I don't like open worlds. Let us discuss...

On 05/24/2015 at 09:27 PM by asrealasitgets

~A stupid Sunday ramble~

It's true. I really don't like open worlds. I don't like vast emptiness in games, even if it is fitting to the narrative. As much as I enjoy Witcher 3 and appreciate its open world, I really think that it's narrative and mission designs are what really shine about the game. And it isn't really the witchers fault. Its the fault of other games that have kind of ruined what a good open world can be. Let me explain...

State of Decay

This game is brilliant. It captures the 'survival sandbox' perfectly and limits what you can do by adding stamina and limiting capacity for food items or weapons. From the very beginning, you are overwhelmed by large groups of zombie hordes and they can either show up at your door at any time while you are searching for items, or they might just sneak up on you when you turn a corner when you least expect it. However, the game is pretty sprawling and having to prepare every time you go out get's tiring after a while. I've only every cleared the first little town, but got annoyed with having to back track all of the time. Good but not for me.

Dead Island

I like Dead Island more than Borderlands. They basically have the same premise, survival with ranked weapons in a first person mode, but I think Dead Island is far more dangerous and punishing every time you venture out into the world, like State of Decay, but even Dead Island is very sprawling and you essentially have to back track to safe houses and there is that limitation to weapons and recovery items, which again make it more believable and challenging, but kind of a chore to backtrack and prepare all the time.

Skyrim

I know the internet unanimously loves this game, but I don't. I don't think it's a bad game, but I just feel like it is very dull. Some of the encounters in dungeons that I've had were wonderous, but getting to and from them or discovering them in the vast landscape wasn't fun for me. It also doesn't seem to want to end. Again, impressive for it's size and scope, but a bit too vast and open for me.

Again. I'm not saying open world games are bad, I just don't like to invest time into exploring, especially if the exploration doesn't seem to pay off after time investment.

What does pixlbit think?

The open world design of Witcher 3 doesn't bother me that much, but I feel like the game could have been great had it been more condensed and directed like the last game. I'm still playing, so my thoughts might change.

KnightDriver

05/25/2015 at 01:47 AM

I've had some trouble with the Elder Scrolls games for just the reason you state. The world is just too darn huge. I get lost and spend a lot of time traveling from place to place. Or I find myself in a place with higher level monsters and get killed. I got eaten by fish in Morrowind, devoured by ghosts in Oblivion and I got very close to being chewed on by a troll in Skyrim. Will I survive to the end of this game? I want to, but I somehow doubt it.

asrealasitgets

05/25/2015 at 04:01 AM

Yep. I'm not saying these open world games are bad for being sprawling, or that they don't have good writing or combat, like the slow-mo action in fallout for example, but the fact that you have to explore a lot of empty space to access the content is what turns me off from them, or more specifically backtracking through empty space. The open world space in Witcher 3 is very pretty to look at, and there are enemies around every corner, so I'd say it's somewhere in-between.

05/26/2015 at 01:00 AM

I got lost in Fallout 3 almost as soon as I left the Vault. I have to try that game again though.

05/26/2015 at 01:40 AM

I think you and I have a similar feeling about open worlds, in that we prefer a more directed experience. I would probably have to play with a game guide in order to maximize the experience with something like Fallout, but I think that would defeat the purpose of a sanbox design, which is basically do what you want at your own pace and wander and get lost.

05/29/2015 at 01:01 AM

I usually have to come up with my own directed experience. Like I decided at the beginning of Skyrim that I would role-play an Orc who wants to be armored like a tank. So I'll get into blacksmithing and make the heaviest, thickest armor possible.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

05/25/2015 at 05:20 AM

I like open world games. But my complaint is the technology still isn't where it's going to be. Like -- why can't you go into every building in GTA? I like Skyrim a lot, mostly for it's atmosphere, but also for it's emptiness. I find it kind of soothing. I love just walking around or riding my horse. I felt the same way about Red Dead Redemption.

But I can see how some people don't like this stuff. It just fills my imagination to play these games, even if I never finish them.

05/25/2015 at 06:37 PM

Deadly Premonition is one of my favorite games, but it too has that GTA open world design that wasn't well implemented. Most of the drives are tedious and act like more of an obstacle than immersion. Although the humorous dialog that goes on during the drives make things easier, but still. Silent Hill 2 had somewhat of an open world too, and it was atmospheric and quite empty, but it wasn't so massive that I'd get bored.

Machocruz

05/25/2015 at 12:18 PM

Poor fundamentals is my main problem with most open world games. Time and resources go towards geography and "sidequests" (i.e. filler) rather than core mechanics. And the world keep getting larger and emptier, or more full of lightweight content. How many damn bandit caves and collectible widgets do we need over the span of 15 years? Just to fill the gaps between substantial goals. While combat, movement, hit detection, etc are under developed and poorly executed. And being large is no excuse anymore, after Dragon's Dogma and soon to be MGSV and probably Legend of Zelda. These games have solid fundamentals on par with the tighter action games. Blood Dragon played pretty nicely too.

Anyway, I prefer the semi-open world games like Deus Ex, Darksiders, Crysis, Metroid. Best compromise between space,forward momentum, non linear play, and polish, imo.

05/25/2015 at 06:38 PM

Yeah. I think I prefer the semi-open world design more. Sandboxes are way too empty for my liking.

Cary Woodham

05/25/2015 at 05:13 PM

I don't mind open worlds, but it's hard to like them when there is a lack of any clear goals.

05/25/2015 at 06:39 PM

But that's the appeal of open world games. You explore and discover at your own pace.

Blake Turner Staff Writer

05/26/2015 at 12:58 AM

I... agree and disagree. I love it in Elder Scrolls games because it's detailed and exploring the world is often quite serene and gorgeous. I also like it in a game like GTA V because there are so many mechanics that make the sandbox aspect enjoyable. I'm still finding new things to do in that game...

But I agree in other games. I dislike Saints Row as a sandbox game because there's not enough to do in the sandbox, and the mechanics aren't tight enough to be a linear game. Most Ubisoft games do sandbox wrong as well, especially Assassin's Creed games lately.

But, we both love MMOs, and those COULDN'T function without the open world aspect so idk.

Also, I'm getting the internet back soon, and GW2 is getting it's expansion soon. Good time to try and get the guild off the ground?

05/26/2015 at 01:36 AM

My issue is mainly with empty content. Witcher 2 had large enough areas to hunt in, but not so enormous that it became a chore, but large enough that a lot of people skipped side quests and just went on the critical path, either way the main story was great, and if you like exploring, the world was big enough to explore-- a nice balance.

I played Morrowind recently. I know it's not fair to judge it now because I'm sure at the time it was amazing due to it's size, and I was impressed by the detail of the world and the giant tick alien transport thingy or whatever, but I was immediately lost also.

As for MMOs, they are not empty. They fill the area with repetative combat, but there is alwyas something to do in them. I can't say that about all Sandbox or Open World games that require you to go out and make your fun.

I like a balance I suppose, as you say. It doesn't work for every game.

I'm planning to get back into GW2 when the expansion hits and making it my main MMO, since I'm a poor bastard right now and can't buy Elder Scrolls.

Also, I've been playing Heroes of the Storm and Marvel Heroes, which are both pretty fun honestly.

goaztecs

05/28/2015 at 11:40 AM

I like open world games to a point. I like being able to either play the game or just wander around causing trouble. Having the sandbox opens up the game to a point. There have been a couple of games I played that tried to capitalize on being like GTA that have failed because there isn't enough content to justify having an open world. At that point, I'd rather have a game where it was all level based. Heck even GTA at times fails in the sandbox deptartment. I'd like to have more than just a handful of buildings be available to walk through, heck I'd be happy if it was GTA San Andreas where if you go to certain buildings you are on the roof and you can jump off with a parachute.

PixlBit