Summary
- Several open-world games build their narratives via systemic mechanics and dynamic world events and interactions, resulting in a more personalized experience.
- Watch Dogs: Legion and Middle-Earth: Shadow of War are both examples of a traditional narrative, each with unique systems and mechanics to elevate the experience.
- Kenshi and Outward go all in on offering a truly unique sandbox experience in a living world with no fixed narrative.
In the open-world genre, some titles flirt with approaches that go beyond the familiar trope of following a chain of missions with optional map clearing through side quests, activities, and icons. At times, games add sandbox or survival mechanics, including permadeath for player-controlled characters. Others abandon the idea of a single protagonist entirely. Some games don't even feature a pre-determined narrative at all, allowing players to experience their own personal journeys that adapt to their decisions much more unpredictably than they are used to.
Below is a list of the rare few open-world games that feature dynamic, adaptive storytelling at its best. The games below may not feature a traditional main story route, instead allowing players to customize their experience, which is defined by their actions. Alternatively, some games offer both traditional stories and additional mechanics rarely seen elsewhere that can influence one's personal experience outside the pre-designed story.
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Watch Dogs: Legion
A "Play As Anyone" System Coupled With Permadeath Mechanics
Watch Dogs Legion
- Released
- October 29, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Watch Dogs: Legion's saving grace from its otherwise standard open-world formula, aside from the game's intriguing setting, is its one-of-a-kind “play as anyone” system. Unlike other open-world games, Watch Dogs: Legion doesn't have a single protagonist. Instead, it allows players to build the DedSec resistance from scratch by recruiting almost any NPC in the open world. Each one possesses a unique appearance, voiceover, and set of skills that can prove beneficial for certain missions and objectives.
Given that any character can permanently die if things go sideways during intense missions, Watch Dogs: Legion provides a rare sense of stakes that actually matter. It evokes the same devastating feelings as games like X-COM when losing one of their high-level operatives in the field. Legion's overall narrative isn't as groundbreaking as some of the game's distinct features, but thanks to this unique system, the game can provide memorable and personal moments for each player.
Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War
The Nemesis System Elevates The Experience With Custom Storylines
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
- Released
- October 10, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
It's hard to find a player who has never heard of the Warner Bros. Patented Nemesis system, which is at the core of the two Middle-Earth open-world action games by Monolith. A groundbreaking feature that elevates the experience, Nemesis was significantly upgraded for Middle-Earth: Shadow of War. It's capable of shaping custom narratives based on players' actions and behavior towards uniquely generated orc warchiefs, creating an entangled web of relationships that can backfire when least expected.
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Turning enemies into foes, facing one's own Nemesis over and over when they manage to survive or flee at the last possible moment, or even experiencing unexpected betrayals by seemingly trusty lieutenants – Shadow of War has it all. From genuinely amusing or fun interactions to rage-inducing twists that weren't ever meant to happen, Nemesis brings so much personality to Middle-Earth. It's hard not to wish for it to be implemented in other games as well, at least in some capacity.
State Of Decay 2
Systemic Mechanics For Survival And Dynamic World Events
State of Decay 2
- Released
- May 22, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Action, Survival Horror
At a glance, State of Decay 2 shares some similarities with Watch Dogs: Legion, especially in the way its character system works. Being almost a middle ground between survival games and open-world titles with traditional narratives, State of Decay 2 offers a mix of the two, prioritizing systemic mechanics and dynamic world events. Not only does the game feature procedurally generated survivors with unique traits, but their request missions are also largely random. Player actions, including decisions such as who to rescue or make a leader, how to manage resources, and how to approach enemies, all carry weight and can shape unique storylines.
Consequences matter in State of Decay 2. Every survivor can permanently die on missions, or community members can leave a settlement. Players can't reload their saves to prevent this, due to how the game is designed to support the weight of such events. Despite how devastating it might feel at times, this harsh survival layer is what makes State of Decay 2 brutal and special. It adds the much-needed personalized aspect for creating narratives and interactions worth sharing with other players.
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
Unrestricted Genre Blend For Personalized Medieval Stories
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
- Released
- October 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Strategy
An alluring blend of different genres, from open-world RPG to strategy, Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord allows players to leave their mark on the world in many ways. It's less about a quest-driven narrative and more about one's personal goals and vision for their role in this world. Bannerlord feels very unrestricted, catering to various playstyles as players see fit, with each new playthrough being entirely different.
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While Bannerlord may feel overwhelming at times, once players grasp the game's numerous intricate systems, they can immerse themselves in its medieval world, choosing suitable roles for themselves. Players can engage in diplomacy, politics, or trading. They can master military craft and lead armies into battle, influencing the lands through clans or kingdoms, or they can build and expand castles or settlements. Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord supports and reacts to almost anything players may have in mind, shaping a living world with unique NPC relationships and personalized storylines.
Outward
The Idea Of Being An Ordinary Adventurer Cranked To Eleven
Outward
- Released
- March 26, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
An open-world survival RPG like no other, Outward has been overlooked far too often despite its impact in certain circles. The game delivers an immersive RPG experience coupled with harsh and unforgiving survival mechanics, resulting in unique playthrough paths for every player. From dynamic defeat scenarios to constant auto-save features ensuring each action and decision carries consequences, exploring in Outward is as exciting as it is dangerous. Failing quests can be as impactful as completing them due to emergent chains of events.
The idea of being an ordinary adventurer in a medieval fantasy world is nothing new, but few other games approach it with such fidelity as this one. However, it's not all about survival and exploration. Players can also become builders thanks to the game's robust Refugee Camp mechanics. In this world, not just enemies, but hazardous environmental conditions, diseases, and other variables must be considered at all times . Outward's lack of hand-holding lets player actions drive the narrative organically.
Kenshi
A Unique Sandbox In A Living World
Kenshi
- Released
- December 6, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- nr
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Open-World, Survival
There's no other open-world game as unique as Kenshi when it comes to creating a custom narrative for each player. Unlike the promises of many AAA open-world games for a truly living, breathing world, hardly any come close to Kenshi. Players are free to be whoever they like and approach their adventure as they see fit, with few to no restrictions in their way.
Kenshi is a seamless free-roaming sandbox survival environment without a fixed narrative, all set in a unique and gigantic post-apocalyptic world perfectly capable of functioning on its own. That said, experiencing two similar playthroughs of the game seems unlikely. Players can be a warrior, a diplomat, an explorer, a nomadic merchant, and assume plenty of other roles, or meet their end in dozens of different ways. For those looking to experience the open-world genre anew, Kenshi is worth trying, if only to see how long they can last in this world.
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