Summary
Open-world gamesare a lot of things, but more than anything else, they’re extremely large. True to the genre’s name, these titles feature a lot of open space for players to explore, and going on foot can get a bit tedious.
These games tend to have plenty of ways of circumventing this. Most open-world games have some sort of fast travel system, and games likeMarvel’s Spider-Manand its sequelsfocus on making traversal so engaging that players will rarely feel the need to fast travel at all. Plenty of open-world fantasy games offer horses, butsome open-world games go a step beyond, offering vehicles and mounts so unique that they’re essentially a feature of the game in and of themselves.
Few survival games manage to beas tense asSubnautica, which strands players underwater on an alien world, surrounded by strange and dangerous lifeforms. Fans will need all their wits to survive, but if they can last long enough to get some resources together, they can quickly increase their odds with some remarkable vehicles.
The vehicle options inSubnauticainclude rudimentary options like the seaglide, a small handheld propulsion system, but increase to much more exotic offerings like the hefty Cyclops, a bulky submarine large enough to transport smaller vehicles for more specialized tasks. These smaller vessels include options like the Prawn Suit, a mechanical walker that will give fans a considerable edge against the horrors of the deep.
TheMad Maxfranchise has always been an incredibly vehicle-centric series. Custom cars and trucks, resplendent with spikes and bones, bristle from every corner of the beloved film series. The2015Mad Maxvideo game honors this legacy by putting the player’s vehicle at the center of the action.
The plot of the game revolves aroundMax himself attempting to build the perfect wasteland vehicle, theMagnum Opus, in order to give him enough firepower to escape the clutches of an evil gang of raiders. Throughout the game, players can modify and upgrade their machine, improving everything from the wheels to the engine. This unique and deadly car will serve players well during their adventures in the wasteland.
Rare’s pirate fantasy gameSea of Thievesgives fans the chance to join forces as a pirate crew and hit the treacherous waters of a mystical, dangerous sea. Like any good pirate crew, fans will have to rely on their ships to survive the manydangers of the eponymous Sea of Thieves.
There are multiple different ship sizes to accommodate different numbers of players, and fans will have to work together to crew them effectively. Players can also customize their ships with a variety of cosmetic effects, letting them stand out among allies and rivals alike.
Palworldpresents a very distinctive angle to the creature-collecting genre made famous byPokemon. By combining these whimsical monsters with survival crafting, factory automation, and even gunplay, the game manages to stand out quite a bit. Fans can make use of their creature companions in a variety of strange and whimsical ways, including as mounts.
Over fifty of the game’s creatures can serve as mounts in specific environments and situations. The vast majority of these can only walk on land, but there are flying and swimming mount options as well. Some Pals even replace the player’s glider, upgrading its functionality depending on their own special talents.
Bethesda’s ambitious open-world space RPG might not have been the overwhelming success fans were hoping for, but few can deny the allure ofthe game’s spaceship customization. The breadth of options on offer to players is nothing short of incredible, and players have been using it to make some truly strange and creative designs.
Players have made hyper-optimized ships to exploitStarfield’scombat system, as well as goofy ships and vehicles that serve as tributes to other sci-fi properties likeCowboy Bebop. The chance to drive a ship of one’s own design through the endless cosmos is sure to be very appealing to a lot of fans.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violethas become quite infamous due to the large number ofbugs and technical issues present at launch, but despite its reputation, the games have delivered some extremely fresh ideas to the franchise. As the first properly open-world entries in the franchise,Scarlet & Violethave modified the formula of the series considerably, especially when it comes to mounts.
The flagship legendaries of the two games are given to the player remarkably early in the form of Koraidon and Miraidon. These strange creatures function as the player’s main form of transportation on their journey, as they can freely shift into a motorcycle form to facilitate swift navigation of the world. This bizarre way of getting around helpsScarlet & Violetstand out from their peers.
As FromSoftware’s first open-world soulslike,Elden Ringmade several changes to the formula; one of these was the introduction of Torrent. This strange horned horse-like creature is the player’s constant companion throughout the game, offering swift transport across the grand vistas of the Lands Between.
While Torrent mostly functions similarly to a mundane horse, he does have some remarkable features that set him apart. Most notable among these is his double jump, which gives players a considerable mobility edge in traversal and combat alike. Torrent can also scale large cliffs in a single bound thanks to mystical Spirit Springs found throughout the map, and as a spectral being, he can be resummoned with ease should he fall in battle. This very distinctive horse is a valuable and constant companion throughout the player’s quest for the Elden Throne.
InHorizon Forbidden West, Aloy’s skills and confidence develop still further from her condition in the previous game. This includes her infamous Override ability, which lets her hack the mechanical creatures encountered throughout the game and turn them to her service.Forbidden Westbroadens the list of mountsavailable to Aloy with creatures like the Charger, the Bristleback, and even the vicious, raptor-like Clawstrider.
Most valuable, however, is the Sunwing, a mount option unlocked through the main storyline. This flying robotic pterosaur wildly opens up the map and completely trivializes various climbing and traversal challenges. This potent mount is a deeply exhilarating acquisition for Aloy and players alike.
Spaceships are obviously a major part ofNo Man’s Sky. There arecountless varieties that players can encounterwhile voyaging through the stars, and they can collect them in a wide variety of ways. By taking part in special expeditions and multiplayer missions, fans can even access exotic models, including weird organic alien spacecraft.
However, the vehicle options inNo Man’s Skyextend far beyond simple spaceships. Once players have established enough of a planetary presence, they can assemble an exocraft, a powerful land-based vehicle that comes in a variety of forms and increases their exploration potential on the surface of the game’s many procedurally-generated worlds. With the help of food pellets, fans can even tame and ride alien beasts, turning even the most peculiar creatures into handy mounts.
One of the many waysBreath of the Wildrevolutionized the open-world genre was through its emphasis on player creativity, and the sequel,Tears of the Kingdom,took this philosophy to a whole new level. The potent new Ultrahand ability lets players cobble together whatever construct they have the parts for, and with the addition of steering sticks, wheels, and propulsion systems, fans can make a vehicle out of virtually anything.
Through creative use of additional mechanisms like drills, spikes, and even flamethrowers, players can create some truly formidable vessels to take onTears of the Kingdom’s monstrous foes. With the Autobuild power, fans can even re-summon their best works whenever and wherever the situation calls for them. The options are virtually limitless.
