8 Games That Aren't Open World But Feel Like It

Key takeaways

• Many linear games include open-world elements for exploration and gameplay.
• Games like Tomb Raider, Metal Gear Solid 5, and Hitman offer open-world-like experiences within linear gameplay.
• Linear games can still offer vast, expansive spaces with freedom, giving them an open-world feel without being completely open.

The number of open world games on the market has grown over the past decade or so. This was once a rare type of game, but now you get open-world RPGs, open-world action-adventure games, open-world racing games, open-world zombie games, and more.

However, there are still many linear games. That said, some of them are also incorporating open-world elements, whether it's through the game's environment or gameplay style. Perhaps they include large maps worth exploring or a bunch of side quests to complete. Whatever open-world elements they contain, these are the best non-open-world titles to feel like open-world titles.

8 Tomb Raider

2013's Tomb Raider serves as one of the best video game reboots of all time. It changed a lot of things about the famous series, including adding a bit more of an open-world feel. The game is set on an island where Lara Croft and her allies initially crash land.

The island is divided into different areas, which you pass through as you make your way through the main story. Each area contains challenges to find and complete things. You can also freely go back to places you have visited before. However, the fact that you're always drawn to the main objective and there's usually only one path forward means it's clearly not an open-world game.

Compared to the rest of the games in the series, Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain feels like an open world game. After all, most missions take place on one of two maps. There is a map of Afghanistan and the Angola-Zaire border area

Map. Each one is filled with different outposts and notable locations that you visit in both the main story and side missions.

What keeps it from being truly open world is that you aren't really encouraged to explore these maps. Instead, you are encouraged to make regular visits to your base, which is not on the map. It fits into the semi-open-world game category.

6 Humiliated 2

From a gameplay perspective, Dishonored 2 is by no means a linear game, as you are able to take different paths and try different things. Overall, though, it's still fairly linear as you take on one mission after another in a set order.

Each of those missions places you in a different district or area of ​​Karnaka City. These districts are often very large and feel like mini open-world maps. Plus, the open gameplay means you can take different paths to your objective, which adds to that open-world feel.

5 Super Mario Odyssey

There are many 3D Mario games that feel like open-world titles, including Super Mario Odyssey. During the game, you visit various different worlds that contain a collection of power moons for you to acquire.

Some moons you'll find, while others are rewards for completing small challenges. So, that means the game involves a lot of exploring and completing side stuff. Hence, sometimes it feels like you are playing an open world game. However, it is not quite open world as all the worlds are completely separate and serve on individual levels.

4 The Last of Us Part 2

The Last of Us Part 2 is certainly one of the most controversial games in recent memory, but what shouldn't be controversial is that it's not an open-world game, even if it often feels like it.

It's time to feel like an open-world game when you're riding your horse around Seattle and visiting different locations on your map. However, this only happens at certain points in the game, and many missions take place in different locations. So, it's still a linear game overall.

3 Halo: Combat Evolved

Finally, the Halo series had an open-world game called Halo Infinite. However, the original game also has an open-world feel, at least in the game's second mission.

The title of this mission is Halo, and it takes place in the Halo Ring, which is an open, grassy area. At the beginning of the mission, you step out of the crashed plane and are immediately able to see how vast space is. From here, your goal is to find some marines. However, the game doesn't give you much direction. You are free to explore the place. The openness and freedom make it feel like an open world.

2 Life is Strange: True Colors

Life is Strange: In True Colors, you play as a young woman named Alex Chen who arrives in a small town to reunite with her older brother. The place is called Haven, and it serves as the setting for the entire game.

At various moments in the story, you get to walk around the place and visit certain establishments. As you walk and explore the streets, you can hear the various conversations of the townspeople. This is when it starts to feel a bit like an open-world game.

1 Hitman: World of Assassination

Technically, Hitman: World of Assassination is three games in one, as it includes all levels of Hitman, Hitman 2, and Hitman 3. Each level feels like its own open world. This is because they are large, elaborate spaces in which many people are moving around and doing things. Just exploring the map is part of the fun.

Also, there is a lot of freedom when it comes to gameplay, as you can complete your objectives in any way you want. In fact, some would argue that Hitman: World of Assassination isn't really a linear game because of how open-ended it is. Although, there aren't any side missions, activities, or anything to work towards towards the main objective, it's still a linear title, although it's very open-ended.