Death Stranding wasn't the first time Kojima experimented with the open-world genre. Previously, Kojima has worked on Metal Gear Solid V that offers a full-blown open-world that is pretty vast. However, Death Stranding is unique because it offers a vast, desolate, open-world that not many games offer. It's a brutal experience that is very subjective to the playerbase. And while some might hate it or love it, this game is an experience unlike any other.
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For the fans of the game, there may not be a directly similar game to Death Stranding. However, some offer a similar level of the desolated landscape to explore.
10 Mad Max
Max Max was released all the way back in 2015. However, it still looks like a modern-day title. The post-apocalyptic game is very underrated among gamers. However, it nails the concept of a desolated open-world pretty perfectly. There is photogenic scenery everywhere, and a lot of abandoned areas to explore. The game is developed by the same guys who made the Just Cause series. Hence there shouldn't be a doubt regarding the size of its open-world.
9 Fallout 4
Fallout 4 is one of the most renowned Bethesda RPGs ever. The reason is pretty simple. The game is built around a post-nuclear desolated world full of interesting characters and quests. This is why all the games in the series, including Fallout 4, are great for exploring. There's an RPG element to the game which keeps everything complex enough to last for hours. Moreover, the world has so many hidden stories and secrets that will satisfy any gamer who likes such games.
8 Borderlands 3
Borderlands is yet another series that showcases a huge world split into parts. It's a full-blown shooting experience that is incredibly fun to play and has so many weapons. The world isn't super desolate, but it's enough to spark a feeling of sadness.
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However, it's a mix of smaller areas or mission zones full of enemies and hazards. The game's tone is quirky and humorous, like a Mad Max title set in a Stephen Chow movie.
7 Fallout: New Vegas
New Vegas provides the best Fallout experience in the entire 3D series. It is big, empty, and full of stories that make its desolate world full of excitement. Just exploring in Fallout: New Vegas and uncovering little tales is more exciting than those featured in newer entries in the franchise. The only downside is the outdated gameplay of this game. If players can look beyond its gameplay mechanisms, it's probably the greatest Fallout world ever made.
6 Days Gone
The most underrated Playstation 4 exclusive of 2019 goes mostly uncredited for its open-world. Days Gone offers a lot of fun to the people who will not judge it for copying other titles. While the game does pick many things from other post-apocalyptic zombie games, it's still a thing of its own. Days Gone's open world is full of various areas but manages to give the vibe of emptiness and sadness.
5 Dark Souls
Dark Souls titles are not straight-up open-world titles, but rather pseudo-open-worlds like Borderlands. However, they do offer a big enough map to explore. The games are still unmatched in the way they showcase their desolated world. The art, the gameplay, traps, and ambiance make the world of Dark Souls more alive than any other.
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Honestly, this game would've been on the top of this list if it was a complete open-world title. Luckily, the upcoming Elden Ring seems like just the game to look forward to, as it will be like an open-world Dark Souls game.
4 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is a sister game to Death Stranding. Created by Hideo Kojima, the fifth game in the franchise is a bold experiment to Metal Gear Solid's general formula, yet similar enough to the franchise's fans. Many similarities can be seen between this game and Death Stranding, a given as both the games come from the same mind. The open-world is vast, full of details, and desolate.
3 Journey
It has been out for about nine years, and Journey is still very much playable like any modern game. It uses a unique art style combined with great visuals that give it an everlasting look and feel. The game showcases an open world so vast that it's genuinely endless, even though players are guided throughout the game. However, it's the overall feeling that this game nails best. This magical adventure invites players to a world that is big, empty, and filled with desolate areas.
2 Desolate
Desolate is an open-world survival video game released in January 2019. The game is literally titled Desolate, offering a world similar to its namesake. The game is played from a first-person perspective and offers a dynamic day and night cycle. It has elements of horror and survival that really work in its favor. The game takes references from Beyond Despair and is currently rated 7/10 on Steam.
1 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat is yet another survival horror game that totally nails the feeling of a desolate open-world. It is probably the best game in the series and currently stands at 10/10 on Steam with over twelve thousand reviews. The world of this game was built to perfection when it was released, making it a one of a kind experience. This game is still an enjoyable title to play for those who love exploring desolated landscapes.
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