Summary
Games are often scripted. Following a sequence of events taking the player from point A to point B. Sometimes in a line, and sometimes the player can choose what point B they want to reach. This could be a certain ending or goal set out by the game’s developers, or even just winning a multiplayer match.
But some games do this differently. Instead of pushing players toward a specific target, they allow players to use their creativity or imagination to forge their path. This doesn’t mean that players are completely lacking in any provided progression or goals, just that they’re under no obligation to pursue them. They make their own fun.
TheMount & Bladeseries is often extremely open-ended. Players can choose any of a multitude of factions to side with in their ongoing, NPC-driven wars. Or players can strike out on their own forming their own faction.
What’s more, players needn’t conquer anything. It’s a perfectly valid way to play to just be a bandit. InBannerlord,players canset up workshopsin different settlements and become merchants, only maintaining military strength as a way of protecting investments. Players can live out any medieval fantasy they wish.
A true PC classic,Garry’s Modis still anextremely successful gamealmost twenty years since its release. Arguably the original sandbox game, players can mess around with physics, enemies, and a plethora of mods in real-time. The game is intended for modding, allowing players to come up with their own game modes, weapons, and maps.
BeforeAmong Us,Garry’s Modgave fans Trouble In Terrorist Town. BeforeCall Of Dutyofficially implemented prop hunt,Garry’s Modplayers had been playing it for over a decade. Some of gaming’s most famous names had a little-known predecessor created by some players inGarry’s Mod.
No Man’s Skyis all about player exploration and leaving a mark on the universe. Players are encouraged to head toward the center of the universe but that’s not entirely necessary.
The world ofNo Man’s Skyis extremely vast, with uncounted procedurally generated planets with their own procedurally generated wildlife. Players can set up their settlements, become space pirates, or simply just travel from system to system, exploring the world and looking at other players' creations. Every new planet is a new opportunity for adventure.
One of the original zombie survival games,DayZpits players against the odds to survive in a zombie-infested Eastern European nation. But when players have solved the survival bit, what do they do next?
DayZis a game that never really gets old, exploring the map, battling zombies, wild animals, and more often than not, other players. But fans can do more than that; some choose to befriend other random players, forming teams fraught with the constant risk of betrayal for some sweet loot. Some simply hunt animals or even zombies.Some craft gearto trade with other players, especially if the server they’re on has some sort of safe zone. The game really is open-ended.
While the main story ofTotal War: Warhammer 3definitely has a single goal and story, theImmortal Empiresfree DLC opens things up for any player who wants a more open-ended take onWarhammer Fantasy.
Players are given a few settlements to capture for a short campaign goal and a list of potential settlements for a long campaign victory, and that’s it. Players can make and break alliances with almost any faction on the map. It can be extremely fun to do challenge runs, target specific factions, see how rich a faction can become, or mess with their mechanics.
For those looking to build a spaceship, lunar colony, Mars rover, or just something inappropriate that can fly, look no further thanSpace Engineers. A sandbox space simulator that lets players dream up everything from the smallest drone to the largest capital spaceship.
Players can treat themselves to a survival mode fraught with dangers, from Space Pirate drones to alien spiders. But with no end goal in sight, players are simply challenged to explore and design their vehicles and bases. Dogfighting each other in multiplayer, or building a massive ship together.With a sequel on the way, it’s an open-ended game worth checking out.
Stellarisis a game where fans can do anything. Players manage a spacefaring empire from their first steps into the void to crafting dyson spheres. They can create their own alien species with a government, culture, andorigins specific to them.
Players can build militaristic empires with an army of clones, form a democratic, pacifist utopia, and form a galactic union with other civilizations, recreating the Borg fromStar Trek.Their only end goal is to reach a year they set themselves. Meanwhile, they can choose to conquer the galaxy, unify it under a galactic senate, or simply sit back and watch as other empires rise and fall.
A brutal and unforgiving survival simulator,Project Zomboidimagines what it would take to survive a zombie apocalypse. Players can go it alone orteam up with friends, with characters that complement each other’s skill sets.
The unique part aboutProject Zomboidis how the world affects the player, with very harsh mechanics around learning skills to survive. But that’s where players can make their own fun, deciding where they’d defend, what they’d do for food, how they’d survive. In co-op, a bitten player might hide their bite, similar to any zombie movie or TV show. It’s the ultimate playground for zombie fans.
Of course,Minecraftis one of the most popular games of all time. And for good reason. The game is an expansive sandbox that truly allows players to make whatever they can imagine.
Minecraftmight have bosses and progression in its survival mode, but even if players choose not to switch to creative, they can have a lot of fun just doing whatever they want. Exploring can be just as fun as building a colossal base, and defending a village from a Pillager raid is a difficult and rewarding experience. Some players just chooseto challenge themselveswith different limitations or use mods to change up the gameplay. Players can make it their own.
Tabletop Simulatoris an open-ended simulator game that allows fans to play almost anything that could be on a real tabletop. The game comes with some basics, such as checkers and chess. But the real fun begins with the integrated Steam Workshop.
Players can use the massive array of models to do basically anything.Dungeons & Dragons,Warhammer,Magic: The Gathering.All have nearly limitless files that can be used in their games. The game is designed around online multiplayer, which lets people from different countries play together, something they otherwise would never be able to do.
