Best Open World Games Without Fast Travel

Fast travel has become a staple of the open-world genre, as there haven't been many released in the modern era without it. Players have come to value convenience over the grind of traversing a big map organically and exploring every inch of a game world. While it is understandable, there's an art to slow travel that is missing from the modern gaming scene.

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By  George W.L. Smith

With that in mind, here are the best games with both an open-world map and either extremely limited fast travel or no fast travel at all, for players who like to take the slow route, and those who don't want to be too reliant on the fast travel mechanic.

9 Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals

Metascore: 73

• Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Nintendo Switch
• Developer: Netflix
• Release Date: 07/12/2023

Oxenfree 2 is a linear game with an open world that requires players to complete puzzles to finish the game. Still, players can go anywhere on the map to see what the island has to offer, but there is no fast travel.

The paths are marked with signs to allow players to explore and there are a lot of conversations along the paths with their companions, making it a cozy and companionable experience. Oxenfree 2 is an eerie puzzle game with vast opportunities for exploration.

8 Grand Theft Auto 5

Metascore: 97

Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the most well-loved and iconic open-world games of the past decade. The world is packed with things to do, and it's not a small map. The most interesting thing about it is the lack of a fast travel system. Players can get places by calling a cab or driving, but they can't teleport around the map as in other RPGs.

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While Grand Theft Auto 5 technically has a fast travel function with the taxi service, it keeps the player immersed and is not the teleport function that players are used to, as they have to go out of their way to call a cab and skip the journey to their destination.

7 The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind

Metascore: 87

Morrowind may be showing its age, but it still holds up as a great RPG with a unique and interesting setting. Players get to explore the island of Vvanderfell through the main story and must do this naturally as there is no fast travel functionality.

There are boats and other non-magical transport options, but all of these will take in-game hours to complete and don't go to all the map locations. The unwritten rules of Morrowind encourage players to explore the map without resorting to the typical quick travel options.

6 Death Stranding

Metascore: 82

Death Stranding opens with no fast travel option. Players can't unlock the extremely limited function until chapter 3, and even then it's nearly useless for travel. The 'fast travel' option in this game is for players who need to reposition themselves on the map, rather than for players who want to teleport. Players can travel between safe rooms, and when they do, they lose everything they were carrying.

Death Stranding is a game for players who want to take time, meaning it is the perfect game for those who don't enjoy fast travel, as the roads are long, and can be dangerous depending on when players head out for the long walk.

5 Subnautica

Metascore: 87

Subnautica is a game that hinges on player exploration, so it should be no surprise that there is no option for fast travel in the game. Players have to learn the underwater world and find their way around, which takes time but is worth the effort.

That's not to say movement is slow; players can unlock suits that allow them to move faster so they will be able to have a more enjoyable experience the more they play. Subnautica is truly a breathtaking world ripe for slow and organic exploration.

4 State Of Decay

Metascore: 78

State Of Decay is a zombie apocalypse game that puts emphasis on leadership and survival skills for success. Players will have to scavenge supplies to keep the group fed and happy, which can be difficult without a fast travel function. When the undead arrive, players have to leave the area fast or risk permadeath.

It makes the game more challenging than the average zombie survival game, as players need to escape quickly. State Of Decay is a gritty survival game with no fast travel option.

3 The Forest

Metascore: 83

The Forest is a horrifying experience, opening with a plane crashing into a forest. Obviously, the player survives and must continue to do so in a forest full of cannibals. Everything in the forest can be used for survival, as trees can be cut down and plants can be eaten.

One part of that is the fact that players can't fast travel around the map, and must get to places organically: a difficult task when being hunted. The Forest is a fantastic survival horror experience with an emphasis on exploring the world.

2 Don't Starve

Metascore: 78

Don't Starve is one of the most iconic survival games of its era, due to its simple yet effective art style and addicting gameplay. Players must travel across a procedurally generated world to find resources and food to survive, while everything else in the world is actively trying to kill them.

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It's dark at times, funny at others, and enjoyable all the time, despite the many deaths each player will rack up. Don't Starve is one of the most enjoyable survival games available with no fast travel.

1 The Long Dark

Metascore: 77

The Long Dark is a game about trying to avoid death in the bitterly cold world of Bear Island. It's a real struggle to survive, as frostbite can kill the player just as easily as the wildlife can, and when energy begins to deplete in an awkward location, there is no way to fast travel to a better one.

The game requires forethought and planning for survival. It's an intense gaming experience that is completely worth the struggle. The Long Dark is the best open-world game available to players without fast travel.

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