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Key · 02-03-2019, 10:19 AM

There is somewhat of a stigma that revolves around open world games - they all feel the same. And in a lot of cases, they do. So why do I continuously look for more to play? Well, everybody has their genre that they fall back to, and open world games are that genre for me. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of love for other genres like roguelikes, FPS's, etc etc, but something about the continuous exploration of open world games really sells it for me.

Every time I've played an open world game, I always set the goal to try to do as much as I possibly can. I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with that given that the game is giving you access to all of this awesome stuff. Now, while I tend to break away from open world games for a while, it's something I always fall back to. It's especially exciting when I see a game series I know and love go toward the open world genre. Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey are both great examples of that. And those are great just because nobody really expected Nintendo to go the open world route, but they did, and it worked out wonderfully each time. Especially since both games came out the same year. Pretty incredible, Nintendo.

Now, what is it about them that I like so much? Well, I've stated before that a big part of it is the exploration. But another part of it is the RPG aspect. A lot of open world games come tagging along with a bunch of RPG elements to make your character into the walking nightmare that you want it to be. And I find that to be a joy to do because making a character progressively more powerful is an amazing feeling. And even better when it's done with 4 characters simultaneously like it had been done in Divinity Original Sin 2. Never felt dull or overly complicated. Most times it never feels too difficult. But...don't even get me started on Path of Exile. I could look at that skill tree for hours and still never figure it out.

Another thing I like is just seeing the beauty of the world unfold. I mentioned also previously that I find joy when the game tends to let you zoom out and see the whole map. That it and of itself sets a very inviting setting that makes you want to travel every inch of the world. And many times I have. I completed Breath of the Wild, Spider-Man, Shadow of War, the list goes on. Graphically, most open world games I've played really showcase what can be done with graphics. And some turn out amazing while some fall short.

Now, I want to get into the real crux of this whole thing. Do I remember what set the stage for my love of open world games? Yes, I think I do. It may sound silly, but the many years I spent playing Runescape was a big eye opener for me. It showed me the potential of video games and for it to show that potential way back in the day is impressive in its own right.

I mean...c'mon. When you were younger and you saw this map, you just knew you were in for a treat.

If I can remember correctly, I spent close to 15 years on one account on Runescape, and that account still exists today. I still get the urge to play it again but I know if I do, I'll not be able to stop. but it definitely put me on the right path as far as gaming is concerned and I'll never forget that.

02-03-2019, 10:19 AM	#72 (permalink)
Key . Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 13,153	There is somewhat of a stigma that revolves around open world games - they all feel the same. And in a lot of cases, they do. So why do I continuously look for more to play? Well, everybody has their genre that they fall back to, and open world games are that genre for me. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of love for other genres like roguelikes, FPS's, etc etc, but something about the continuous exploration of open world games really sells it for me. Every time I've played an open world game, I always set the goal to try to do as much as I possibly can. I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with that given that the game is giving you access to all of this awesome stuff. Now, while I tend to break away from open world games for a while, it's something I always fall back to. It's especially exciting when I see a game series I know and love go toward the open world genre. Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey are both great examples of that. And those are great just because nobody really expected Nintendo to go the open world route, but they did, and it worked out wonderfully each time. Especially since both games came out the same year. Pretty incredible, Nintendo. Now, what is it about them that I like so much? Well, I've stated before that a big part of it is the exploration. But another part of it is the RPG aspect. A lot of open world games come tagging along with a bunch of RPG elements to make your character into the walking nightmare that you want it to be. And I find that to be a joy to do because making a character progressively more powerful is an amazing feeling. And even better when it's done with 4 characters simultaneously like it had been done in Divinity Original Sin 2. Never felt dull or overly complicated. Most times it never feels too difficult. But...don't even get me started on Path of Exile. I could look at that skill tree for hours and still never figure it out. Another thing I like is just seeing the beauty of the world unfold. I mentioned also previously that I find joy when the game tends to let you zoom out and see the whole map. That it and of itself sets a very inviting setting that makes you want to travel every inch of the world. And many times I have. I completed Breath of the Wild, Spider-Man, Shadow of War, the list goes on. Graphically, most open world games I've played really showcase what can be done with graphics. And some turn out amazing while some fall short. Now, I want to get into the real crux of this whole thing. Do I remember what set the stage for my love of open world games? Yes, I think I do. It may sound silly, but the many years I spent playing Runescape was a big eye opener for me. It showed me the potential of video games and for it to show that potential way back in the day is impressive in its own right. I mean...c'mon. When you were younger and you saw this map, you just knew you were in for a treat. If I can remember correctly, I spent close to 15 years on one account on Runescape, and that account still exists today. I still get the urge to play it again but I know if I do, I'll not be able to stop. but it definitely put me on the right path as far as gaming is concerned and I'll never forget that.