The best slow burn open world RPG

Open world games are known to have long play times that can last anywhere from 20 to 100 hours before finally ending. This is possible for several reasons. Mainly because there is enough content to keep players invested in both the main story and side quests, but also because the world is so massive that it would literally take several days of in-game time to fully experience everything. But in many cases, the best parts of the game are actually found much later in the story, with many of the early parts feeling like tutorials or prologues to the main adventure that awaits them.

This doesn't necessarily mean that the beginning of the game is boring or unenjoyable, just that things get more interesting as time goes on. The best example of this is when the game actually starts off in a completely different way, allowing players to explore vast areas that they literally couldn't even access beforehand. But it's also important that the story progresses accordingly, guiding the player forward with a purpose that begins to become much clearer as they progress toward the mid-game. It also helps when players feel like they are in complete control of the gameplay. This is because many games have a fairly steep learning curve that takes a significant amount of time to get used to, but once you do, you'll feel much more comfortable and have a much better time overall.

Elden Ring

Finally everything falls into place

details:

• Huge areas become accessible

• Players become accustomed to combat over time.

Elden Ring Soulslike is practically the poster child for early gaming struggles, as even for fans of the genre, your first steps into the world can feel overwhelming. Without guidance on where to go, players must instead venture out in search of action, encountering dungeons and field bosses, hopefully picking up plenty of treasure along the way. The first section of play takes place primarily in Limgrave, where players can learn the ropes and become accustomed to a more organic style of exploration. When players finally clear Stormveil Castle, they are presented with an even more impressive landscape than they started with, the world opens up significantly and the main journey truly begins.

From then on, the world is truly the player's oyster, and there are so many directions and options to choose from that it can be difficult to actually know where to start. Some return to Caelid to face the horrors of the rotting swamp, while others follow the main path into the academy and uncover the magical mysteries that lie within. There's really no right or wrong path to choose, and thanks to how easy it is to move between locations, there's no reason players can't sprint east for a while and then quickly scoot in the other direction, jumping between the impressive main boss and side content found in every corner of the map.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

A slow burn that pays off

details:

• Character arcs start to fall into place.

• A greater meaning unfolds over time.

The Witcher 3 It starts off as a relatively small-scale story, focusing on monster contracts and local politics, which can feel quite shabby compared to the enormity of the world. Additionally, the initial combat and progression can feel quite limited, and while it's effective enough to take out most basic enemies without a problem, it's clear that there's a lot more to uncover in the future. Over time, more areas become accessible and players will venture further afield and meet new characters who will quickly become integrated into the larger story.

Once players get through the early areas, the game's storytelling truly blossoms. Quest lines become morally complex, characters gain tremendous depth, and previous choices extend far beyond initial interactions, revealing players a level of narrative depth that never existed in the first place. Additionally, huge locations like Novigrad and Skellige suddenly become focal points both in the narrative and the players' own exploration, making the world feel much larger and more vibrant than expected.

Xenoblade Chronicles

freedom that can only be achieved

details:

• A slow circuit that completely turns your head upside down.

• Flight that opens the world

Xenoblade Chronicles Despite the huge world, it felt quite limited at first. Movement seems grounded and doesn't take advantage of the scale of the environment, and the world of the mummy can feel threatening rather than liberating, with no way to properly navigate it from above. This makes the first few hours feel much more linear, as players begin to figure out the intricacies of combat and meet the numerous characters that will follow them throughout the story.

Once the Skell is unlocked, everything changes, and both movement and combat change dramatically, allowing players to engage with the world in the way it was intended. Later, when airplanes become available, Mira is transformed into one of the most exhilarating open worlds ever created, allowing you to fully reach vertical positions and distant landmarks in an instant. The evolution of movement alone is enough of a reason to overcome the initial obstacles and gives players huge rewards that they will never take for granted.

Kensi

Suffered before becoming self-sufficient

details:

• Brutal survival and constant failure

• The mechanics become clearer and player agency becomes critically important.

Kensi It's notoriously unforgiving at first, as players have to deal with weak characters, scarce resources, and a world that offers no protection or guidance for the next steps. There will be many failures and defeats that will define how players perceive the game early on, and because of how complex the mechanics are, it can be quite difficult to figure out where to go. Because survival is the primary focus, the world can feel terrifyingly dangerous and cruel before players can comfortably work toward other goals. Because everything from wild animals to blood-hungry thieves, your entire party can be wiped out in seconds.

Over time, that difficulty becomes the game's greatest strength, giving players a sense of accomplishment after overcoming difficulties that once blocked their progress. As your squad grows stronger and your settlement takes shape, the game transforms into a complete player-driven narrative sandbox where anything is possible. And after enough time is invested, the struggle for survival becomes a joy of prosperity, rewarding patient players with an unparalleled level of freedom over their own adventures.

Kingdom Come: Salvation

From farmer to knight

details:

• Early hours filled with clumsy combat and limited abilities

• Meaningful development that quickly translates into an unrivaled RPG experience

Kingdom Come: Salvation It's deliberately hostile and lackluster at first, introducing Henry as a weak, undisciplined individual who struggles with even basic tasks. Fighting in the early hours can sometimes feel like an immediate loss. A single rogue can easily overwhelm a player, and even if you focus more on other aspects of the game, you'll still have to manage many factors, from hunger to sleep to social reputation. The sheer commitment to realism can be very difficult to overcome, but with enough determination and will, players will soon be treated to a truly unique medieval RPG in the genre.

After a slow march through the opening minutes, the game changed radically as all the previous struggles began to fall into place. Sword fights become tense skill-based duels rather than chaotic skirmishes, and legitimate alternatives to brute force open up other options like stealth and diplomacy, giving players a sense of greater control over how they play. Additionally, the world begins to react more meaningfully in unexpected ways, with reputation affecting dialogue and quest outcomes, and even how guards treat Henry, helping the world feel as authentic and immersive as possible. Despite his struggles as a clumsy farmer, the player eventually takes on the role of a noble knight, rescuing people in distress and making a name for himself in the world.