Key Takeaways
- Cyberpunk 2077 offers a stunning landscape with dynamic combat and cybernetic implants.
- Wandering through the quiet wilderness of Skyrim provides serene and immersive experiences.
- Slime Rancher 2 allows players to hang out with slimes and enjoy the serene beauty of the scenery.
Video games are incredibly varied and have to appeal to such varied audiences. As such, it’s no wonder that, within one genre as broad as the open-world scene, players can find fast-paced and destructive airborne shooters or cushy and cozy walking simulators.
Action is a relatively common aspect in a lot of video games today. It’s quite often that players will find themselves hunted across open worlds or diving head first into droves and swarms of rabid enemies. Sometimes, though, the best thing an open-world title can do, even if it’s typically action packed, is give the player a chance to breathe, take in the world, and immerse themselves in the scenery. Here are some great open-world games for those looking to do absolutely nothing.
5 Cyberpunk: 2077
Night City Is Perfect For Idle Walks (Ignoring The Murders)
Cyberpunk 2077 has very much come into its own as of late, with the Phantom Liberty DLC solidifying this title as the monolithic sci-fi RPG that the years of hype and speculation promised it to be. The title is still very much receiving attention and praise from gamers for its fantastic story and fluid, dynamic combat system, which is only enhanced by the plethora of creative cybernetic implants V is able to receive in order to further augment his abilities.
While there’s always a side-gig that needs taking care of or a random event ready to capture the player’s attention, it needs to be said that Cyberpunk 2077 is, simply put, a really, really pretty game. A recent update similarly allowed for an enhanced range of graphics settings for PC users, and now more than ever, the high definition Night City is filled with sights and sounds that truly immerse the player in this world.
Hunting And Hiking Is Incredibly Immersive
There comes a time in every Skyrim player’s playtime where things begin to slow down. Their dual-axe wielding berserker Nord has already become the most respected Arch Mage in history, a famed member of the Thieves’ Guild, and possibly a master assassin in their downtime, too. But whether it’s traveling between quests or simply picking a random direction and setting off in it, the most idyllic and serene moments in Skyrim happen during quiet wandering through the wilderness.
While there is a huge number of fantastic quests in the game, making one’s own fun by hiking in picturesque wilderness, taking in the sights, and altogether doing nothing is one of the major reasons that Skyrim has remained such a monolithic title among gamers today.
3 Slime Rancher 2
Hanging Out With Some Gooey Friends Is Its Own Reward
There are plenty of things to do and goals to set in Slime Rancher and its acclaimed sequel. Utilizing slime science allows players to craft a variety of wondrous goods from gathered resources and the byproducts of their slimy companions. While there’s always directions and something to work towards in this title, the game has a lot of fantastic, quiet moments where simply hanging out with the accrued slimes on the ranch will be all that’s on the player’s mind.
The cartoony art style and adorable little slimes that form the central pillars of this game make idling away the hours and simply enjoying the scenery an addictive and highly enjoyable experience.
2 Red Dead Redemption 2
The Sublime And Natural World Awaits
The picturesque vistas and scenes of Red Dead Redemption 2 are among the most detailed and awe-inspiring found in a video game to date. Colossal mountain ranges and wide, winding rivers all capture that spirit of the 19th century American Sublime. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a masterclass in quest design and storytelling, featuring a fluid and action-packed story that is filled with excellent supplemental missions and character work. That said, making one’s own way in the world presents just as many fantastic opportunities.
There might be a lot of unsettling moments in RDR2, but taking the time to get immersed in the expansive, natural world that Rockstar has put together is some of the most uniquely satisfying moments for players to discover.
1 Eastshade
The Cozy And Picturesque Life Of A Fantasy Painter
- Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
- Released: February 13, 2019
- Developer: Eastshade Studios
- Genre: Adventure, Open-World
Eastshade offers an incredibly picturesque look through an idyllic isle, capturing the natural beauty to be found in the player’s profession as a painter. The variety of incredibly surreal, endearing anthropomorphic villagers on this island provide narrative guidance in an otherwise slow-paced, cozy story about finding what this fantasy world has to offer.
This incredibly underrated gem of an open-world title does not ask the player to go on perilous quests or dangerous journeys. Instead, doing nothing but taking in the beauty of Eastshade is all that’s required.
