Games

Open-World Games That Never Really End

Published

7 hours ago

December 11, 2024

Christoph Rediske

Key Takeaways

Table of Contents

Open-world games offer endless gameplay opportunities post-main story completion.
Stardew Valley, Death Stranding, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla,
and more provide hundreds of hours of replay value.
No Man’s Sky
offers infinite universe exploration with regular updates enhancing gameplay.

The joy of open-world games comes from the variety of different gameplay experiences, usually involving exploration and travel in the vast setting of the central story. But beyond the central story, there is frequently a plethora of further work to be done, whether that means finding extra items, completing vast side-quests, or trying different game modes that highlight new dimensions of the narrative.

8 Open-World Games With Real World Maps

These immersive open-world games feature maps derived from and inspired by real locations, offering detailed and interactive experiences.

A key distinction should be made between the different kinds of open-world games that are described as ‘never-ending’. Some games offer infinite progression through updates that leave players with more to do every time they play, while others offer the opportunity for deeper exploration and enjoyment once the main story has been completed. All the games on this list give the player the chance for hundreds of hours of gameplay, and many have great replay value too, because at their core, they never seem to end.

8 Stardew Valley

Changing Seasons And Updates Keep This Farming Story Exciting

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Stardew Valley

Released: February 26, 2016
Developer(s): ConcernedApe
Publisher(s): ConcernedApe
OpenCritic Rating: Mighty

Main Story Length: Open-ended
How Long You Can Play For: Open-ended

In Stardew Valley, players take over a farm in a rural community, where activities and goals shift with the seasons and there’s always something to do to improve the place. The most prominent mechanics include fishing, mining, foraging, farming, and forming relationships with the many inhabitants of the local area, including Pelican Town.

Stardew Valley is a truly addictive game, one that’s easy to gain emotional investment in. A single save can provide years of entertainment with the possibility of gaining ancestral approval, winning competitions, raising animals, and starting a family.

7 Death Stranding

Missions Continue After The Main Game Is Finished

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Death Stranding

Released: November 8, 2019
OpenCritic Rating: Strong

Main Story Length: 40-50 hours
How Long You Can Play For: 100+ hours

In a post-apocalyptic future, an event known as the Death Stranding means bizarre monsters from the afterlife are roaming the planet. Players are tasked with connecting the isolated survivors of the devastated Earth and solving the mystery of the Death Stranding.

8 Open-World Games With The Most Freedom, Ranked

Open-world games should be all about freedom, and these titles demonstrate the best understanding of that concept.

Even after completing the main story, Death Stranding offers lots for players to continue working on. They can continue to develop infrastructure, alongside community improvement or decay, which affects the state of the world. There are also lots of delivery missions to work on, and the huge open world offers lots of opportunities for exploration in the stunning, naturalistic environment. What’s more, the Director’s Cut edition of the game offers new opportunities and mechanics that enhance the story even further.

6 Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Become A Viking Raider Or Hunt Templars In This Beautiful Map

Released: November 10, 2020
OpenCritic Rating: Strong

Main Story Length: 60–70 hours
How Long You Can Play For: 160+ hours

This Norse history-inspired iteration of the Assassin’s Creed saga follows a Viking foray into Britain. Players take on an ambassador role in their new community, trying to make alliances within their new country while the classic Templar plot takes a back seat (but does ultimately tie into the story).

While some players have found the story of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla to be lacking, the map remains one of the most stunning and enjoyable for traveling around, with the ability to find interpretations of historical real-world locations. Post-campaign activities include searching for rare weapons, conducting river raids, hunting down hidden Templar members, and using the free DLC to expand the experience.

5 Fallout 76

Free DLCs And Updates Add Content For Players Post-Campaign

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Fallout 76

Released: November 14, 2018
OpenCritic Rating: Weak

Main Story Length: 30–50 hours
How Long You Can Play For: Open-ended

Here players are tasked with rebuilding civilization in a post-apocalyptic West Virginia after nuclear war has ravaged the Earth. Fallout 76 is a story that focuses on multiplayer gameplay, but also allows for plenty of tasks that can be completed individually too. One standout feature is the impressive open-world version of Appalachia, now a vast wasteland, and the largest world ever created in the Fallout universe.

While it reviewed poorly at first, Fallout 76 has consistently improved with regular updates that deliver what players really wanted. When the main quest is finished, there are dozens of side quests, and a lot of free DLC quests to take on, and players can continue to build up their base as well.

4 Elden Ring

A Beautiful, Expansive Open World That Demands Exploration In Depth

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Elden Ring

Released: February 25, 2022
OpenCritic Rating: Mighty

Main Story Length: 50–70 hours
How Long You Can Play For: 150+ hours

Elden Ring takes players on a journey across the Lands Between — a place littered with mysteries and rich history — with hopes of becoming an Elden Lord, an identity which is shaped by player decisions and can determine the ending of the story. Players are tasked with collecting pieces of the Elden Ring along the way in hopes of restoring order to the land.

Open-World Games With The Best Side Quests, Ranked feature image

13 Open-World Games With The Best Side Quests, Ranked

RPGs offer side quests on top of the main story. Here are the open-world games with the greatest secondary quests.

Players love Elden Ring for its vast, interconnected, and stunning open world, which takes hundreds of hours to explore in depth. While the main story focus is shorter, completing every task and exploring every avenue can take a long time. The world can be explored in single-player mode or co-op, meaning the adventure can be even more fun with some friends joining in.

3 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

A Celebrated Dynamic Open-World Where Everything Can Be Explored

Systems

Released: March 3, 2017
Developer(s): Nintendo EPD
Publisher(s): Nintendo
OpenCritic Rating: Mighty

Main Story Length: 50-60 hours
How Long You Can Play For: 200+ hours

In Breath of the Wild, Link awakens after a hundred years to find Hyrule in ruins after a treacherous event known as The Great Calamity. Link is told by a voice that he is the chosen hero who must defeat the source of the devastation in Hyrule.

After completing the main story, players can continue to delve into the expansive kingdom of Hyrule, complete shrines, and find Korok seeds, in what fans consider one of the best, most dynamic open-world experiences available today. The world itself is ideal for exploring, with inspiring scenes that drive curiosity and dynamic movement options that mean almost everything is interactive. Breath of the Wild is the kind of game where simply traveling through Hyrule feels like time well spent.

2 The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Unlock New Items While Exploring The Stunning World

Systems

Released: May 12, 2023
Developer(s): Nintendo
Publisher(s): Nintendo
OpenCritic Rating: Mighty

Main Story Length: 50-70 hours
How Long You Can Play For: 200+ hours

Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel to Breath of the Wild, and manages to take what that game does well and build upon it further. Hyrule Castle is raised to the sky after Link and Zelda make a shocking discovery in the secret passages below it.

Gameplay varies between solving puzzles, rebuilding the kingdom, and fighting a resurgent enemy. After the main story is finished, players still have more to find in this expansive open world, including shrines, collectible items, and side quests that are waiting to be completed.

1 No Man’s Sky

Infinite Opportunities For Exploration Across Space

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No Man’s Sky

Released: August 9, 2016
OpenCritic Rating: Fair

Main Story Length: Open-ended
How Long You Can Play For: Open-ended

This procedurally generated universe is literally never-ending. In No Man’s Sky, players can explore to their heart’s content, with each planet offering new resources and items that are perfect for building bases or fueling a spaceship to travel further.

The joy of this game is that its universe is essentially too big to explore in its entirety, and because each planet offers a unique atmosphere, players will never run out of things to experience. No Man’s Sky has received regular updates since its release that have continued to prolong gameplay by encouraging new adventures and loading new equipment into the game. Even seasoned players have reason to keep coming back for more.