Open-world games have evolved into far more than expansive backdrops. As worlds become increasingly vast and detailed—some procedurally generated and different each time—a distant mountain, once just a flat texture, might now be a real 3D terrain you can actually climb. Below, we highlight six captivating titles that treat exploration as a core mechanic, each offering a lush and often surprising environment to discover.
Why Exploration Still Matters
The draw of venturing into new worlds remains strong. Whenever a major release promises enormous, visually stunning landscapes—like Red Dead Redemption 2 with its sweeping panoramas or Cyberpunk 2077’s neon canyons—there’s a share of the audience ready to chart every hill and back alley. Even where exploration isn’t the main event, open-world games often reward those who roam off the beaten path.
Yet pure scale can be underwhelming if not thoughtfully curated. Bethesda’s Starfield hyped “1,000 planets,” but players soon realised many worlds had little more than empty plains and mineral deposits. The concept of “truly free exploration” turned out to be more about scanning from a distance than forging meaningful alien encounters. Still, for some, building outposts and collecting resources in a near-infinite universe is precisely the appeal.
Steering away from such half-hearted open spaces, we’ve picked six games that place their worlds front and centre. Whether it’s survival on an alien planet, cosmic base-building, or simply admiring vibrant surroundings, each invites you to relish the landscape itself.
1. No Man’s Sky
Platform(s): macOS, Windows, Steam Deck, Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series
Status: Fully released, still updated
Main Activity: Exploration
Multiplayer Co-op: Up to 32 on PC with crossplay
Look & Feel: Sci-fi paperback cover art in motion
Launched in 2016, No Man’s Sky famously promised an “infinite” galaxy with over 18 quintillion procedurally generated planets. Initial excitement gave way to disillusion: repeating biomes, half-baked features, a universe that felt wide but shallow. Yet over time, developer Hello Games kept evolving the title. Dozens of major updates have refined the visuals, expanded base-building, introduced story-driven expeditions, and added robust VR support.
No Man’s Sky is now a truly dynamic playground for interstellar travel and discovery. Resources can be scarce or bountiful, depending on your chosen difficulty. There’s also a vibrant online community collaborating on large bases or strange planetary outposts. The game’s biggest hook remains wandering from system to system, scanning bizarre alien species, and feeling that palpable sense of cosmic wonder—especially in VR, where the scale of giant creatures or towering flora becomes awe-inspiring.
2. The Planet Crafter
Platform(s): Windows, Steam Deck
Status: Fully released, still receiving updates
Main Activity: Terraforming a lifeless planet
Multiplayer Co-op: Up to 10
Look & Feel: Vibrantly coloured mid-range sci-fi
Set on a barren red planet reminiscent of Mars, The Planet Crafter tasks you with turning a dusty, airless wasteland into a habitable biosphere. You start in a cramped survival situation, barely able to gather resources before your oxygen runs out. Once past that initial grind, you methodically warm the planet, enrich its atmosphere, and introduce life. Watching patches of moss or the first pools of water appear is enormously satisfying, signifying genuine progress.
While you can skip the survival aspects if you prefer a calmer experience, the terraforming loop remains central. As you boost the planet’s oxygen levels and humidity, new areas and tech unlock. A recent paid DLC introduces a second planet with distinctive environments. Though it lacks the lavish visuals of some larger titles, The Planet Crafter excels at offering tangible achievements in planetary rejuvenation.
3. Lightyear Frontier
Platform(s): Windows, Steam Deck (Playable), Xbox Series X/S
Status: Early Access since March 2024
Main Activity: Tending an alien farm in a friendly mech
Multiplayer Co-op: Up to 4
Look & Feel: Bright rural idyll with science-fantasy mechs
This relaxed farming sim on an alien planet leans into vibrant colours and serene landscapes. You pilot a comfortable, upgradeable mech that can jump high, gather resources, and cultivate the soil, all while gazing at postcard-like vistas. The planet, though not extremely large, is handcrafted to provide varied biomes and handcrafted ruins. Unlike many survival sims, Lightyear Frontier has no real hostility beyond mild resource management; you can shape your farmland at your own pace and admire the surrounding beauty.
Though the emphasis is on farming, exploration is equally rewarding. The controls feel smooth, and your mech quickly gains attachments (drills, watering arms, scanners) to simplify chores. Playing with friends is possible, letting you build a cosy shared base in otherworldly meadows. The cartoonish style and mild frontier homesteading vibe create a gentle, chill gaming experience.
4. Satisfactory
Platform(s): Windows, Xbox Series X/S
Status: Fully released, ongoing updates
Main Activity: Automated factories on an alien world
Multiplayer Co-op: Up to 4
Look & Feel: Colourful alien landscapes plus industrial sprawl
Satisfactory sets you down on a lush alien planet, then entices you to exploit it thoroughly for industrial profit. Beneath the bright flora and towering rock spires, you establish conveyor belts, refineries, and machines that produce an ever-growing array of items. The scale can be immense—players often share screenshots of sprawling multi-level factories reminiscent of mechanical labyrinths.
Although the main thrust is automation, exploration is too compelling to overlook. The environment is hand-crafted and varied: from verdant forests to bizarre rock arches, everything is open to discover. Hazards like hostile wildlife keep it from being purely serene, though. The contrast between pristine nature and the busy belts and pipelines you erect gives Satisfactory a satirical edge. That said, the game’s world is gorgeous, with design and lighting that encourage you to occasionally stop building and admire the scenery.
5. Forever Skies
Platform(s): Windows
Status: Early Access since June 2023
Main Activity: Survival in a toxic post-apocalyptic Earth
Multiplayer Co-op: Up to 4
Look & Feel: Bleak but striking sci-fi dustscapes
Set in a future Earth consumed by poisonous dust storms, Forever Skies focuses on survival and exploration from the comfort of a customisable airship. You begin high above the planet’s surface, scavenging the shattered remains of skyscrapers. Resources are critical: water, food, and oxygen must be carefully replenished. Over time, you’ll develop better gear, descend into the toxic fog, and face dangerous new environments.
The atmosphere evokes a lonely, harsh world. Ruined architecture half-buried in dust storms, the ever-present grit, and the stark lighting create a hauntingly beautiful experience. It’s reminiscent of Subnautica, except you’re drifting through the sky instead of diving under the sea. As with many Early Access titles, Forever Skies still has areas to refine—some players report bugs and slow pacing. Yet it already offers a distinctive aesthetic for fans of gloomier planetary frontiers.
6. Towers of Aghasba
Platform(s): Windows, Linux, PlayStation 5
Status: Early Access since November 2024
Main Activity: Crafting and city-building in a fantasy realm
Multiplayer Co-op: Up to 4
Look & Feel: Fantastical, reminiscent of French comics and Studio Ghibli visuals
Towers of Aghasba aims to immerse you in a vivid fantasy setting replete with towering trees, floating islands, and colourful flora. You return to a lost homeland, building settlements and slowly restoring a magical ecosystem menaced by “the Söhre.” Exploration is key: you can climb anything from organic behemoths to grand structures, reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Despite launching in Early Access, Aghasba’s environment already impresses. The style merges dreamlike colours with grand, stylised shapes. Meanwhile, gameplay involves incremental resource gathering, structural upgrades, and the care of local wildlife. Though early versions have some technical hiccups and a somewhat slow progression, it’s a memorable world for those craving exotic locales.
Conclusion
These six open-world or open-ended games showcase how studios—often small indie teams—are crafting vast, detailed landscapes that go beyond typical questing. From the near-infinite procedural cosmos of No Man’s Sky to the bespoke fantasy ecosystems of Towers of Aghasba, each environment encourages genuine exploration, often blending base-building or survival. Rather than focusing on epic story arcs, they let you define your own pace and pursuits. For those who love to wander breathtaking digital terrains, they’re well worth a visit.
