Open-World RPGs That Make Skyrim's Exploration Feel Limited, Ranked
I think most of us could agree that The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis one of the most influential open-world RPGs ever created, and I definitely understand why so many people keep replaying it. It has a huge world full of…
I think most of us could agree that The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis one of the most influential open-world RPGs ever created, and I definitely understand why so many people keep replaying it. It has a huge world full of interesting locations and, honestly, plenty of opportunities to get yourself in trouble. Undoubtedly, it is an extremely impressive title and offers some of the best exploration in the genre.
However, some open-world RPGs have surpassed it, and interestingly, not in terms of having bigger maps or more places to visit. Some make navigating unfamiliar territory a challenge all its own, while others reward curiosity by allowing you to completely change how you approach the game; in any case, the exploration in these games is just spectacular.
5 Fallout: New Vegas
Exploration That Changes The Political Landscape
Fallout: New Vegas is all about the conflict between several factions competing for control: the New California Republic, Caesar's Legion, and Mr. House. Skyrim also features political conflict between the Imperial Legion and the Stormcloaks, but the difference between the two games is in how extensively these conflicts influence your exploration. In Fallout: New Vegas, discovering new settlements and military outposts allows players to explore the different perspectives of the region's political powers. Moreover, your decisions can influence your relationships with the factions involved.
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0 — More GamesWhile in Skyrim the Civil War also affects certain settlements and their leadership, the game's exploration experience is far less dependent on your political allegiance. This basically means that exploring new locations rarely changes how opposing factions treat you. Many would agree that experiencing the consequences of your actions is what makes exploration in Fallout: New Vegas more rewarding, especially because it makes the experience more realistic.
Another advantage of Fallout: New Vegas is the way geography influences travel. Approaching New Vegas is extremely dangerous for inexperienced characters because of the Deathclaws lurking around Quarry Junction and Cazadores. This encourages players to take longer routes if they want to survive. Skyrim also features dangerous enemies, but its level scaling makes exploration more forgiving. Fallout: New Vegas gives players more opportunities to think about their strategy, figure out where they stand in terms of how strong they are, and generally plan safer routes instead of simply going forward.
Fallout: New Vegas 8/10Released October 19, 20104 Dragon's Dogma 2
A World With Dangerous Journeys
Dragon's Dogma 2 follows the story of the Arisen, and unlike Skyrim, where players can fast travel to most locations, this game relies on Ferrystones, Portcrystals, and oxcarts. These means of transportation have restrictions, of course, and players must actually stop and consider how they are going to move from point A to point B. Implementing strategy when it comes to traveling is a great way to make the experience more interesting and, generally, way more rewarding, because even revisiting familiar areas requires some preparation.
Moreover, nighttime also has a big influence on the way players experience exploration. Skyrim also features dangerous creatures after sunset, but in Dragon's Dogma 2, visibility is also severely reduced, so lanterns are essential, especially if you are walking on unfamiliar roads. This is usually where players have to consider whether they want to continue traveling or play it safe and set up a campsite, which adds another layer of complexity.
Both games feature random encounters and attacks, but Dragon's Dogma 2 also allows players to climb onto enemies and exploit their weaknesses during combat. This makes encounters more interactive than just using ordinary weapon attacks. Last but not least, it's important to mention the Pawn system that gives companions an active role in exploration. Skyrim also has Followers, but Pawns can share knowledge of locations, quests, and other resources acquired during previous adventures, which makes them extremely useful as companions for navigation as well as in combat.
Dragon's Dogma 2 9/10Released March 22, 20243 The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
Greater Freedom Without Constant Directions
Most who have ever played The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind end up falling in love with the game. The story takes place on a volcanic island filled with ancient ruins, huge mushrooms, and settlements of different cultures. Generally, it requires players to follow directions provided by NPCs to find quest objectives, rather than relying on quest markers as they would in Skyrim. You actually have to investigate your surroundings rather than follow an icon on the map.
I personally find Morrowind's approach to exploration far more engaging when I have to use the roads, landmarks, or other geographical peculiarities to guide me. Moreover, Morrowind features Levitation spells that allow you to fly around, while Mark and Recall provide customizable teleportation. Skyrim doesn't have any comparable abilities, so you actually are way more limited when it comes to moving around. You get a lot more creative freedom in Morrowind because you aren't limited to walking on the ground.
Generally, the geography in Morrowind is way more interesting to investigate because of its volcanic wastelands, giant mushrooms, and distinctive architecture. It's true that Skyrim also features varied landscapes, but Morrowind has a kind of alien setting which, combined with its navigation mechanics, simply creates an amazing exploration experience.
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Released May 1, 20022 Outward
Exploration Is A Genuine Survival Challenge
One of my favorite things about Outward is that its map doesn't show exactly where your character is. While Skyrim displays the player's position and provides quest markers, in Outward, players have to identify landmarks themselves and compare their surroundings with the map to determine their location. This makes exploration far more engaging because getting lost is actually a possibility, and successfully navigating unfamiliar territory means that you have to pay attention. It's kind of like using Google Maps in real life. At some point, you find yourself simply following the blue arrow without paying attention to your surroundings at all, and if somebody asks you for directions later, you don't even remember how you reached your destination.
Moreover, Outward's survival mechanics contribute to a better exploration experience because players must manage their hunger, thirst, exhaustion, and even diseases. Skyrim also has an optional Survival Mode, but Outward integrates these mechanics into the core gameplay. This adds another layer of complexity to the game and makes it way more engaging, not to mention that reaching distant locations becomes way more satisfying because of the challenge involved in getting there.
Last but not least, the way Outward handles defeat actually makes exploring dangerous territories way more consequential. Instead of just reloading after losing a fight, you might find yourself in prison or robbed and left for dead. This makes exploration way more unpredictable than Skyrim's, which I find quite exciting.
Outward RPG Systems Released March 26, 20191 Elden Ring
A World That Constantly Rewards Your Curiosity
Elden Ring is one of my favorite games in the entire world. It takes place in the Lands Between, a ruined fantasy kingdom filled with enemies, civilizations, and all kinds of secret locations. One of its greatest advantages over Skyrim is the vertical complexity of its open world. It features enormous subterranean regions like Siofra River and Nokron, Eternal City, which are located beneath places that you have already visited. This gives you a way stronger incentive to investigate every corner of the map.
Moreover, dungeons in Elden Ring don't follow the same straightforward routes that Skyrim's dungeons do. They feature interconnected passages, rooftops, hidden rooms, and even alternative paths. This makes exploration not only fun but also important, because the environment can help you avoid dangerous encounters.
Elden Ring also rewards exploration with some very impressive rewards. Finding certain items can introduce you to entirely new combat strategies, for example. Last but not least, Elden Ring has this tendency to hide important discoveries in seemingly insignificant locations. Skyrim certainly rewards your curiosity as well, but the scale of Elden Ring's discoveries is much harder to predict.
Elden Ring 10/10Released February 25, 2022