It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
Eager to embark on long journeys and explore distant lands? We have some recommendations that will keep you occupied for a long time. Whether you are looking for adventure, mystery, or a genuine scare, take a look at our list of titles perfect for lovers of virtual escapades.

Explore new worlds
There’s no need in keeping your feet close to the ground, so maybe you would prefer to set off on a journey across the stars? Here we have some great possibilities.



The Outer Worlds is a mandatory title for all would-be space travelers. The game from Obsidian Entertainment has an interesting selection of seven different planets to explore (six planets and one moon, to be exact), as you travel through the corporate-controlled Halcyon system. What makes them especially fun to visit is the vast gallery of interesting characters you meet there, as well as the game’s specific, absurdist sense of humor.

No Man’s Sky is another space exploration game. Designed with an admirable sense of scale, it features an entire procedurally generated galaxy for you to explore along with its planets and creatures that inhabit them. To make matters even more interesting, the creators from Hello Games keep expanding their idea – with each new expansion the universe of No Man’s Sky becomes even more fascinating.

After the storm
What would traveling look like if the future proved to be not that stellar? Here are a few games that try to answer this question.



Mad Max is a game full of post-apocalyptic, sandy landscapes that evoke both a sense of freedom and quite tangible danger. Here the safest option is to buckle up in your car and hit the road. That’s because the wasteland is full of scavengers just waiting to bleed you dry. The world created by Avalanche Studios may be intimidating, but we simply cannot escape its raw appeal.

LOST EMBER, on the other hand, introduces a very different post-apocalyptic world. Here nature reclaims its control over the planet, covering its surface with vast forests and grasslands. In LOST EMBER you can explore the land, sea, and air, by possessing any creature you come across. This simple, yet imaginative solution brings an entirely new, fresh perspective to the exploration of a virtual universe.

Prepare your sword
If you’re longing for a journey across breathtaking landscapes filled with remnants of the past, let’s take a moment to travel in time and space.



The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is a must-play title for all virtual travelers. Over five years after the game’s premiere, the world of Northern Kingdoms presented there, with its six open-world regions of varying size, still amazes with its vastness and attention to detail. No wonder players stepping into the shoes of Geralt of Rivia spend as many times hunting for monsters, as simply riding across the beautiful landscapes.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance takes you to the medieval Kingdom of Bohemia. As Henry, a son of a humble blacksmith, you set out on a journey to change both your destiny and the realm’s future. Creators from Warhorse Studios have put a lot of effort into recreating the medieval world on our computer screens. Traveling through it will give you both a sense of adventure and wonder – as every city and region has its own unique place in a medieval microcosm.

In search of mystery
If you like to feel an itch of fear during your travels, here we have some walking simulators that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Gone Home is a very interesting title – although it avoids using typical “jump scares”, right until the very end you’ll be excited about what is going to happen next. When returning from a year abroad, you find your family home devoid of its inhabitants, yet full of secrets to unfold. Although the game from The Fullbright Company is quite contained in terms of the setting, your virtual shoes won’t have much time to rest.



The Suicide of Rachel Foster is another title about uncovering deeply hidden secrets. The game’s protagonist Nicole arrives at an abandoned family hotel in Montana in search of closure for a tragic story concerning her family. Trapped there by a snowstorm, she must face demons of the past. Although the game’s story might seem a little dark at times, playing The Suicide of Rachel Foster is actually a very atmospheric, intimate experience.

Of course, these are but a few of the open-world games and walking simulators that deserve your attention. Do you have a favorite title that lets set off on a virtual escapade full of wonders and adventure? If so, let us know what game that is in the comments!

And if you are wondering what type of virtual traveler are you, be sure to check out our quiz.
Where are the Age of Pirates games?

Not only can you freely explore the ocean in badass pirate ships, but all of the islands on foot including the forts, buildings, and towns within. It was one of the first games I thought of when I saw the title. Dont even get me started on the massive, amazing mods for it like Gentlemen of fortune!
why is the announcement page so messed up? lol :D
I really love travelling in games, and I avoid quicktravel options, especially if they aren't "world inherent" (like the Stilt Striders in MW).

I think Morrowind was the first game where I really loved simply wandering the world. But long before that I had been fascinated by the virtual worlds of 3D Construction Kit (on the Commodore 64).

Of course different games lend themselves to it in different degrees. To many enemy encounters can make travelling really annoying. Worlds that are too empty or samey start to bore even me at some point. It's nice when small details and secrets are hidden in the landscape - doesn't have to be loot, but rather place which tell a little story...

One of the best games in this regard is indeed Witcher 3 - the mood of the game changes constantly, depending on the time of day, weather and where you are. And the game is littered with little details that are completely irrelevant to the gameplay or story, but a joy to discover.

While I do get that many don't have the patience to actually "travel" from place to place and prefer using "click, I'm here" quicktravel options, I feel this takes away from the feeling of actually making a journey, covering ground and distance which is for me part of "adventure" even if not much happens. Quicktravel makes worlds small... and I like'em big ;-)
Fallout & Elder Scrolls are great open world games you can get lost in for 100s of ours.
Don't forget Daggerfall Unity. You can literally spent days in just walking from one side to other :)
I just noticed there's a new bug.. when I search a title from the top bar, for example Kingdom Come, I can't scroll the results anymore -_-'
Yes I like being a traveller, why not an astral traveller.
Heavenly flight
Wonderous night
And all the sights worth seeing
Just believe in

Astral Traveller...

Yes!
avatar
truhlik: Don't forget Daggerfall Unity. You can literally spent days in just walking from one side to other :)
While I applaud those modders for the attempt, I wish they chose the unreal engine instead, as unity has notoriously shitty performance with open-world games... Sure 2D/small scale 3D games are fine, but anything approaching the scope of a Daggerfall sized game would bring a beefy PC to its knees...

At least as far as AMD CPUs are concerned, I have a 3900x and a 3090 and I still get severe frame drops playing Planet Nomads and subnautica, even with low settings, yet I get steady frames with Death Stranding, the witcher 3, and Cyberpunk 2k77 both on ultra settings @1440p!

In all fairness, I hope I'm proven wrong as I really want to play this mod in spite of it being developed in unity, and thank fuck it's almost here!

WTF GoG, why can't I post a simple link?!

EDIT: I was proven wrong! Just played it and they wisely used mostly 2D graphics and the original low poly-meshes, I was under the impression that they would use custom-made meshes!
Post edited April 01, 2021 by TZODnmr2k5
avatar
truhlik: Don't forget Daggerfall Unity. You can literally spent days in just walking from one side to other :)
I really have a hard time understanding what people dig about this type of open world. I actually played that version and more or less finished it (using some console commands for escaping dungeons for example). However, I absolutly don't see why I would roam an autogenerated world with the same quests everywhere?
avatar
GOG.com: Do you have a favorite title that lets set off on a virtual escapade full of wonders and adventure? If so, let us know what game that is in the comments!
Morrowind can't be beaten when it comes to worldbuilding. It's one of those games that even when you saw the same places over and over again, you still feel it's a shame to use quick travel in order to travel around to complete quests. And contrary to popular opinion, I do like its gameplay. :P

Other than that, Skyrim is also one of my favourites. Not because it has an original setting - it certainly doesn't - but because I love mountains. There are some really beautiful strolls to be taken while questing there. And the gameplay isn't halfbad, even if it's quite watered down in comparison to Morrowind.

So, GOG & Bethesda, when will we have Skyrim here? Or should I scrape the word "when" from the previous sentence?
Attachments:
Post edited April 01, 2021 by Vythonaut
avatar
toxicTom: I really love travelling in games
Sounds like you should give Two Worlds a try, if you do not already have done so. The story isn't the best, but I love to explore the landscape there.
avatar
eiii: Sounds like you should give Two Worlds a try, if you do not already have done so. The story isn't the best, but I love to explore the landscape there.
Thanks, I've played through both. The first is actually often unintentionally funny, hilariously broken in parts and just not detailed enough to make travelling and exploration really fun. But I kind of still had a blast with it.

The second however was really nice in that regard. The game has a lot of issues like difficulty spikes, things that don't make sense and an end battle that is just... bollocks. But travelling and exploring was really fun in this, and it has an amazing soundtrack.
The Pirates of the Flying Fortress expansion fixed a lot of the issues, had an even better soundtrack, but sadly didn't lend itself to travelling that much.