Summary
While there are many genres in gaming that provide players with a great experience, few have as many different elements as theopen-worldone. Titles in this genre typically have tons of NPCs, side quests, weapons, armor, andoverall fast-paced gameplay.
Although many open-world games focus on developing an interesting narrative,others take huge risksand forego having a story completely, making an effort to deliver an outstanding gameplay experience to make up for their lack of a narrative. This type of open-world game is usually a hit or miss without an in-between. Here are some of thebest open-world games with minimal storytelling.
Rustis one of those survival games that, instead of presenting players with a deep, complicated backstory and lore, prefers to focus on the gameplay experience. Players will be tasked with surviving in a harsh, inhospitable open-world environment full of various threats such as animals, radiation and, of course, other players.
Rustoffers a complete survival experience that will teach players not to trust anyone and try their best to gather as many resources as they possibly can. Players can choose to take on the world alone, or form alliances to increase their chances of survival.
No Man’s Skyhas what is arguably, one of the most complete and complex space exploration experiences in gaming. Every planet in the game is procedurally generated, and it’s estimated that there’s a total of 18 quintillion planets available for players to explore. This, naturally, eliminates the need for a deep storyline, as there are enough things to discover to carry the entire game.
As players explore the universe, they’ll have tofind oxygen and other precious resources, like Nanites and some other valuables that will allow them to craft more things. Although there’s a storyline in the game known as the Artemis Path that will have players uncover various mysteries, the plotline isn’t as complex as in other games, and exploration and crafting remain the main focus ofNo Man’s Sky.
Valheimpresents players with a story that is heavily based on Norse mythology and the tales of the afterlife. In a nutshell, the game states that, when Vikings are slain, they must prove themselves to be fit for the halls of Valhalla. To render themselves worthy, they must survive and endure the various evils in Valheim.
While this little backstory is very interesting, exploration, resource gathering and management, and other survival aspects remain the central elements of the game, sending the narrative to the back seat. Players who are struggling with the game at any point should attempt to find and craft thebest iron weapons in the gameto improve their odds.
Although many players argue thatTerrariais not actually an open-world title, but rather a very vast and complete sandbox, it still delivers an outstanding experience that is really fun. Like other games in its genre,Terrariarelies heavily on exploration, survival mechanics, crafting, building and mining. The storytelling is minimal, making the previously mentioned elements the central pieces of the puzzle that makes up this game.
AlthoughTerrariais very fun to play, some might find it tedious after a while. For those who are in that situation, there aremany entertaining ways to spice upTerraria’s gameplay.
While survival games on mysterious islands after a plane crash are nothing new,The Foresttakes this concept and brings it to a whole new level. This game’s story focuses on the player character named Eric LeBlanc, who’ll have to survive on an inhospitable island that’s infested with cannibalistic monsters. Hoping to find his son, Timmy, Eric will do anything in his power to find a way out of the island.
Although the premise of this game already sounds quite complex, the storytelling is actually minimal, forcing players to focus more on the survival mechanics available, and on the gathering of resources,such as sticks, which can be used for various purposes.
Similar to other games in its genre,Satisfactoryfocuses on factory building, as well as on exploration and a bit of combat. This game allows players to either enjoy the experience on their own or play with their friends while exploring an unknown alien planet.
As players gather more resources to build their factories, they’ll be able to expand them in almost any way they want,allowing them to increase their efficiencyand make the most out of their efforts every time.Satisfactoryhas minimal storytelling, and instead chooses to focus on the efforts of industry.
It’s impossible to talk about open-world games that focus on resource gathering and crafting without mentioning the massive hit that isMinecraft. Since it was first released in 2011, this title has amassed a massive following, inspiring additional content, pop culture references, and even an upcoming movie.
Like other games in its genre, Minecraft has minimal storytelling and insteadfocuses on resource gatheringand the crafting of various worlds that are only limited by the imagination of those who want to build them from the ground up.
