Summary
Open-world map design is a gameplay feature that has been embraced by developers across many genres. Fromrole-playing gamesto competitive PvP survival games, the implementation of an open-world approach to world design has become something of a standard feature. This wasn’t always the case though.
However, there are a few titles that not only implementopen-world gameplaybefore it was a standardized mechanic, but do so in a way that leaves the player amazed when they realize just how large of a playing map they have to explore and enjoy. The developers of these games were pioneers, overcoming technical challenges that at the time, were far from trivial.
TheBordlerlandsfranchisehelped to define an entire genre, the looter shooter, andBordlerlands 2is arguably the best game in the series at the time of writing. It combines an excellent, often humorous storyline with frantic gunplay, and more loot than a player will ever need.
The initial quests inBordlerlands 2aim the player at certain map locations, making the game feel quite linear. But once the player has finished the starter quests, the game world opens up, and the player is free to start exploring, picking and choosing side quests as they go.
There are few games that provide a world that is simply fun to inhabit in the same way thatRed Dead Redemption 2does. Whether crossing the prairie, or walking down the street of anOld Westtown, this game fully immerses the player in the environment.
When the game begins, it follows a linear introduction, and during this time it is not apparent just how huge and richly populated the open world map is. It isn’t until reaching the first campsite and being sent out to earn income, that the depth, breadth, and width of the playing map starts to show. Overall,RDR2has not only one of the largest open-world maps to explore, but also one of the best.
Grand Theft Auto 5is one of the most successful games of all time, and for good reason, it is simply such fun to play! Having made the transition from a stand-alone title to a live service game, additional content drops and events keep the gameplay interesting and rewarding.
GTA5has a massive open-world map, just under 30 miles square in size. Players who begin with the main storyline don’t get to see an awful lot of the map at first, it is only later that it becomes apparent that the game is vast. It is not unknown for a police chase to cover miles and miles of different roads in this game.
Ghost of Tsushimawas a hit for developers Sucker Punch Productions. This is one of those rare games where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Gameplay feature-wise, the game didn’t do anything particularly clever or innovative. But what it did was combine gameplay features into such a cohesive, tightly intertwined playing experience that screamed quality. Taking on therole of a Samurai, the player is free to roam as much as they wish.
Of course, one of the best features ofGhost of Tsushimais the open world map, which is huge and rewarding to explore. Many players don’t realize just how huge the playing map is until they are dozens of hours into the game.
The originalWitchergame andWitcher 2had a kind of fake open-world quality to them. Yes, the player was free to roam around the map to some extent, but it wasn’t untilWitcher 3: Wild Huntthat the game map became fully open-world.
This is another game that doesn’t show the player the extent of the map area they have available to explore until quite a way into the game. The quality of the map design, and the incredibly detailed and colorful world make exploring every part of the map a rewarding experience inWitcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Open Seas Piracy At Its Best
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
The year is 1715. Pirates rule the Caribbean and have established their own lawless Republic where corruption, greediness and cruelty are commonplace.Among these outlaws is a brash young captain named Edward Kenway. His fight for glory has earned him the respect of legends like Blackbeard, but also drawn him into the ancient war between Assassins and Templars, a war that may destroy everything the pirates have built.Become Edward Kenway, a charismatic yet brutal pirate captain, trained by Assassins. Edward can effortlessly switch between the Hidden Blade of the Assassin’s Order and all new weaponry, including four flintlock pistols and dual cutlass swords.Discover the largest and most diverse Assassin’s Creed world ever created. From Kingston to Nassau, explore over 75 unique locations where you can live the life of a pirate.
There have been a number of games that have tried to implement an open-world game map that is based on sea travel. Few of them managed to pull this feat off.Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flagtook this challenge and met it. As the 6th game in a franchise that had been a great success, this was a risky move, that was rewarded by one of the best-loved games in the franchise.
It isn’t until the player begins setting out to accomplish their own goals that it becomes apparent just how large the game world is. Yes, the map only covers the West Indies, but it is done on a grand scale.Sea voyagesactually felt like, well, sea voyages, and simply traveling was engaging and fun.
Cyberpunk 2077had a rocky launch, garnering criticism from all sides due to performance issues, underdelivering on promises, and a vast number of gameplay bugs from trivial to game-breaking. Fast forward to today, andCyberpunk 2077is in a much better state, and has taken its rightful place as one of the best games in thecyberpunk genre. ThePhantom LibertyDLC only built on this success.
Starting a game ofCyberpunk 2077forces the player into a very linear, long-winded part of the main story. During this time, there are only hints at how large the open world map is, and how much of Night City has been simulated. Once the player moves beyond the introduction, they are free to roam the map at will, and this is when it becomes apparent that the city map is huge.
