Open-World Games With Almost No Optional Content
Open-world games seem to be forever trying to get bigger and bigger. On the one hand, that is great news as it means these titles come with so many things to do that they can keep you engaged for months on end. Conversely, we have reached a breaking point where some open-world projects flood their maps with so much optional side content that they dilute the overall experience, and god-forbid you approach one of these games with a completionist mentality.
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That said, certain open-world games skimp on optional stuff. They either completely remove side content or barely incorporate it, a decision that is not inherently a positive or negative one. If executed poorly, the lack of optional activities can make the world feel empty and hollow; however, if done well, this decision results in focused campaigns with great pacing. Let’s highlight a few games that have minimal side quests.
Honorable Mentions
The following games almost made the cut, but they just missed out because either they have a bit too much optional content or they are not traditional open-worlds.
- Red Dead Redemption – Very little optional content compared to most other Rockstar open-world games.
- Death Stranding – As the side deliveries revolve around the same mechanics as the main quests, they do not feel like filler. Still, you can skip them.
- Firewatch – Very little optional content, but not as open as other games.
- Sable – Very little optional content, but not devoid of them either.
- Far Cry 2 – Way fewer optional content than any of its sequels.
5
Assassin’s Creed
The Inaugural AC Game Requires Repetitive Busywork To Reach Altair’s Targets
Though Ubisoft packs modern Assassin’s Creed games with optional content, the series’ debut is far more focused. Here, players visit several Middle East cities during the Crusades, viewing them from fresh angles thanks to the franchise’s trademark parkour mechanics. Each city has several sneaky odd jobs: eavesdropping, tailing, pickpocketing, etc. Some might think these are optional. They’re definitely mindless enough for open-world busywork, but no.
Players have to do these repetitive gigs, as completing them gathers intel on their main targets. Protagonist Altair can only assassinate these targets after a certain number of intel missions. These aren’t his only errands, though.
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Fans can also collect flags. The game has hundreds of these banners in its myriad of maps, but even these aren’t entirely optional. Some intel missions involve grabbing several flags within a time limit. Sadly, they’re still as boring to gather as any open-world collectible. Aside from finding a few more nameless Templars to kill, players have no reason to explore Assassin’s Creed’s cities. Considering how brilliantly they recreate the historical architecture, that’s a real shame.
4
Ultimate Spider-Man
This Open-World NYC Is Empty Except For Random Crimes, Which Spidey Must Solve
Like many web-head titles, Ultimate Spider-Man lets players control the titular hero in an open-world New York City. Despite the game’s free-roaming nature, though, progression is linear. The hero has no extra villains to fight; there’s only the main story. Sure, crime-fighting deeds like fighting muggers and chasing getaway cars break up the tedium, but these aren’t optional. During each chapter, players must complete a certain number of side missions (City Goals) before they can take on a story mission. In essence, the game operates on a similar loop to Assassin’s Creed, albeit a bit more engrossing.
Only a few truly optional activities exist here. Players can gather comic tokens and compete in the odd web-swinging race, but that’s it. No arenas or meme-worthy pizza deliveries (previously seen in 2004’s Spider-Man 2). There are simply the standard inclusions that barely anyone does. Needless to say, it’s quaint compared to today’s Spidey titles.
3
Mafia Definitive Edition
This Mafia Game Wastes Its Immaculate Setting On Stale Races And Collectibles
A shortage of side content isn’t a new problem with Mafia games, but it’s especially egregious in this case. The first entry’s remake boasts a gorgeous recreation of Prohibition-era New York. It seems to be bustling with life, but it’s all just for show. Outside the main story, Mafia Definition Edition has almost nothing to do. The only real side missions are Phone Booth Jobs. Twelve of these exist in total, but they’re all racing challenges. The sole reward is more cars to satisfy the player’s inner packrat.
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That collector’s impulse makes up the only optional pursuits. Masks, magazines, cards, and cars lie hidden around the city. Some fans might find these items neat, but hunting them down is a mundane chore and completely negligible in the grand scheme of things. With such an inspired setting, the developers could do so much more to strengthen the game’s immersion.
2
Outer Wilds
Everything Ties Into The Main Mystery, Even if You Don’t Need To Explore Every Single Part
Outer Wilds is one of the best indie games of the last decade, along with being one of the better open-world games of the same period. The concept is fantastic, as you are a space explorer who gets stuck in a time loop that ends with a star going supernova after 22 minutes. As you repeat the cycle, you have to travel to alternate worlds in search of information on a lost alien species, all in the hope of breaking this loop and stopping the pending catastrophe.
Built entirely around exploration, Outer Wilds takes a hands-off approach, allowing you to decide where to go as you attempt to piece together the central mystery. You don’t need to sprint through the content either, as you essentially have all the time in the world to figure things out. With no quest markers or traditional quests, everything connects to the main story, although you don’t have to necessarily find everything to reach the end point either. Outer Wilds is just fantastic.
1
Shadow Of The Colossus
The Barren World Enhances The Atmosphere As Players Hunt Their Colossal Prey
Here’s a rare positive example of this trend. Shadow of the Colossus achieves beauty through simplicity. To restore his lost love, the protagonist must slay sixteen enormous creatures, called Colossi. These behemoths lie hidden across an open world rife with peaks, valleys, forests, deserts, rivers, and ruins. However, said world is eerily empty.
Apart from plants and the occasional animal, this place is utterly devoid of life. That emptiness enhances the forlorn atmosphere. More importantly, it adds significance to every Colossus. The game devotes all its aspects to these climactic battles.
That includes the optional content, or lack thereof. In addition to giants, lizards are a potential quarry. Shooting them and collecting their tails increases the hero’s stamina. He can also eat fruit from special trees to boost his health. However, these boons are few and far between. They’re not exactly the stuff of legends (or great side quests). Instead, they prepare players for the main objective, and they will be hard-pressed to defeat the game’s later Colossi without them. Even then, they’re not essential. Most fans will probably go straight for the bigger prey.
Both versions of Shadow of the Colossus qualify.
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