10 Open World Games with UNIQUE MECHANICS

Some open world games introduce clever activities and tricks that really help make the game feel unique and innovative. Here are some great recent examples.

0:00 Intro
0:16 Sunset Overdrive
2:01 Dying Light
3:26 GTA 5
5:31 Middle Earth Shadow of Mordor
7:12 Watch Dogs Legion
9:16 State of Decay
10:27 Gravity Rush
11:52 Driver San Francisco
13:25 Death Stranding
14:54 Outer Wilds
16:37 Ghost of Tsushima

[James-gjrn]

I love the wind guide system in Ghost of Tsushima, it eliminates the need to look at your map and encourages exploration (I wonder what Sucker Punch will do next? I want a sequel to that game, absolutely LOVED it, it was a brilliant way to send off the PS4 era)

[Choteron]

Really love that every time you switch characters in GTA V you catch them up doing something (helps a lot to immersion)

[JWhitesAZone]

Shadow of The Colossus was pretty neat as well. The light mechanic guiding to the bosses and revealing their weakness, hints to the puzzles. Not to mention that game came out on PS2, pretty amazing experience.

[grubitv.]

The Nemesis system is the coolest thing ever I love it so much

[coltonjobst]

I Sunset Overdrive. One of the few games I actually went out of my way to try and 100%

[cameronk]

I would add Just Cause 2 to this list (and its sequels). The grappling hook and infinite parachute mechanics are freaking awesome! It's so much fun to hijack a plane, cruise around the island, jump out and skydive, then grapple hook into the ground and survive! I've spent many hours just fooling around in Panau. Also grapple-hooking people and objects together can create some hilarious situations.

[AdamasOldblade]

Ghost of Tsushima is like a 15 out of 10 to me. I utterly love everything about it... I remember the first time I saw the wind mechanic during that like 20 minute game preview and I literally said out loud, "OH MY GOD THAT'S SO SMART, WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG TO THINK OF THAT?!" And it wasn't a gimmick, it just worked so perfectly.

[jazzyj]

Okay I've never played ghost of tsushima, but this is one of the most brilliant renovations to a standard mechanic I've ever seen. I want this in more games.

[jscottreel]

Great topic and list. Made me think of the underrated Mad Max and the unique mechanic of building up the Magnum Opus with Chumbucket.

[ElectronicFirstcom]

Man, Gravity Rush was so cool, albeit short. Haven't gotten around to trying the sequel because I forgot all about it. Thanks for reminding me!

[secretscarlet]

Love Gravity Rush! It may be weird with the story and stuff, but the sheer freedom of being able to jump off a building a flail through the air is like no other.

[malhavoc]

State of Decay and Red Faction: Guerrilla are some of my all-time favorite games, because of how unique they are. I frequently return to play them, because you can't find anything like them elsewhere.

[RaiOkami]

This list reminds me of one of the lesser known Spiderman game: Web of Shadows.

When I played that on Wii, I was blown away by the plane shift when you were fighting AND comboing enemies ON THE WALL. At that point, I never had any game do that so it was pretty cool for an open world game. Its web swinging mechanics was pretty good too before Spiderman PS4!

[mohammadashikurrahman]

I would say any assassin's creed would fit this list for its time. Like the brotherhood mechanics from AC brotherhood, advanced parkour from AC unity, AC black flag for its revolutionary ship combat or even the first AC game for its free flowing parry/counter mechanics and obviously the realistic parkour. Great video 👍.

[CerberusLives]

On day/night cycles, I remember night in Dragon's Dogma being legit terrifying. Creeping through actual pitch blackness in only a small pool of light cast by your torch and having a fucking chimera leap out of the shadows is a memory that has stuck with me ever since.

[ahtano]

Gravity rush 1 & 2 are such underrated titles, and if you played gravity rush 1 on the vita you're an OG. Really hope they make another game in the series someday

[fgiv]

Outer Wilds getting some love. One of the greatest games I’ve ever experienced. Haven’t gotten that level of feels from a game since. Good stuff gameranx

[leaf]

Keep up with the good work we love the videos you guys do

[kennethwebb]

The outer wilds is a true piece of art.
One of my faves of all time at this point.

[carlmichaud]

Love how in Valheim you have to put the icons on your world map as you explore. You're making the map and it pushes you to explore