I adore indie games. While big developers release some pretty amazing games, it is an indie game that always takes the cake for me. I love watching these games become beautiful works, despite any setbacks they may have. Here are 15 of the most fun indie open-world games.
15. Rustler (Grand Theft Horse) - 2021 (PS4, PS5, XBOX, PC, Nintendo Switch)
Rustler (Grand Theft Horse) Trailer
If you’re looking for a silly, goofy game set in historically inaccurate medieval times, keep on reading! This game takes inspiration from Monty Python and GTA to create a game full of raunchy humor, hilarious playthroughs, and all-over fun.
Playing as “The Guy,” it is your time to shine in a variety of medieval events and circumstances. From feudal injustices to witch hunts to tournaments, experience the medieval times, and don’t take yourself too seriously! Enjoy the chaos that comes with stealing a horse and running from the knights who have police lights on horses of their own!
In Rustler’s sandbox, you have full freedom to do whatever you desire. Want to get a ticket for being in a NO-HORSE ZONE? Would you like to dress up as Death and scare some peasants into doing your work? You can even hire a minstrel to follow you around playing tunes!
With a top-down perspective, Rustlers brings a great old-school feel to this game while pairing it with the excitement and graphics of the modern age of video games. Wreak havoc your way in Rustlers (Grand Theft Horse)!
Fun Factor Score: 86/100
Infused with Monty Python’s charm, Rustlers is a classic!
14. ASTRONEER - 2019 (PC, XBOX, Switch, PS4)
Astroneer Trailer
Set in the 25th-century Intergalactic Age of Discovery, you play as an astronaut/pioneer (an astroneer) that is traveling to distant worlds to collect resources. Your job? Unearth rare discoveries and solve the mysteries of the universe. If you’re up to this task, then this game is for you.
As an astroneer, you are equipped with a deform tool, which allows you to reshape planets that you discover however you like! This sandbox world allows for unique creations that personalize the player’s experience.
Don’t think it’ll all be smooth-deforming though! You can traverse the entirety of seven different planets, and each one comes with its challenges and discoveries. The harsh climates and deep caves are just two of the many terrains you will cross. Are you up to the challenge?
It’s dangerous to go alone! Take some friends with you to harness the land’s resources together. Build massive bases or terraform the entire planet. It is up to you!
Fun Factor Score: 87/100
So much to see as an Astroneer!
13. Kenshi - 2018 (PC)
Kenshi Trailer
In this free-roaming RPG, play however you like as whoever you’d like. With no linear story, this sandbox post-apocalyptic game allows for a completely custom experience as you attempt to survive in this harsh world.
Stretching over 870km2, this map is entirely seamless and allows you to explore the world as fully as you like, collecting resources and building bases in attempts to survive as best you can. You can trade or thieve, be a rebel or a nomad, farm or slave away. No matter what, Kenshi has something to offer you.
Every NPC you meet has a name and a life, just like you. With complex character development on even the smallest of characters, Kenshi is the game that keeps on giving. You are equal to everyone around you, and their stories may cross your own. You are not a special hero, and you must work for your status, just like those around you.
The world around you is completely simulated and moves on with or without you. This is a game that was developed by one person for about 12 years, and they intended this game to feel as realistic as possible. Experience a new way of survival games and move with the world.
Fun Factor Score: 88/100
The detail in player mechanics is fascinating!
12. Choo-Choo Charles - 2022 (PC)
Choo-Choo Charles Trailer
There is a killer train, or spider, or… spider-train? Take down Choo-Choo Charles by any means necessary, but be careful, he knows you’re after him!
With a massive play area to navigate, you must meticulously plan your missions around the train tracks that you can take. You can go on foot, but Charles could be right behind you. With a mystery at every turn, this horror game has much to offer.
To defeat Charles, you must upgrade your train to stop him. Collect materials from all over the map to create a train on par with Charles’ own body. You can turn your train into a lean, mean, Charles-killing machine!
You’re not alone in this horror game, though. Recruit the townspeople to aid in your hunt. They want Charles gone just as badly as you do! They can help give you the inside scoop on where to go, what to do, and, most importantly, how to stay alive.
Fun Factor Score: 89/100
Eugene, you are so right.
11. Disco Elysium - The Final Cut - 2019 (PC)
Disco Elysium - The FInal Cut Trailer
With the potential to become a hero or an absolute harbinger of chaos, you, as a detective, have access to an entire city block full of stories and mysteries, and it is your job to solve them! You can decide to crack some murders, or you can take bribes from mysterious strangers.
Called the most faithful representation of desktop roleplaying ever attempted in video games, Disco Elysium allows full freedom of choice. Intimidate suspects and resort to violent tactics to make criminals talk, or dance like crazy while singing along to karaoke. Disco Elysium has it all!
There are no extras in this game! The characters around you all have their own lives (and their own secrets to hide). With a revolutionary dialogue system, you can ask almost anything you’d like, freely talking to these characters in whatever way possible.
The entire game is also fully voice-acted. By bringing this game to life, the voice acting allows for a diverse character board that pulls you into its clutches. Immerse yourself even deeper in this mystery game.
Fun Factor Score: 90/100
Just a small glimpse at this amazing dialogue!
10. Outer Wilds - 2019 (PC, PS4, PS5, XBOX, Nintendo Switch)
Outer Wilds Trailer
In this roguelike open-world game, you play as an astronaut exploring a solar system caught in a time loop. Using what you know after each loop, you are able to discover te secrets of the solar system and find out what created the time loop. But can you stop the loop altogether?
The roguelike nature of this game allows you to change the very areas you are exploring simply with the passage of time. Change the way time flows and unlock new areas, mysteries, and secrets. Each mystery is yours to uncover but beware of the hazardous conditions that guard it.
Every area of the map is accessible to you, but it is up to you to get to it before the world collapses every 22 minutes. You must plan your trips accordingly and race against time to discover the secrets of the universe.
Using a variety of unique gadgets, you can probe your surroundings, investigate mysterious signals and ancient writing, and, of course, roast the perfect marshmallow. This game has a lot to offer you, and will continue to be a game you love to play!
Fun Factor: 91/100
Play me a song; you’re the banjo man.
09. The Long Drive - 2019 (PC)
The Long Drive Trailer
In this driving simulator, you must survive in the lonely, post-apocalyptic world with no one but yourself to rely on. Whether it's funneling fuel from abandoned cars or climbing mountains you see in the distance, the choice is yours. Drive where you please!
Choose your chariot! With 13 different vehicles to choose from, all with varying numbers of wheels, you can travel however you’d like in The Long Drive! Pick your favorite and drive as far as you can for as long as you can!
Everything is explorable! If you see it, you can go to it. Whether it's a mountain in the distance or a rusted semi that looks like it contains some good loot, it's yours for the taking. Collect resources, fuel, and other fun gadgets to thrive in The Long Drive.
You can even adjust your mirrors! The cars that you drive are just as adjustable as the car you drive to work every day. Change the speed, mirrors, and even the radio to customize your driving experience as much as you can.
Fun Factor Score: 92/100
This road sure is long. How about some tunes?
08. Kingdom Come: Deliverance - Release Year (Platforms)
Kingdom Come: Deliverance Trailer
Thrown into a civil war, Henry, son of the blacksmith, watches as his family and friends are slaughtered before his very eyes. With only the spirit of revenge to guide you, it is up to you to avenge their deaths.
The game takes great care to build Bohemia as accurately as it would have been in medieval times. It’s not just the look of Bohemia that’s accurate, though. In Kingdom Come: Deliverance, you can meet actual historical figures that can aid you on your journey.
With a dynamic world at your fingertips, every decision you make matters. If you lie, cheat, and steal, you’ll gain a reputation, and people will treat you accordingly. If you’re heroic and kind-hearted, people may be more willing to open up to you. The way you are perceived is completely up to you.
With everything from dense forests to majestic castles, this open-world map has it all. You can explore the entirety of the map., and secrets and resources are waiting for you at every turn. Leave no stone unturned!
Fun Factor Score: 93/100
Sprawling fields and villages for you to explore.
07. Gloria Victis - 2016 (PC)
Gloria Victis Trailer
In this massive MMORPG, the players run the world! With a map designed by lovers of Witcher, your medieval-loving heart is ready to see this game! Play however you like, as a daring knight or a hardworking farmer—the choice is yours!
With the ability to build all around the world, the map is constantly changing. Siege fortresses and build up your defenses, but be prepared to change with the land! As players take control of the map, it is up to you to survive!
There are no classes in this game. You can be whatever you want to be without being limited by a class chosen at a low level. Have access to all kinds of weapons and equipment to play the way you want to play!
The map is built with the center being the hub for higher risks—but higher rewards. Will you live your life on the outskirts becoming wealthy and powerful like a nomad? Or will you charge straight into the lion’s den and fight for your power? It is all up to you!
Fun Factor Score: 94/100
Fight for the chance at power!
06. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord - 2022 (PC, PS4, PS5, XBOX)
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Trailer
In a world torn apart by civil war, there is only one way to achieve legendary power: fighting. Take up your sword and throw yourself into the depths of battle, raise your army, and create a new world for yourself. Join the quest for power!
Using Mount & Blade’s real-time battle system, you can put your skill to the test as its intuitive AI tries to take you down! The battlefield is never the same, and you must rise to meet the increasing challenges.
Command your troops! Raise armies, engage in politics, and establish dominance in this world of war! You aren’t the only one after power, though, and it is up to you to keep the ground that you have so masterfully captured!
Two playthroughs are never the same in this ever-changing world. With players from all over the world, the battlefields are moving, growing, changing, and dying with or without you. Will you be able to keep up with the fight? Replay as many times as you want for as much power as you can accrue!
Fun Factor Score: 95/100
Take power for yourself!
05. Unturned - 2014 (PC, PS4, PS5, XBOX)
Unturned Trailer
Zombies have taken over the world! You are one of the very few survivors, not yet turned into the zombies that now plague the world. It isn’t going to be easy to stay that way, but you’ll be damned if you don’t try.
Struggle to survive in this new age, and zombies aren’t your only problem! Your hunger could take over, and turning won’t be your worst nightmare if you starve. Plant crops, fish, and hunt to keep yourself full and surviving!
Zombies aside, players also could be after you as well! Fight for your chance at survival, or join a roleplay server and tell a story with a community. PvP areas make for more fun and more battles as you traverse this world.
Don’t forget about the NPCs! Complete quests for NPCs as you travel, and gain resources, allies, and more. Fend off the undead hordes that come for the villages, and explore radioactive areas to uncover secrets about the zombies. To survive, you must explore.
Fun Factor Score: 96/100
Fight off the undead!
04. ARK: Survival Evolved - 2017 (PC, PS4, XBOX, Nintendo Switch)
ARK: Survival Evolved Trailer
Stranded on a mysterious island called ARK, it is up to you to survive. Craft weapons and equipment, and find a way to tame the leviathan monsters that roam the world around you. You must fight your way through the hazardous terrain and find a way to escape!
With a dynamic world with different temperatures and weather, your survival will be made that much more challenging. You must find water, food, and adequate shelter to bear the unnatural elements that plague your new home.
Summon mythical creatures to act on your will! Use sacrificial rituals to gain the attention of god-like beings that will fight before they decide you are worthy. If they are defeated, you will obtain massive rewards that will help you thrive in this new world.
This is no leisurely game, either. Using hardcore mechanics, you will constantly be on the move as your items' durability will deplete, and your stuff can always be stolen. Be on the lookout for enemy players as they may find a way to take what’s yours!
Fun Factor Score: 97/100
Explore on the backs of incredible dinosaurs!
03. DayZ - 2018 (PC, PS4, XBOX)
DayZ Trailer
Survive in the ruins of a once-great civilization for as long as possible! With 230 square miles of post-Soviet country, it is up to you to avoid Infected people whose only goal is to have you dead. Fight for your survival in DayZ.
Only 60 players are in one server struggling to survive at a time. If you come across one, it is your choice what to do. Make a friend, kill on sight, or avoid at all costs, the risks and rewards are in your hands. With other players roaming the world, one playthrough will never be the same.
Survive the Chernarus virus. Survive the elements. Survive yourself. You are fighting off hunger, thirst, and hypothermia all while avoiding the infected, and it is your chance to learn how to survive. Using complex survival mechanics, master your survival with equipment and weapons that you can loot and craft.
This game is also free to mod! Find a server that matches your playstyle, and meet up with players to create a story for yourself. Using mods, you can change your playthrough as much as you like, and create a story all your own.
Fun Factor Score: 98/100
Survive the DayZ using your wits and a healthy lot of luck.
02. The Long Dark - Release Year (PC, PS4, XBOX, Nintendo Switch)
The Long Dark Trailer
Another post-apocalyptic survival game has made this list, but this one is a little different. No zombies, no dangerous virus, and no one else but yourself in this world. The Long Dark takes place after a geomagnetic disaster where you are the lone survivor. Can you survive this dark, isolated world?
Every decision you make in this game matters. It is life or death. When you die in The Long Dark, your save is deleted and you must begin again. Survival is the only way, and you must survive.
There is no one to help you but yourself. The Long Dark will always provide the players with the information they need, but it is up to them to put it to use in their survival. You must earn the right to survive.
With a map spanning 50+ square kilometers, you can gain hundreds of resources and weapons that will aid in your survival, but what will it take to get them? To survive, you must keep moving.
Fun Factor Score: 99/100
Find your way in this dark expanse.
01. The Forest - 2018 (PC, PS4)
The Forest Trailer
You are the lone survivor of a jet crash, and you have landed in a mysterious forest with creatures you’ve never seen before. In this first-person survival horror game, you must survive. Are you up for the challenge?
In this open-world game, you can chop down every tree, explore every cave, and know no bounds to where you can and cannot go. Explore the huge forest that you crashed in and uncover the secrets of its shadows.
Defend your base against some human-like creatures that look at you like you’re their next meal. With their horrific mutations, they appear to be people like you, but there is much more to them than that. Uncover the mysteries of their existence.
Build a small shelter or a massive fortress: the choice is yours. Each one has its advantages, but you must make a choice for your survival. Fight to escape the forest that has ensnared you in its foliage.
Fun Factor Score: 100/100
Explore the mysterious forest.
