Ever since the mid-2000s, when the leap forward in technology within the gaming industry allowed games to adopt an open-world format, it’s been pretty hard to find an AAA RPG, Adventure, or narrative-driven game that doesn’t offer an expansive world begging to be explored. However, a handful of games out there prove that big isn’t always better.
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There are a bunch of excellent titles that don’t boast the land mass of games likeThe Witcher 3: Wild HuntorRed Dead Redemption 2. But still manage to pack oodles of detail, standout landmarks and fun things to do into their pocket-sized worlds.
So, we want to take the time to celebrate these great things that come in small packages as we list ten amazing pocket-sized open worlds you need to visit.
10Shadows of Doubt
Crime Never Sleeps, But Neither Do You
Shadows of Doubt
We begin with a game that still resides in early access at the time of writing, but as has been proved bystandout titles like Baldur’s Gate 3, that isn’t something you should hold against any modern title.Shadows of Doubtis a game that allows you to play the role of a vigilante detective and explore a procedurally generated city where you can create your own legacy as a super sleuth.
This detective game stands out as, through the power of procedural generation, you’ll effectively be able to complete endless missions, unlike a lot of one-and-done detective titles out there.
But it’s also insanely impressive as an open world, as every resident in this huge city has a routine, schedule, name, fingerprint, blood type, shoe size, and so many more little details that can help you find your perp. It’s an amazing game that is well worth checking out and supporting ahead of its full release.
9A Short Hike
A Pocket-sized Mountaineering Adventure
A Short Hike
Next, we have a little game about a little bird that wants to climb a big mountain. That’s the entire plot ofA Short Hike, and the gameplay is equally straightforward.
You head out into the world, help the locals, collect feathers to help you climb and glide more competently, and before long, you’ll be sitting atop Hawk Peak, having conquered the mountain trail.
It’s easily the smallest open world on this list, as when you are fully powered up, you can fly around the whole world in about ten seconds flat. But the charm this world oozes, the whimsy the characters possess, and the nostalgia the Dreamcast-era visuals evoke all make this open-world one that can easily go toe-to-toe with the biggest AAA land masses.
A Beautiful Desert Flower
We move on to a game that, despite being one of the most visually striking and intriguing indie open worlds on the market, never really got its flowers. The reason for this is likely the choppy frame rate and the performance issues the game still has today.
However, even with these technical hiccups,Sablestill manages to offer one of the finest open-world experiences, which speaks to the level of quality design present here.
This one will have to explore the vast desert on your glider, and find settlements, oddities and landmarks that will help you complete your gliding and find your true calling.
It’s a subtly told coming-of-age story where you can dictate the outcome, and it also feels like an indie interpretation ofBreath of the Wildin a lot of ways, without the combat and high stakes. So, if I’ve sold you on this one, hop on your glider and get going.
7Lil Gator Game
The Power of Imagination
Lil Gator Game
Speaking of games that feel like an indie interpretation ofBreath of the Wild, we have another that combines a modernZeldafeel with a childhood obsession with playtime.
Lil Gator Gameis a title where you play as a little gator determined to convince your sister to play with you, which naturally leads to an island-wise role-playing extravaganza.
The gameplay has all the trappings of aZeldaepic, with platforming, climbing, exploration, fun quests, collectables, little gadgets to play around with and a vibrant open-world.
But, the important caveat here is that there are no fail states, and combat, while present, is replaced with battles with cardboard cutouts, making the combat serve as more of a collect-athon. It’s imagination-fuelled childish whimsy and a great way to fill a lazy afternoon.
The Sea Is A Cruel Mistress
Ever since the PS1 title ‘Overboard,’ I have always wished there was another game that allowed me to play as a boat and sail around exploring. It’s a pretty niche and specific wish, I know, but against the odds, this wish was granted in the form ofDredge.
A fishing-based resource management game that sees the player try to catch enough fish to upgrade their ship and explore the archipelago. But, all the while,a Lovecraftian horror narrative bubbles under the surface.
It’s a game with an interesting world split into different island biomes, and offers an addictive ‘one more day’ gameplay loop that makes this one near-impossible to put down. Not to mention, this game is also a rather competent horror title with some clever mechanics that will no doubt catch you off guard and send a shiver down your spine.
So, be a landlubber no more and set sail. Just be sure to watch out for any Krakens or Lethiathians on your travels.
5The Witness
Bear Witness To This Puzzle Masterpiece
The Witness
When it comes to challenging puzzle games, there are few that can rival the absurd, mind-bending conundrums presented inThe Witness.However, the good news is that due to the wonderful open-world format present in this modern puzzle-based masterpiece, you can engage with each puzzle as and when you choose, explore in any order you like, and if you get stuck (and you will get stuck) you can always head somewhere else and try again later.
This freedom to engage with everything on your terms is great, but this world isalso compelling due to the gorgeous scenerythat makes those moments of frustration a little more palatable.
The fact that this game and Portal are often mentioned in the same breath when discussing the best puzzle game of all time shows just how belovedThe Witnessis. So, if you fancy playing an open-world puzzle masterclass, you’ll struggle to find one better thanThe Witness.
If you want a trendier open-world puzzle game that also allows you to play with friends in an MMO setting, then you should also check outIslands of Insight.
4The Forgotten City
The Many Will Suffer For The Sins Of The One
The Forgotten City
I know most of you will have heard this before, but it still bears mentioning that this game was once a humbleSkyrimmod, and now serves as not only a fully-fledged release in its own right, but one of thebest timeloop, open-world puzzle games on the market.
This game sees you trapped in a time paradox housed within a pocket-sized Roman settlement. Your goal is to break the loop and return to your time period without invoking ‘The Golden Rule.’
This means you need to explore this world thoroughly, use everything and everyone at your disposal to find loopholes around The Golden Rule, and you’ll also inevitably need to bend time to your will to experiment and make critical discoveries.
It’s a clever sandbox with some of the finest world design and writing I’ve ever had the joy of witnessing first-hand, and the fact that this fan-made mod finally got its flowers makes it all the sweeter.
3Grand Theft Auto 3
“You’re Just Small Time”
Grand Theft Auto 3
Grand Theft Autois known for offering some of the most vast and detailed open worlds within gaming. So, it may feel a bit odd seeing this franchise among these pocket-sized open worlds. However, in the early 2000s, massive open-worlds simply weren’t a thing, and Rockstar spearheaded the open-world boom by creatingGTA3.
A game that, as we look back with the power of hindsight, is pretty tiny when compared to the modern-day GTA outings that would come later.
That being said,GTA3’sLiberty City was still a revelation at the time that gave players their first taste of the GTA city-based sandbox. It still serves as a wonderful playground for players to explore, complete a series of fun missions in the shoes of Claude, and undoubtedly find themselves evading the LCPD as they rack up a six-star wanted level.
It’s a little bit of a relic, but if you want to see the strong foundation that the GTA series built upon for yourself, you need to play this classic.
2The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Perhaps The Greatest Zelda Game Ever
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Speaking of classics, it would be criminal if we didn’t mention the first-ever 3D outing within theLegend of Zeldaseries, which allowed us to explore Hyrule at our leisure.
Ocarina of Time is stillconsidered by many as the best video game of all time, and it’s easy to see why, as this game not only made the transition to 3D graphics while maintaining the quality of the dungeon-crawling, puzzle-solving, and combat present. It also lets players loose to explore Hyrule and carve out their own adventure with no guide rails.
This world was gigantic, relative to other games released in the 1990s. However, looking back today, it’s rather quaint when paired alongside the monstrous AAA maps on the market.
Yet despite this,Ocarina of Timeis still a magical experience, one that has stood the test of time, and even in the wake ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, which are two modern open-world goliaths, many would say that OOT still comes out on top. So, if you haven’t played this standoutZeldaepic, you need to dive into this one.
1Outer Wilds
Explore The Cosmos in 22-Minutes Or Less
Outer Wilds
Then, to top our list, we have a game that still manages to attain the label of a ‘pocket-sized open-world’ despite this gameallowing you to explore an entire solar system.
Much likeThe Forgotten City,Outer Wildsis a game in which a time loop is at the center of the gameplay. Players will have 22 minutes to take off in their spaceship from Timber Hearth, explore the galaxy, and then rinse and repeat until they acquire enough information to break the time loop.
It’s essentially one huge puzzle slowly drip-fed to you as you explore each unique planet dotted around the solar system, and unlike other games with gameplay loops that constantly reward you with gear and XP. The thing that constantly has you pushing forward inOuter Wildsis curiosity and natural discovery.
It’s one of the most meticulously crafted, unique, enthralling, and beautiful open worlds ever created, and to ensure I don’t spoil a second, I will simply wrap things up by saying you need to playOuter Wilds.
Amazing Open World Games With Tons Of Content To Play Through
What started out larger scale adventures with titles like Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie have transformed into truly open-world experiences.
