SavoyPrime
Member
Wind Waker, Mass Effect 1, Assassin's Creed: Black Flag, and The Witcher 3 for me.
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Games that gave you the greatest feelings of exploration and adventure?
- Thread starter Fou-Lu
- Start date
Earthbound64
Banned
Truth.
levyjl1988
Banned
Dark Souls
Skyrim
Oblivion
are the most memorable for me.
Skyrim
Oblivion
are the most memorable for me.
Glitter and Gold
Banned
I really like Grandia and Terranigma as answers
100%TrophyMaster
Member
Skyrim sticks out as the most memorable to me. I absolutely got lost in the game world and loved every second of it.
Other notables are Assassins creed 4 black flag, Dragon Quest 8, and Final Fantasy 12.
Other notables are Assassins creed 4 black flag, Dragon Quest 8, and Final Fantasy 12.
immortald3ath
Member
World of Warcraft.
Devast8nDiscoDave81
Neo Member
Gothic 2, no competition. The Gothic games were the first RPGs I played though, so probably that plays a part. But I just love that you can reach absolutely every location you can see.
Castle ruins in the distance? Yup, you can go there.
Was gonna say this as well. Fantastic games.
Samanosuke Akechi
Member
Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy X
Grandia 2
Onimusha trilogy
Shenmue
Final Fantasy X
Grandia 2
Onimusha trilogy
Shenmue
Seven4sses
Member
Metroid Prime and Windwaker from previous gens.
Recently, Dark Souls and Dying Light.
Recently, Dark Souls and Dying Light.
The Lone Courier
Member
Grand Theft Auto 4
Fata1moose
Banned
Bethesda's games take the cake here for me, while other games like Witcher 3 do the large scale better, I've always appreciated the micro detail in Elder Scrolls and Fallout. They're second to none in crafting worlds, even FO4 which I disliked was fun to explore.
Rapscallion
Member
The original Pokemon Red and Blue were probably the GOAT for me personally. I was just played at the right age and time for those games to be completely mysterious and awe-inspiring. This was before the trend really took off and before all 150 Pokemon were well known because of the TV show.
It's something I don't think I could ever relive or experience again, even with similar games or franchises. Just the idea that there are countless unknown monsters out there, some of which are legends and myths, was just a great experience to have as a child.
It's something I don't think I could ever relive or experience again, even with similar games or franchises. Just the idea that there are countless unknown monsters out there, some of which are legends and myths, was just a great experience to have as a child.
Hexxen-Panda
Member
The Witcher 3 for me, definitely.
The way that the forests and farmlands feel so organic and laid out in a way that gives off a feeling of scale without being too over the top with size. Moving from place to place felt like a journey even though the distances covered aren't very great, the design of the landscapes carry that epic feel.
Also helps that the world has a distinctive Eastern Europe feel that feels distant enough from Tolkien that it feels fresh, but still familiar. It really made me feel that sense of history, and that contributed to the epic adventure experience that I had with the game.
A runner-up would be Bloodborne, but that's more to the engagement I had with the level designs and environmental storytelling that made it such a joy to explore.
The way that the forests and farmlands feel so organic and laid out in a way that gives off a feeling of scale without being too over the top with size. Moving from place to place felt like a journey even though the distances covered aren't very great, the design of the landscapes carry that epic feel.
Also helps that the world has a distinctive Eastern Europe feel that feels distant enough from Tolkien that it feels fresh, but still familiar. It really made me feel that sense of history, and that contributed to the epic adventure experience that I had with the game.
A runner-up would be Bloodborne, but that's more to the engagement I had with the level designs and environmental storytelling that made it such a joy to explore.
VlaudTheImpaler
tl;dr
Y'all don't even know till you've played Minecraft VR with a Vive and a lot of room. You. Don't. Even. Know.
As for non VR games though?
Skyrim
TW3
And Dragons Dongma Dark Arisen which I am playing now. You can really get overwhelmed with how big everything is. The detail and scale is fantastic. Everywhere you look there is something you want to explore.
As for non VR games though?
Skyrim
TW3
And Dragons Dongma Dark Arisen which I am playing now. You can really get overwhelmed with how big everything is. The detail and scale is fantastic. Everywhere you look there is something you want to explore.
Psychological Intellect
Banned
Horizon: Zero Dawn
YankeeDonB
Member
Same, the world map exploration, especially once you get a boat, really highlights how effective classic jRPG world maps can be at getting you to feel you're on a big journey.
VlaudTheImpaler
tl;dr
Oh yeah, the Halo games definitely do it for me as well. So do the AssCreed games. Dishonored as well. The first one anyway, it was one of my favorite games of all time but I am afraid of the bad PC port.
Head of Vengarl
Banned
Thumbs up, OP. Xenoblade Chronicles gave me a feeling of adventure that almost no other game has.
(Modded) Skyrim also did it. The base game already has lots of great areas to explore, and there's plenty of great mods that add even more places and NPCs to make the world more vibrant.
Spine_Ripper
Member
Are you me
InfiniteCombo
Banned
zenspider
Member
Zelda 1
Dark Souls
Xenoblade Chronicles X
What I particularly loved about XCX that doesn't get mentioned enough is that the exploration is supported by the narrative. Most open world games have a false sense of urgency in the main quest line, and keep the side content feeling optional. It creates a dissonance, where I often feel virtual guilt for faffing about while some pressing matter is happening, but not actually happening until I get there.
XCX is the opposite: your mandate is to explore and chart Mira, while quests like "OMG we got to catch this guy before he does something terrible" is side content. I wish more open world designers took note, though I think recently FFXV struck an O.K. balance, but at the expense of the impact of the main storyline (for some). I would even welcome timed events, but those might feel a bit too MMO-ish.
Dark Souls
Xenoblade Chronicles X
What I particularly loved about XCX that doesn't get mentioned enough is that the exploration is supported by the narrative. Most open world games have a false sense of urgency in the main quest line, and keep the side content feeling optional. It creates a dissonance, where I often feel virtual guilt for faffing about while some pressing matter is happening, but not actually happening until I get there.
XCX is the opposite: your mandate is to explore and chart Mira, while quests like "OMG we got to catch this guy before he does something terrible" is side content. I wish more open world designers took note, though I think recently FFXV struck an O.K. balance, but at the expense of the impact of the main storyline (for some). I would even welcome timed events, but those might feel a bit too MMO-ish.
CosmicGroinPull
Member
I'll go with Fallout 3 and FFXV.
Metroid Prime does very well at making it feel like you're in alien worlds, but it's way too obvious that you're traversing from one 'room' to another. Mass Effect too, to a lesser extent; you don't get the illusion that you're free to explore, you're stuck in boxes.
Metroid Prime does very well at making it feel like you're in alien worlds, but it's way too obvious that you're traversing from one 'room' to another. Mass Effect too, to a lesser extent; you don't get the illusion that you're free to explore, you're stuck in boxes.
pixelation
Member
Ready to be ridiculed but... Jak and Daxter TPL.
User123456
Member
Oblivion for me. I was unfamiliar with the series so it blew my mind.
Kaji AF16
Member
Mass Effect, Fallout, Elder Scrolls and Red Dead Redemption have already been mentioned, but I loved exploring those universes.
That said, I will never forget roaming the Okaar forests in Outcast. Incredible sense of mystery, even if it was ultimately relatively barren -and rather small, by modern standards-. The Gorgor hunt was also a short but unforgettable adventure.
That said, I will never forget roaming the Okaar forests in Outcast. Incredible sense of mystery, even if it was ultimately relatively barren -and rather small, by modern standards-. The Gorgor hunt was also a short but unforgettable adventure.
Phoenix RISING
Banned
This was the first game that wowed me.
Witcher 3 made me laugh at any other game that claims to be open world.
Skyrender10
Neo Member
Zelda alttp
Zelda oot
Ffvii
Chrono trigger
Final fantasy ix
Final fantasy XII
The dungeons in ffxv
Xenoblade x
Xenoblade
Fallout 3
Divine divinity
Zelda oot
Ffvii
Chrono trigger
Final fantasy ix
Final fantasy XII
The dungeons in ffxv
Xenoblade x
Xenoblade
Fallout 3
Divine divinity
SOTC really did it for me. The scale and atmosphere of the world really sent the message that this game is special and epic things and ONLY epic things are going to happen in this game. Every fight is a boss fight and getting to each colossi was a journey. Great sense of exploration and adventure.
Norse
Member
For me it's EverQuest back in 1999. That game just grabbed me because exploring was the only way to truely learn how to get from one place to the next. Making your first run from everfrost to the next town was filled with dangers and unknowns that took a pretty long time. Edge of your seat stress and excitement the entire time.
MaximumSpider
Banned
I don't care what anyone says about Hoenn. The surfing actually made me feel like I was on an adventure exploring the seas with my Pokemon. Damn I love Hoenn.
Bl@de
Member
Gothic 2, no competition. The Gothic games were the first RPGs I played though, so probably that plays a part. But I just love that you can reach absolutely every location you can see.
Castle ruins in the distance? Yup, you can go there.
Yep. Handcrafted world and everywhere is something special. Along with no minimap and floating questmarkers.
Agree 110%.
Xenoblade Chronicles. When you first get control of Shulk near the beginning, or when you first enter Gaur Plains, or when you first see the giant Mechonis looming over you as you come out of the cave. Those are some of my favourite gaming moments that will stay with me for a long time. The feelings of awe and wonder that I got that I was on some grand adventure with an amazing world to explore has yet to be matched by any other game. XCX had a better world to explore, but it just somehow failed to capture those moments that XC had.
StrategyFan
Member
for me it has less to do with the games and more to do with my age when playing them
ocarina of time & pokemon blue for being on an adventure
doom & all the n64 collect-a-thons for having lots of exploration
ocarina of time & pokemon blue for being on an adventure
doom & all the n64 collect-a-thons for having lots of exploration
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