Summary
Open-world games are just as much about the small details as they are about expansive exploration, and NPCs play a major role in bringing this feeling of immersion to players. Particularly in frequently visited locations, players will soon become wary if a character is glued in perpetual animation doing a single task all day. What brings these characters, and therefore their worlds, to life, is the feeling that they are truly living in the universe that the player finds themselves in.
Some games go the extra mile to ensure that NPCs have a fully fleshed-out schedule, offering increased levels of immersion and believability in the game world. This can greatly enhance the experience for players, particularly in unusual settings such as in fantasy and adventure games. It is this attention to detail that provides longevity for many games, as the followingopen-worldexamples demonstrate.
Updated on 28th July 2024 by Andrew McLarney:The open world genre continues to be one of the most popular and versatile in the entire market. With a huge range of subgenres, from survival and fantasy to cyberpunk and medieval, there are few genres that enable players to become so immersed in game worlds. Several new entries reflect the variability of the genre, as well as consider the importance of day and night cycles on the players as well as just NPCs.
It isn’t hard to see whyHogwarts Legacywas thebest-selling game of 2023considering the amount of effort that went into recreating an immersive Hogwarts environment, complete with a vast open world beyond it for players to explore.
While the base game might not be as immersive as some would have liked, PC modders haveintroduced a game-changing mechanicto NPCs, which sees them go to classes and mealtimes, as well as their dorms, at all the appropriate times.
BothThe Forestand its sequelSons of the Forestput players on a remote island after a plane crash, forcing them to adapt andevolve through crafting tools, building structures, hunting food, and collecting water. In addition to this, they must also face off against roving tribes of cannibals and mutants.
What makes the day and night cycle so important here is the frequency of cannibal patrols during the night and the abundance of food during the day. Generally, the game forces players to create their own ideal routine of scavenging for food and materials by day and defending their pickings by night.
WhileAssassin’s Creed: Miragewas a title that largely went under the radar, even for fans of the franchise, due to its smaller size, the game offers incredible immersion in certain situations, particularly when visiting the densely populated streets andbazaars of Baghdad city.
NPCs will be far more noticeable during the day as they carry out their daily routines, though they will also be more likely to spot Basim and raise the alarm at this time too. At night, the city takes on a very different atmosphere, one in which stealth and subterfuge are far more effective.
Set during a brutal cartel war in the stunning South American country of Bolivia,Ghost Recon: Wildlandsputs players in the shoes of an elite marine squad leader seeking to restore balance to the region and eliminate key members of the cartel.
Although large swathes of the map are barren and desolate, the populated communities feel truly alive and a real sense of liberation can be felt when the ownership of settlements has changed hands. In addition to this,combat feels more intenseat night due to the heightened presence of patrols, usually with heavier arsenals of weaponry, too.
Having experienced a recent resurgence in popularity long after its initial release in 2015,Dying Lightis arguably one of the best zombie games ever made and combines a treacherous open world with free-running mechanics and brutal combat to make for a memorable experience.
Due to the nature of the enemies, there is a stark difference inthe game’s day-night cyclewhich forces players to alter their approach when venturing out of safe zones. As a result, finding sanctuary and friendly NPCs can be a huge relief, particularly at night, when threat levels rise exponentially.
Perhaps the most realistic and immersive simulation of life in medieval Europe comes in the form ofKingdomCome: Deliverance.In addition to having to teach the main protagonist, Henry, absolutely everything, from reading comprehension to cooking and combat, it seems that the surrounding characters also live a very difficult life as they go about their daily routines.
From hunters traveling in and out of settlements to guard patrols and tavern crowds, the world ofKingdom Come: Deliverancetruly feels as though it could exist on its own, with or without the input of the player. However, players do have a chance to shape the world around them through quests and the main story, which follows the wars of an unstable Holy Roman Empire.
CD Projekt RED’sCyberpunk 2077showcases one of the most impressive futuristic megacities ever seen in gaming. Night City, named after it’s founder Richard Night, is a magnificent cesspit of gang crime and corporate tyranny.
By day, players can find busy streets and all kinds of eccentric characters wandering the markets and malls, while at night the city gives way to increased gang activity, shootouts and police chases. On top of all that, the player’s ability to choose from a range of apartments can help to immerse them in the city perfectly, to the point that they will feel like a seamless part of it.
Despite being over a decade old,Grand Theft Auto 5continues to be one of the most played games year after year, largely owing to thetremendous levels of immersioncreated by the game world and its NPCs. The expansive map allows players to glimpse into a variety of communities, from glitzy celebrity mansions in the city to impoverished trailer parks in the desert.
From relatively realistic traffic situations to hilarious street-side conversations and interactions, Los Santos and its surrounding environment is a truly rich setting with a vast amount of content to explore. Whether visiting a fast-food restaurant or being chased by a police helicopter, each character truly feels like they play a role in creating the open-world experience.
Skyrimis easily one of the most popular games of all time and with good reason. From the very start of the game through hundreds of hours thereafter, players can notice a living world teeming with unique characters each going about their own separate lives.
While player decisions can greatly affect and shape the world around them, as well asthe behavior of NPCs, the world still feels independent and active even when simply resting in a tavern or temple. From Jarls and soldiers to fishermen and mages, each character has their particular place and story, which it is up to players to uncover on their journey through the game.
Few, if any, games have been able to match the attentive levels of world-building and immersion to the same degree as Rockstar’sRed Dead Redemption 2.Eventhe wildlife alone interacts with itselfin a way that can be watched for hours on end, with predators hunting prey and migrations taking place as the seasons change.
The characters also have notably complex lives with sophisticated daily routines. Characters will have their own homes, go to jobs at certain times, as well as interact and socialize with other NPCs, all independent of the player’s actions. Players can even notice new structures being built in real-time, as the Old West begins to gradually modernize in front of their very eyes.
