Summary
- Many open-world games offer vehicular traversal, but few focus on exploring entirely in a vehicle.
- Cloudpunk immerses players in a cyberpunk city while mainly piloting a hover car for deliveries.
- American Truck Simulator offers a relaxing driving experience with customization and zen mode.
Most open-world games do feature vehicular traversal, but this is usually just one of the many options players have to explore the world. There aren't many titles where the main focus is letting players explore an open world entirely in a vehicle.
8 Best Open-World Games That Let You Use Vehicles As Weapons, Ranked
Vehicles aren't just for getting from A to B in these iconic open-world video games.
This is why the prospect of playing an open-world game while spending most of the time behind the wheel is so interesting for players. This is especially true in the case of games that don't feature racing gameplay, using their vehicles to immerse players in the world instead of just mindlessly letting them travel at high speeds.
8 Cloudpunk
The Majority Of The Game Involves Players Piloting A Hover Car To Deliver Packages
Cloudpunk
- Released
- April 23, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature // Drug Reference, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Indie
Cloudpunk boasts an amazing art style that players can take in as they explore a cyberpunk city as a courier in a hover car. Sure, there are moments where players leave the vehicle to traverse on foot, but it's clear that the bulk of the game's exploration revolves around their vehicle.
It helps that Cloudpunk's story-driven structure gives players something to think about as they complete deliveries and slowly uncover the plot. The vibes of this game are immaculate and will immerse players in no time as they hop in their trusty hover car and head from one location to the next.
7 Dredge
A Lovecraftian Fishing Game Where Upgrading The Boat Is Key To Survival
Dredge
- Released
- March 31, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Tobacco
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
A Lovecraftian fishing game is definitely an interesting pitch, and it's nice to see Dredge run with this concept and succeed in doing so. The fishing gameplay can get repetitive after a point, but the horror elements ensure that players won't get bored with the experience any time soon.
The fishing boat is the player's bread and butter, with meaningful upgrades and improvements ensuring that traversing the treacherous seas isn't too unnerving. Progression in Dredge is swift and satisfying, to the point where players won't feel too scared about heading out into the open world once their boat is better equipped for the journey.
6 American Truck Simulator
A Relaxing Open-World Driving Game
American Truck Simulator
Experience legendary American trucks and deliver various cargoes across sunny California, sandy Nevada, and the Grand Canyon State of Arizona. American Truck Simulator takes you on a journey through the breathtaking landscapes and widely recognized landmarks around the States.
Game mechanics are based on the highly successful model from Euro Truck Simulator 2 and have been expanded with new features, creating the most captivating game experience from SCS Software.
American Truck Simulator puts you in the seat of a driver for hire entering the local freight market, making you work your way up to become an owner-operator, and go on to create one of the largest transportation companies in the United States.
Features
Drive highly detailed truck models officially licensed from iconic truck manufacturers.
Your truck is your new home. Make it yours by changing cabins, chassis, paintjobs, adding tuning accessories or more powerful engines.
Lots of different cargoes to choose: From food to machinery to hazard cargoes.
Multiple types of trailers – from reefers to flatbeds, from dumpers to lowboys and goosenecks.
The longest trailers (up to 53 ft) will challenge your skills and patience while hauling and during parking.
Deliver your cargoes to a rich variety of companies and locations like refineries, oil storage, gas stations, car factories, or roadworks.
Various simulation settings for trucking enthusiasts: Air brake simulation; different types of brakes: retarder, Jake brake, trailer brake; multiple types of transmissions straight from real trucks, brake intensity, and more.
Get the feel of being inside a real cabin: Adjust your seat, mirrors and position your head to get the best view of the road.
Drive safely, follow the rules and speed limits – police will fine you if you aren't careful!
Ensure that you are not delivering overweight cargo – you may be checked at the weigh scales.
Use the route adviser as your personal assistant during the travels.
Try the life of a truck driver for hire. By delivering the cargoes safely and improving your skills, become the owner of your own, successful company!
- Released
- February 2, 2016
- Platform(s)
- PC
People seeking a relaxing, open-world driving game will find American Truck Simulator right up their alley. Players can choose one of many aesthetically pleasing trucks, customize it to their liking, and explore the beautiful sandbox at their leisure.
8 Open-World Games With The Best Driving Mechanics
Cruising around an open world can be a lot of fun if the mechanics are pulled off properly.
If players want a game with some stakes, then American Truck Simulator is not for them. However, anyone seeking to unwind with a video game that doesn't stress them out every step of the way will love the Zen mode that is unlocked after a lengthy session of driving a vehicle in American Truck Simulator.
5 Pacific Drive
A Vehicular Roguelike Survival Game With An Eerie, Supernatural Setting
Pacific Drive
- Released
- February 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival
Pacific Drive is one of the best indie video games of 2024, courtesy of its unique gameplay loop and intriguing world. Players explore junctions in the Olympic Peninsula and try to find as much valuable loot as possible before the place starts malfunctioning.
This forces players to leg it back to the gateway connected to their garage, which is easier said than done. Players may exit their vehicle to perform regular maintenance on the station wagon or investigate locations on foot, but the bulk of the game's exploration takes place in a car that should never be left too far behind if players know what's good for them.
4 Sunless Skies
Exploring The Lovecraftian Skies As The Captain Of An Airship
Sunless Skies
- Released
- January 31, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Blood, Language, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
Sunless Sea was an interesting indie title that enraptured fans despite its flaws. Conversely, its sequel, Sunless Skies, is an incredible horror game with a focus on story-driven exploration that improves upon almost every issue fans had with the previous title.
The ship moves faster, zones are bigger and more varied, combat is a massive upgrade, and the UI improvements ensure the stories being told aren't lost in the shuffle. All of this combines to make Sunless Skies' open world extremely tantalizing as players improve their ship and explore numerous zones full of undiscovered stories and nightmarish horrors.
3 SnowRunner
Players Must Map Out Routes And Prepare Their Truck To Handle Tough Assignments
SnowRunner
- Released
- April 28, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Driving, Simulation
SnowRunner combines simulation gameplay with arcade design to make for a fun package. Players who want to complete the many assignments in this game need to do a lot of preparation before they can even set off on their journey.
It's not until players map out a route that they can select the perfect truck for the job. After a few last-minute customizations, players can finally set out on their journey, aiming to complete their objective as safely and efficiently as possible.
2 Sid Meier's Pirates!
Players Sail The High Seas And Make A Name For Themselves
Sid Meier's Pirates!
- Released
- November 22, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Alcohol Reference, Mild Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Strategy, Action-Adventure
Sid Meier has developed some amazing games, and it's a shame that Sid Meier's Pirates! Didn't enjoy the same level of fame as the developer's more notable titles. Players made a name for themselves as a seafaring knave who can do whatever they set their mind to, be it becoming notorious pirates, rich traders, or anything in between.
The majority of this game takes place at sea, with the gameplay elements on land being fairly limited. Players will love establishing their character's legend and making them one of the Caribbean's most popular (and possibly notorious) figures.
1 Driver: San Francisco
An Action-Packed Driving Game With A Unique Shift Mechanic
Driver: San Francisco
- Released
- August 30, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Drug Reference, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
It's a shame that more people don't speak fondly about Driver: San Francisco, one of the most innovative open-world driving games ever made. Fans familiar with this series know of its focus on adrenaline-fueled gameplay, where players drive their car in everything from daring heists to death-defying races.
The best part of Driver: San Francisco is the Shift mechanic that lets Tanner, the game's protagonist, assume control of other cars at will in cinematic sequences. It's a gimmick that grows on players as they progress and adds to the unique flavor of this underrated title.