Something like TOTK/BOTW/Horizon?
Preferably 3rd person too. Idk but I just don’t get the same feeling in FPS+Open world combo.
But if the game is good Idm 3rd person too
I loved Death Stranding – it’s weird, beautiful, and the soundtrack is incredible (RIP Low Roar) but it’s kind of an acquired taste and you have to be cool with the “hiking simulator” aspect.
Might need to try Death Stranding. I’ve always thought its some weird game carrying around packs and never bothered lol.
Elden Ring is such an easy choice. Just a fantastic open world that encourages exploration and discovery. I think you should give it a second shot OP.
Absolutely loved Elden Ring. Probably my favorite game of all time. Super excited for the DLC whenever that is.
Elden Ring
I feel like that’s significantly harder than any of the games OP mentioned. Although, my friend says he enjoys it.
Have you tired Elden Ring?
Keep in mind that there are different schools of thought on what makes a good open world game.
I love exploration and discovery without much guidance, so point-of-interest markers and repetitive copy/paste events (as found in Horizon and Witcher games) bore me. Responsive controls and good user interface are also important to me, so Red Dead Redemption 2 was a miserable experience that drove me away, despite the great environments and character building. Some people consider those games masterpieces, though, so I have to assume their priorities are different from mine.
Subnautica is an outstanding example of what appeals to me. Beautiful world, unconfined exploration, excellent soundtrack, a story told through discoveries rather than exposition, multiple ways to accomplish things, and a departure from the usual “kill everything” approach to success. Fair warning: it is a first-person game.
Skyrim shares some of these strengths and can work pretty well in third person with mods like True Directional Movement and TK Dodge RE. Be aware that modding Skyrim is a deep rabbit hole that can quickly become a full time job. One way to solve this is using the Wabbajack tool to semi-automatically install a well-tested mod collection.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits looks like it shares some of its design with Breath of the Wild / Tears of the Kingdom, which is encouraging. I haven’t played it yet.
