As a genre, ‘open world’ has come to mean far more than just a big, seamless map. It conjures images of vast, big-budget games with a huge range of things to do, including combat, exploring, searching for collectibles, solving puzzles, traversal and more.
But I always find it really interesting when games buck that template. I loved the way The Evil Within 2 flirted with the idea of open-world survival horror, with its creepy town full of nightmares to sneak past. Or The Pathless, which, despite its protagonist wielding a bow and arrow, eschewed violence in favour of finding joy in discovery.
Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One uses its open world – the island city of Cordona – as a sandbox for mysteries. Where most crime-solving games are purely linear, or take place across a series of confined scenes, Chapter One simply dots the map with unsolved cases and invites you to follow your nose.
HOLMES AND AWAY
This story is from the May 2023 edition of PC Gamer.
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This story is from the May 2023 edition of PC Gamer.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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