OPEN WORLD FATIGUE IN GAMING
Recently, I decided to begin To The Witcher 3, The Wild Hunt, to have another go at the legend game. The game is an excellent open-world adventure. I rate it highly. However, despite my excitement at exploring the world again, I felt a sudden sense of dread. Just an hour into the White Orchard tutorial, I felt hesitant about continuing the experience. It was like I could see a path leading up to a mountain. Although it’s a path that I had walked before, this time, my heart wasn’t in the right place. That was when I realized I was suffering from a common problem for gamers. Open world fatigue is a common problem in gaming.
As someone who has enjoyed the genre for over ten years, it was a surprise to me. In the past, I was a champion of open-world games, but I never understood why some gamers dislike them. The problem is finally upon me, and I am determined to find the cause. This article will attempt to understand open-world fatigue in gaming and why it is more common than ever.
TIME CONSTRAINTS
In this regard, I must immediately say that I am pretty ideally placed. I am blessed with plenty of gaming time. Gaming is something I genuinely enjoy and want to do. This is why I don’t think this obstacle should be a problem. My free time seems to be blurring, and I feel increasingly frustrated. It feels like each gaming session is almost identical. Feel like you’re on a treadmill.
Due to time constraints, players with limited time will face a more complex problem. It is challenging to keep gamers committed to games that require 60 hours to complete the story. Take a look at Dying Light 2, which took 500 hours to complete. But, open-world fatigue is not the same thing as boredom. This has more to do with the accessibility of the genre than the appeal.
THE RPG
The abundance of RPGs is perhaps the most significant factor in increasing open-world fatigue. The standard design philosophy of big open worlds is incorporating RPG mechanics. This includes player builds that use stats and leveling up. It is common also to place a lot of emphasis on upgrading gear. This can lead to a tedious checklist that is necessary to keep the story going.
A rising trend is also the use of dialog options. Although choosing what your character speaks is not a new trend in the genre, it is becoming more common. The game is bloated by this, as well as the large map. Every exchange is broken up into different branches of exposition. It often violates the show don’t tell rules. Games with many dialogue options rarely have the luxury to animate every cutscene. Developers cut corners by using repurposed animations and simple framing. As a result, games become less cinematic and more tedious.
REPETITION
This is a complex point. It is related to the gameplay of each game and the entire genre. The uncanny feeling of deja vu has caused me to have more difficulty getting invested in open-world games. This is normal with sequels. However, when new titles feel eerily familiar, it can signify that the genre is becoming tiresome.
Certain games are often described as Ubisoft-like. Use mechanics like towers to reveal the map or collect items that litter the world. These are common in titles such as Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry. Ubisoft’s entire catalog is experiencing this problem. Watch Dogs feels similar to the previously mentioned games. Immortals Fenix Rising is just Assassin’s Creed Odysseyassets re-used. It is becoming more tedious to go through the same experience repeatedly with a different paint job. This also affects the rest of the genre, with many titles drawing inspiration from Ubisoft’s design philosophy.
Individual games are also affected by repetition. If a tutorial gives you all the experience, it signifies that something is wrong. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of a game is the lack of meaningful progression as you gain more experience. Open world fatigue is a sign of poor game design. It is the idea that players will want to do the same thing repeatedly for 100 hours. This is the idea that the entire experience is so compelling that each moment doesn’t need to be unique.
