5 Best Open-World Games With No Grinding
Open-world games have been absurdly popular for decades, and they are known for their expansive maps that demand considerable time and effort to complete. Grinding is almost a pillar of the genre, with plenty of RPGs forcing players to devote time to side quests or map events if they want to be able to progress through the story. Even games like Elden Ring and Nioh 3, which do not lock bosses behind level requirements, heavily encourage players to get stronger by completing secondary content.
While this loop can actually be quite enjoyable, sometimes you just want an open-world game without any grinding whatsoever. In these cases, players can just do things at their own leisure, engaging with activities they enjoy without being forced to complete them. If this is the type of experience you crave, then these games should deliver just that.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
5
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Players Can Explore The World At Their Own Pace
- There’s no specific leveling system required
- The game puts creativity and puzzle-solving over rigid rules or prerequisites
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild revolutionized the concept of open worlds and brought the franchise back to the spotlight in the best possible way. Instead of relying on traditional grinding mechanics to get certain items or reach certain levels, the game veers toward letting players explore the vast world at their disposal to upgrade and grow stronger. Virtually every area in the game can be accessed from the start, giving players a lot of control in terms of how they want to progress and how challenging they want their experience to be.
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Naturally, areas meant for the later stages of the game will be more difficult, but if players want, they can take them on and collect items to increase their health and stamina. More than relying on demanding specific levels from players, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild opts for puzzle-solving and creativity.
Tears of the Kingdom also qualifies.
4
Ghost Of Tsushima
Many Upgrades Are Unlocked Through Progression
- Learning the game’s combat mechanics is far more important than having all the available upgrades
- Exploration takes precedence over grinding, as it helps players discover many points of interest and side quests
Set in a fictional version of the real-life Japanese island of Tsushima, Ghost of Tsushima puts players in the shoes of Jin Sakai, a nobleman who must reclaim his beloved homeland from the Mongols and rescue his uncle in the process. Since the game emphasizes story-driven progression and many combat upgrades require players to complete certain missions, there’s no real use for grinding. As in other open-world games, players can choose to take on enemies much stronger than themselves if they want a challenge or visit lower-level areas to breeze through and gain skill points.
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In Ghost of Tsushima, planning, strategic moves, and choosing the right fighting stances, as well as learning how to dodge incoming enemy attacks, are far more important than having the highest damage katana upgrade or hundreds of arrows. Exploration is also a key aspect of the game, as it allows players to discover shrines, hot springs, and other points of interest.
Ghost of Yotei largely follows in its predecessor’s shoes.
3
Batman: Arkham Knight
The Game Gives Players All The Tools They Need
- Gadgets are unlocked through game progression
- The game rewards skill over upgrades and requires critical thinking for puzzle-solving
Taking on the role of Batman once again, in Batman: Arkham Knight, players will have to save Gotham from the forces of villains like Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight, whose identity is a mystery. The game features a big open area of Gotham that players can explore however they want, and is filled with many stories, side quests, and various optional activities. Batman: Arkham Knight rewards skill over upgrades and forces players to learn how to chain their attacks for maximum efficiency.
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This title also requires players to use more than their fists, as puzzle-solving plays an important role in game progression. Gadgets and some of the most important upgrades available to Batman are automatically unlocked as players progress through the story, so there’s no need for grinding—things will come when they have to come.
2
The Witcher 3
Upgrades And Mutagen Slots Must Be Unlocked, But The Game Is So Vast, That There’s No Need For Grinding
- The game is so vast that grinding isn’t necessary, even when leveling up is often the right choice
- Side quests are interesting and complex, so skipping over them is not recommended
Saying that The Witcher 3 requires no grinding would probably spark debate, as there is a strong upgrade system that is unlocked through skill points and victories over monsters and other creatures. However, the game is so vast that gaining skill points and leveling up come naturally as players progress through the game. Even those who only want to focus on the main story’s missions and leave the great side quests behind should have no trouble unlocking the abilities they want without ever feeling like they’re having to grind for them.
Besides, side quests are so well crafted that not only is skipping them advised against, but almost impossible, as they’re all over The Continent and have the power to draw players without them even noticing. So, in any case, while leveling up is recommended in The Witcher 3, it’s unlikely that players will ever have to repeat a single task to do so.
1
Basically Every Rockstar Open-World Game Ever (Or, Let’s Say, Red Dead Redemption 2)
Except For Online Versions, Rockstar’s Open-World Games Never Require Grinding
- While some games include money or stat systems, mandatory repetitive farming is virtually nonexistent in Rockstar’s open-world games
- As long as players collect the occasional resource in Red Dead Redemption 2, they will not need to worry about anything
- GTA Online and Red Dead Online are the main exceptions, as grinding is central to their gameplay loop. Undead Nightmare is also a bit of a grind, although it is still a blast.
Rockstar has been at the forefront of the open-world genre since its modern inception, and the developer has never forced grinding upon people looking for a single-player experience. Be it GTA 3, San Andreas, Bully, GTA 5, or both Red Dead Redemption titles, the games actively encourage players to proceed at their own pace, allowing them to completely ignore optional content if they want to just fast-forward through the main story. Just to be clear, the side quests or world events still give rewards, even if it is just a memorable story, but they are not tied to progression or player strength in any way.
Let’s take GTA 5 as an example. The game has no stat walls, and any funds needed to forward the story are obtained naturally through compulsory funds. Players can start businesses to acquire more cash, but that is completely optional and will not impact the story. RDR2 is similar, albeit with a slightly heavier focus on resource management. Players should hunt, craft, and upgrade their camps, but they are not required to engage repeatedly with these mechanics if they don’t want to. Bully and L.A. Noire are even better examples, as they both focus almost exclusively on their linear stories.
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