Part of what makes gaming fun and exciting is the myriad of styles and genres of games available to play. You have puzzle-oriented games like Tetris, first-person shooters, racing games, role-playing games, and we can’t forget the adventure/platforming games. There is, however, one class of game that stands out above the rest. It can and does combine genres, which makes this type even more appealing, and that, dear reader, is the open world form of gaming.

In various degrees, open world gaming has been around for quite some time. Take The Legend of Zelda, for example. You start off in a field, and you have no choice but to explore your way through the game, figuring out its puzzles, and fighting enemies virtually everywhere you go.

Over time, this kind of game has evolved to be much more grand—of course, it goes without saying that as technology advances, so do the games! With adventures like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Immortals Fenyx Rising, your world is far more vast and ripe for exploration! Enemies are more intimidating, and there are a lot of secrets in the fields, the water, in caves, and on top of buildings that are waiting to be discovered. For those who like to explore, especially in Immortals Fenyx Rising, their efforts will definitely not go unrewarded. Who knows, even talking to the gods or the townsfolk may even lead you to something useful and important.

Open world games appeal to me largely because of how huge the environment is. There could be something behind that bush over there or even inside that tree on the hill to the west. The strongest weapon in the game could lie behind the waterfall–even that villager clad in plain clothes could hold the key you need to proceed. Exploring is a must in these kinds of games; one would likely have a very difficult time proceeding through the game if there was not time taken to see what the world has to offer. Besides, in an environment where there are no bounds—except, of course, the edge of the map—why would one not want to see everything there is to see? To me, that would be doing the game and the developers a disservice because there is so much to see and do in the open world.

Open world games have another aspect to them that I find practical and unique. Whereas in your typical game, you have load times and transition screens when you’re entering a house, a town, castle, etc., in games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, they do not exist (except for Immortals Fenyx Rising when you enter a vault or fast travel). It adds more realism to the game because you can literally walk into a village from the field and not have to wait for the village map to load. This not only saves time, but it makes the game more exciting because it’s easier to imagine yourself in that character’s position. Gliding into Zora’s Domain after having jumped off a cliff and not having to wait for the Zora’s Domain map to load is a blessing; playing on one giant map does have its benefits!

Yet another benefit, I might add, to the open world game is a rather simple one. Traveling on foot, by horse, or flying gives the player a chance to just marvel in the aesthetics of the scenery. One way to really appreciate the time and effort the developers put into the game is to merely get on your horse and ride between the two cliffs. Seeing those two towering structures is truly a sight to behold. Even riding along the beach and looking out at the water has a pleasant calmness to it that is unparalleled by any other type of game. I do this in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild quite often, as I find it to be relaxing.

So as you can see, fellow gamers, the open world game is my favorite kind. I love to travel, to explore, and to see all that can be seen. These kinds of games, with their giant maps, provide me with the means to do just that. What do you think of these kinds of games? What do you like or not like about them? Head on over to Boss Rush Network on Facebook or Discord and let’s talk about it!