Nowadays, each month is seemingly guaranteed to produce oneopen-world game, and that is a conservative number. Despite spearheading the concept’s development during the late ’90s and early 2000s,Japanese developersare not specifically associated with this genre, at least not any more so than their Western counterparts.
However, as they do not exist in a bubble, quite a few companies have naturally taken a few stabs at delivering expansive adventures, some of which managed to completely hit the mark. Thebest Japanese open-world gamesare also among the greatest releases of all time, regardless of genre. Consequently, let’s highlight a few major triumphs created by the likes of Nintendo, Capcom, Square Enix, and more.
Here are some rules and criteria to keep in mind:
Arguably one of the most polarizingJapanese open-world gamesof all time,Death Strandingcertainly does not hide the fact that it is a Kojima production. Set in a futuristic version of the United States that has become a barren wasteland, players step into the shoes of Sam Bridges, effectively a delivery person who accepts the responsibility of traveling across the harsh country to deliver boxes and, more importantly, create links between communities.
Putting aside the peculiar storytelling and uneven combat sequences,Death Strandingshines the brightest when it immerses players in complete isolation, challenging them to plot a course and then slowly walk across the unwelcoming terrain toward a distant human. The gameplay loop is not for everyone, butDeath Strandingcan be almost therapeutic if it hits somebody just the right way.
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Painis also abrilliant stealth-action gamewith a decent open-world, butDeath Strandingwas prioritized since it is a more one-of-a-kind take on the genre.
Nowadays, open-worlds tend to emphasize size, crafting maps that can be downright overwhelming at times. However, quantity does not necessarily translate to quality, andDead Risingproves that sometimes a single mall is more than enough to get the job done. An Xbox 360 exclusive that eventually received multiple remasters, Capcom’s classic follows Frank West, a photographer who finds himself stuck in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.
Trapped in Willamette Parkview Mall with survivors and the walking dead, Frank must survive for 72 hours, a process that involves scrapping together make-shift weapons that can bludgeon a few zombies down to paste. Even though some aspects are frustrating, thefirstDead Risingjust has a certain charm that very few games can match, including sequels in the same series.
Since the early 2010s, Monolith Soft has effectively specialized in open-world JRPGs, specifically throughtheXenoblade Chroniclesfranchise. Not counting expansions or remasters, the company produced four games over 15 years, all of which delivered expansive worlds and lengthy campaigns despite being generally stuck on underpowered consoles. While all four titles are great in their own right,Xenoblade Chronicles 3represents the culmination of more than a decade of successes, failures, and learned lessons.
Although not the prettiest open-world game ever,XC3nevertheless looks impressive on the Switch, particularly in terms of scale. Beyond the sheer size of the map, the 2022 release packs in a robust combat system that continually reveals hidden layers dozens of hours into a playthrough. The story is also arguably among the best in the genre, and it manages to avoid losing steam as it goes along.
Bringing together Yoko Taro, PlatinumGames, and Square Enix,Nier: Automatapropelled a niche IP,Drakengard, into the mainstream consciousness, proving to be a grand enough victory to inspire its predecessor, 2010’sNier, to receive a remaster. Set on a ravaged Earth that has served as the battleground for a pointless war for decades, the story follows two androids, 2B and 9S, as they aid the human resistance force against the machine invaders.
As with anyYoko Taro project, the narrative takes quite a few surprising turns and plenty of risks, and this aspect is by far the best part ofNier: Automata. The hack-and-slash combat is also quite good and plays out similarly to something likeBayonetta, albeit with more customization options. In somewhat of a weird case, the open-world itself is desolate, repetitive, and kind of unimpressive, but it complements the story and tone very well.
For the most part, Square Enix’s track record with open-world games is not that great. WhileFF12andLighting Returnstook big steps toward adopting the feature,Final Fantasy 15was the first to fully embrace open-world design, to mixed results. As such,FF7 Rebirth’s decision to, once again, go in this direction was greeted with some trepidation by fans, especially since it was following up a pretty linear game.
While not perfect,Rebirthis undoubtedly Square Enix’s best open-world game, and by quite a margin. Set after Cloud and company leave Midgar, the campaign quickly opens up, granting players access to multiple massive regions filled with main and optional content. Variety is offered to an extent, withRebirthincorporating plenty of mini-games, hidden bosses, secrets, and insignificant but charming side content. The visuals are also consistently gorgeous, and they are backed by smooth animation during combat scenarios.
In terms of influence and importance to the open-world concept,Shenmueis only superseded byGrand Theft Auto 3, and Sega’s game came out a few years before Rockstar’s industry-changing juggernaut. Released exclusively on the Dreamcast, the 1999 title presented players with a degree of freedom that was unprecedented on consoles, blending amartial arts epicwith almost life-sim elements. The original game holds a special place in gaming history, and its sequel is even better.
Putting aside the notoriously unsatisfying ending,Shenmue 2improves upon its predecessor in nearly every way, heightening the sense of realism in the ways players interact with the world. Yes, the game’s age can be felt nowadays, but its brilliance, innovation, and ambition still shine through.
Frankly,Shadow of the Colossusshould not have worked on the PS2, and it barely did. The spiritual successor toIcohas stood the test of time thanks to its unbeatable atmosphere, awe-inspiring creatures, and subtle but powerful storytelling. Regardless of whether someone picks the 2005 original, the PS3 remaster, or the PS4 remake, they will find themselves playing through one of the best games of all time.
Modern open-worldshave a habit of flooding players with content, filling their maps with events and activities around every corner.Shadow of the Colossusgoes in the exact opposite direction, creating a beautiful but empty world that is just home to 16 colossi that the protagonist has to hunt down to save the life of a girl. With no distractions, players are forced to exist in silence with their actions.
With games likeKing’s Field,Shadow Tower, andDark Souls, FromSoftware spent decades working adjacent to open-world design, crafting projects that granted players a fairly strong sense of freedom and discovery. Still,Elden Ringmarked the Japanese developer’s first voyage into full open-world territory, a transition that proved to be shockingly smooth. After completing a quick tutorial, players find themselves within The Lands Between, andthey can effectively go anywhere. Sure, the game includes some guidance on the best routes to take, but it is merely a suggestion and should (arguably) be ignored most of the time.
Elden Ringnever ceases to surprise, with the map being stuffed with worthwhile discoveries that are consistently satisfying to challenge, complete, or note for the future. Despite most of the game being optional, the missable content rarely comes across as filler or a waste of time, as they often deliver epic boss fights, valuable loot, lore tidbits, or explorable dungeons.
In terms of sheer volume, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is unquestionably thebest Japanese developer for open-world games. The company has produced over a dozen great entries in the genre, with most of them featuring top-notch writing, relentlessly charming humor, and fun combat (especially in more recent releases). Honestly, most oftheLike a Dragongamesare contenders for this discussion, and the same could be said for theJudgmentsubseries; however,Yakuza 0represents Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio at its absolute peak.
Chronicling Kazuma and Majima’s early days as fledgling Yakuza members, this prequel has probably the best story in the entire franchise, which in turn means it has one of the best stories in the open-world genre. Blending hard-hitting drama and intense emotions with absurdist comedy and lighthearted mini-games,Yakuza 0is a masterclass in delivering quality over quantity. Set in two relatively small cities, the game delivers densely packed maps ripe with personalities, events, and memorable characters.
Instantly making the Nintendo Switch a must-own console,The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildcame out when open-world fatigue was really starting to set in. Yet, Nintendo’s 2017 title felt completely fresh, to the point that comparing it to any other release (at the time) seemed pointless. This was a new type of open-world game, one that went on to greatly influence the genre’s direction. Even thoughTears of the Kingdomexpanded beautifully on its predecessor’s foundation,BOTWsurpassed its sequel in one key area: Sense of discovery.
Except for the ultimate goal of defeating Calamity Ganon,BOTWleaves players to their own devices, allowing them to craft their own stories as they travel through Hyrule and beyond. Open-world games are generally associated with player freedom, andBOTWdelivers on that promise arguably better than any other entry in the genre. It is a liberating experience that prioritizes the journey over the destination.
