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[Kadin]

Pretty simple question I think. What game's map size do you feel is the perfect size and provides a great amount of content within that map for people to experience? Basically if you were going to introduce someone to an open world game for the first time, what do you feel is a perfect example to show them?

 

[Bright-Light]

I know it's a GAF cliche but my answer is dark souls.

A world to explore with plenty to do and almost all of it is meaningful and interesting.

Edit: I personally would also add fallout games. I know people shit on them a lot, but I can get lost in those worlds for days. I try to do "one more mission" but on my way to the waypoint I can't help but get distracted, two hours can pass and I still won't have even reached the start of the mission I set out to do.

 

[bjork]

SImpsons Hit & Run. Ease them in with something that is likely familiar, even if only slightly, and let them get an idea for how it works. Then throw Oblivion at them and check back in a month.

 

[Bahlor]

GTA5 comes to mind. They're the kings of open world games that feel alive. The amount of things to discover and details in this game are insane.

 

[Aaron D.]

Skyrim
Fallout 4
Farming Simulator

 

[-tetsuo-]

None

 

[Barajas_201]

New Vegas

 

[ghibli99]

Do the new Tomb Raider games count? I think they strike a good balance of size, explorability, and things to do.

Arkham City was also really enjoyable in those respects.

 

[Kadin]

SImpsons Hit & Run. Ease them in with something that is likely familiar, even if only slightly, and let them get an idea for how it works. Then throw Oblivion at them and check back in a month.

hahaha... I like the idea of easing them into one and then just throwing another at them and saying, 'good luck, I'll see ya in a month! Oh and don't forget to eat.'

 

[wtshaolin]

Witcher 3

 

[120v]

Bethesda is sort of a punching bag now but I feel their games generally balance out the "noise" and barrenness of open world more than anything

 

[Psoelberg]

Fallout 4 and The Witcher 3 are my favorites in recent years.

In my opinion Bethesda hits the perfect balance between giving the player a huge, detailed world where you can just wander around, and if you feel like doing something there's quest waiting around every corner - and at the same time you can feel lost and alone.

 

[canedaddy]

Rockstar nails this. Pretty much any GTA, Red Dead Redemption, Bully...

 

[Sblargh]

None

New Vegas

My answer is somewhere between those two.

New Vegas is great at pointing the player in the right direction without feeling like it is holding their hand, so the map ends up feeling it has more going for it than it actually does.

But if you would just pick a direction and walk, you see the Wasteland is largely... a wasteland. Lots of nothing; very little reward for exploration. It's a better game if you see it as a linear experience (with the occasional fork on the road) instead of an open world game.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Maybe Final Fantasy XII? The world is pretty open, but they don't waste space. There's stuff to do all over the place, and the world is compressed enough that it's all accessible.

 

[mclem]

A Saint's Row, but I'm not quite sure which. Probably 2?

 

[RespectThySole]

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The best open world ever created.

 

[Kadin]

Bethesda is sort of a punching bag now but I feel their games generally balance out the "noise" and barrenness of open world more than anything

I think I'm in the minority here but I really felt Skyrim to be pretty barren in a lot of areas. I'm playing FO4 right now and I think it's definitely a much tighter world packed with so much in every direction. It could be my memory of Skyrim (which I last played a while back) but it really seems they improved this a lot with FO4.

 

[BadWolf]

Dragon's Dogma and MGSV.

Also have some of the best core combat/gameplay ever.

 

[shiba5]

GTA V
Fallout 4

I also enjoyed MGSV because, apart from outposts, it was barren and didn't have activity icons shitting up the map. What a breath of fresh air.

 

[Ludger Kresnik]

Maybe Final Fantasy XII? The world is pretty open, but they don't waste space. There's stuff to do all over the place, and the world is compressed enough that it's all accessible.

Is FFXII an open world game, traditionally speaking? I'd say it's more of a... series of connected areas?

 

[Gravy Boat]

Just Cause 2 maybe. Who doesn't love blowing shit up and backflipping off a plane?

 

[Jack The Nipper]

Not gta, their missions are flat


Hard to say, I actually lived mercs 2.

Infamous is nice but I feel Yakuza us the perfect blend of story, semi open and missions


Other than than actual open is usually worse and hard to choose one that stands out without repetitive backtracking.

 

[antitrop]

GTA V. The Strangers and Freaks missions were great, varied optional content.

Same deal with Red Dead.

 

[shark sandwich]

Sunset Overdrive

I mostly dislike open world games but this one had me hooked from start to finish. The traversal is an absolute blast and the weapons are very diverse and satisfying.

 

[Feichaw]

Fallout 4, easily.

 

[Gunslinger]

Witcher 3

Bethesda games

Rockstar creates amazing world but they are usually barren. But what is there is still better than most open world games. Heck I would rate red dead redemption as game of the last generation.

 

[Rodolink]

For me it is Red Dead Redemption, all things where fun and achievable, the places where clear to know where to go, and the size of the world was just enough

 

[Kadin]

Is FFXII an open world game, traditionally speaking? I'd say it's more of a... series of connected areas?

Yeah I think of games like FFXII and Tomb Raider to be more of hub world type games. A central point you always seem to go back to and then launch to do quests etc. from that location.

I haven't played the latest Tomb Raider (Rise) but that's what I remember from the game a few years back.

 

[NYCrooner]

The amount of places to visit is FO4 is actually overwhelming at times. I feel like I can't walk into every building. So FO4 buy a mile.

 

[Eidjinn]

The most fun would be Assassin Creed Black Flag, GTA IV or GTA V.

As an introduction, probably Bully: it's smaller, has many, many fun things to do, and you don't feel overwhelmed.

It's als crazy fun! XD

 

[Vincent Grayson]

Any Bethesda game, but Skyrim is of particular note in my mind because the world design is just superb.

Witcher 3 did a pretty good job with this as well, but I don't find the world itself as compelling.

 

[Anth0ny]

Vice City


shit is too big nowadays

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Is FFXII an open world game, traditionally speaking? I'd say it's more of a... series of connected areas?

It's debatable. It's more of an open world than Bloodborne and the like, at least.

I guess I just think the middle ground is my favorite in terms of a game's scope.

 

[Inorganic]

What R* managed to pull of last gen with GTA5's intricate open world was nothing short of amazing. It really is the pinnacle of open world design imo. I know a lof of devs, from Kojima to Todd Howard, also mentioned this.

 

[2+2=5]

Might & Magic VI without any doubt.
The map is probably tiny by today's standards(but it's not even full of water to enlarge the map like many recent games ) but it's:

1)VARIED, there are all kinds of environments, pyramids, snow lands, dead lands and so on.

2)FULL, every step you take you find an object, a place of interest, an army of enemies, a dungeon, a city or whatever, trust me it's a joy to wander in it.

3)OPEN and "unbalanced", you can go wherever you want from the beginning, even in the most difficult dungeons if you are able to reach them, enemies and dungeons difficulty isn't proportional to the distance from the starting point, in fact one of the most difficult dungeons is really close to the initial town, you can understand how hard is a dungeon only by entering in it at your own risk.

 

[His Majesty]

Gothic 2
The Witcher 3
Fallout New Vegas

The holy trinity of open world games.

 

[ChaosZeroX]

Witcher 3.

Had a great time with it. Open world done right.

 

[jem0208]

GTA5 comes to mind. They're the kings of open world games that feel alive. The amount of things to discover and details in this game are insane.

GTA 5's world feels so sterile to me.

It's the very definition of wide as ocean but shallow as a puddle. It's pretty and fairly large but there's very little meaningful interaction. It's far worse for that than Bethesdas games for example.


I'd say Bethesdas worlds are the best actually. They're large, beautiful and extremely detailed. But there's also loads to do and find in them. There's so much story and atmosphere told through the environment. Every little corner has something new and interesting in it. Quests to do, dungeons to clear, stuff to loot etc. I don't understand the bad rep they get.

 

[Nimajneb]

Gothic 1 and 2 and Risen. They really nail the balance between structure and openness.

 

[painey]

I love GTA5, but you are mad if you don't think the map is too big for the amount of content in it, especially in the North.

 

[QuantumZebra]

Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall

Spoiler

jk have them play Morrowind

 

[Kadin]

I know most haven't played it yet but as a side question, how do you think Xenoblade will fit in when it's launched at the end of the week? I've steered clear of reading any reviews so I don't have anything spoiled but what's the impression you're getting so far? Are they saying there's a ton to do everywhere you go or is there a lot of land to see but much of it barren as well?

 

[Shift Breaker]

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon.

Plenty to see: Neon Dinosaurs
Plenty to do: Kill Neon Dinosaurs.

 

[KatamariOnTheRocks]

Saints row 2.

It's easily the pinnacle of the series and a great game to jump into even if it's your first in the series.

 

[eso76]

GTAV isn't quite there with the " stuff to do " but nails the "stuff to see" bit.
Every square inch of the map is unique, everything looks like it was hand placed and the whole thing feels cohesive and logically structured.
Game should just give you better incentives to go explore on foot

I love GTA5, but you are mad if you don't think the map is too big for the amount of content in it, especially in the North.

Nope just fine because it nails scale where tackling mount chillad on foot feels like a proper journey, and at the same time it's not impossibly long and boring.
Anything bigger would need a different design philosophy though

 

[Matty77]

Saints Row franchise. Their maps are usually not as big as other games but size X density there is not much unused space.

I think Rockstars games are better but GTAV for instance has lots of unclaimed space that by just playing the main game, and most optional content for that matter you will never see unless your just trying to explore.

While that's great for a veteran someone newer to the genre can get overwhelmed if the map is large without an even distribution of activity.

 

[demosthenes]

In the past year I've played GTAV, MGSV and Fallout 4. I've enjoyed each.

 

[DorkyMohr]

Odd one but... Skate 3?

 

[partyphone]

original zelda is still the best