Grand Theft Auto IIIrevolutionized gaming with its open-world design. The Liberty City sandbox provided endless hours of entertainment and the unique mission structure laid the foundation numerous other titles would follow. Despite all of its innovations, it was far from the first open-world game.
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In fact, the genre goes back more than a decade before the 2001 PlayStation 2 opus. Most of the games featured on the list do not feature the same gameplay as the wacky crime caper, but they are nonetheless impressive open-world games ahead of their time. Most are familiar with PC open-world games, but the console entries are especially noteworthy.
10Driver
ThisPlayStationgame lets players explore four maps from the driver’s seat of a vehicle.Drivershould be remembered for more than its notoriously difficult opening mission. The game offered a three-dimensional sandbox unparalleled by anything else on Sony’s debut console. Sadly, the series faded into obscurity after less celebrated sequels hit the market. 2011’sDriver San Franciscobrought back a semblance of quality to the series, but poor sales prevented a full revival.
9Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
The first twoElder Scrollsgames have simply massive worlds that would take days upon days to walk across. The wilderness is and not as detailed as later entries, but the amount of content within the world is astonishing. Some still prefer this type of open-worldRPGto the smaller, more focused environments ofMorrowindorOblivion.True to the game’s ambition, players can tackle the game world in whatever way they see fit.
8Adventure
ThisAtari 2600classic is not open-world in the traditional sense, but compared to other titles on the system it may as well beBreath of the Wild. Players start off in one area and must explore the game world, pick up items, and avoid threats in order to retrieve a special chalice and beat the game.
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Adventurefeels like an even earlier version of the originalLegend of Zelda. Additionally, it is the first game to feature a credit to its creator as an Easter egg.
7Wasteland
Interplay’s 1988 post-apocalyptic RPG serves as the progenitor toFallout. Like many old school PC RPGs, it is brutally unforgiving, often making players restart the adventure to better prepare for the arduous journey. Playing it today reveals its age, but fans of older PC games cannot get much better thanWasteland. 2014 saw the release ofWasteland 2, and a third entry in the series is currently in the works.
6River City Ransom
WhileRiver City Ransomhas the appearance of a typical beat em up, the systems go much deeper. For one, it is not a linear fighting game likeFinal FightorStreets of Rage. Players explore the city and enter shops to purchase upgrades. The only thing stopping them from exploring certain areas would be the difficulty of the enemies. Its release on theNESmakes the open-world gameplay and RPG mechanics all the more impressive.
5The Portopia Serial Murder Case
This adventure game eschews the typical obtuse puzzles found in other entries from the genre in favor of a more open design where many problems have several different solutions.
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Players explore the world in any way they see fit, picking up clues in order to piece together the culprit of the titular case. There are numerous endings based on who the player thinks committed the crime, although only one true murderer exists.
4Fallout
AfterWasteland, Interplay made the even more recognizableFalloutgames. The first two entries in the series released before 2001, and see the player explore the ruined United States from an isometric point of view. As impressive as the world is aesthetically, it is the player’s choices and consequences which truly make this environment feel alive. The series fell into Bethesda Softworks' hands starting withFallout 3, though many veteran fans still hold up the first two games as the best in the series.
3Ultima
Richard Garriot’s Akalabeth: World of Doom is one of the first video game RPGs ever made. Shortly afterwards he made theUltimaseries, which significantly expanded upon the genre.Ultimais seen as the first open-world PC game ever released. Additionally, survival gameplay was a huge part of the equation. Players had to ensure they had enough food and other supplies to survive journeying outside of towns.
2The Legend Of Zelda
In the seminalLegend of Zelda, link is simply plopped into the land of Hyrule and forced to figure things out on his own. Through exploring and talking to the small handful ofNPCshidden in the world, the player slowly figures out where the dungeons are located and how to access them. Without a guide the adventure could take weeks. Even with assistance, the enemies prove a formidable combat challenge.
1Shenmue
Shenmuedid not try to make the biggest sandbox, but instead tried to present a small town that felt as alive as possible. NPCs follow a set routine and combat is a tertiary feature to the main gameplay loop of talking to residence to unravel the mystery around the death of the protagonist’s father. A sequel followed shortly after, but a third entry did not come out until 2019.
