Some games want to keep players grounded in boring realism. But others chuck them into places that make no sense whatsoever, and they're better off for it. These are the games that wholeheartedly embrace that which is weird, unsettling, and wonderfully alien, offering players an experience unlike any other.
Whether these games involve strange claymation RPGs, whole worlds devoured by endless rolling cylinders, or surreal corporate nightmares, each of these titles pushes exploration right into a realm of pure discovery. Every turn is unpredictable. These strange lands will leave a lasting impression, sticking with players long after they've put down the controller.
8 Open-World Games Where Exploration Is Exhausting, Ranked
These open-world games are a blast to play, but trying to explore the map in full can leave players weary.
Hylics
A Claymation Trip Through The Surreal
Hylics
- Released
- October 2, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Mason Lindroth
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Hylics is a turn-based RPG where nothing looks or behaves as anyone would expect. The characters are sculpted out of clay, and the backgrounds seem almost painted by hand. Even the dialogue feels like it's been generated with a broken thesaurus. The result is a game that feels like players are exploring someone’s actual dreamscape.
Combat is equally strange. Psychedelic animations are everywhere, and the game's enemies resemble half-finished sculptures. Progression feels deliberately obtuse, encouraging players to experiment and embrace the nonsense until, somehow, it all begins to make a lick of sense. Few games commit this hard to the absurd, which makes Hylics a one-of-a-kind journey through a world that’s as confusing as it is fascinating.
Outer Wilds
A Clockwork Solar System
Outer Wilds
- Released
- May 28, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence, Alcohol Reference
- Developer(s)
- Mobius Digital
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Few games capture that feeling of discovery quite like Outer Wilds. Its brilliant clockwork solar system, which resets every twenty-two minutes, forces players to use knowledge, rather than brute power, to progress. Every planet feels like a little puzzle box waiting to be cracked open.
Brittle Hollow collapses into a black hole. Dark Bramble folds space like intricate origami, and the Hourglass Twins bury and unbury secrets beneath shifting sands. There are no markers or tutorials here, just pure, unadulterated curiosity as a compass. The result is a world that feels alive, strange, and endlessly rewarding for those who keep exploring.
Cruelty Squad
Capitalism Has Never Been This Grotesque
Cruelty Squad
- Released
- January 4, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Consumer Softproducts
- Genre(s)
- Simulation, FPS
Cruelty Squad flings players into a corporate dystopia that’s equal parts biting satire and full-on nightmare. The world is deliberately ugly, and packed with absurd biotech that lets players do everything from grappling with intestines to installing cybernetic fish organs.
Best Open-World Games Great For Exploring On Foot
Taking a walk in these open-world games is far from a drag, as players discover secrets, side quests, and beautiful vistas.
Levels feel like proper fever dream dioramas, with color palettes that practically burn into the retinas and architecture that barely makes any sense. But the absurdity works in its favor, reinforcing the themes of dehumanization and unchecked capitalism. It's a game that feels both hostile and hypnotic at the same time, daring players to keep going deeper into its disgusting, yet compelling, world.
NaissancE
A World Of Concrete And Silence
NaissanceE strips away story and dialogue, leaving players all alone in an endless maze of concrete megastructures. The world is dark, lonely, and towering in its sheer scale, with architecture that feels like it was designed for actual giants, rather than mere humans.
The game thrives on its atmosphere, letting silence do most of the heavy lifting for the storytelling. Light and shadow become vital guides, and progress feels like trespassing through some ancient, forgotten ruin that still vaguely remembers it once served a purpose. NaissanceE is a love letter to the unsettling beauty of brutalism, where every hallway feels like a brand-new secret.
The Eternal Cylinder
The World Doesn't Like You
The Eternal Cylinder drops players onto a planet that is constantly being flattened by a massive, omnipotent rolling cylinder. It's equal parts hilarious and terrifying, forcing players to stay on the move as they evolve some species of odd little creatures.
Every single corner of this alien world is home to bizarre lifeforms, from floating predators to gargantuan biomechanical guardians. And the constant presence of that cylinder gives the game a sense of tension that never quite goes away. It’s a survival story set in a world that's trying to crush the player, both literally and figuratively.
Journey to the Savage Planet
Corporate Chaos On A Candy-Colored Planet
Journey to the Savage Planet
- Released
- January 28, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Journey to the Savage Planet invites players to explore a vibrant, yet hostile, planet in the name of interstellar capitalism. The world is colorful and cartoonishly alien, chock-full of bouncy plants, aggressive wildlife, and incessant corporate messages reminding players how expendable they are.
Exploration is driven by upgrading tools and cataloguing alien lifeforms, turning the entire planet into one big, delightful playground of discovery. Its unique mix of humor, platforming, and clever environmental storytelling creates a world that feels equal parts dangerous and ridiculous. It’s a bizarre place, but one that rewards every detour.
Rain World
The Harshest Jungle Gym
Rain World
- Released
- March 28, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Tobacco Reference
- Developer(s)
- Videocult
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
In Rain World, players control a small slugcat, trying to survive in a vast, decaying ecosystem. And the world? It's brutal, pure and simple. Predators lurk everywhere, and the weather can kill in mere seconds. Every encounter feels tense and unpredictable.
Exploration becomes an intense exercise in learning the behaviors of creatures and using the environment to survive. It’s a world that doesn't care whether players succeed or not, which makes every moment of progress feel truly earned. Rain World’s world is strange, unforgiving, and hauntingly beautiful in its quietest moments.
Exploration-Heavy Games With Great Gameplay
These incredible video games not only showcase vast and complicated environments to explore, but they also deliver great gameplay to match.