How do you play your Open World games?

[kikotoot]

Think of stuff like Breath of the Wild, Elden Ring, Tears of the Kingdom, etc.

I'm curious to see what people's approaches are!

Post automatically merged: May 19, 2023

I'm definitely someone who explores things systematically (no stone unturned!) but my hallmark gameplay of these games is throwing myself at whatever the hardest thing or area I can find is first, and then going back to where I'm supposed to be but with all these cool toys

 

[Corrie]

I attempt to follow the story but I eventually get side tracked and usually have more fun just screwing around LOL

 

[LuchaSloth]

I always do main missions here and there...but, mostly do as many side quests as the game allows at a given time. - Honestly, my approach is to do things in as balanced a way as possible...because, I find that it keeps me from getting burned out on one thing or another. - A mix of all the available things (usually whatever happens to be near me on the map, or just happens to interest me at a given moment).

 

[Croconaw]

I try my best to play the game the way it is intended to be played. The most recent open world game I’ve played is Pokémon Violet. I followed the main story, watching a walkthrough for the beginning part. After that, I finished the game on my own. I don’t usually play open world games, though. They aren’t my thing usually, so I wouldn’t dish out money for them.

 

[ZeldaCrossing64]

I try to follow the main story (especially for Zelda: TotK since my dad said it'd be a good idea), but I get side-tracked really easily and end up doing side-quests and other things instead. I prefer exploring and collecting things anyway.

 

[coffeeplant]

I was just talking about this to one of my friends, lol. I can't help but comb through the map (and pick up everything I can fit in my inventory lmao.) I love discovering new areas, meeting new characters, etc! I do try to follow the main storyline but it gets delayed a lot because I'm too busy following a creature running around or wanting to see just what's beyond this and that. I also stop along the way to fulfill sidequests that sound fun, but I mostly spend my time exploring and fudging around. c':​

 

[Newbiemayor]

I do whatever catches my attention at the time. Problem being that everything catches my attention and then I end up on the opposite side of the map doing something completely unrelated and remember 'oh yeah wasn't I wanting to do that other thing?' Idk how maybe times so far in totk that I've said to myself 'ok I'm going here right after this' and then I don't lol. I only do the main story stuff when I remember it exists and I feel like it.

 

[kikotoot]

I try to follow the main story (especially for Zelda: TotK since my dad said it'd be a good idea), but I get side-tracked really easily and end up doing side-quests and other things instead. I prefer exploring and collecting things anyway.

Your dad 100% has the right idea
TotK is the first game I had to forcibly put on metaphorical blinders for vs systematically go through everything while avoiding the main story

 

[Venn]

I focus on filling the map first and doing shrines so I can get more health so I don't have to worry when fighting.
I'll do any side quests if I am able to as well.

 

[Flicky]

I comb through the entire map before I continue with the story. I grab anything the game will let me, avoid enemies I shouldn't be facing yet (where possible) until I can't find anything new and have to return to the storyline.

This has some unfortunate consequences in certain games, though. Like Dragon Quest Builders 2 - I ended up spoiling the story because I'd already visited areas that were supposed to be a surprise.

 

[azurill]

I try to follow the story of the game. I get distracted easily with side quests and try to finish those before moving on in the story.

 

[Snek]

With BotW I have a usual path and its usually the one I always do.

Spoiler: BotW Path

beginning area -> tutorial quest (Kakariko/Hateno) and lots of shrines -> Faron/Lurelin village(to unlock more shock arrows) and more shrines -> Zora's Domain for Miphas heal and more Lanaryu shrines. From there it varies but I always do Vah Ruta first before doing the others.

But BotW does have sort of a path set for you. While other open world games like Skyrim are true open sandboxes but still have the main story. Its not wrong to do the story but I like doing things my own way.

 

[Fisher]

I'm definitely the kind of open world gamer where I just turn the game on and go wherever, that's why I love open world games the sense of freedom that comes with them. I usually have a goal I want to do of course, but I get distracted easily and end up exploring and doing like 50 side quests before I actually end up where I was going in the first place lol.

TotK has especially been bad for me so far, I'm just now starting to get into the main missions again after wandering around exploring for like 3 days.

 

[VanitasFan26]

I know people tend to complain in open world games whenever they are like wondering around thinking "What are you suppose to do" but i am someone who tends to follow the main story and unlock certain parts of the game so that way during the story I can still explore areas that I wasn't able to access because I wasn't progressing iin the story. I know its a bit controversial but I prefer if the game was a bit more liner so that way it makes more sense to figure out what you're suppose to do instead of the game being like "Figure it out on your own" type of way. That is what I didn't like about Zelda Breath of the Wild where it doesn't give you any clue of what you're suppose to do and you find yourself just wondering around for hours.

 

[Zerous]

I love doing all the side quests and exploring first, although I do do some main story as I go so I still can explore while doing it. But like in totk

Spoiler

once I first fell to hyrule, I only went to lookout landing after about five hours of exploring and realising I needed to do it to unlock the map

 

[Belle T]

I used to be one of those people who likes to explore every nook and cranny of a game, but these days a game has to convince me of its merits in order for me to be motivated to do that. I've been so burned out with the excessive amount of open world games in the modern age, so I usually just do the main story. If a game's story is really interesting or if I have some other reason to be really excited for the game, then I'll do the side quests, as well.

I'm enjoying Final Fantasy VII Remake so far, for example, but almost all the side quests that I've done so far are staggeringly uninteresting to me. But they offer good EXP and items, so you kind of have to do at least some of them. Meanwhile, aside from a few that are a lot of effort for very little reward, I didn't mind doing all the side quests for NieR: Automata, because they each had such interesting emotional stakes and implications that leave a noticeable impact on the main story.

This reminds me that I need to get back to playing Breath of the Wild now that the sequel is finally out. I don't know why I stopped playing; I was enjoying it.

 

[JKDOS]

Just wing it. If the game says go to Point B, go there, and whatever happens in-between, happens. If it takes you 10 hours or 10 days to finally make it to point B, you know you're playing an amazing game

 

[Lancelot]

I start by doing the story, see something in the distance I want to go see, then this continues as a never ending loop and it takes me 100x longer to complete the story than it should

 

[mogyay]

it depends on the game tbh ! im methodical with botw/totk because the map is split up into sections but with a game like skyrim i tend to just explore where i want ! i will absolutely never prioritise the main storyline tho, exploring always comes first

 

[LadyDestani]

I'm pretty methodical about playing open world games. I start with the main story quests to get a feel for the game, but usually early story quests will send you out to learn the area anyway. So I use the opportunity to explore, pick up side quests, and talk to literally everyone. I don't leave the area until I've completed everything there is to do. Then I follow the story quest to a new location and repeat the same procedure: explore, do side quests, and chat up the NPCs. And so on and so on.

I love finding little hidden areas, picturesque locations, learning more about the lore of the world and the people I come across during my journeys. That's a huge part of my enjoyment when it comes to open world games. I never ignore the main story, but I don't rush through it either. I like to take my time and live in the world around me.