The Best Exploration Games - Page 3

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Update : Koira added at rank #26.
21

Eastshade (2019)

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94
Review score
Logo of Eastshade Screenshot of Eastshade Screenshot of Eastshade Screenshot of Eastshade

PC Windows Playstation 4 Xbox One

Embark on a peaceful and wholesome adventure as a traveling painter exploring the beautiful island of Eastshade. Engage with unique and captivating characters, complete quests, and create works of art that impact the world around you. With stunning visuals and a mesmerizing score, Eastshade offers a unique and uplifting experience that will leave a lasting impression on you.

Buy

What we like:
  • Captivating characters and engaging quests
  • Stunning visuals and attention to detail
  • Art creation adds an extra layer of gameplay depth
  • Soothing and relaxing experience
  • Strong plot and exploration opportunities.
What could be improved:
  • Technical flaws including glitches and crashes
  • Mixed bag of voice acting.

  • open-world
  • relaxing
  • exploration
  • walking-simulator
  • crafting
  • beautiful
  • combat-free
  • rpg
  • first-person
  • atmospheric
  • photography
  • adventure
  • story
  • fantasy
  • violent

22

Pikmin 4 (2023)

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88
Review score
Logo of Pikmin 4

Nintendo Switch

Pikmin 4 is a highly engaging and enjoyable game that focuses on exploration and the feeling of being small in a human world. The addition of Oatchi, a playable character who can jump, swim, and carry the Pikmin army, fundamentally changes the gameplay and adds a new dynamic to the series. Pikmin 4 is a near flawless game that offers a rewarding and enjoyable experience.

Buy

What we like:
  • Engaging gameplay with new dynamic
  • Unique abilities and challenges with new Pikmin species
  • Strategic night missions
  • Helpful rewind feature
  • Dandori Battles and Challenges add competition and efficiency
What could be improved:
  • Limited co-op mode
  • Constant mention of Dandori can become tiresome
  • Minor issues with Pikmin getting stuck in the environment

  • strategy
  • real-time
  • cooperative
  • puzzle
  • exploration
  • battle
  • plant
  • tower-defense
  • squad
  • dungeon
  • split-screen
  • earth
  • adventure
  • resource
  • competitive

23

Sludge Life 2 (2023)

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74
Review score
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PC Windows Nintendo Switch

SLUDGE LIFE 2 is the grimiest first-person vandalism sim since the first SLUDGE LIFE—but, like, twice as dense. Explore a huger, weirder, gnarlier open world loaded with secrets, weirdos, jokes, and, of course, plenty of spots to tag.


  • first-person
  • open-world
  • exploration
  • platform
  • parkour
  • sludge
  • psychedelic
  • walking-simulator
  • funny
  • pause
  • sandbox
  • hip-hop
  • story
  • surreal
  • dungeon-crawler

24

Season: A Letter to the Future (2023)

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78
Review score
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PC Windows Playstation 5 Playstation 4

In SEASON: A letter to the future, you're a young woman on a mission to document memories before a cataclysm wipes everything away. Enjoy a calming, immersive journey through stunning landscapes, meet diverse characters, and make choices that shape the story. With a beautiful soundtrack and a beautifully crafted world to explore, you'll be captivated by this unique and artistic adventure.

Buy

What we like:
  • Relaxing, immersive gameplay
  • Beautiful, meaningful story
  • Diverse, lovable characters
  • Stunning, well-crafted world
  • Choices that affect the story's outcome
What could be improved:
  • Frustrating controls
  • Overdone dialogue and narration

  • narrative
  • walking-simulator
  • exploration
  • mystery
  • relaxing
  • adventure
  • controller-support
  • war
  • farming
  • editing
  • photo
  • discovery
  • pause
  • open-world
  • philosophical

25

The Gunk (2021)

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78
Review score
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Xbox Series X PC Windows Xbox One

The Gunk is a story-driven, fully 3D action-adventure game that follows Rani and Becks, two scavengers exploring an alien planet to uncover its mysteries. With a captivating story and engaging gameplay loop of collecting resources and upgrading tools, The Gunk is an immersive experience full of surprises.


What we like:
  • Loveable characters
  • Captivating story
  • Engaging resource collecting loop
  • Transforming areas by freeing them from corruption
  • Smartly designed puzzles
  • Interconnecting paths in levels
  • Great art design
  • Excellent soundtrack
What could be improved:
  • Movement can be cumbersome at times
  • Minor technical issues

  • platform
  • exploration
  • action-adventure
  • puzzle
  • adventure
  • combat
  • narrative
  • third-person
  • crafting
  • relaxing
  • metroidvania
  • mystery
  • resource
  • 3d
  • sci-fi

26

Koira (2025)

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84
Review score
Logo of Koira Screenshot of Koira Screenshot of Koira Screenshot of Koira

PC Windows Playstation 5 j

Save a puppy and embark on a heartwarming, hand-drawn adventure together. Journey to the heart of an enchanted forest, solving puzzles and avoiding hunters to protect your newfound friend.

Buy

  • story
  • wholesome
  • cozy
  • dog
  • hand-drawn
  • adventure
  • emotional
  • puzzle
  • nature
  • exploration
  • mystery
  • hidden-object
  • narrative
  • cute
  • building

27

Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- (2021)

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84
Review score
Logo of Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- Screenshot of Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- Screenshot of Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- Screenshot of Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth-

Playstation 4 PC Windows Nintendo Switch Xbox Series X Xbox One Playstation 5

Play as Deedlit in Record of Lodoss War ~Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth~, a thrilling 2D action-exploration game. Using your sword and bow, fight against enemies and level up your elemental spirits to gain new abilities. With beautiful graphics and an engaging story by the original creator, both longtime fans and new players will enjoy this Metroidvania-style adventure.


What we like:
  • Fantastic gameplay and puzzles
  • Beautiful 2D sprites with great animations
  • Good music
  • Backtracking is not a chore
  • Smooth and responsive controls with continuous influx of new weapons and spells
What could be improved:
  • Extremely short gameplay for completionists
  • Grating music at times
  • Potentially difficult fights

  • anime
  • boss
  • "
  • action-exploration
  • exploration
  • pixel
  • novel
  • metroidvania
  • 2d
  • fantasy
  • rpg
  • boss-fight
  • platform
  • beat-em-up
  • ikaruga

28

The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 3 (2023)

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75
Review score
Logo of The Expanse: A Telltale Series - Episode 3

Nintendo Switch Playstation 4 Xbox Series X Playstation 5 PC Windows

An epic adventure across the land and skies of Hyrule awaits in The Legend of Zelda™: Tears of the Kingdom for Nintendo Switch™. The adventure is yours to create in a world fueled by your imagination.

In this sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, you’ll decide your own path through the sprawling landscapes of Hyrule and the mysterious islands floating in the vast skies above. Can you harness the power of Link’s new abilities to fight back against the malevolent forces that threaten the kingdom?

Nintendo Switch Online members can buy a pair of Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers* and redeem each one for any game in the voucher catalog—including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Buy

  • narrative
  • exploration
  • episodic
  • quick-time-event
  • pirates
  • book
  • sci-fi
  • novel
  • adventure
  • story
  • politics
  • difficult
  • space-pirate
  • tried-and-true
  • choices

29

Blacktail (2022)

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80
Review score
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Xbox Series X Android PC Windows Playstation 5

Experience the mystical and intense archery combat in BLACKTAIL, a dark and magical fairy tale world. Play as Yaga, a witch accused of witchcraft, who hunts down foul spirits to unravel your own mystery while deciding the fate of the land. With BLACKTAIL's Morality system, your decisions affect your skills. Discover hidden treasures, collect lost recipes, and brew elixirs to shape your playstyle. Are you ready to become the guardian of the woods or the terror nightmares are made of?


What we like:
  • Beautiful environment
  • Interesting story
  • Unique characters
  • Great voice acting
  • Seamless integration of morality system
What could be improved:
  • Slow controls
  • Tedious combat
  • Technical issues
  • Poor explanation of mechanics

  • archery
  • mythology
  • first-person
  • crafting
  • dark
  • story
  • exploration
  • survival
  • open-world
  • action-adventure
  • rpg
  • boss-fight
  • combat
  • humor
  • fantasy

30

Completely Stretchy (2024)

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72
Review score
Logo of Completely Stretchy Screenshot of Completely Stretchy Screenshot of Completely Stretchy Screenshot of Completely Stretchy

PC Windows

A befuddling mishap has made you COMPLETELY STRETCHY! Stretch, swing and stick around the delightfully odd and vibrant Grombi Isles in this eccentric and light-hearted 3D platformer.

Buy

  • parkour
  • 3d
  • exploration
  • platform
  • funny
  • immersive
  • surreal
  • open-world
  • abstract
  • first-person
  • cartoony
  • stylized
  • colourful
  • relaxing
  • wall-crawler

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