Summary
- The open-world genre evolved from RPGs, allowing seamless transitions between towns and dungeons.
- Indie games like Twilight Monk and Clair Obscur offer unique world map experiences.
- Games like Bravely Default 2 and Unicorn Overlord innovate on the classic RPG formula with immersive world maps.
The open-world genre is one of the most popular ones out there today, including sub-genres like shooters, RPGs, and even platformers. The idea can be traced back to RPGs, which gave players a world map to roam around on. Final Fantasy is a great example on the NES.
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Players could access towns or dungeons on the world map by walking around or using some sort of vehicle, like a boat or airship. The evolution of the genre helped create seamless transitions from dungeons to towns, aka open-world games. While that's great, some miss world maps, and for those that do, these RPGs still have the juice. These games will be ranked based on how interactive the world maps are and the overall quality, of course.
8 Twilight Monk
A Recent Obscurity
- Developer: Aquatic Moon Games
- Publisher: Gravity Game Arise
- Released: March 26, 2025
- Platforms: PC, Switch
Twilight Monk is a newer game that, sadly, isn’t getting the attention it deserves as an indie game. It’s a hybrid of a lot of genres, most notably harder Metroidvanias like Hollow Knight, along with classic examples like Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link. Players assume the role of a young ninja-like warrior named Raziel who is tasked with sealing away an escaped darkness.
Players can traverse various interconnected dungeons and towns via a world map, and there are even towns and shops. On the world map, players can get into random battles, as it is a 2D action RPG with some killer visuals and an aim to please fans of classic games looking for a challenge.
7 Dynasty Warriors: Origins
A Better Use Of The “Open” World
Dynasty Warriors: Origins
- Released
- January 17, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen / Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Omega Force
- Genre(s)
- Action, Hack and Slash
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Dynasty Warriors 9 was the first game in the series to go full open-world, and it was not as successful as perhaps Koei Tecmo had hoped. They dialed things back a bit for this prequel, Dynasty Warriors: Origins, and gave players their first world map to explore.
Players can run around on foot or with a horse to go into battles for all that great Musou action. They can mine or discover materials, talk to NPCs, or access towns, but only as menus, which is the only unfortunate part about this game’s world map presentation.
6 World Of Final Fantasy
Please Don’t Be The Last Time Square Enix Does This
World Of Final Fantasy
- Released
- October 25, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
The last mainline Final Fantasy game to have a world map was Final Fantasy 9, and that was in 2000 on the PS1! Over a decade later, World of Final Fantasy was released, and while it was a return to classic Final Fantasy games in some ways, it also wasn’t afraid to shake things up.
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It was a turn-based RPG, but instead of a basic battle system or Job system, players could collect monsters like Pokemon. On the world map, players could access dungeons and towns, and while it wasn’t that interactive, it was big and wonderfully designed with a cute aesthetic.
5 Sea Of Stars
A Chrono-Based Homage
Sea of Stars
- Released
- August 29, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Sabotage
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Sea of Stars is another indie darling and one that most have heard of before. It wore its inspirations on its sleeves as the battle system can be likened to Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, as there is timing added to the turn-based combat. There are also combo attacks like in Chrono Trigger, but more importantly, the world map looks like it was cut from Chrono Trigger.
It’s very simple, as players have little room to explore beyond going to icons. However, the pixel art is top-notch with so many random animations all going off at once. It’s one of those games that would make the perfect interactive screensaver, which is why it is a world map to remember.
4 Bravely Default 2
Harnessing The Classic Power Of Final Fantasy
Bravely Default 2
- Released
- February 26, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
Where Final Fantasy failed to give fans a world map and other classic elements like Jobs, Bravely Default Flying Fairy stepped up on the 3DS, and Bravely Default 2 is the latest entry. Players can take their party of four into turn-based battles and equip a large number of Jobs from basic warriors to powerful mages.
The world map is bigger than classic Final Fantasy games, as players can go to towns or dungeons and also engage in battles once monsters are encountered. There are also materials to gather and hidden bosses just waiting to be challenged.
3 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The French Love Japan
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Released
- April 24, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Sandfall Interactive
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based RPG, JRPG, Fantasy
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Based on how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 looks and plays, players may not know it was developed by a French studio, Sandfall Interactive. At first, it may seem like a series of interconnected save points similar to a Soulslike game, but once they exit the first area, players may be surprised to see a genuine world map.
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There are little in the way of towns to access directly from the world map, which is a shame, but it fits with the ethereally dark storyline. Players can, however, discover secrets, fight monsters, and even explode the whole world on the back of one of the strangest mounts in an RPG ever, but that won’t be spoiled here.
2 Unicorn Overlord
Raising An Army
Unicorn Overlord
- Released
- March 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Vanillaware
- Genre(s)
- Tactical, RPG
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Unicorn Overlord is a different kind of RPG, as it’s a tactical one. Most tactical RPGs have a map with icons to select or just a menu to go from battle to battle linearly. Unicorn Overlord will make players feel more immersed as they gather allies and free various nations from the clutches of an evil kingdom.
They can talk to NPCs and accept requests, engage in battles that will be redirected to other maps, find loot, and so on it goes. It’s a great game from Vanillaware, who often innovates in small ways for the RPG genre with every standalone release.
1 Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom
Isekais For The Win
Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom
- Released
- March 23, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Level 5
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Platform(s)
- PS4, Switch, PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch and Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom both have world maps and two flavors of RPGs to taste. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is more like Pokemon with monster collecting and turn-based battles, whereas Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is an action-based RPG.
The latter game also has a more interesting set of mechanics, including a town-building simulator. Characters are simplified on the world map, which is cute, and on occasion, they can engage in RTS-like battles in real-time. Similar to Unicorn Overlord, it can make players feel the weight of nations from the plight of crooked rulers by engaging in battles.
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