Summary
- Playing as the only human character in a game world offers unique exploration options and challenges.
- These games provide a variety of narratives, challenges, and environments, creating engaging experiences.
- The Witness and Spiritfarer are some top open-world games that deliver on this premise.
Nowadays, there seem to be video games for almost any niche setting or situation that a player could possibly dream of. Whether they wish to take control of an animal, play as a monster, or be the only human character in the world, it seems that there is something on the market to cover all possible bases.
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Playing as the only human character in a game world can cover a wide variety of options, from exploring a location that is completely devoid of life to being surrounded by hostile wildlife or friendly non-human NPCs. Open world games where you control the only human character allow for unique exploration options, and here are some of the best — ranked based on a combination of their overall quality and popularity.
8 Praey For The Gods
Battle Colossal Gods In A Harsh World
Praey for the Gods
- Released
- December 14, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- No Matter Studios
- Publisher(s)
- No Matter Studios
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Survival
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
Inspired by Shadow of the Colossus, Praey for the Gods is set in a frozen world with a never-ending winter and gigantic gods that the hero must slay. Dialogue is minimal as the lone hero and her enigmatic wolf companion survive in this rugged and unforgiving environment, battling large beasts, hordes of undead, and other threats.
Exhaustion, hunger, and freezing temperatures can all affect her performance and eventually kill the player-character if these issues aren’t addressed. The only other human character is the long-dead Gorm, whose body and notes are discovered, though one of the Gods and the very tough enemies "The Champions" do bear a resemblance to humans — just with some extraordinary height and strength.
7 The Solus Project
Alone On An Alien Planet
The Solus Project
- Released
- February 18, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Grip Digital
- Publisher(s)
- Grip Digital
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Indie, Casual
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
After the destruction of Earth, humanity seeks out a new home in The Solus Project, but things don’t go as planned for the player-character, who is trapped and alone on the planet Gliese-6143-C. There are hundreds of secrets to uncover on the five islands, each linked together via a network of caves.
Surviving alone on this hostile planet can be tough, as temperatures vary wildly between day and night, plus things like lack of sleep and rotting plants can severely impact welfare. The end goal is to create some sort of communication device to contact other possible survivors and hopefully to rejoin and rebuild civilization one day.
6 Spiritfarer
Grant Spirits Their Final Wishes
Spiritfarer
- Released
- August 18, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Becoming the eponymous Spiritfarer, Stella must gradually improve her ship, take care of the spirits she welcomes on board, and tie up their loose ends before accompanying them to the Everdoor. Joined by her cat, Daffodil, Stella seems to be the only human inhabiting this world, as the main spirits take the form of animals, and other random NPCs are ghostly hooded figures.
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Despite their animalistic appearances, the spirits were once human, many of whom Stella knew in life, and they each still possess their own complex personalities. Around the world, players will encounter other creatures like dragons and the Tortoise Sisters, plus Francis the Wandering Merchant (an onion monkey that purchases tchotchkes).
5 Miasmata
Stave Off Illness On A Strange Island
Miasmata
- Released
- November 28, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
Plague-stricken scientist Robert Hughes is seemingly the only human on a hostile island in Miasmata, a game where everything is trying to kill him. The island may hold the cure to his mysterious ailment, so scavenging for medicinal plants and fungi is a major part of gameplay, but a terrifying creature and other environmental factors can easily bring about death if players do not exercise enough caution.
Players must use actual cartography techniques to gradually fill in the map, though they may traverse the island from memory. Outposts, notes, and other clues suggest that the island had been inhabited by other humans at some point, but now, they have mysteriously disappeared, forcing Robert to survive alone.
4 The Pathless
Effortlessly Travel Across The Land And Lift Curses
The Pathless
- Released
- November 12, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Giant Squid
- Publisher(s)
- Annapurna Interactive
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Assisted by her trusty and powerful eagle companion, the Hunter must travel across a diverse landscape in The Pathless, lifting the curses inflicted upon the gods. A relatively short game, it packs a lot into its open-world setting, which can be quickly traversed via the Hunter’s dash ability and the powers of the eagle, all while utilizing her archery skills to take down enemies.
The primary antagonist, the Godslayer, may once have been a human but is now seemingly very powerful and corrupted, possessing godlike powers. Bearing the Mask of the Ancients, he was able to enter the realm of spirits to steal the Sun Sword, and is responsible for the demise of many humans and gods alike.
3 Everybody's Gone To The Rapture
Walk Around A Deserted Village In Rural England
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture
- Released
- August 11, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
It’s never clearly specified who the player-character is in Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, a game where the story is gradually uncovered in the pleasant but fictional village of Yaughton. Set in 1984, it tells the rather heartbreaking stories of the final moments of the lives of the people in the village and its surrounding areas, before a mysterious "rapture" style event occurs, seemingly claiming all their lives.
Glowing orbs of light guide the player to short scenes that replay conversations between the residents, with their figures being represented by streams and specks of light. There are also radio broadcasts and telephone conversations, plus plenty of environmental storytelling in the form of objects left behind in the world.
2 The Witness
Solve Hundreds Of Brainteasing Puzzles
The Witness
- Released
- January 26, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Thekla Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Thekla Inc.
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Witness is a very popular and unique open-world game, where players are alone on an island filled with puzzles that need to be solved. The puzzles are deliberately tricky to solve but not impossible, and they lead to many moments of epiphany when things finally click into place. If players hit a dead end, it’s encouraged that they move on to a new area and come back later.
Despite there being well over 500 puzzles, plus some that are hidden, there is no filler, and dedicated players can spend dozens or hundreds of hours attempting to solve them all. Audio and visual recordings can be found to provide some food for thought, and beating each area gradually unlocks the central mountain where players can take on "The Challenge".
1 Subnautica
Survive Underwater On An Alien Planet
Subnautica
- Released
- January 23, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Gearbox Publishing
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
After his spaceship crash lands on the ocean planet 4546B, Ryley Robinson must survive alone. Played from a first-person perspective, Subnautica encourages players to build complex bases and explore the large underwater setting as they seek to stay alive. Naturally, this means that things like food, thirst, and oxygen supplies are very important.
Despite being the only human, Ryley is not alone in this environment, meeting hostile sea creatures and even stumbling across alien facilities in the deep blue sea. There are also some islands to explore just above the surface, but the majority of the game takes place beneath the surface, uncovering the mysteries of this enigmatic planet and its inhabitants.
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