An open world game where you never know when it will end (in a good way)

Open world games are typically known for their massive maps and long stories, with some games being so big that they last over 100 hours. You can already tell that such games will never end, but some games go beyond that. Some open world titles use clever techniques to catch players off guard with surprising results.

In this list, we'll take a look at open world titles that will most definitely surprise you with how the storyline unfolds, while also allowing you to unlock entirely new gameplay mechanics or playable characters even after hours of playing the game. It's not uncommon to be given a false ending where the credits roll… but the story actually continues. Such moments can go a long way in shocking players and surprising them in the best way possible, so here are some truly excellent titles.

The focus here is primarily on story-driven open world games rather than free-form sandbox projects where the player controls the finale, e.g. Kensi excluded). Additionally, to extend the experience, only the base game will be considered, with no expansions that may add continuity to the main story after the original finale or the New Game+ mode.

Spoiler alert! Given the nature of this list, major spoilers for several of the game's endings below are unavoidable. Proceed with caution!

Nier: Automata

Shall I beat the game once? I haven't seen anything yet

As of today, Nier: Automata is widely known for its unique approach to the story, not only featuring 26 different endings, but requiring numerous playthroughs to fully understand the complex narrative, experience different perspectives, and reach the true ending with a truly special epilogue.

Fortunately, there are many similar cases (e.g. recent Silent Hill F), this does not mean that players should play the same game over and over again with only minor differences, similar to roguelikes. Instead, Nier: Automata There are three separate campaigns with different playable characters (although parts of the 2B and 9S stories may be broadly similar), and only by completing them all does the game's grand narrative coalesce into the bigger picture with true emotional resonance. This is a must-play for fans of moving stories.

Assassin's Creed Shadow

Wait, are there actually knights in the game?

Staying faithful to the series, Assassin's Creed Shadow is a huge open world game with a huge map and dozens of objectives to hunt and assassinate. As you begin your journey as Naoe, players will take part in a classic tale of revenge as they must eliminate the shadowy organization known as Shinbakufu for the sake of all of Japan. Wait, but that's not true. Assassin's Creed A game about assassins vs. templars?

It's not a secret Assassin's Creed Shadow Featuring two playable characters named Naoe and Yasuke, many players were surprised by the vastness of the game and its story. Some players were shocked to unlock Yasuke as a fully playable character after over 20 hours, and while many initially refused to play as Yasuke (players can mostly stick to their favorite characters), they soon discovered that Yasuke wasn't all that fun to play. Moreover, his personal arc actually involves the Templars, but is unlocked too late. AC shadow Many fans won't even know it's there.

Dragon's Dogma 2

congratulations. You won the game! It's time to wake up

Dragon's Dogma 2 It doesn't feel like a significantly different sequel. Dragon's Dogma: Dark ArisonAnd it's more like a complete reimagining of the original, relying heavily on the same (albeit very special) mechanics and unique systems as Pawn. But when the end comes, Dragon's Dogma 2 It's much bolder than its predecessor, making it one of the most notable examples of “fake” endings in the open world genre to date.

Upon completion Dragon's Dogma 2After defeating the final boss and rolling the credits, the player suddenly finds himself back in the game with his character, waking up in the so-called Unmoored World. This represents a special post-game continuation that visually changes the entire world while throwing additional story quests for players who must urgently answer the call. There is no rest for the wicked, right?

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The endless search for Ciri is far from everything

The Witcher 3: Wild HuntGeralt's plot is very simple. As Geralt, players will follow Ciri's trail to find out what happened to Geralt's adopted daughter and where she is now, while crossing paths with many of the world's leading characters. witcher It's a new world for Sapkowski's book and CDPR itself. When you think about how vast the world is to explore, The Witcher 3 And with how long the main quest to find Ciri continues, it's easy to assume that the game will end once you finally reach her.

As some might guess, that's not true. Even after finding Siri The Witcher 3: Wild HuntThe game, which can easily take over 50 hours, continues, with arguably the game's best and most epic moments ahead of the player. Finding Ciri takes up about two-thirds of the game's expansive story, and players will spend a lot of rewarding time with Ciri after completing two full games of hints and foreshadowing, leading perfectly into the protagonist's turn in the next game. The Witcher 4.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Goodbye to Arthur, goodbye to John.

Red Dead Redemption 2 A complete open world game with one of the longest and most memorable stories in all of gaming. For approximately 50 to 80 hours, players take on the role of Arthur Morgan as he navigates the ups and downs of the Van der Linde gang throughout a changing United States. As Morgan's story reaches its emotional peak in the finale, RDR2 Find the perfect solution to make the ending meaningful while keeping the player's world state intact and continuing.

Players can freely explore the world and tackle any side quests Arthur Morgan missed while unlocking the story epilogue with the playable John Marston, achieved through an unexpected protagonist switch after the finale. Not only that, but the whole Red Dead Redemption 2 The epilogue has a surprisingly long story, offering 17 missions that last nearly 10 hours and even taking players to new areas of the map.

Ghost of Yotei

This time Saito will never be able to escape.

Ghost of Yotei Although its narrative tricks aren't as groundbreaking as some of the other games on the list, Sucker Punch's samurai open-world adventure has at least a few strengths worth mentioning. The first is the now famous “Chapter 2” screen that suddenly welcomes players about 40 hours into Atsu's story. Needless to say, this has proven to be an effective way to remind fans just how long and epic this adventure is, and judging by the game's subreddit filled with shocking posts, it certainly hits the spot.

Second, players can assume that they are getting closer to the ending by having parts of the map explored. Ghost of YoteiThe game still manages to surprise you multiple times, with Yotei Six objectives constantly slipping from Atsu's grasp, most notably Lord Saito himself. Several times, Saito was finally cornered, but he had no choice but to dodge again. Furthermore, the game's final mission is placed outside of the main explorable map, making it more difficult for players to predict when the final mission will actually occur.

Don't believe anything, because it stays true to the theme of espionage.

It's natural to expect surprises from Hideo Kojima's creations, but he's been known to toy with audiences for years, so the legendary game designer has done more than just that. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. The game not only offers separate features; ground zero The prologue serves as a sort of small demo of the stealth mechanics of the entire game, but the real surprise is closer. Phantom Pain's finale left fans scratching their heads as the game ended abruptly at Mission 31, with the credits rolling without a proper ending.

The good news is metal gear solid 5 Afterwards, players can continue to complete side objectives, upgrade their base, and take on numerous post-game story missions. But that's just a distraction from the game's secret unlockable Mission 46, which finally provides the true ending with a shocking twist that turns things upside down after about 80 hours. Since then, who would dare say that Kojima isn't a genius?

Elden Ring

An unpredictable finale

Last but not least, Elden Ring One of the biggest and longest open-world games of this generation so far, Hidetaka Miyazaki's masterpiece isn't interested in specific tricks to surprise players, but it's a sprawling game where you never know when it will end. With so many large areas hidden beneath the surface of the original map, it's impossible to guess how much of the game is left simply by evaluating the parts of the map that have been explored, as new areas are constantly introduced depending on the quest of the character the player follows.

Elden Ring It also contains an unexpected twist in the narrative near the ending, as many people expected the finale to involve reaching the Forge of the Giants and burning Erdtree. Instead, the story continues in the ever-changing world beneath the Burning Tree, with some of the game's toughest boss encounters and major revelations yet to be faced.