The idea of open-world games being made on a low budget sounds almost impossible. After all, these games require a ton of effort and concentration from developers who need to ensure that they can create and program an environment that makes for an engaging sandbox without getting too stale in the long run.
So, it's always nice to hear that some open-world games don't really need the biggest budgets around to become famous. Sometimes, it's all about the correct execution of integrating gameplay mechanics, engaging stories, and everything else along the same lines in a world that feels extremely reactive and engaging. Here are some amazing open-world games that attained success despite having a pretty modest budget.
10 A Short Hike
It's an amazing accomplishment that A Short Hike was made by just one man in the span of a few months. The game is incredibly relaxing to play, featuring a world that is pretty fun to explore and characters who are a joy to interact with.
A Short Hike makes the most of its open world and hides as much content as possible in this title. It's a fun and engaging title that will allow players to relax and unwind as their soar through the skies with the goal to get cellphone reception.
9 Project Zomboid
An open-world zombie survival game that uses its simple graphics and aesthetics to emphasize the gameplay, Project Zomboid is a great title that everyone should check out. The game's development encountered a major issue when they lost core game files, but the game is slowly coming back once again.
The amazing scope and breadth of gameplay options in Project Zomboid make it a ton of fun indeed. Players need to constantly be on the move and find safe havens at night to fight off the wave of zombies who can hunt them down.
8 Valheim
The sheer fact that the entirety of Valheim was made by a team of five people is pretty hard to believe. After all, the game's amazing take on the survival genre is so innovative that it easily carries the overall experience.
Players who want to immerse themselves in a deep and engaging title should look no further than Valheim. Everything from combat to crafting feels refined and enjoyable to play around with.
7 DayZ
It's amazing how something that started out as a mod for ARMA 2 ended up being such a legendary title in its own right. DayZ is a title that needs no introduction, being one of the most popular survival games at one point.
Even its infamous imitators like WarZ failed to capture what made this game truly special. Playing through DayZ with a friend is a blast, even though the title can be devilishly hard at times.
6 Minecraft
There was a time when Minecraft was nothing more than a darling indie title, with Notch solely at the helm of things. The sheer amount of things this developer managed to achieve with this groundbreaking crafting title still has an impact to this day.
Right now, Minecraft is Microsoft's precious baby and is still going strong to this day. The game is nothing short of a phenomenon that deserves all the praise in the world for letting players flex their creative muscles time and time again.
5 Terraria
At a glance, Terraria feels like nothing more than a 2D version of Minecraft. While it's understandable why many people make this comparison, it also unfairly categorizes Terraria as nothing more than an imitator of what already succeeded.
The truth is that Terraria's wealth of gameplay mechanics is quite engaging in its own right, making it a really brilliant game indeed. Fans shouldn't sleep on this title, which is truly brilliant in so many ways.
4 Stardew Valley
This charming farming title had taken over the gaming world by storm when it was released, with the title's popularity still going strong to this day. The sheer wealth of gameplay mechanics and charming NPCs in Stardew Valley makes it a pretty excellent game indeed.
With a steady stream of content updates, it's easy to see why the fandom of this game is still going strong to this day. Fans can only hope that Haunted Chocolatier manages to capture what made this game so charming.
3 Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium is one of the few unique RPGs that have absolutely no combat whatsoever. Instead, all the stats in the game are used as percentage checks to see whether players succeed or fail in trying to accomplish a given action.
The best part about Disco Elysium is that its failures are just as memorable and important as its successes. Save scumming is definitely recommended against, and players should just power through with their choices and see how things pan out.
2 Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a testament to how even a new studio can take on the challenge of developing an open-world game and reap its rewards. The title has a great story and challenging yet fair combat.
Warhorse Studios truly knocked it out of the park with their first attempt at developing a video game. The cracks might start showing at the seams of this game, but these negatives don't take away from what is otherwise a great and enjoyable experience.
1 Retro City Rampage
Retro City Rampage is an ode to the games of the past, especially when it comes to the classic GTA games and other such top-down shooters. The fact that this indie title crams an entire reactive open-world into the game is a pretty monumental achievement indeed.
Retro City Rampage is a great game to sink some hours into for fans of such titles who want to enjoy a nostalgic experience. The game allows for some moments of pure chaos that are quite enjoyable in their own right.