All open-world games have some sort of exploration mechanics built into them. After all, it's one of the core gameplay elements of this genre; players need to feel encouraged to get to see everything the game has to offer and be incentivized to reach even the furthest corners of the map. Otherwise, what's the point of creating a vast, open world in the first place?
Many sandbox games end up getting overstuffed with map markers that directly point out all the quests, collectibles, enemy locations, and NPCs worth talking to, making players feel like they're crossing items off a checklist rather than actually getting to know a detailed, lived-in world. Some titles, on the other hand, end up masterfully intertwining world exploration with the gameplay, creating an immersive experience where every nook and cranny just begs to be uncovered.
8 Terraria
The 2D sandbox of Terraria remains unmatched by countless similar games to this day, despite the fact that it was released all the way back in 2011. Much of what makes this title special comes down to Terraria's unique exploration mechanics and the freedom with which players can tackle uncovering new parts of the world.
One of the best examples of Terraria's original approach to exploration is terraforming. The game lets players destroy, reshape, and mold the surrounding terrain to their liking, which leads to unlocking new areas and uncovering hidden content. It's similar to Minecraft in that regard, however, due to it being 2D and the fact that Terraria's world is finite, exploration in this title often feels more impactful.
7 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Back when it first came out in 2015, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has taken the world by storm. It received multiple awards, and was rightly praised for its meticulously crafted open world and a rich story that revolved around the players' choices. The world and plot of The Witcher 3 are unique, and the same can be said about the way one explores said world. While the map in The Witcher 3 may resemble some of the other popular open-world titles, the player's motivations for exploring the world definitely don't.
In other, similar games, players visit uncovered areas because of a map or a quest marker that points them there, in The Witcher 3, there is almost always a story or lore reason to visit that location. In that game, most of the exploration isn't done solely for the purposes of getting a particular piece of gear or completing a quest -- instead, players venture into the unknown to learn the backstory of a particular place, or uncover hidden lore that provides an additional layer of meaning to the events that shape the game's setting.
6 No Man's Sky
To say that Hello Games' No Man's Sky got off to a rocky start would be an understatement. The game was relentlessly criticized after the initial launch in 2016, mainly because it provided a bare-bones version of the experience promised by Sean Murray and his team. Seven years later, however, it can be said that the game has finally realized its potential, a large part of which is thanks to the wanderlust-inducing, procedurally generated galaxy with countless planets that just beg to be explored.
Upon landing on each one of these planets, players can create their own base, mine for materials, and learn about the unique creatures and plants that live on its surface. The process of charting each new planet feels fresh and awe-inspiring. Not many other games integrate exploration with their core gameplay loop as seamlessly and successfully as No Man's Sky.
5 Microsoft Flight Simulator
When one considers the fact that the flight simulation genre is considered to be a rather niche category of games, Microsoft Flight Simulator's success becomes all the more impressive. The easy-to-learn, yet hard-to-master flying game took the world by storm when it released in 2020, and continues to be enjoyed by thousands of players to this day.
What makes exploring Microsoft Flight Simulator's world so unique and addictive is the fact that contrary to nearly every single game out there, this flight sim allows players to explore almost the entirety of the real world. The game pulls its environments from Bing Maps, and while it isn't a 1:1 recreation of planet Earth, it is faithful enough to let many players fly by their home, or visit real-world locations they always wanted to travel to.
4 Ghost Of Tsushima
Sucker Punch's 2019 PS4 exclusive received some much-deserved praise upon release. Ghost of Tsushima's gorgeous rendition of the Tsushima island in 1274, combined with fluid, satisfying combat mechanics were enthralling in and of themselves, but its open-world added another layer of immersion thanks to the game's unique navigation system.
As opposed to most other open world games, where players are led to their next quest or point of interest by a map marker or dotted lines appearing on the ground, Ghost of Tsushima guides players using gusts of wind that blend seamlessly into the world. The game's UI was drastically limited, and yet it still clearly managed to lead one directly to their objective, making exploration feel completely organic despite actually being a pre-planned, carefully thought-out experience.
3 Subnautica: Below Zero
Much like its predecessor, Subnautica: Below Zero, is an open-ended game that forces players to actively seek out its story. While it can also be played as a simple survival sim, the actual campaign of Below Zero is well-worth experiencing, especially considering that its plot is a lot more pressing and fleshed-out than it was in the first Subnautica.
Exploration is a key element of the gameplay in Subnautica: Below Zero, but it doesn't mean that players will be able to venture out to the furthest areas of the map from the get-go. The game requires one to keep learning about its underwater world as they explore, and then utilize this knowledge to be able to keep going further, build more bases, and continue progressing through the main story.
2 Elden Ring
Considering the hype and accolades this game received in 2022, Elden Ring really needs no introduction. The game took everything that made FromSoftware's Dark Souls series successful, and translated it into the open-world formula almost flawlessly.
One of the best things about Elden Ring is the lack of hand-holding when it comes to exploration. There are virtually no map markers in the game (except Merchant locations and the Sites of Grace), unless they were created by the players. The originality of Elden Ring's exploration mechanics lies in the game's many elements of surprise as players stumble upon things like the Siofra River Well or the Grand Lift of Dectus, unlocking a whole new massive area, seemingly out of nowhere.
1 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Breath of the Wild is truly in a league of its own when it comes to open-world design and organic exploration mechanics. Similarly to Elden Ring, the first Zelda game on the Nintendo Switch doesn't overcrowd its map with countless markers and indicators of things to do. Instead, it lets the players identify and highlight points of interest themselves, generating a sense of curiosity and excitement.
Aside from letting the players explore the map as they see fit, Breath of the Wild also makes use of its physics engine to encourage combining different elemental reactions while adventuring, which often leads to unlocking new areas or secrets. Finally, the open-ended nature of the game's main quest pushes players to explore as much of the world as possible before finally facing Ganon in Hyrule Castle.