There are all manner of open-world games out on the market, and many of them take place in beautifully realized fantasy worlds. The environments ofThe Elder Scrollsgames, such asSkyrim, are known for their deep worlds, fantasy creatures, and hidden locations that reward exploration.
Due to their nature as large-scale projects, open-world games are few and far between in the indie scene. However, with the evolution of game development and theincreasing popularity of indie games, more indie teams are taking on the often monumental task of creating an open world. Many developers achieve this through low-fidelity graphics and a minimalist approach to design that allows them to focus on offering a world that’s fun to explore.
5The Bloodline
A Low-Poly Action-RPG
This low-poly, action-RPG takes place in acomplex fantasy worldwith plenty of quests to complete, enemies to defeat, and skills to unlock.The Bloodlinefeatures a combat system reminiscent of games such asWarhammer: Vermintide, with plenty ofhack-and-slash gameplay, as well as a variety of ranged options. The gameplay ofThe Bloodlineis relatively focused on its various mechanics and systems, rather than a dramatic narrative, but its world is consistently fun to explore thanks to the game’s sandbox elements.
The Bloodlineis still in Early Access at the time of writing and, as a result, is somewhat rough around the edges. However, the game’s rich RPG systems andfluid movement controlsmake exploring its fantastical open-world a rewarding experience.
Similarly to games such asCaves Of Qud,Tales Of Maj’Eyalisa traditional roguelikewith heaps of ambition, set in a fantasy open world. The game features classic turn-based combat similar to any old-school roguelike but with deep character creation and progression. As with all roguelikes,Tales Of Maj’Eyalfeatures a great deal of procedural generation that grants the overall experience plenty of replay value.
Players can expect to get into plenty of tough — often unfair — tactical battles with a variety of fantasy monsters. However, exploring the game’s world can also be rewarding, often allowing players to discover new loot and lore as they traverse its various zones.
Featuring a weird and wonderful visual style that combinesdetailed low-poly modelswith distinctive character designs and a world painted in bright, vivid colors,Dread Delusion’sopen fantasy world is a consistent joy to look upon. The strange land ofDread Delusionwill likely appeal to those who enjoy the mysterious settings of games such asDark Souls —there are a variety of quirky characters to meet and hauntingly beautiful locations to discover, and the player’s curiosity is almost always rewarded.
Dread Delusion’sgameplay and focus on open-world exploration will likely appeal to any fan of old-schoolElder Scrollsgames. Similarly to theElder Scrollsfranchise, combat is far from the biggest selling point ofDread Delusion, with the world and the lore within being the game’s biggest focus. As a result,Dread Delusionmay not appeal to players looking for a challenging experience.
Taking place in a unique fantasy world,Kenshiis a relatively inaccessible buttremendously replayable sandboxRPG.Kenshifeatures no set goals, giving players the simple task of making their own way in its massively hostile world. Each area of the hand-crafted world is unique, offering its own benefits for traveling there — and its own dangers.Kenshican be extremely unforgiving, and its slow pace won’t be for everyone, but the freedom that it offers players is almost unparalleled.
Kenshiis a party-based RPG that features a variety of skills to learn and activities to partake in, with each location offering its own opportunities. The variety of factions to interact with and simulated elements allowKenshi’sworld to feel like a living and breathing place, and the seamless exploration helps to make it animmersive open-world experiencethroughout.
This traditional,turn-based rogueliketakes place in a sci-fi fantasy post-apocalyptic open world. This world is packed with memorable locations and populated by a variety of quirky characters and creatures.Caves Of Qudmay be structured as a classic roguelike, but it features options to remove permanent death, allowing players to progress through the game like any open-world RPG. The game is entirely turn-based, with players moving about the world on a grid, and combat is relatively simple to control. However, a plethora of combat abilities and an emphasis on resource management and threat assessment add complexity to each encounter.
Both the surface and the ground beneath inCaves Of Qudare filled with content, both hand-crafted and procedural, giving players plenty to explore. Many locations are simple villages and towns, but the world also includes some truly unique areas, such as the Six Day Stilt.Caves Of Qudcan be an inaccessible experience, with plenty of ways for the player to die in its harsh open world, but players who persevere will find a deep game that can provide many hours of content. With plenty of monsters to fight, treasure to find, and people to meet, the world ofCaves Of Qudis consistently rewarding to explore.
