Open World Games That Have No Combat

The open-world genre of gaming has had a sharp rise in prominence over the last decade. Games like Skyrim, Grand Theft Auto 5, and Minecraft were all released in the early 2010s and helped to pave the way for open-world games to be pushed into the forefront of the gaming industry. It’s easy to see why this genre is so popular, given that players love losing themselves in these massive landscapes.

Along with fetch quests, NPC interactions, and looting, one common theme of the open-world genre is combat, as most games task players with overcoming some type of enemy force. Though conquering evil is all well and good, it can get tiresome. Sometimes gamers just want to play at their own pace, without the threat of raiders, zombies, aliens, or whatever else popping up looking for a fight. Thankfully, there are a handful of open-world games that solely offer puzzle-solving, social interaction, or simple exploration.

Updated on January 5, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat: Combat-heavy games usually come with stressful moments and sometimes cause outrageous reactions when players cannot cope with the difficulty. While getting better is one way to overcome such difficulties, quitting combat-oriented games is another option.

Games are not summarized in combat-focused experiences. Players don’t have to always wield a weapon and kill other humans or creatures. Indeed, there are more than enough combat-free games that come with a cozy and relaxing environment, letting players enjoy things at their own pace.

1

Hobo: Tough Life

Living The Life Of A Homeless Man In A Crowded City

• Developer: Perun Creative
• Release Date: April 12, 2021
• Platform: PC

How’s life for someone who has nowhere to sleep? Hobo: Tough Life is here to tell the story of homeless people living in a fictional country located in Eastern Europe. The game is a survival experience where the player needs to survive the cold, hunger, and poverty every day.

It’s an RPG where players can do quests for multiple people around the city and get paid. They can also interact with other homeless people, create a gang for themselves, and run to become the king of beggers. Hobo: Tough Life is a difficult and unique experience that does come with an engaging gameplay loop where combat has no place.

With that said, there is also little combat in Hobo: Tough Life. Earlier in the game. Players may get interrupted by burglars in back alleys who will beat up the player if they don’t give them their valuable stuff. However, this can be easily. It takes a long time for the player to earn combat skills, but it can be totally avoided, as combat has never been the main focus of this game, and it only can be used in rare scenarios.

2

Astrometica

Scan, Scavenge, And Craft In Space

• Developer: BeryMery
• Release Date: December 10, 2024 (Early Access)
• Platform: PC

While still in Early Access, Astrometica is a pretty polished experience that makes progress in development based on player feedback. In theory, the game’s core gameplay is quite similar to that of Subnautica, but there is no combat, and it’s not deep inside the ocean.

Instead, the players are located in deep space, where they can use their spaceship to visit different locations and planets, find abandoned ships and destroyed stations and scavenge valuable items, and eventually use their tech to mine, craft, and build new bases.

3

Planet Crafter

Turning A Distant Planet Into The New Earth

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The Planet Crafter

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Released

April 10, 2024

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Developer(s)

Miju Games

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OpenCritic Rating

Strong

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As a combat-free survival experience, Planet Crafter is all about finding resources, building habitable colonies, and terraforming a distant planet into a new home for humans. Playable both in solo and co-op modes, players are tasked with gathering a wide variety of resources to build and craft many different facilities.

Planet Crafter comes with an endless gameplay loop, where the players can continue terraforming the new planet as long as they desire. There is no real end to creativity. Players can use the modular base-building system to build anything they want, but they should also stay alive as survival elements are not merciful.

4

Euro/American Truck Simulator Series

Driving On The Roads And Expanding A Cargo Transfer Empire

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Euro Truck Simulator 2

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Released

October 18, 2012

Developer(s)

SCS Software

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While there are a lot of open-world racing games out there, it might be a bit difficult to find simulation games where players are free to roam around the map while also enjoying the difficulties of a popular but challenging profession.

Euro Truck Simulator and American Truck Simulator both deliver joyful experiences for those who love to spend day and night on the roads, challenging themselves with a variety of cargo types, and trying to establish a big delivery company by hiring new drivers and upgrading the available trucks.

Both games have received a lot of expansions so far, adding more and more regions to the game and expanding the number of destinations to visit. Aside from the settings, though, American Truck Simulator comes with American truck brands, while Euro Truck Simulator limits itself to manufacturers in Europe.

5

Sky: Children Of Light

An Open-World MMO About Help Each Other In A Beautiful Universe

Coming from the developers of Journey, Sky: Children of Light is a one-of-a-kind MMO experience without violence or combat. The game focuses on delivering a relaxing, cozy experience to players, by encouraging them to explore a beautiful world, complete non-combat quests, solve puzzles, and hang out with other players.

Sky: Children of Light is filled with stories that must be discovered in fragments, which echo past events. Players who love the narrative style of Journey will find themselves in heaven when playing Sky: Children of Light.

6

Islands Of Insight

Explore The World And Solve A Variety Of Different Puzzles

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Islands of Insight

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Released

February 13, 2024

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Lunarch Studios

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Similar to Sky: Children of Light, Islands of Insight is also an MMO experience with an expansive world to explore. This game, however, is strictly focused on puzzle-solving. Players face a wide variety of puzzles in the game’s universe, each with different rules and unique solutions.

It is a rich experience to play with friends, especially for those who are bored of just dropping into shooter games or combat-heavy titles. Islands of Insight features a relaxing setting that players can have fun just to explore and hang out with friends, let alone work with each other to solve puzzles too.

7

Firewatch

A Poignant Walking Simulator With Open Environment And A Captivating Narrative

Firewatch is a story-driven experience for the ages that shows the beauty of indie gaming. Players take on the role of a fire lookout who interacts with his supervisor using a walkie-talkie, uncovering some tantalizing mysteries in the process as they make progress. The game features a striking art style that uses minimalistic visuals to leave a lasting impression on players.

After completing the game, players can explore the open world in a free-roam mode that lets them relax and take in the sights. With no combat to speak of, it’s easy to see why Firewatch is the perfect game for players to kick back and relax as they explore vast stretches of an open world that’s strikingly beautiful in its own way.

8

The Talos Principle 2

A Sequel To A Philosophical Puzzle Game Where Players Can Roam Around And Solve Puzzles At Their Best

The Talos Principle is a game that took many people by surprise, with the non-linear approach to exploration coupled with some smart puzzle design letting players enjoy a philosophical title that explores what it means to be human. Fans were glad to hear that Croteam would capitalize on this title’s success with a game that let them enjoy more of the same.

The Talos Principle 2 is what most people would expect, with players getting all the time in the world to catch a breather and take in the wonderful sights that greet them in the game’s sandbox before getting around to solving a tricky puzzle. The sequel is a must-play for fans of the first game and people who like unique puzzle games with something interesting brewing in the background.

9

Assassin’s Creed Games With Discovery Tour Mode

Interacting With A Complex Array Of Fauna & Raising Awareness To Ensure Their Survival

Assassin’s Creed is a series that any fan of open-world games is quite familiar with. The games are known for a heavy focus on stealth and combat in every game, so it’s nice to see that Ubisoft catered to people who loved the historical locations present in the world and wanted to educate themselves about the setting without being pressured by forced combat scenarios.

Odyssey, Origins, and Valhalla are just some of the entries of the franchise to feature a Discovery Tour mode that lets players fast-travel wherever they want and learn about the world without worrying about encountering any enemies. All foes are removed in this game mode, making for a relaxing experience that players will love if the interesting worlds of the Assassin’s Creed games strike their fancy.

10

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure

Interacting With A Complex Array Of Fauna & Raising Awareness To Ensure Their Survival

There aren’t many games that actually place focus on things that matter, like animal welfare. So, Alba: A Wildlife Adventure feels like a breath of fresh air, focusing on the activism of the main character and her friends as they try to help a natural habitat thrive instead of being harmed by rampant tourism.

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The cute aesthetic of Alba: A Wildlife Adventure coupled with its positive message and soothing gameplay makes it worth checking out for any fan of unique sandbox games. More people should check this game out, especially if they’re aware of the evils of mankind and how their quest for dominance has led to the endangerment and loss of many exotic, unique species that deserve to live just as much as anyone else.

11

Astroneer

A Procedurally-Generated Adventure Game Where Players Form Structures And Gather Valuable Resources

Intergalactic adventures are all the rage now, with a major part of the gameplay loop being combat with alien lifeforms and the like that adds an interesting new dimension to the gameplay. However, not all sci-fi games need to rope players in with action. Instead, what makes things arguably better are games that have a greater focus on the wonders of exploration.

Despite being a procedurally generated game, Astroneer‘s fun exploration and cozy crafting gameplay make it a perfect title for players to unwind without worrying about a large alien threat that stands in their way. The game features a well-made drip feed of content that never overwhelms players without losing their interest, which requires some finesse to achieve by any developer, indie or otherwise.

12

Sable

Explore A Desert Planet And Solve Many Puzzles Along The Way

Sable‘s gameplay is about as simple and cathartic as it gets. Exploration is the name of the game, taking a page out of Journey‘s book and letting players enjoy a serene title that relaxes players and lets them enjoy a great vibe as they explore this largely empty world and solve the wealth of puzzles that lay within.

Players who enjoy fun puzzle games without any high stakes will love what Sable brings to the table. The amazing art style of this game will wow players throughout an unforgettable experience, making it clear why Sable is considered by many to be one of the most underrated games in recent times.

13

Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture

A Walking Simulator With An Intriguing Premise

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Released

August 11, 2015

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Developer

The Chinese Room, SCE Santa Monica Studio

OpenCritic Rating

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Strong

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Walking simulators have become all the rage in modern times, and it was only a matter of time before this genre would be merged with an open world. The result is games like Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, an excellent video game where players have to explore a desolate settlement where its residents have seemingly vanished into thin air.

Players experience the story in whatever order they see fit, with the execution of this narrative being pretty impressive. Walking simulators may have a bad rep because of the lack of any gameplay, but the story and exploration present in Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture more than make up for this genre’s limitations.

14

Outer Wilds

Players Uncover The Mystery Behind A 22-Minute Time Loop In A Solar System

Outer Wilds is easily one of the most underrated indie titles, showing developers how to do a time loop story right if the ingredients are all placed in a neat and sophisticated manner. The game doesn’t seem all that special early on, which is perhaps why many fans didn’t uncover the brilliance of this title.

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It’s a shame since Outer Wilds features one of the greatest and most imaginative time loop narratives in any medium, gaming or otherwise. To this day, many fans of the game are puzzled as to why this title didn’t get the credit and recognition it deserved, despite being warmly received by critics and players alike!

15

Disco Elysium

An Introspective CRPG With An Amazing Narrative

ZA/UM put themselves on the map with Disco Elysium, an incredible and awe-inspiring RPG without any combat whatsoever. Players control an amnesiac cop who is easily one of the greatest protagonists in gaming history, with the eccentric nature of this character and the unique nature of his psyche making this game quite engaging indeed.

Not many games make failure as entertaining as Disco Elysium, with many people arguing that some fail states are arguably better than the moments players unlock if they pass some particularly difficult skill checks. Regardless of which character players decide to roleplay, they can rest assured that Disco Elysium will have many interesting moments for them to uncover using their skills.

16

Minecraft (Creative Mode)

One Of The Best Survival-Crafting Games With A Mode That Removes Any Combat

It’s been nearly 10 years since Minecraft first hit stores. The game is still going strong today, thanks to continuous improvement and updates that make the game almost unrecognizable from its original state. The open-world game is filled with enemies to kill in Survival mode, but the popular Creative mode removes such hazards.

Along with the absence of enemies, Creative mode also gives players every item and piece of equipment in the game. This allows them to make some incredible creations — the only limitation is their own imagination. Players will be surprised to know just how engaging Minecraft can be when they don’t have to look over their shoulder to tackle any threat that may arrive in the dead of night when they’re the most vulnerable.

17

Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles

A Calming Game Focused On Exploring A Lush Island

Prideful Sloth’s open-world adventure Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles was initially released on PlayStation 4 and PC in 2017 before coming to Xbox One and Nintendo Switch in the years that followed.

After the player’s ship crashes onto an island, Yonder tasks players with helping the inhabitants by clearing a substance called Murk. The gameplay predominantly centers around fetch quests. Though this may sound tedious, exploring the Breath of the Wild-like game world can provide hours of simplistic enjoyment.

18

Shape Of The World

A First-Person Game Focused On Exploring A Procedurally-Generated World

Shape of the World was released in 2018 by the team of Hollow Tree Games and Plug In Digital. This first-person game puts players in a beautiful, artistic forest and simply lets them explore the surrounding environments.

The game’s world is procedurally generated, ensuring that players will always have a fresh experience each time they boot it up. Shape of the World simply wants its players to find peace and relaxation. The game’s Steam page exemplifies this philosophy, stating: “This is a place to get lost in, a relaxing world for you to spend 1 to 3 hours meandering at your own pace, observing and unwinding.”

19

Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020)

Lets Players Explore Picturesque Landscapes With Numerous Planes And Helicopters

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Released

August 18, 2020

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Microsoft Flight Simulator

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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Microsoft Flight Simulator is, in some ways, the ultimate open-world game, as it lets players travel around the entire earth. Players can soar past Big Ben, ascend Mount Everest, and explore the seven wonders of the world.

Being able to fly around an in-game recreation of the earth is, of course, the game’s biggest selling point. However, the game is also a great educational tool for those interested in piloting a plane. The gameplay is so realistic that some pilots used it to ensure that they didn’t get too rusty during COVID lockdowns.

20

Forza Horizon 5

An Excellent Addition To The Open-World Racing Series

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Forza Horizon 5

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Released

November 9, 2021

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OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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Forza Horizon 5 continued the Forza Horizon series’ excellent track record of providing players with incredibly well-designed open worlds to explore that are varied, meticulously detailed, and simply stunning to look at.

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The game takes place in a fictional version of Mexico and boasts a wide range of biomes that give the gameplay superb variety and give players a good reason to try out the plethora of different vehicle types on offer. Unsurprisingly, Forza Horizon 5 was a huge hit with critics, exemplified by its 92 Metascore on Xbox Series X.