5 Most Important Things Every Great Open-World Game Needs to Have

Once upon a time, promoting a new game with the phrase “open world” was enough to pique many gamers’ interest. But these days, that promise alone is hardly enough to set games apart. After all, games across genres from survival to cozy to RPG feature open-world maps with freeform exploration. Just having an open world, even one that’s supposedly going to be massive like Crimson Desert, simply isn’t enough to impress. Plenty of games have proved that open worlds can feel empty and uninspiring, turning the pro into a major con.

Although it’s one of the most anticipated games of the year so far, Crimson Desert got mixed reactions with its promise to deliver a massive open world. Since then, I’ve been thinking about the open-world games I love best, and why that is. What makes Skyrim feel so special? Why didn’t Pokemon Scarlet & Violet manage to capture that same feeling? When it comes down to it, open-world games need to deliver on these 5 things to really nail the formula.

5) Interesting & Creative Traversal

Giving players a big map to explore can backfire if developers aren’t careful. To truly nail the open-world formula, that map needs to feel fun and easy to explore. That means ensuring that the world feels worth exploring, which we’ll get into with some of the other key features on this list. But it also means balancing fast travel and open-ended exploration.

Fast travel is helpful in games with big maps. But having other ways to engage with and traverse the world is essential. Offering speedier ways to travel, like Skyrim‘s horses or gliders in Tears of the Kingdom, can strike a nice balance. You still get to see the world as it goes by, but those point A to point B quests don’t feel so insurmountable. I like a game that makes you unlock fast travel. That way, you get to see the world on foot (or horseback) initially, but can get back to key points quickly when you need to.

4) Small Details That Make the World Feel Alive

Having the freedom to explore the map is all well and good. But that world needs to feel worth exploring. And that includes making it feel alive, in ways that don’t just center on the player. There’s nothing quite as disappointing as a vast world that doesn’t seem to have any people or creatures in it, except whoever is key to your current quest. That’s one of the reasons Pokemon Scarlet & Violet fell a bit short for me. Between towns, you didn’t really get the sense that anyone actually lived in Paldea a lot of the time.

A good open-world game will feel like you’re stepping into a setting that’s alive and vibrant all on its own. Things like random NPC conversations you can eavesdrop on and roaming wildlife can go a long way. And coming across other travellers while you’re on the road? Essential. This is one of many things I love about Skyrim, how it truly feels like you could run into just about anyone while you’re roaming the wilds.

3) Interesting and Unexpected Side Quests

If there’s one thing I’m going to do when faced with an open world to explore, it’s collect side quests like it’s my job. I love stumbling upon random side quests, the weirder, the better. One of the most rewarding things about roaming off the beaten path in an open world game is finding new NPCs with weird and wild new requests for you to tackle. If I’m not getting side quests while roaming, why should I even bother?

This is another thing that Bethesda games like Skyrim and Oblivion do really well. You can truly get up to some wild shenanigans and uncover delightful little details by picking up side quests. I’ll never forget the time I thought an invisible NPC was a glitch, only to realize that it was all a part of the side quest. A solid slate of varied and interesting side quests can really round out a setting, making it feel vibrant while also adding precious playtime hours for completionists.

2) Well-Developed & Engaging Core Locations

While roaming the wilds is nice, no open-world game is complete without a few key locations. Without the cities and/or landmarks you come back to time and time again, it’s hard to really connect with a game’s setting. The best open-world games give players memorable, diverse key locations that they’ll return to time and time again. Skyrim has its memorable cities, each with its own distinct flavor. And these are an essential part of bringing Tamriel to life.

To really feel connected to a game, players want to feel like it’s a real, vibrant world. While making the whole map feel alive is important, actually giving us a few core locations to center on is also ideal. This helps really ground the player in a sense of community and connection. It gives us somewhere to come back to, a central hub for shopping and completing quests. If the game’s central locations aren’t interesting or don’t feel worth coming back to, it can really hinder a player’s interest in a game.

1) Rewarding Discovery

Above and beyond all else, open-world games need to give you a reason to want to explore. I’m talking hidden chests, secret areas of the map, landmarks you can see from a long distance that just beg to be explored close up. If an open world doesn’t feel worth exploring, it’s dead on arrival. It’s all too easy to give players a giant map full of nothing. To really make an open-world game great, you’ve got to deliver on a rewarding exploration experience.

Discovery can mean a lot of things in an open-world game. For me, I like a mix of gathering crafting and cooking materials, chests with interesting items, and little easter eggs that flesh out the world. I want to feel like I can stumble upon something interesting no matter where I go. A great open-world game should have fast travel, but it should also give you plenty of compelling reasons to skip it and take the long road to your next location.

What is your must-have feature for open-world games? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

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