Sports as a hobby can be whatever you want it to be. It can be relaxing and comfortable, where you just sort of go into autopilot mode and keep planting turnips. Stardew Valley without a care in the world. It can tap into your deepest powers like fantasy Witcher 3 and SkyrimWhere death may happen once or twice, but you can recover very quickly and learn the ropes of battle quickly.
The best open-world games that are hard to put down
A well-designed open world can keep players hooked for countless hours, sucking them into an immersive world they won't want to leave.
Then, there are games that make you sweat. Stressful experiences that force you to think critically and strategically about every little detail. They can be incredibly frustrating to play, as they are quick to punish you for going into lazy mode, but they are addictive to a niche of players who love to be rewarded for their hard work. If you're not stressed enough in your real life, here are some games that you absolutely need to lock down.
the forest
Starts slow, but builds to a tight crescendo
the forest Starts off pretty well, but what makes this game challenging is the increasing difficulty of the enemies as time goes on. Like any survival game, you need to be well prepared, and you need to think strategically here. It all starts with your choice of base location and setting up solid defense systems via traps against the cannibals that share the island with you. Even if you are battle-ready, do not underestimate your enemies: you are alone, and they are many.
It can be tempting to head out and explore, but you always need to be 100% prepared, especially if you venture out into some of the caves found on the island. These are some tough spots the forestSo make sure you have the proper gear, weapons, food, and, of course, water. Essentially, it's a game where you constantly work to prepare yourself, race against the clock, almost, and end up dying over and over because you don't have a clear plan or goal to work towards.
external
Planning ahead is everything
external A brutal fantasy RPG world, where you play as if you are inside Skyrim Will earn you more than an instant slap on the wrist. The world is very unforgiving, and it takes serious work to become powerful. You'll need to grind for better armor, cook food, and brew potions to make yourself stronger. Before that, don't even think about challenging any enemies you find there, let alone roaming the dungeons. Even in a group, it's not uncommon for enemies to destroy players in just two hits.
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This is a game that favors those who have the patience to plan. Because it has a large amount of RPG gameplay, you might not think of it as a survival game, but it does share a lot of similarities with other games in that genre in the sense that you have to strategically pick your fights while meeting needs like sleep and thirst. When you hold your own later in the game, combat is not something you should take lightly, as the attack pattern is a real thing.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Blazing will kill you when going guns blazing
hunter 2 A shooter you may be, but you're not exactly a mastermind at this game. Part of the difficulty comes from being known affectionately STALKER jank, a persistent issue from earlier games in the franchise. in The heart of ChornobylEnemies have been reported to see you through walls and shoot at walls without looking at you. Mind you, the original games tend to be more punishing than this, and hunter 2 There is still a great punishment for the inevitable.
Stealth and strategy are your greatest friends in this game, and running into gunfire is usually a death sentence. Not only should you be aware of your surroundings and improperly tuned enemies, but also your gear, your ammo and any consumables. You should feel confident going into the field with a plan in mind. It can be tempting to rush encounters and feel powerful with a new gun in your hand, but the game is always one step ahead of you. Knowing it's a marathon, not a sprint, will get you far in the zone. Oh, and save often, because you'll die often.
green hell
The title is not a joke
Back to more survival games, green hell One that certainly justifies its name with brutal gameplay. The tropical wilderness is an unforgiving place, and surviving it will test your guts, health, and mental fortitude. Running around aimlessly will kill you very quickly in this game, and again, trying to rush your goals or force a plan to fall will only add to the frustration.
where green hell What really shines is that it respects your intelligence. This is a game that tests your observation and learning skills in the jungle, as you listen for signals from threats like jaguars and crocodiles. There is no handholding involved here; It's up to you to figure out what it will take to survive, but common sense and a large dose of logic are going to come in handy here. This is a power fantasy game or something MinecraftHowever, so expect the pacing to be very slow and the gameplay to be brutally stressful, especially in the beginning as you set up the safehouse and find your water and food sources.
Kenshi
The world is unapologetically evil
Because we are about a cruel world, Kenshi Another title that will reward players with enough flexibility and patience. It's a title that regularly likes to remind you that your existence is irrelevant, and that you're not actually Rivia or Geralt of Dragonborn. You're just a living person, but the good thing is that it's up to you to decide what your story will be. There's a lot of freedom involved, though it comes with a steep cost and a steep learning curve.
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Not all open-world games offer an easy start. Here are some great examples that feature incredibly tight openings.
Kensi's The (many) first hours are a brutal experience where you have to learn skills, die and die again. You will be down, attacked, and down again, and then have to recover to full health during the game. Its combat immediately frustrates anyone who jumps in without proper gear and preparation, sending them back to the drawing board. The good news is, failure is a pretty effective teacher, and it's one of the more rewarding games to grind, as long as you have the patience to be methodical about your approach to survival and combat.
Project Zomboid
Be ready for anything, anytime
However Project Zomboid Allowing you to experience it a little less punishingly than its more “default” modes, we'll focus on the standard experience you'll find in Apocalypse game mode. This means decently tough zombies that are smart and deadly, especially if the player gangs up on them. While you're looting the world for items to survive and find your safehouse, you really have to take things slow and methodical to avoid getting too many zombies on you at once or succumbing to exhaustion.
This means everything takes longer Project ZomboidAnd you have to calculate every decision you make, including when you enter the building, what you're working on next, and what your plan is if everything goes wrong and you sound the alarm. Since you need to be constantly aware of your surroundings, you can just rush inside the building, but you need to check your corners and hide behind closed doors. It is really a stressful experience that will cut you and hurt you soon if you are not careful.
Kingdom Come: Redemption 2
Realistic melee combat that punishes mindless slashing
Kingdom Come: Redemption 2 was released in 2025, and many newcomers, thinking it was a more basic, non-fantasy Skyrim Were surprised by the RPG, combat. Yes, this is far from a fight over forgiveness matters Skyrim. The previous game was also famous for its deep and realistic combat that encouraged patience and observation. This is a game where both Henry's training and the player's constant practice against enemies pays off.
You'll have to pay attention in combat, wait for cues to hit the right block, and bide your time when it comes to going on the offensive. Just ignoring someone will drain your stamina, and your opponents will quickly cut you down without mercy. It's definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but if it clicks for you, it can be an extremely fun and rewarding system.
Alden Ring
Don't snooze, even while exploring
Of course, we need a Soulslike game here, and Alden Ring Is the perfect candidate. Although it is certainly one of the easiest and most accessible of its genre to break into, Alden Ring Don't let you get complacent. There are some decently hard bosses in the game (we all remember Malenia), and the DLC ramps up the difficulty even more. You can't hack into bosses indiscriminately; Dodging and timing are essential parts of any tainted player's skill set. You'll be on your toes even when exploring bosses, dungeons and different locations. There are enemies lurking around the corner, ready to chainsaw you, as well as tanky, patrolling knights that force you to play for your life until the next grace.
Of course, as you grow more powerful, these challenges become trivial, but on your first playthrough of a legacy dungeon, if you're not completely over-leveled, you'll keep your eyes open and finger on the so-called trigger. It's not uncommon for Death Screen to attack you out of nowhere, especially with powerful and devastating status effects like Bleed, Scarlet Rot, and Death Blight that can be applied by ordinary rank-and-file enemies.
The best open-world games with purposeful slow combat, ranked
These open-world games manage to add a unique challenge and strategy to their combat while slowing it down.
