind.

Unlike Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yotei the map is more region-based, with several large and distinct biomes, each representing its own open-world environment that is still large enough for players to get lost in. New changes to the landscape, with bright, vibrant colors and different atmospheres, also help mask some repetition during gameplay, while progression keeps battles interesting with the constant addition of new weapons, and gadgets.

The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Embrace the invisible

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is already one of the most acclaimed open-world games ever made, praised for its world and sense of freedom and discovery, yet somehow, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom manages to surpass it admirably. The tears of the kingdom giving players even more freedom through their abilities, taking the whole exploration aspect to new heights and providing almost limitless ways to interact with the world and its secrets, puzzles and enemies.

Density and layering are perhaps the two best suited words here. IN The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomthe surface of the land is only a small fraction of the entire world, reaching deep down and sky high, hiding its best parts from the eyes of the players from the beginning. Even with some parts of the map being essentially the same between the two games – just slightly changed or redecorated for the sequel – it only adds to the unique feeling of something familiar and completely new at the same time, which is already a rare feeling in gaming.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Countless side adventures to remember

Released over a decade ago, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt definitely has some repetition in its open world design, even outside of the infamous Skellige's countless question marks. All over the map, players will liberate the same deserted settlements, discover treasure chests, clear bandit camps, destroy monster nests and search for places of power to become stronger. Different biomes and distinct regions such as Velen, Skellige and Toussaint (i Blood and wine DLC) certainly brings freshness, but the locations themselves may not be as memorable as in other fantasy games.

But in the end, it doesn't matter, given how rich and artisanal The Witcher 3's world and storytelling is. Elevated by its characters and quests above all else, players never know when or where they will begin a new side quest, and they have even less idea how it will turn out in the end. The desire to relive another unforgettable story is The Witcher 3's sucker punch, propelling players towards new adventures throughout its colossal gameplay.

Fallout 4

Environmental storytelling at its best

As proven by the excellent Fall-out series, anything can happen in the post-nuclear wastelands, and Fallout 4 is among the best gaming examples of it to date. With the largest map, with several large cities and settlements, roaming bandits, raiders and mutants, and the ability to enter literally any building by breaking the lock or hacking your way in, only the players and their skills determine how far they will go in this world. Additionally, with the game's robust crafting and building mechanics, every piece of junk can be useful and serve its purpose, further increasing the value of exploration.

Traditionally in the series (and in Bethesda RPGs in general) there are few restrictions on where players can go and what they can do, but preparation matters. Fallout 4. Some regions can be outright deadly with high radiation levels and high level enemies. Another thing worth mentioning is Fallout 4's perfect environmental storytelling aspect, as every location in this world has its own story to tell if players pay attention to their surroundings.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Freedom that almost overwhelms

How interesting and surprising can an open world map be completely grounded in reality? As good as the developers want it to be, like Red Dead Redemption 2 proves. Even when they lack the fictional elements and grand locations common to the fantasy genre, it is possible to create a believable, fantastical world that never ceases to amaze. Sure, the wild west frontier isn't “just” any mundane setting, but it seems like Rockstar has pushed its potential to the absolute limit.

Aside from minor exceptions, players are free to go anywhere almost from the start, freely visiting distant regions much earlier than the story takes them there. Also, without any unique tricks, RDR 2's the map is so remarkably dense and packed with discoveries that players continue to find new secrets seven years into the game. Even a random tree in a forest i Red Dead Redemption 2 might contain a clue to something bigger that's well worth chasing, and by stumbling upon a simple abandoned wagon or hunter's cabin, players still don't know what they'll find there, or what will happen while they do.

STALKER 2: Heart Of Chornobyl

Think about how you walk

Despite being inspired by the real Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl perfectly balances its rusty post-apocalypse inspirations with fictional, almost futuristic elements scattered all over the map. With how big the world of the Zone is in this sequel, it's impressive how much exploration there is STALKER 2 remains interesting, with the world slowly revealing new, distinct biomes, never-before-seen anomaly fields, vehicle graveyards, and abandoned buildings of all kinds. Even navigating certain locations can be a puzzle of its own.

While STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl somewhat bordering on its map, with not all regions freely accessible from the start, its approach rarely feels restrictive. Rather, it encourages players to find detours or to chase faction quests to progress. At any point in the game, there are many paths to follow STALKER 2though players can find themselves in very dire straits if they venture too carelessly without preparing first.

Fire Ring

A masterpiece of open world map design

Combat has always been at the core of soul-like games, though Fire Ring shifts almost the entire focus of the genre to exploration, and does so admirably. The game's map of The Lands Between is an unflinching masterpiece of distinct regions with their own feel and stories, entire ecosystems buried deep underground that some players may not even discover, and high verticals that challenge players to reach certain locations high above them.

Many of Fire Rings discoveries are etched into every player's mind: from their first glimpse of a panoramic view of Liurnia of the Lakes to seeing the Rotten Hell of the Caelid or venturing deep into the Siofra River. Many players want to relive those absolute peak moments again. It's not just Fire Rings beauty, as each new area also means new enemy types and unique bosses to face, as well as rare valuables just waiting to be discovered and picked up, potentially providing entirely new ways to play.