Summary
Base building has become a commonplace feature in video games. From building defensive platforms in Fortnite to creating elaborate planetary headquarters inStarfield,base building has continued to be a popular element of games, especially open-world titles.
Open-world games are known for their plethora of mechanics that immerse players in their richopen sandboxes; gamers have spent hours building intricate bases of various shapes, sizes, and designs to fit the narrative of vast open game worlds. Whether creating wooden fortresses to keep out dinosaurs inArkor designing blocky constructions inMinecraft, base building has become a fundamental mechanic in open-world gaming.
The survival gameGroundedis a unique open-world game built on the premise of surviving alone or with friends in a backyard. The game has players shrunk to minuscule proportions, having them fight for their lives against beasts lurking in the garden. A core part ofGroundedis itsbase-building mechanicsthat rely on finding craftable material in the yard that can be used to construct objects such as stairs, walls, and other structures.
Players can build a myriad of bases with the materials they gather and even build advanced, more complicated structures to help protect them from the outside.Groundedhas a simple yet quirky base-building mechanic that keeps players returning for more.
The popular open-world survival gameValheimis a stunning, critically acclaimed title and one of the best open-world games with base-building mechanics. Featuring a complex building mechanic that allows gamers to build a range of structures, from the simplest houses to the largest fortresses,Valheimputs players at the heart of the action when surviving in a relentless Viking-inspired world. If players have the right materials, they can craft massive structures quickly, using the game’s intuitive and easy-to-use system for construction and material crafting.
Ark: Survival Evolvedis an open-worldsurvival gamethat forces players to endure a dinosaur-plagued world employing the usual survival tropes, such as crafting,hunting mechanics, and harvesting. InArk, players can tame dinosaurs, play with friends, and even fight other players who look to surviveArk’sruthless world. One of the key features ofArk’sextensive open world is its base-building mechanics, which are essential to ensuring survival.
InArk, players can build extensive bases anywhere in the game world, using various craftable materials - with an often overwhelming amount of crafting options for base development. Notable bases include underwater fortresses, castles, skyscrapers, and more, with players able to build farms and populate their base interior with items such as beds.Ark: Survival Evolvedis one of the best open-world experiences with customizable base-building that enables players to build the base of their dreams in a dinosaur setting.
In the popular space epicStarfield, players can build bases known as outposts. Players can construct outposts using the game’s construction system across various planets and locations to perform multiple functions and tasks. Examples include resource farms, with outposts acting as a funnel to farm valuable resources, defense for protecting against wildlife, or just simply a place to place your crew members while you explore the stars.
Outposts have in-depth mechanics, such as requiring power generation from solar and wind sources, which differ depending on the planet. Players must strategically place their base based on its optimum function, what power it needs, and how it operates.Starfieldalso allows the creation of multiple outposts, establishing links between each to create value chains.Starfieldhas visually impressive and in-depth base-building mechanics requiring players to make strategic decisions when constructing bases.
Like the outposts players can build inStarfield,Fallout 4features its own style of outposts known as settlements that players can turn into a post-apocalyptic base. Using the game workshop to create furniture, walls, and objects, players can outfit settlements with features to withstand the harsh wasteland environment ofFallout 4. Players can introduce vendors, build turrets, and even farm in these bases, giving them significant freedom in creating their outposts.
Trading is also available between bases, with vendors critical in attracting new settlers and creating a worthy settlement. These areas are obtained through quest missions as players complete the game.Fallout 4has the best open-world base-building mechanics - set in apost-apocalyptic gameenvironment.
Like Starfield,No Man’s Skylets players build epic bases inouter spacewith various functions, such as farming. However, it differs in esthetics and fundamental base-building mechanics. Players must also be strategic about how and where they build their bases - planets with abundant resources are ideal for constructing these fortresses.
No Man’s Skyalso features a teleportation mechanic, with players able to travel between different bases across the universe. Furthermore, the base designs have better customization inNo Man’s Sky, with great variety in constructing bases, despite lackingStarfield’scomplexity in some areas.
The underwater survival game,Subnauticafeatures the best aquatic base building in open-world games. InSubnauticaand its successor,Below Zero, players must build seabases that protect against monsters that lurk below in the oceans. In these bases, players can grow crops, store items, and prepare for forthcoming adventures as they investigate the seas. These bases can be constructed using various blueprints that require materials for crafting.
Players can also craft different items for their seabases' interiors and even construct elements such as nuclear reactors. TheSubnauticaseries has the best underwater base-building mechanics inopen-world games.
When you think ofMinecraft, crafting survival and, of course, base building come to mind.Minecraftdefined the open-world survival genre of video games and set the tone for what base building could be in gaming. When first released over a decade ago,Minecraftintroduced players to base building in an open-world setting. Whether that be a tiny mud hut to evade bothersome Creepers or a massive castle with intricate mines and farming systems,Minecraftcaptured the hearts of gamers with its in-depth base-building mechanics, extensive crafting and customization options, and blocky appeal.
To this day,Minecrafthas an extensive fanbase engrossed in its base-building features -Minecraftis easily one of the best open-world games with base-building mechanics.
