Open-world games are mostly dominated by triple-A titles and big publishers. Companies like Ubisoft, CD Projekt Red, and more release open-world games year after year. It's easy to see why the formula is so successful: you get to explore a new world at your own pace and to your heart's content, whether it be based on a real place or something completely fictional.
Despite the amount of time and technique it takes to create an engaging open-world game where your choices actually matter, indie developers have still come out with plenty of interesting titles of their own that rival or even surpass what major publishers have created.
Updated on April 29, 2023, By Cameron Miller:
There are just too many excellent open-world indie games to be mentioned, but why not mention a few more? Thanks to the nature of indie games, what exactly can be determined to be an open-world game has changed over the years, opening the genre to even smaller worlds that are filled with fun.
15 The Pathless
Giant Squid is known for games with a strong theme and art style, and while The Pathless is no different, it also succeeds in its gameplay and world design. Where games like Abzu were much more linear, The Pathless leaves progression entirely up to the player.
You get to explore gorgeous mountain regions with a hawk at your side. Giant, possessed monsters lurk in each area and can lead to dynamic stealth encounters, and the movement system is where the game truly shines, encouraging players to time their inputs and maintain a brisk momentum.
14 Retro City Rampage
What if Grand Theft Auto was developed on the NES? That's the core question around Retro City Rampage. The game takes inspiration from Rockstar's acclaimed series, but also functions as a parody of game design tropes and pop culture.
You'll partake in missions with variations of Doc Brown from Back to the Future, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more. The game also allows you to have the police and the military go after you, and there's a lot to do in Retro City Rampage, so don't let this bite-sized game fool you.
13 The Forest
While much of the world is comprised of, you guessed it, a forest, The Forest offers a vast and eerie open world for you to explore. You can go wherever you want as soon as you crash, but there definitely are areas that are less advisable than others.
Considering this is more or less a survival game, you’ll want to use the open world to your advantage to find a safe spot to gather supplies.
The vast world is filled with secrets to uncover and supplies to find, but it is also packed with enemies that only get stronger the longer you’ve been surviving. Few worlds are as hauntingly beautiful as The Forest’s and few can become as immensely scary as it does as well.
12 The Witness
The Witness is one of those open-world games that lock progression behind knowledge. Theoretically, you could make a beeline toward the end of the game, but you'll be blocked because you aren't sure how those later puzzles function, as it takes a core mechanic and populates its world around it, only limited by your level of intuition.
The Witness is a gorgeous game with challenging puzzles that will keep you coming back for more. It was a rousing success when it launched, but be wary of spoilers if you want to try it out for yourself.
11 Subnautica
If you haven't played Subnautica, you've probably heard whispers of it preying on your fear of the ocean. The community is tight-lipped about the details in Subnautica because it knows that the less you know, the more effective the experience is.
In Subnautica, your only hint of how to progress is to travel further and descend deeper into the mysterious planet. Along the way, you'll find blueprints for new equipment, alien fauna, and some of the most frightening things you'll see in a video game.
10 Firewatch
While a game like Firewatch is far from any kind of traditional open-world experience, it is still a fascinating game everyone should give a try. The beautiful game offers a unique narrative experience in a large forest-like setting, allowing for a different take on a familiar trope.
You are free to explore the world as much as you want, but since Firewatch is interested in standing out from other games, you may find yourself drawn more so to the story first and foremost before you do any real exploring. Regardless, the option is always there, and it’s never a bad thing to head off the beaten path.
9 Outer Wilds
Annapurna Interactive tends to publish more art-house-style games, and Outer Wilds is no exception. Not to be confused with The Outer Worlds, developed by a large company, The Outer Wilds is an indie game where you are tasked with exploring space to unlock the mystery of the galaxy.
Progression is made by traversing to new planets and finding information. Piece things together, and you'll start to understand the bigger picture, and once it gets its hooks into you, be sure to look into the Echoes of the Eye DLC.
8 No Man's Sky
No Man's Sky is one of the most notable comeback stories in the gaming industry. When Hello Games launched this indie-developed, yet heavily marketed game, it was criticized for no content and a poor gameplay loop.
However, the developers worked tirelessly to rework the game into everything that was promised and more.
No Man's Sky offers so many new features, creatures, and worlds to discover that there are few games like it. Slap on a VR headset, party up with your friends, build a base to your liking, pilot a mech, and then some in this open-universe experience.
7 Untitled Goose Game
Untitled Goose Game is another open-world indie game that most people might not even think about when thinking of open worlds specifically. You, as the sassiest goose in existence, are set upon a town, and it is up to you to trod around the world and do what a cynical goose does best.
Thanks to the simplistic but stand-out art style that the game uses, every inch of the world becomes instantly memorable even if it does amount to nothing more than a simple little idyllic village.
6 Terraria
While Terraria might seem like a Minecraft clone, it has made a name for itself. Terraria is a 2D open-world game packed to the brim with unique enemies, NPCs, and building mechanics where you can party up with friends to build up your base, kit out your characters, and fight massive creatures.
Unlike Minecraft, Terraria has a greater focus on combat, leading to more dynamic set pieces in the long run. The game has stood the test of time, remains inexpensive, and can be purchased on all platforms.
5 Factorio
Few people probably think of Factorio as an open-world game, but realistically, it and many games like it basically are. The world is yours to do with it what you will, even if exploration isn’t necessarily the most exciting aspect of the world.
The whole goal of this one is to build and manage factories while you work to build and eventually launch a rocket, and as simple as that sounds, it can actually be quite complex and incredibly time-consuming. People who love wide-open worlds to build their own unique projects will favor this demanding indie game.
4 Sable
Sable debuted on Game Pass, and many tried it out immediately on launch day. Needless to say, Sable leaves a great impression the moment you start it up.
Despite taking place in a desert, the game is a treat to the eyes, featuring a striking art style that few other titles can match. Hopping on your glider and zipping from town to town is an addictive feeling.
There are also numerous quests at your disposal, but Sable isn't stuffed with bloat or filler. It is an open-world game that respects your time and keeps you engaged as a result.
3 Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles
Games can be stressful, and combat is one of the key elements of most games, meaning you'll need some kind of skill to burn through them. However, that's the case for Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles, a relaxing open-world game where you don't fight.
Instead, your focus is on building up the land, forming relationships with the residents, and observing the beautiful creatures and vistas. You can fish, cook, craft, and more.
If you're into games like Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley, Yonder will be right up your alley. It is more of an adventure than its contemporaries, but you can still kick back and enjoy the ride.
2 Don't Starve
Don't Starve is a classic open-world survival game. You (and potentially some friends if you decide to play Don't Starve Together) are dropped into a Tim Burton-inspired world full of menacing creatures and unknown horrors, and your job is to learn the lay of the land, build up your camp, and eventually get yourself to safety.
With each new expedition into the world, you learn more about the hazards you face and how to deal with them. The game also supports the Steam Workshop on PC, meaning you can add all sorts of mods to spice up your experience.
1 Hyper Light Drifter
People often take the fact that a lot of Zelda games are mostly open-world in design. Since Hyper Light Drifter and its abilities take a lot of inspiration from the Zelda series, it only makes sense that it too features a mostly open world that you are capable of exploring right from the start.
The game is yours to explore and become skilled in because it really isn’t interesting in holding your hand. It’s a throwback to the classic era of gaming with a lot of modern twists, so those who miss the older generation of gaming will love picking up this indie title for heaps of open-world exploration.