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

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Gamers used to get excited just hearing a game was “open world.” Now, that’s not enough to make a game stand out. So many games – from survival to relaxing adventures to role-playing games – already offer huge, explorable worlds. Even a massive open world, like the one promised in Crimson Desert, needs more to grab attention. We’ve seen plenty of games where open worlds feel empty and boring, turning what should be a benefit into a drawback.

With the recent release of Crimson Desert, a highly anticipated game, and the varying opinions it’s received, I started thinking about what makes open-world games truly great. What sets a game like Skyrim apart, and why did Pokemon Scarlet & Violet fall short? In my opinion, there are five key elements that all successful open-world games need to get right.

5) Interesting & Creative Traversal

Simply making a game world large isn’t enough. If developers want a successful open-world game, the map needs to be enjoyable and easy to navigate. This means filling it with interesting things to discover, and finding the right balance between quick travel options and letting players freely roam and explore on their own.

I love a good open-world game, but those huge maps can be a pain if all you do is fast travel everywhere! It’s great to have quick travel options, but it’s even better when the game also encourages you to explore the world itself. Things like horses in Skyrim or the gliders in Tears of the Kingdom are perfect – you can still enjoy the scenery while getting around. Personally, I really like it when a game makes you unlock fast travel. It’s so cool to discover the world at your own pace on foot or by riding an animal at first, and then being able to quickly zip back to places you’ve already been. It feels like the best of both worlds!

4) Small Details That Make the World Feel Alive

I love being able to wander around a game’s world, but honestly, the world itself needs to feel interesting. It’s not enough to just have a big map – it needs to feel alive, and not just revolve around my journey. There’s nothing worse than exploring a huge space that feels empty, like everyone’s vanished except for the NPCs tied to my current quest. That’s something that really bothered me about Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. When I was traveling between towns, it often didn’t feel like people actually lived in the Paldea region – it felt kinda deserted.

The best open-world games make you feel like you’ve entered a truly living, breathing world. Small details, like hearing conversations between characters and seeing animals wander around, really add to the experience. It’s also crucial to encounter other people as you explore – that sense of a shared world is key. I especially love how Skyrim captures this; it genuinely feels like you might meet anyone while traveling through its landscapes.

3) Interesting and Unexpected Side Quests

When I play open world games, I always make it a priority to find and complete side quests – the more unusual, the better! Discovering new characters with strange requests is one of the most enjoyable parts of exploring, and honestly, if a game doesn’t have interesting side quests, I don’t see the point in playing.

Bethesda games, like Skyrim and Oblivion, excel at letting players get into all sorts of unexpected situations and discover charming details through side quests. I still remember thinking a seemingly random glitch was actually part of a cleverly designed quest! Having a good variety of interesting side quests really brings a game world to life and gives players who like to explore everything plenty to do.

2) Well-Developed & Engaging Core Locations

Exploring vast landscapes is enjoyable, but truly great open-world games need central hubs – cities or recognizable landmarks – that players frequently revisit. These places help us feel connected to the game’s world. The most successful open-world games offer a variety of memorable locations that become familiar and inviting. For example, Skyrim features unique cities, each with its own personality, which are crucial to making the world of Tamriel feel alive.

Players become truly immersed in a game when it feels like a living, breathing world. While a vast, dynamic map is great, having a few key locations that feel important is even better. These central hubs give players a sense of community and a place to return to for things like shopping and quests. If these locations are dull or don’t offer a reason to revisit them, it can quickly make a player lose interest in the game.

1) Rewarding Discovery

The most important thing in open-world games is giving players a compelling reason to actually explore. This means including things like hidden treasures, secret locations, and interesting landmarks that draw you in. If an open world doesn’t feel rewarding to explore, the game won’t succeed. It’s simple: a large map filled with nothing is a waste. Truly great open-world games need to make exploration feel worthwhile.

As a fan, what really makes an open-world game special for me is the sense of discovery. I love just wandering around and finding things – whether it’s gathering materials to craft with, finding cool loot in chests, or stumbling across little hidden details that make the world feel alive. The best games make you feel like there’s something interesting around every corner. And while fast travel is nice to have, a truly great open-world game also makes you want to explore on foot or horseback, rewarding you for taking the scenic route instead of just zipping to your destination.

What’s one feature you absolutely need in an open-world game? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-02-20 01:11