Why play several games when one can invest hundreds of hours into a quality one? It can be thrilling to endeavor to see a game through to the end, but many video games don’t have an ending, though players enjoy them for other reasons.
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How could someone play a game for hundreds of hours? The average triple-A video game is around twenty hours or so, yet, those in the high range are much longer. The following games were handpicked among an extensive list of open-ended games.The grind is real,and now it’s time to see which open-ended games are worthy of players' time.
10The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Quests regenerate inThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim,meaning there is virtually no end to the game. You might see repeats of missions after passing a point in the game, yet that won’t stop many players from completing the game multiple times with each ofSkyrim’sunique classes and races.It’s an expansive open-world with an open-ended format. There is an end to the main story, but theside missions last hundreds of hours.
9Fallout: New Vegas
Obsidian Entertainment’sFallout: New Vegaswas heavily influenced bypastFalloutgames.It brings unique storytelling that is considered by many to be thestrongest of the series.The game makes you question morality as you strive to play as a good or evil character. There is an ending toFallout: New Vegas,but completionists can expect to spend over a hundred hours trying to beat all of the game’s content.
8Animal Crossing: New Horizons
The latest entry in theAnimal Crossingseries is a life simulation game.Animal Crossing: New Horizonshas a little something for everyone, which is why players can pour hundreds of hours into it. The game’s success came during the COVID-19 pandemic when players were spending more time at home, though it certainly would have sold well, regardless.
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Players are free to make their own fun inAnimal Crossing, and, be that through collecting fish, expanding your house, or decorating your island, the fun truly never ends in this legendary Nintendo title.
7The Sims 4
Life simulation games are part of a genre with enormous replay value. InThe Sims 4,players cancreate a family, build a house, and work their way up the career ladder to riches. There are also ways to earn money in the game without working; writing books, painting, fishing, and hacking are some of the profitable hobbies a Sim can partake in.The Sims 4is the most ambitious entry in the series yet, and, with so many expansions, there is never a shortage of things to do.
6Rimworld
Played from the top-down perspective,Rimworldcombines psychology, gunplay, diplomacy, and building for a seamless experience. This sci-fi game takes place on a distant planet in outer space.
It wouldn’t be unusual to playRimworldfor over a hundred hours. Beating the game under a completionist run will take players over three hundred hours. It contains an abundance of content, including various biomes for building different structures.
5Diablo III
BeatingDiablo III’smain story takes a mere eighteen hours, but there is much more content beneath the surface.Diablo IIIhas an open-ended format, meaning there is virtually no end. The procedurally generated levels contain enemies who will drop new items for the player to equip. The game is about grinding and trying to build the best character. It has a smart selection of skills, making the grind long but worth it.
4Stardew Valley
The quaint setting ofStardew Valleyis ideal for the type of game. It’s a game about farming, trading, building, and forming new relationships with the valley’s inhabitants.
There is never a shortage of things to do inStardew Valley.The seasons follow the usual cyclical pattern,and the work varies. Even if you’re not a fan of farming simulators, you might like the RPG elements ofStardew Valley.
3The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
With an action-adventure focus,The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildhas raised the bar for open-world games. The kingdom of Hyrule is an enchanting place that can be perilous to the protagonist, Link. Awakened from a one-hundred-year slumber, Link must once again defeat Calamity Ganon and the kingdom.
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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildcontains an abundance of quests. It’s one of the greatest open-ended games of all time, and the non-linear focus separates it from previousThe Legend of Zeldagames.
2No Man’s Sky
Hello Games’No Man’s Skyis a survival game with an emphasis on exploration. Set in a procedurally generated open-world, the game lets you travel to planets in a customizable spaceship.
There areover 18 quintillion planets inNo Man’s Sky.The most massive open-world game in existence contains over two-hundred galaxies! You won’t have enough time to explore its universe, but each planet is diverse and beautiful, giving this open-ended game immense replay value.
1Minecraft
The sandbox gameMinecraftcontinues to resonate with gamers because of its open-ended format and addictive gameplay. One of the most influential games of all time contains building, survival, and an immersive world with different biomes. Things like texture packs and updates keep the game from growing stale.
As a result of the game’s success, spin-offs likeMinecraft DungeonsandMinecraft: Story Modewere made. However, none can compare to the leaps and bounds of the original game.
