Open world games always emphasize exploration. There can be a plot of some sort, but the focus of these types of games is always the world. Developers put days if not years in crafting expansive worlds filled with unique flora and fauna that make you stop and admire the scenery. Having said that, these types of environments often hold the deadliest enemies.

Related: Open-World Games With The Best Replay Value

In most, if not all, open-world titles, enemies fill the expanse of the world. Foes that range from small to gargantuan and from cool and intriguing to borderline nightmare-inducing. Out of the multitude of games of this genre, here are some of the most terrifying creatures to encounter in an open-world.

8 The Shark - Raft

Raft: The Shark And Poison-Puffer Team Up

Raft is an open-world survival game that tasks you with surviving on a raft in the middle of a seemingly endless sea. To stay alive, you must collect salvage that drifts across the water and build upon a small raft. There are a few animals and mutant creatures to be found on small islands abandoned outposts, but they aren't much of a threat compared to the game's main "antagonist".

While the game is still updating, and there's no "big bad" in the game, the shark is close enough. This aquatic predator is relentless in its pursuit of survivors, taking massive bites out of their raft and players themselves when they aren't paying attention. While the shark can be killed, a new shark will always take its place, primed and ready to attack anyone it sees.

7 Wolf Spiders - Grounded

Grounded wolf spider in the dirt

When you're only an inch tall, everything is scary. A single blade of grass seems like a tree, ants come up to your waist, and ladybugs are massive monsters that will strike you down if you so much as touch them. These are facts that Grounded instill in its players during their first few seconds of play. The small creatures that you hardly gave a passing thought are suddenly your height and incredibly dangerous, and none more so than the wolf spiders.

Related: Grounded - Every Bug And What They Drop

Out of the two free-roaming spiders in Grounded, orb weavers and wolf spiders, the latter is far more imposing. They are considerably larger than the orb weaver, they have a faster attack string, they can lunge across large distances, and their attacks apply venom. When traversing this oversized backyard, there's nothing scarier than turning a corner and seeing several red eyes staring down at you.

6 Alphas - Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Pokemon Legends Arceus Trainer Encountering Alpha Pokemon

One wouldn't think that a Pokemon game could house terrifying creatures. Sure, the entire franchise is based around supernatural monsters, and there is a great deal of sinister lore revolving around some of them, but they're always portrayed in such a way that makes them appear cute or cool. There was never truly a moment where players feared these creatures. That changed when Pokemon released its first open-world game.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus created an environment where free Pokemon roam the world without being confined to a Pokeball. At first glance, this is everything fans have wanted, but it had an unexpected caveat. Pokemon far larger and far more powerful than others of their species also roamed this world. They're always aggressive and are more than willing to hunt down an unsuspecting trainer.

5 The Guardian - The Evil Within 2

Evil Within 2: Stefano's Monster Searches For Sebastian

The Evil Within 2 stepped out from the shadows of its predecessor in many ways. One of which was implementing an open world concept. While not as expansive as some of the other games that reside on this list, it worked well for this sequel as it allowed the developers to incorporate an entire slew of enemies. However, in a game filled with horrifying monsters, it would be difficult to pick out one as the most terrifying had it not been for The Guardian.

Related: The Scariest Monsters In The Evil Within

Made from the mutilated corpses of dozens of women, The Guardian is a horrifying monstrosity and that's not taking into account its massive buzzsaw arm and eerie cackling. Appearing as a mid-level boss, this monster is fast and powerful. If this weren't bad enough, as you progress in the game, the guardian can spawn randomly in the overworld, adding to the danger of this twisted world.

4 Creepy Mutants - The Forest

The Forest: Cowman, Virginia, And Armsy

In a normal survival game centered around surviving on a deserted island, one would think that the enemies would be bears or wolves, but The Forest is also a horror game. Because of that, there's no hostile wildlife. Instead, there are two types of enemies that can be encountered. The most common enemy is the cannibals that call the forest home. They are fairly easy to deal with once you learn their tactics but can be dangerous when in large groups. The second enemy type, however, is far more unnerving.

The creepy mutants are just that. Mutants. Most of them look like multiple humans were molded together into various amalgamations ranging from a many-armed creature to one with several legs. Each one has a different way of attacking, and is incredibly powerful in its own right. At first, they only appear in the various cave systems on the island, but they will rise to the surface as the days drag on, filling the open air with their horrifying screams.

3 Guardian Stalkers - Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Guardian Stalker The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild Ancient Core

Not to be confused with The Guardian from Evil Within 2, Guardians in this open-world Legend of Zelda game are ancient pieces of technology designed to defend against Calamity Ganon. Unfortunately, these machines were corrupted by Ganon's Malice, turning them against those they were built to protect. There are several types of Guardians, but the most noteworthy, and terrifying, versions are the larger Stalker variations.

Related: Breath Of The Wild: The Best Boss Fights

These massive six-legged machines are deceptively agile and incredibly difficult to kill. Their primary form of attack comes in the form of a destructive laser that does 15 hearts worth of damage, meaning that it's practically a one-hit kill even in late game. To make things even worse, they freely roam this world. This means that, at any given time, the music could suddenly pick up and a giant robotic spider could be barreling towards you.

2 Reaper Leviathan - Subnautica

Subnautica reaper leviathan close up in prawn suit

When exploring an alien world, it shouldn't be much of a surprise to see strange and exotic creatures. As such, seeing creatures like peepers, bladderfish, and mesmers in a game like Subnautica, a game that revolves around surviving on an alien planet, shouldn't come as a surprise. That being said, there's no true way to prepare yourself for the copious amount of diverse and interesting creatures that call this aquatic world home, especially when there is a creature designed to be a killing machine.

While not the largest leviathan class creature by any means, the reaper leviathan is probably the most vicious in both appearance and demeanor. These creatures dwell within the deeper portions of Subnautica's endless ocean, but they are more than willing to venture closer to the surface to ruin the day of any player that ventures too close. If this monster wasn't intimidating enough, when it grabs you, it spins you around and the last thing you see is its face before its teeth close in around you.

1 Creeper - Minecraft

Minecraft has always been viewed as a stress reliever. It's a game built around building a house, exploring abandoned mine shafts, and simply surviving off the land. Yes, there are hostile mobs to be encountered, but they typically aren't overwhelming and, for the most part, they can be avoided. That being said, nothing ruins this otherwise relaxing game than a certain green mob that wants nothing more than to ruin your day.

Being one of the most iconic mobs in Minecraft, many have at least heard of creepers. They are quite literally walking time bombs who seem to relish at the thought of being able to blow themselves up near your character. This wouldn't be so much of an issue if creepers weren't incredibly stealthy. They don't make a single sound until they're right behind you, primed and ready to explode. Nothing in the game can scare a player like that telltale hiss cutting through the silence.

Next: Best Looking Open-World Games