240 Open World Games – Part 2: The Joy and the Job of Exploration

In this second half of our adventure into open-world games, Jem, Alex, and Matt pick up the conversation with a focus on accessibility, open worlds done wrong, and how to define that "Je ne sais quoi" when it works.

We dig into overwhelm, especially for neurodiverse or time-poor gamers. Time to remember that good accessibility features aren’t about “dumbing down” but enhancing play for everyone.

Matt unpacks why some open-world games fail — empty maps, repetitive quests, weak writing, and executive-led design — while Alex shares her frustrations with fatigue and grinding that make huge maps feel like chores. We compare the worst offenders to the triumphs, asking what makes games like Elden Ring or The Witcher 3 consistently compelling.

Jem brings the stats: if only 14% of open-world players are women, what does that say about how these games are designed and marketed? Are women genuinely less interested, or are the games themselves exclusionary?

Finally, we ask the big question: do we prefer games with clear endings or endless play?

Will all of this soon be obsolete with the advent of AI supported writing? That's a topic for a future episode!

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