Black Myth: Wukong is not an open world game but it also makes players “lost”
Open world games often bring vast lands with countless options for exploration and sightseeing for gamers. Most of them have separate map systems with common features such as mission markers, mini maps… But not everything always happens naturally. Black Myth: Wukong is an example. Possessing a fairly large world, Black Myth: Wukong gamers often have difficulty finding their way when lacking the necessary map system.
But Black Myth: Wukong isn't the only game.
Subnautica
Subnautica deliberately doesn't provide players with a map to aid in underwater exploration. Instead, they force players to rely on self-placed landmarks, contextual clues, and their own memory to find things and complete missions.
The lack of a map was intentional, and without it, Subnautica wouldn't be as good as it is. The main appeal of Subnautica is the feeling of being alone in the middle of an endless ocean with nothing but a builder, a flimsy submarine, and a vague idea of where to go. If the game guided the player every step of the way, it would completely ruin the fantasy of the adventure.
Outward
Outward is an indie open-world action RPG that takes players into a magical land of power and magic, filled with unique lore and strange creatures. Outward itself has its own mini-map, but remember, it cannot be used for navigation in the usual way.
Specifically, this is because the player’s location is never marked on the map. The only way to use it is to try to match the in-game images with the landmarks drawn on the map. This forces gamers to stop and observe the surrounding scene as well as pay attention during the exploration process, and thus, finding caves and dungeons will become unexpected joys for players.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Kingdom Come: Deliverance only gives players a very, very simple map that only shows the player's location relative to the rest of the world and the general location of missions when they're active. There's even the option to turn off mission markers and map functionality completely to increase the difficulty even more.
And since quests always have contextual clues and detailed instructions on where to go and what to do, paying attention players will always know exactly what to do. Quests in this game are never described as simply catching a thief. Instead, they are always described as having a suspicious character lurking near the town mage’s house around midnight, and he will likely return around the same time tomorrow.
