As someone who doesn’t bother with a lot of themultiplayer games in the zeitgeist, it will surprise no one to know that story and narrative are a pretty big deal to me.
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It’s often the glue that holds the game together and gives the gameplay stakes and meaning. However, it’s not always something that players need to engage with to enjoy themselves.
There is a wealth of games that offer a lot to players even if they never engage with the main plot in any shape or form.
So, if you’re someone who likes to go off the beaten path, and you often allow yourself to get distracted by thewealth of side quests, collectibles, and oddities packed into a game. Then these games listed are perfect for you.
10Fallout 3
Father Neeson Can Wait
A lot of these games listed will have a good story on offer for those who want to engage with it. However, I would argue that the main plot is arguably the weakest part of theFallout 3experience.
Sure, it has its moments, with Tranquility Lane being an obvious highlight. But holistically, it’s a pretty drab main plot that falls flat on multiple occasions.
However, the same cannot be said of the world itself, which is packed with interesting landmarks and points of interest. Not to mention some of the most memorable side quests in RPG history.
Then, you can also justplay the game as a survival sandbox, where you’ll kill raiders, mutilate Super Mutants and Feral Ghoulsin the subway tunnels, and scavenge for goodies.
Sure, go and rescue your daddy Liam Neeson at some point, but don’t be in a rush to do so.
9The Forest
Parental Obligations Be Damned!
The Forest
The Forestis a pretty terrifying game, and one that asks the player to start with nothing but the clothes on their back and carve out an existence on a mysterious island inhabited by cannibals. So, you know, it’s not your ideal summer getaway.
The game’s narrative revolves around the island’s mysterious inhabitants, why your plane crash-landed on this island of all places, and finding your son who was kidnapped.
However,it’s much more fun to forget about your paternal responsibilities and build a giant baseon the island instead.
Sure, Timmy is in mortal danger, but there are more important things at hand here, like building a wicked treehouse or building complex traps to ensnare the locals.
You’ll not win any ‘dad of the year’ awards, but if you play this game like a survival sandbox, I assure you, you’ll have much more fun.
8Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
Embrace Medieval Life
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Before I get into this one, don’t misunderstand this as a jab at the core narrative ofKCD2, as it’s a cinematic and thrilling masterpiece from start to end.
But, equally, it’s all too tempting to ignore your duties as Hans Capon’s squire entirely.
With a wealth of side quests to get on with, a huge sandbox world with random encounters, rich world-building, and fun activities, you’ll find yourself lost in the minutiae of everyday medieval life.
In fact, you’d be surprised justhow many hours players put into this gamebefore they even get through the game’s third main quest, Wedding Crashers.
Whether you want toplay the role of a bandit, a blacksmith, a dice champion, or an intrepid explorer,KCD2has you covered, whether or not you engage with the main plot.
7Elden Ring
Tarnished On Your Terms
Elden Ring
As someone who doesn’t play Souls games for the lore or the subtle interwoven stories that comepackaged with the punishing combat,this is an entry that I can personally get behind.
A lot of Souls games force you to take in the main quest, as beating bosses one by one is tied to progression, but thanks toElden Ring’s open-world design, you can do whatever you like, whenever you like in the Lands Between.
You can work on your build and chop and change classes as you please. You can fight optional bosses, chase down leads for obtuse side quests, or even engage in some PVP action.
In short, while you should be hunting down the Remembrance bosses, it’s not essential to have a good time playingElden Ring. So, be the tarnished you want to be. Maidenless or not, you’ll still have a blast.
6The Legend Of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Be Right Back, Building A Zonai Rocket
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
BothBreath of the Wildand the glorified but excellent DLCTears of the Kingdomare truly monumental achievements in game design and offer some of the most amazing open-world experiences on the market.
However, neither of them achieves this status off the back of their narrative. Don’t get me wrong; they are both servicable plots that serve as enough motivation to push the player forward towards their final fight.
However,it’s all the distractions along the way that make this game special. You can get caught up on the hunt for all the Korok Seeds.
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You could build something special courtesy of the Zonai system, or you could just do dungeon crawling in search of some new weapons and goodies.
It’s this freedom that has madeBOTW, and by extension,TOTK, a benchmark in video game design, and if you somehow haven’t played either, there’s no time like the present to do so.
5Middle Earth: Shadow of War
Vengeance Takes Precedence
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
As you would expect with a game that is the product of a Tolkien fantasy, the story ofMiddle Earth: Shadow of Waris a fitting and riveting tale. However, that’s not always a given,as Lord of the Rings: Gollum proved.
Tangent aside, though, the story here is great. But, even still, you’ll find yourself putting off the path of progression in this title time and time again, which is almost entirely down to the Nemesis system.
This system, which createsnatural feuds between players and NPCs by turning lowly Orcs into all-powerful warmongers, is something that will have you putting off the main story as you seek revenge by infiltrating an Orc stronghold and slitting the throat of your rival.
It’s sadly a system that, due to patent protection, we have never seen outside this series, leading to a lot of wasted potential. But, regardless, Shadow of War is a terrific game and one you need to play when you get the chance.
4No Man’s Sky
Wait, There’s A Plot?
No Man’s Sky
WhenNo Man’s Skylaunched in catastrophic fashion almost a decade ago, one of the biggest criticisms of the game was the shallow nature of the main plot, or lack thereof.
The main plot at this point was essentially a task that saw the player work toward an arbitrary point in the universe, with little rhyme or reason as to why you were going there.
Fast-forward to the current day, and the story is a little more fleshed out, with more world-building, quests, and substance. But even now, the game is still better enjoyed as an interstellar sandbox.
Engaging in dogfights, colonizing random planets, building cool bases, and enjoying the now functional multiplayerto hang out with pals is more fun.
No Man’s Skyis finally the game it wanted to be back in 2015, but the story is still something you should only do if you’re at a real loose end.
3Baldur’s Gate 3
Get Lost In The Detail
Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gatemay not technically be an open-world game like the majority of games on this list, but due to the branching player choices and the emergent cause and effect that comes with those, it feels like it is.
Players have the autonomy to carve out their own story here, and aside from some tricky dice rolls, you are in complete control.
Your central goal is to get the Mindflayer slug out of your head, but chances are that it will beon the backburner for well over 100+ hours.
You’ll find yourself getting to know your party members, getting sucked into squabbles and skirmishes, and engaging with a slew of side quests that are deeper than the main quests of most games on the market.
Every choice you make will influence the outcome of the core plot, but you shouldn’t be in a rush to reach the finish line. Stop and smell the roses, and savor every DND-fuelled moment.
2Hogwarts Legacy
It’s All About The Fan Service
Hogwarts Legacy
We move on to a game I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with because, when you boil it down,Hogwarts Legacyis a pretty cookie-cutter, map-marker-abundant open world with a weak central plot.
However,what it lacks in interesting characters and plot points, it makes up for with loads of fan service, epic world-building, incredible visuals, and cathartic spell-based combat.
The opening ten hours are unparalleled bliss, especially if you’re a Potterhead, and even if it does fall off as you’re pushed further outside the Hogwarts grounds, it’s still a worthwhile game to check out as a whole.
But, with the caveat that the core story pales in comparison to the open-world exploration and the side quests you’ll find dotted around the wizarding world.
1Grand Theft Auto V
The Ultimate Sandbox Playground
Grand Theft Auto 5
Grand Theft Autoas a series has also had a reputation as a game that is just as fun to play as a sandbox playground as it is a narrative-driven, crime-fuelled bonanza.
UntilGTA VIfinally arrives,GTA Vremains the best showcase of this model, where you have the option to engage with a fun story split between three central characters. Or you can ignore that altogether and cause chaos in Los Santos and beyond.
You can rack up a wanted level and attempt to survive with the LSPD in hot pursuit. You can seek out all the Strangers and Freaks missions on offer, or you could drive around and obey all the traffic laws like a square.
That’s the beauty ofGTA V, the choice is completely yours, and this is before you even consider the Online options and role-play servers out there. It’s a literal playground, and one you need to dive into as a refresher beforeGTA VI.
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