I DON’T mean other games that let you build a car from scratch.
I’m looking for other complex open world games that throw you into the deep end without any explanation, and are completely unforgiving when you make mistakes.
Games that even actively hate the player, but give you a deep sense of satisfaction when you finally figure it out.
So no tutorial, no quest markers, no mini-map, no quick-saving, etc.
Bonus points if they also show you a glimpse into a niche culture, like My Summer Car does with rural life in Finland during the 90’s economic depression.
Other examples I can think of are Kingdom Come Deliverance in hardcore mode and Dwarf Fortress. Which ones do you know?
I can’t believe it’s been a day and no one has said Kenshi yet.
Kenshi is an open world rpg where you control one or more characters in an enormous wasteland. It’s super complicated with a ton of systems and that game really hates you. When you start your first save, you’d be lucky if you only get captured and enslaved instead of killed. Your character is a regular person in the world, not the powerful main character (the real main character is Beep) and you’ll constantly feel it.
Morrowind kinda does this. Unlike the other Elder Scrolls games that came later, you don’t have any quest markers, or anything really to help you find where you’re looking for. Most of the quests give directions like, “follow the road south till you get to the fork in the road with a big tree. Go on the eastern branch till you find a cave entrance. If you get attacked by cliff racers you’re either on the right path or you went too far. Good luck.”
The La-Mulana series. They’re side scrolling metroidvanias that absolutely hate you. Getting hit is frequently fatal. Finding secrets aren’t just for fun, they’re a requirement. Puzzles range from pretty easy to “What in the actual fuck? How do I get there?” Hints are puzzles on their own. To top it all off, the lore is amazing and very well planned out. You’re basically setting out with nothing but a whip on a quest to look for your father and, in the process, you find god…
I’ve managed to beat both a few times and can say, they are, by far, two of the most difficult and well constructed games I’ve ever played.
The Long Drive?
I mean, IDK about the gameplay being deep, but it is pretty unforgiving if you make a mistake that causes you to not be able to drive to the next location. Or sometimes you could do everything correctly and the game still says no because of RNG being bad.
Pacific Drive more or less stole this whole game’s idea pretty much.
I would also like to know what games are like that, so I can avoid them.
Nethack, a very deep and actively obtous game. If you want to figure it out yourself, its complexity is nearly on a level with dwarf fortress.
Outer Wilds does not fit 100 % your description, as it doesnt hate the player. But it is a game all about exploration and figuring stuff out yourself. And if you do things wrong, you die.
If you don’t do things wrong in Outer Wilds, you also die ;)
Yep. And that is the difference between “not doing wrong” and “doing right”. Because in the latter’s case, you don’t die. Or at least… Its complicated
Raft is kind of like this. You’re basically told nothing and you’re out at sea on a raft that you can then build with stuff you find.
It was not for me, but almost entirely for the reasons you want a game like this, from what I’m reading.
Elex
Kenshi
Noita
Stationeers. It’s a game about building and maintaining a station on another planet, with complex and realistic gas/liquid mechanics, properly recreating the refrigeration cycle and everything. You have to grow food and create oxygen and water, and manage the temperature of your station. It has one of the steepest learning cliffs ever, but there are guides for everything online.
(It’s being made by the same company making Kitten Space Agency.)
You might dig The Forest.
I died a LOT in the fucking forest.
I would argue that Tunic and probably most soulslikes would fit your description.
Neo scavenger might fit the bill. You start out naked in a Detroit that has no regard for the player.
Honestly Elden Ring kinda fits that description
Edit: And the other souls games, but they’re not open world in the same way. All of them are about learning how the game works, without quest markers or hand holding, and can feel quite punishing until you do.
Mon Bazou
Not really unforgiving, but I feel like Voices of the Void could have other gameplay aspects you’re looking for. If you like ambient horror, it’s still free to download from itch.
