Over the December holidays, I finished Expedition 33.
I chose the ending where a certain family dealt with their emotions in a healthy way, and a thought struck me: this is an open-world game that blatantly keeps you within its bounds for as long as possible.
Worse, it is not even the most offensive example of this. This is the second-to-last article in my open-world diatribes.
Having travelled through different types and places, it is only fair that we now look at games that are not really all that open.
These are the games that lock entire areas behind specific abilities, requirements, and story beats.
They frustrate you because they simply do not want you to explore as much as you would like.
As far as open-world games go, these are relatively new. Few older developers had the time and money to create an open world, only to limit exploration on purpose.
They wanted you to see as much as possible, as quickly as possible.
We will look at four specific games, all popular or new in some way:
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
- Horizon Forbidden West
I saw a ghost; it annoyed me: Banishers.
The first trailer for Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden immediately caught my attention.
It was flashy, the story seemed interesting, and the world looked magical. My first gameplay exposure was through a sponsored stream by CohhCarnage.
He played for a few hours and never returned. Back then, I could not understand why.
Now, after nearly 20 hours in, I fully get it. Oddly enough, it was not the world that made me stop; it was the combat.
But that is a full review for another time.
The map is designed to be open-world. There may be loading screens between sections, but travel should be possible everywhere, right?
Sadly, it’s more accurate to call it a procedural world, not random but gated by permission.
This is the clearest example of my point. Banishers wants you to explore every nook and cranny, but locks many areas behind abilities, story beats, and events.
It’s open-world purely because that’s the popular style, not because it serves the game.
Worst of all, if you focus only on the main storyline, you may never even use fast travel. You would just move from one map location to the next, never returning to complete tasks.
From my experience, a more mission-like approach would have benefited Banishers. No gamer wants to explore only to be stopped by the game itself.
Do not make the world open if you do not want me to explore it.
French Music is good, but I don’t understand it: Expedition 33
Playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was an emotional rollercoaster. Each fight was thrilling, the world looked amazing, and the characters were compelling.
I won’t touch the story (I would rather not be crucified), but I also wouldn’t call it a truly open-world game.
Until the very end, it straps you down and force-feeds its narrative.
Campfire moments bring new dialogue. Big events reveal secrets. Characters clash: ideals, thoughts, emotions, all shaping the world.
The problem: Expedition 33 only feels open-world near its end. Even then, some areas remain locked because they would progress the main story.
The first time I rode Esque, I was frustrated. I could only run. No swimming. Corals blocked me. Even flying had limits.
The world was not truly open until right before the final fights. And after finishing, the world technically was not there anymore, depending on the ending chosen.
Instead of loading into a world full of options post-credits, I was stuck before the final boss, forced to explore with the story constantly looming over me.
After fighting until the very end, my interest was gone; the story was complete.
This game, while gorgeous and fun to play, has an open world that serves little purpose to the plot.
It leaves you wondering: Why is this world open when it has nothing more to show me?
Fortunately, running gauntlets and maxing stats is still a blast.
Follow the Yellow brick PAINT road: Horizon Forbidden West
I loved Horizon Zero Dawn. Its story, world, and lore were incredible. Even years later, playing it on Steam felt rewarding.
Leading up to Forbidden West, I was hyped: TikTok edits, videos, even my dad got interested enough to buy me the game.
But from the start, frustration set in.
Aloy loses all her equipment to random bandits, forcing her to start from zero. Fine, it’s a new game. But the open world quickly became restrictive.
Climbable ledges are locked. Mountains have single paths. Tools are gated behind story events.
Despite its expansive world, the game forces you to play exactly as the developers intended.
The solution to every problem is marked with yellow paint. Paths, ledges, mountains, all the same bright yellow. Try to deviate, and you are punished.
Even random exploration feels hollow. The story demands specific actions in specific ways.
Forbidden West has the most “open” world I have ever felt forced into not exploring.
I left the game with one thought: This was almost amazing.
Sail a ship, then get killed by a flying bird lady: Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Years ago, I bought The Witcher 3 because everyone said it was amazing. I played three hours, then shelved it until after 2020.
And, when I finally dove in, I was hooked.
So why is it here? Because it is the perfect example of how to handle a tight narrative in an open world.
Most players follow the same path: Bloody Baron, then Novigrad, ending with Skellige. It’s coherent and satisfying. But you don’t have to play that way.
You can head to Novigrad first. Even Skellige.
The monsters will be tougher, but the story adapts. CD Projekt Red anticipated this and dared you to try. Dialogue adjusts, and your choices feel natural.
Unlike other games, The Witcher 3 does not force you into a path. It rolls with your decisions, letting you explore freely.
It leaves you wondering: What if I had gone somewhere else first?
Ultimately, it’s a game that lets you soak in its world without making exploration a chore.
Final Thoughts
Open-world games should deliver crafted experiences worth exploring, without blocking you in. Locking areas behind arbitrary story beats is disappointing.
These are not the only examples of games doing this.
Hogwarts Legacy comes to mind, but that’s for another time, when I am allowed to gush over my Wizard nerds.
In my final article, I will discuss worlds that swing the other way: immense, poorly planned, and so free that you forget the story, or get bored because there is too much to do.
For now, it’s worth asking: do we want to explore everything from the start, or is it better to limit exploration for the sake of the story?
About Sock0Puppet:
Sock is easily one of the best gaming streaming content creators you’ve probably never heard of!
When he’s not being shot into the sky in multiplayer games, he’s a full-time copywriter, thinking about RPGs, and wondering if he’ll ever actually finish his first book.
He is an expert in nothing and a master of waffling – games and books are his thing!
