In recent years, the scope and scale of vast virtual landscapes in video games have sparked considerable discussion, particularly in the open-world genre. Developers consistently strive to create awe-inspiring experiences that invite players to explore captivating environments filled with intricate details.
Today’s gamers often focus on the expansive views, inadvertently overlooking the finer elements that contribute to a game’s immersive experience—especially in titles that emphasize vertical exploration, showcasing the complexity and grandeur of their worlds.
In this article, I am excited to present my top selections of open-world games that excel in showcasing verticality, examining both their innovative map designs and the mechanics that facilitate exploration.
10 Towers of Aghasba
A World Worth Healing
During a recent dive into Steam’s bargain bin, I had the pleasure of exploring Towers of Aghasba, a title currently in its Early Access phase yet proving to be a noteworthy addition to the list. This innovative city-building game draws inspiration from the exploration-centric design found in Breath of the Wild, allowing players to nurture a dynamic world that encourages curiosity.
While still honing its gameplay, Towers of Aghasba offers a fascinating vertical exploration aspect, enabling players to climb and glide through expansive terrains. For fans of simulation games like SimCity, this title presents an intriguing opportunity worth investigating, especially given its attractive price point.
9 Crackdown
Superhuman Absurdity
While it’s tempting to highlight more recent titles, Crackdown stands out in my memory due to its remarkable verticality, evoking nostalgia from my Xbox 360 days. The game prioritizes a sandbox-style experience, allowing players to leap between skyscrapers and create chaos in Pacific City using their superhuman abilities.
This title retains a devoted player base even today, attracting those who appreciate comedic chaos in their gameplay. Fans continue to clamor for a remake, underscoring the game’s lasting impact on the genre.
8 Xenoblade Chronicles X
A Bleak Post Dystopian Tale
The recent release of Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition has reignited interest in a groundbreaking title that stretched the capabilities of the Wii U upon its initial launch. Renowned developers, Monolith Soft, have delivered expansive landscapes that captivate players.
The breathtaking continents of Mira offer uncanny verticality, especially when utilizing Skells, your character’s mechanized companions. This mechanic facilitates exploration of floating islands and layered environments that contribute to the game’s impressive sense of scale.
7 Subnautica
The Ocean With No End
For someone who experiences thalassophobia, discussing Subnautica may seem counterintuitive. Yet, its stunning underwater world brilliantly disguises its verticality. Unlike typical survival games, this title features a beautifully intricate oceanic environment where players gradually uncover sunlit trenches and deep, dark depths teeming with perilous creatures.
The game cleverly utilizes verticality to amplify the sense of fear as players descend further into the ocean, where encounters with colossal Leviathans are a heart-stopping possibility.
6 Dying Light
Good Night, Good Luck
After recently finishing the sequel, I felt compelled to recognize the original Dying Light for its masterful embrace of verticality via parkour mechanics. Set in the collapse of Harran, the game transforms the urban landscape into a thrilling playground for evading zombie hordes.
Players can utilize rooftops for rapid navigation and enjoy the exhilaration of parkour as they unlock new traversal abilities, including the grappling hook, revealing the complexity of Harran’s environment.
5 Batman: Arkham Knight
The Dark Knight’s Finest Hour
Batman: Arkham Knight exemplifies open-world verticality through its dynamic Gotham City. Players experience layers of urban exploration, from enterable buildings to underground passages, making it a sprawling metropolis rich with secrets.
Rocksteady’s final farewell to the Dark Knight presents players with contrasting environments, whether soaring through the skyline or battling foes on the streets, reinforcing the game’s celebrated exploration of vertical spaces.
4 Echo Point Nova
Accelerating and Exhilarating
A lesser-known gem, Echo Point Nova is an exhilarating open-world shooter reminiscent of titles like Ultrakill. The game emphasizes precision and rapid gameplay, featuring grappling hooks as players engage mercenary forces while traversing interconnected environments at high speeds.
The developers of this title, known for Severed Steel, offer a thrilling experience that remains refreshing, especially with ongoing updates that enhance the gameplay even further. I highly recommend trying it out.
3 Gravity Rush 2
It’s All Relative
Gravity Rush 2 elevates the beloved original by providing new locales for players to discover. The game’s environment, a blend of vibrant urban hubs and mysterious dungeons, is navigated using Kat’s unique gravity-oriented powers.
Despite its somewhat disorienting mechanics for some, the immersive world offers a surreal experience reminiscent of a fantastical children’s storybook, celebrating verticality at its finest.
2 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Floating Islands & Melancholic Subsurfaces
Continuing the theme of vertical exploration, Tears of the Kingdom impresses with its dual-layered map design, introducing floating islands while also delving into an expansive underground realm filled with perilous challenges.
While the base map retains familiar elements, the newly added features and abilities, such as Ascend, allow players to solve environmental puzzles and uncover numerous secrets, showcasing innovative gameplay mechanics and enriching the overall experience.
1 Fire Ring
Breathtaking At Almost Every Corner
Unquestionably a standout entry, Elden Ring has fascinated players with its vast, richly detailed Lands Between. The game’s astonishing world design features an intricately conceived underground area that rivals the surface world, reminiscent of the layered environments found in Tears of the Kingdom.
Players are often left in awe, emerging from hidden elevators or ascending via coffins to discover expansive landscapes and legacy dungeons filled with secrets—it’s nothing short of extraordinary in terms of verticality and exploration.
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