Open world games with multiple layers to explore

Some of the most impressive open world games of all time are The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Red Dead Redemption 2, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Their worlds are open with very few restrictions on what players can do, but they do have their drawbacks, namely land.

Players are usually limited to traversing solid ground or, if there is any variety, dungeons below the surface. There aren't many that offer land, underground, sky, water, or even space options other than the following. Maybe over time it will become more normal for open world games to have multiple layers. Maybe it will be one of many surprises Grand Theft Auto 6 in terms of upcoming examples.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The biggest Hyrule yet

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the best example of an open world game where there is too much to see. It is built on the overworld presented in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with slightly modified terrain. Players can now go underground through a large hole and explore an almost 1:1 conversation from around the world, just with much less light. It's a much more dangerous area to explore because the lighting takes resources, there are big pitfalls, and the monsters are more aggressive. In turn, players can find more rare treasures, so sometimes the risk can pay off. Players can even pilot the mecha below, which is a novelty Zelda fans will enjoy.

The sky is also explorable as there are floating islands. It's not a full layer, but there's enough sprinkled in to cover a good chunk of the map below. One of the newest mechanics introduced in this sequel is the ability to build cars and other gadgets that can help get around the overworld, underground and sky islands more easily. Overall, this version of Hyrule is without a doubt the biggest in the series.

No Man's Sky

Galaxy exploration

No Man's Sky is perhaps one of the wildest open-world games out there, more like an open-galaxy game. When players load their game, they will have a randomly generated planet that they can then leave with their spaceship. From there, the goal is their own, aside from a vague need to reach the center of the universe. Players can leave any planet in real-time and fly there to explore the deep expanse of space between them, which may be full of asteroids, other spaceships, or enemies. By jumping between planets, players can create a connecting system to reach the center of the galaxy if they want.

Alternatively, they could also stay on planets to collect materials, scan plant life, tag animals and even dive underwater if there are water sources nearby. There are ways to break the earth apart and sometimes even dig deep into it. No Man's Sky is the perfect space simulator for anyone who values ​​exploration and crafting over combat. That said, randomly generating everything can make the worlds feel less like a catered experience, which not everyone will appreciate.

Donkey Kong Banana

Dig Deep DK

Donkey Kong Banana is one of the biggest reasons to get a Switch 2, showing the great destructibility of the console's inner workings. As Donkey Kong, players can run, jump, climb some surfaces, and even surf if they grab a piece of rubble and jump. More importantly, they can use DK's massive fists to carve into the ground. They can dig deep until they reach an impassable part, or simply carve a mountain while hunting for treasure like Banandium, which can help DK learn new skills to become a better digger.

DK can also swim, but there are no deep exploration sections. Some of the biomes have places to explore in the sky, such as the Resort Layer, which has materials that float DK into the sky, while others simply have more pole-like features to climb, such as the Canyon Layer. As players switch between biomes, the land will repair itself, so players don't have to worry about permanently destroying worlds. Donkey Kong Banana it may not have as many layers to explore in each area, but it has without a doubt the best movement and digging mechanics of any of these games to make you feel truly powerful as an explorer.

Minecraft

Just keep digging

Minecraft is a game for everyone, thanks to its simplistic blocky aesthetic and even easier mechanics to learn. Without a story or a proper tutorial, it can be hard to pick up at first, but through experimentation, players will have to learn quickly. As their blocky avatar, players will be placed on a randomly generated map where they can explore the world and try to collect materials they can use for crafting. Smashing into trees and ground with just your fists will only get players so far, as equipment like axes and pickaxes can help much more.

Players can dig deep, finding pockets of rare gems or lava worlds to explore beneath the Earth's crust. They can go into the ocean with proper equipment to explore or even create living spaces. When worlds are generated, they don't create floating spaces above to explore, but players can build stairs to get up high and create floating spaces themselves. Based on the amount of time Minecraft there is, players really got creative with underwater labs, underground minecart labyrinths, floating archipelagos and more. It's easy to see why Minecraft he ended up getting so many clones.

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Alien reboot

Xenoblade Chronicles X is one of the most liberating games Xeno franchise as players create their own explorer. The story follows humanity establishing a new colony on an alien planet to hopefully start over. As an explorer, players can travel, fight monsters, and place beacons that can mine materials and serve as fast travel points. Players cannot dig into the ground or dive deep into the planet's many water sources, but they can explore cave systems and swim.

Great point about Xenoblade Chronicles X world is that it's all seamless, meaning players don't have to worry about discovering a cave entrance to then load into it, unlike other open-world examples like The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Later in the game, players can also unlock their mechs called Skells, which speed up movement around the ground with a car-like form. Skells can also fly, allowing players to soar higher and reach new heights they wouldn't otherwise be able to travel to. Maybe not as open as other examples here, but Xenoblade Chronicles X it is undoubtedly vast.

Subnautica

Deep Blue

Subnautica is all about exploring the depths like no other game before or since, not including the upcoming sequel. When players crash their space colony into the ocean of an alien planet, they are tasked with exploring the depths below. Foraging for materials and scanning for life can help players make new breakthroughs in their lab to repair the capital ship or delve even deeper.

As beautiful as some tropical areas, with plants and colorful fish, Subnautica it can also be quite scary. There is very little in the way of combat, meaning that running away is often the best strategy against the sea monsters that may be chasing the player. Again, the focus is on deep diving, but players can also technically tread water on the surface to see if anything catches their eye, such as islands that may surface, but won't hold a candle to the diversity of the ocean. Overall, it's not as diverse as other open-world or survival games, but there's no cooler underwater world to explore than in Subnautica.