5 Open-World RPGs That Don't Get Good Until You Stop…

Open-world games, though their designs seem to be all about player freedom, often like to remind us to keep on task all the same. The main quest location is right there on the minimap, typically in a different color or more prominent design than your other markers. You have the option of hurrying off for umpteen hours to do something entirely different, but that's not what you're really here for.

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By Mac Wheeler

Sometimes, though, a game's main campaign is a little uninspired. Some open-world experiences have precious little optional content and so rely on their stories, but a lot don't. Maybe you simply want to explore or improvize for a while. That's often when the magic happens. In these titles, things really get good when you opt to do your own thing instead.

5 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Wait, Dragonborn, Come Back!

Famously, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim begins with the protagonist in a cart on their way to their execution. That's the kind of opener that's going to keep your mind focused on the main quest and the here and now, especially as a gigantic dragon appears shortly afterwards. Events unfold in Helgen, and then your next destination is Riverwood, choosing between Ralof or Hadvar as a traveling partner. It's a neat way to introduce the choices that will be offered to the player while leading them to a place where they'll learn the ropes, but who needs handholding?

The Dragonborn, having just awakened as such, is destined to destroy Alduin, a once-'defeated' dragon that has returned to blight the land. Their journey to master the art of the Shout is priority one, with the fate of Skyrim in peril and all, but for many, the main story is not a strength of the game at all. The true depth of it is lost on those who don't trouble to engage with the lore that's spread throughout. The true appeal lies in leaving all of that behind, trying out a new build/character to roleplay, and disappearing for several hundred more hours into the depths of Skyrim yet again. You can't play all games as though they're this one, however.

4 Kenshi

What Do You Do? You Decide.

RPGs are renowned for their deep, engaging narratives. It can be quite jarring, then, when a title absolutely dispenses with any conventional storytelling, as Kenshi does. For newcomers, there will be a lot of initial frustration, as you attempt to piece together where you should go, what you should do, and what your character's even capable of. You'll probably meet an unfortunate end in a variety of different ways, still baffled about the game's lack of direction.

To seek that kind of guidance, though, is the wrong way to go about the adventure in Kenshi. To have any chance of enjoying your part in this frightening and hostile world, you'll have to accept that whole spirit of experimentation. Find a playstyle you enjoy (fighting others is very popular, perhaps because of the grisly and detailed injury effects), and your character will develop proficiency in it. It's a deep experience that you can grow into, even developing a flourishing group and settlement if you choose, though you've got to accept what it's trying to do beforehand.

3 Ghost Of Yotei

Ride With The Wind

Through the course of Atsu's quest to destroy the Yotei Six, she'll find herself returning to towns, inns, and other areas she's previously visited countless times. Often, she's meeting an ally to begin the next part of a quest, and they'll typically say something along the lines of "meet me when you're ready." The player will often simply fast-travel to the next spot to proceed, but perhaps playing as single-mindedly as Atsu herself isn't the answer.

With its dramatically different areas, the island of Ezo has a stunning presence, like an entity in the game itself. Sucker Punch's attention to detail in this area is almost unparalleled, and the minimal HUD and subtle guiding wind point the player to one realization: The idea is to check the cards you've picked up for different activities and pursue them largely manually, taking in the view (and a spontaneous event or two) along the way. Pick up those fantastic armor sets, it'll be worth your while. You might even want to light your campfire and cook your food manually with the DualSense rather than hitting 'skip,' for a real taste of the Atsu experience.

2 Vampyr

The Middle Ground Between Two Very Extreme Ways To Play

Dontnod Entertainment's Vampyr is designed around the concept of putting the player in difficult positions. Protagonist Jonathan Reid is a doctor in 1918 London, who has recently been turned into a vampire. This interpretation of the city is semi open-world, meaning that you can pass through huge, seperate districts, and must do so frequently in order to administer to your patients. The question is, exactly how do you want to take care of them? The dutiful doctor can bustle around curing the residents' diseases, from migraines to colds, adding to the collective health of the district they reside in. Keeping everybody healthy in this way helps Reid to hold on to his humanity, and not feasting on anyone's blood yields the best ending. It makes for a game extremely heavy on dialogue, though, and makes the combat much harder. This is because embracing a resident offers an enormous jump in EXP, which increases the more you've interacted with that person.

If you want the very best ending, then, you face a hard and potentially tedious ride. You might opt to fully embrace your bloodthirsty side instead, getting the most from the experience every available NPC offers and making Jonathan's combat abilities much stronger. The issue with taking this path is that every region of London will effectively be lost to the darkness along with you, as its own health falls to nothing. It's a very apt but incredibly grim fate, leaving the world little more than blasted enemy-infested lairs. You may not find either much fun, instead carefully selecting targets to sustain yourself and get some much-needed boosts, collectively helping the people of London and yourself.

1 Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Quite the Odyssey If You Keep Getting Sidetracked

Assassin's Creed Odyssey sports a beautiful and detail-rich interpretation of the ancient world. Through the eyes of either of the legendary King Leonidas's grandchildren, Kassandra or Alexios, the player must navigate the Peloponnesian War between the formidable City-States of Sparta and Athens. As ever, back in the modern day, Animus machinations continue. The tale touches on the wider history of the world, future events that would shape the series' evolution, and the ever-present balance between the Templars and the Assassins.

There's so much happening, and while it does, Ubisoft wanted to establish Odyssey as the biggest game in the series yet. This it absolutely achieved, as the world is intimidatingly, impractical large. As is the wont of the brand, it's laden with map icons and collectibles, to the point that it's easy to burn out and lose your way if you're determined to collect or interact with everything. Take what powers up your protagonist, try not to agonize over every equipment decision (an inevitable consequence of the series turning fully to the ARPG genre), and you may find you enjoy the ride so much more. Just take a leap of faith.