In most open-world games, exploration will only benefit the player. For example, there is no reason for Link in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to try to uncover every nook and cranny in Hyrule. His main goal is to get to Ganon’s castle to rescue Zelda, who keeps calling out for him. His journey is whatever players tell him to do.
10 Open-World Games Where Exploration Is More Rewarding Than Combat
In the captivating worlds of these open-world games, exploration takes center stage and surpasses the visceral thrill of combat.
For these other characters in the following games, players are more like assistants. These heroes are determined by their main objectives to explore everything for one reason or another. Having a personal tie to the open-world benefits the story in these games, and it will make more sense once these examples are explained.
Click or tap on the games that match the category
Red Dead Redemption 2
A True Redemption Arc
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Red Dead Redemption 2 focuses on the Van der Linde Gang, whose leader, Dutch, claims he has a plan to bring them all back to prominence. Arthur Morgan, the protagonist, is not so sure Dutch is in his right mind, but players can choose to be loyal or independent.
By trying to leave behind his gangster days, players can help Arthur discover himself through exploring the open prairies. He can hunt, camp, and live off the land to try to better himself. Players can also choose less violent ways to deal with some missions, making the redemption in Red Dead Redemption 2’s title more meaningful.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Ciri Of It All
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
For most of the Witcher games, Geralt is looking for his beloved Yennifer, and in the opening act of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, he finds her almost unceremoniously. Then a new quest begins as he’s trying to look for Ciri, who is like a daughter to him.
A paranormal organization called the Wild Hunt is after her, and he’s desperate to uncover clues as to her whereabouts. Most of these clues will only come out of main story quests, but to Geralt as a character, he doesn’t know that, which is why his exploration in each area is meaningful to him.
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Just Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Marvel's Spider-Man
- Released
- September 7, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Open-World
Marvel’s Spider-Man is the purest of Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man trilogy, focusing on just the OG hero himself, Peter Parker. As players patrol the various districts of New York City, they are looking for crime. Sometimes they will come across random burglaries that they need to stop, or sometimes there will be a specific side quest.
Either way, swinging around the city is Spider-Man’s job, and Peter doesn’t do it for a big payday. He does it to help his fellow man. It’s both a personal goal of his and a wish to help humanity be better.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
A Therapy Walk
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
- June 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Like the first game, Sam, the protagonist, is not invested that much in his initial journey across Mexico in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach to connect humanity. After his mission is complete, he gets more of a personal reason to go into Australia next, having to do with his child, Lou.
Games With Gigantic Maps That Don’t Waste Your Time (Exploration Without Filler)
Get lost in these open-world adventures and forget you’re even playing a game thanks to how packed they are with content.
The trek across Australia will kind of be like a soothing therapy session for Sam, getting his mind off of other things while he also looks for answers. It may be hard to tell how invested Sam is in his package deliveries since he doesn’t emote much, but the adventure overall does mean a lot to him.
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
For Mother Base
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
- Released
- September 1, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
- Genre(s)
- Action, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain puts players in control of Big Boss, although he has a new codename in this adventure: Venom Snake. In main missions and side quests, players can scavenge the open areas for supplies that they can gather themselves or attach balloons to, which will send them back to Mother Base.
Instead of killing enemies, players can also hijack them via balloons, where they can be broken and turned into allies. Supplies and recruited enemies can help Mother Base be a better sanctuary for players, so everything Big Boss does is for his people.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
Establishing Humanity’s Last Bastion
Xenoblade Chronicles X
- Released
- December 4, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Monolith Soft, Nintendo SPD
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Wii U
Xenoblade Chronicles X takes place on Mira, a foreign planet that a human colony settles on, naming their initial city New L.A. And branching out from there. As a player-created character, they will be tasked with journeying with others across the planet to gather resources and fight back against alien suppressors.
They can place beacons in several areas, which will function as fast travel points as well as connect a network to harvest materials more efficiently. Overall, the game is never trying to play up the hero character like they want to become stronger for personal gain, as it’s all about the sake of humanity.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A
To Be The Very Best Of Lumiose City
Pokemon Legends: Z-A
- Released
- October 16, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak, Creatures Inc.
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
Most Pokemon games are all about personal journeys as players start as a young Pokemon Trainer hoping to be the best that they can be. While Pokemon Legends: Z-A does not feature Gym Badges or battles in the traditional sense, players are still competing for a seat at the top.
In Lumiose City, there are zones designated to capture wild Pokemon along with night zones set up for Pokemon Trainers to battle. By fighting through prized fights, players can move up in ranks from level Z to A, which will then crown them the reigning champion of the city.
The Saboteur
Black And White And Red All Over
The Saboteur
- Released
- December 8, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Open-World
The Saboteur is a World War 2 game about the Nazi occupation of Paris. As a racecar driver turned terrorist, Sean Devlin will help the resistance take back Paris one Nazi base at a time. By exploring around the city and the countryside, players can find upgrades that will help in Devlin’s pursuit of creating a free Paris.
8 Good Open-World Games With Tedious Exploration
Though these open-world games are good, the lack of traversal options makes them somewhat hard to navigate.
Also, meticulously finding and going after Nazi-controlled territories will help bring color back to this otherwise black-and-white world. It’s not as broad a world as some other open-world games, but who doesn’t like the idea of hunting Nazis in a Grand Theft Auto-type adventure?
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Viking Rule
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
- Released
- November 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla feels like the most personal journey in the entire Assassin’s Creed series, featuring a Viking leader named Eivor, who can be male or female. After leaving their homeland, they are journeying into English territory, looking for supplies and a new land that will benefit their people.
Everything players acquire can go into building up the village, making exploration a victory for an entire tribe and not just an individual hero. Between gathering resources in the forest and going on villager raids, there’s a lot to do in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii
Yo Ho, Where Is My Memory?
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
- Released
- February 21, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is one of the wildest Yakuza games in the series, and that’s saying something. Longtime antihero Goro Majima wakes up on a desert island one day with no memory, which then leads him into becoming a literal pirate captain complete with a galleon ship and costume.
By fighting other pirates, looking for treasure, and checking back in with other characters in a pirate colony and in Honolulu, Majima is hoping to get his memories back. As the story unfolds, players aren’t going to see a lot of the twists coming.
5 Open-World Games With Better Exploration Than Elden Ring
Elden Ring's exploration is excellent, but there are a few games that arguably deliver an even better experience.