Summary
Open-world games are everywhere today, but it wasn’t always like this. There was a time when the very concept of an open-world game was revolutionary, and a sandbox was just a wooden box filled with sand in a kindergarten. But someopen-world games were pioneerson their own terms and brought life to many of the mechanics we are used to nowadays, which also inspired many great titles loved by fans of this genre.
These pioneering titles range from a masterpiece of the RPG genre that brought gamers a revolutionary combat system, to the first submarine open-world game that almost no one knows about. These games were the birthplaces of great ideas, and gamers owe them both respect and admiration. Check out this list of open-world games that were ahead of their time.
5Kingdoms Of Amalur - Reckoning
Incredible Worldbuilding & Many Cool Mechanics
Nearly a decade and a half ago,Kingdoms of Amalur - Reckoningwas launched while people were still processingSkyrim, Batman: Arkham City,andPortal 2.It wasn’t the best release Windows, but the game had to go onto the market. And so, with such heavy competition in 2012 (which also saw the releases ofBorderlands 2, Mass Effect 3,andDishonored) the game went under the radar. But for hardcore fans of the RPG genre, this game meant a change of epoch.
With the introduction of a modern, less clunky, andfluid hack-n-slash combat syste, this title featured a lot of good mechanics that fans loved. It offered an almost perfect multiclass System, which allowed players to build their characters based on three main attributes, and combine magic, agility, and strength into powerful combinations called Fates. And, to top it off, it gave players the power to deliver powerful finishers that broke apart the very fabric of reality, while also creating an incredible ripple effect that damaged all enemies in an area. It’s such a fun title, and the precursor of many open-world games that use a similar combat system.
4Two Worlds 2
Introduced Revolutionary Combat Mechanics
A sequel to the popularTwo Worlds,Two Worlds 2narrates the story of two siblings transported into a world of sword and sorcery. That’s right: it’s an Isekai game.Two Worlds 2offered players a free-roam open-world system. Players can construct the story at their own pace, do secondary quests, and most importantly, build their characters however they like, as long as they find the Skill Books for the abilities they want.
In addition to the obvious Ranged, Magic, and Warrior skills, the player can also equip dozens of armor and weapons that they will find as they explore. And here’s where the game gets tricky. Encumbrance, the type of gear, the weapon players wield — these all play a role in how the character moves and attacks. The game has a truly marvelous combat system featuring free movement, which includes jumping attacks, dodge attacks, block, parry, and counter-attacks. It was ahead of its time, and sadly, it becamean underrated and forgotten jewel of the RPG genre.
3Need For Speed - Carbon
The First Open-World Car Game With Customization
It was the year 2005, andThe Fast & The Furiousfranchise had bred a new generation of street racing fans. It was the perfect time forNeed For Speedto evolve. EnterNeed For Speed Carbon, a game that changed how open-world and racing games work forever. With cool visuals, a memorable soundtrack, and open-world mechanics, players were able to drive their own customized cars and pimp their rides, with Neon and all.
It was the first open-world game with street racing as a core mechanic, all with missions, new areas to unlock, and even cinematics with real life actors, which also gave life to many in-game characters with their voices. The cast included Emmanuelle Vaugier (Nikki), Tahmoh Penikett (Darius), Dean McKenzie (Cross), and Chris Gauthier (Neville), among others. It was such a splendid game that many others tried to imitate its success, and many accomplished that goal (likeThe Crew). The world of racing games will never be the same after this title.
2Freelancer
Features That Would Influence Mass Effect & No Man’s Sky
BeforeMass Effectwas a plan in Bioware’s think tank, and years beforeNo Man’s Skyrevolutionized space exploration games,Freelancertook off. With incredible graphics and VFX, this action-packed dogfighting and space prospecting game had everything it needed to become the perfect space simulation game. Sadly, some fans and critics were not so pleased. Needless to say, this game was underrated, and way ahead of its time.
More than 20 years later,Freelanceris still quite advanced. Some mechanics were impossible for competitors to replicate at the time of its release, and no game producer has dared to try today. But it left its mark on history, since it inspired many developers to dare go beyond the Solar System and explore the universe as they created incredible sci-fi-inspired tales. One could say that this game was the precursor to all modern space exploration simulators and RPGs.
1Sub Culture
The Predecessor Of Subnautica, And Many More
An oldie but goldie,Sub Culturewas tremendously advanced for its time. It became the first submarine game in a fully open-world sandbox map, with few limitations except when docking and selling products. The game itself told the story of a member of a hidden miniature (and advanced) civilization living in the depths of the ocean, driving submarines while prospecting for Thorium, a precious radioactive mineral that empowers their technology.
One such Thorium prospector is one day left homeless by a giant can that drops on his house. He has to live in his submarine from there on, gathering lots of materials like bronze from giant copper coins, metal from bottle caps, pearls from oysters, and tobacco from giant cigars. All while, he must fighting the aggressive species and pirates that roam the waters.
The submarine could be fully customized, and there were dozens of missions to complete in a non-linear way. Factions could be chosen, altering the outcome of the story. Players could even go rogue and dedicate themselves to piracy, attacking settlements and robbing them of their resources. It was a marvelous game, quite advanced for its time. Nosea exploration open-world gamewould be alive today without this jewel of the past.
