Hello and welcome to another Side-Quest episode of Talk This! It’s Dangerous to Podcast Alone! This week, we’re talking about open worlds in video games. Wow, these games are bigger than the real world sometimes. Or at least they feel that way.
As always, you can listen to our podcast basically anywhere you want. Check it out on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Pandora (or head over to our episodes page for even more options). Or just listen below!
The Topic
What qualifies a game as “open world”? Does this answer change at all if you consider it as a designer or as a player? What’s the appeal of open worlds? What are some of the defining games of the genre? Are there issues with the way open worlds are currently designed? Where are there opportunities for growth?
The Actual Discussion
We talk about how Breath of the Wild does not seem to have launched the design revolution that many hoped it would. With Elden Ring coming down the pipe, we talk about whether that has a chance to change the landscape at all. We discuss open world fatigue and if critics are feeling it more than the average player due to having to play more of them. And, of course, we talk about our own preferences when it comes to the genre.
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Enjoy the episode! Tell us what you think in the comments or on social media. Make sure to check out last week’s episode and look forward to next week’s where we’re talking about King of Fighters and Forza Horizon 5.