What are the best Exploration games on Steam?

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21

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Considered

45

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Jan 13, 2019

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21 Games Considered

Best Exploration games on Steam	Price	Genre	Platforms
-- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim	-	Action Role-Playing	Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, Nintendo Switch
-- Subnautica	$19.99	Survival, Open world, Exploration	Windows, Mac, Xbox One
-- Hollow Knight	$14.99	Metroidvania, Action	Nintendo Switch, Windows, macOS, Linux
-- The Stanley Parable	-	Adventure, Interactive Story	Windows, Linux, Mac
-- Grand Theft Auto V	$59.99	Action-Adventure	-

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21 Games Considered

My Recommendation for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

My Recommendation for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Huge variety of mods

Buggy and crash prone

Total freedom in how you choose to play through the world's different factions

Immersion can be broken due to game limitations

Moral choices that can affect gameplay

Combat is too simple

Unrestrictive skill-based RPG system

The longest-running RPG-FPS franchise, with world lore rivaling classic fantasy literature

My Recommendation for Subnautica

My Recommendation for Subnautica

Has a mode for people who just want to explore

No real story

Great theme and looks

Lacks Co-Op

Interesting creature design

Incredibly satisfying tool-building mechanics

The sound effects really set up the overall atmosphere

My Recommendation for Hollow Knight

My Recommendation for Hollow Knight

Rewarding exploration and gameplay

Tight controls

Gorgeous art style & beautiful music

My Recommendation for The Stanley Parable

My Recommendation for The Stanley Parable

More an interactive story than an actual game

Exceptional narration

Random

A few nods to other games can be seen throughout the game

Points out narrative limitations in games by encouraging breaking narrative structure through gameplay

Discusses the illusion of choice in games

The game has a lot of different endings to find

Insightful commentary on state of game design

My Recommendation for Grand Theft Auto V

My Recommendation for Grand Theft Auto V

Well optimized

Population density slider in the options does not make much of a difference

First person mode

Forced Rockstar Social Club online registration DRM scheme

Improved graphics over every other version

Game saves can be imported from console versions

Online multiplayer

Rockstar editor

Supports up to 4K resolutions

My Recommendation for The Magic Circle

My Recommendation for The Magic Circle

Solid gameplay and puzzles with multiple solutions, and not just an interactive piece of art

My Recommendation for Gone Home

My Recommendation for Gone Home

Interesting side stories

Main story feels badly written

Deep environmental storytelling

Weak voice acting

My Recommendation for Far Cry 4

My Recommendation for Far Cry 4

Adventure aspects add to what would be a stale FPS

Environment feels too familiar

Options in play due to creativity

My Recommendation for Watch Dogs

My Recommendation for Watch Dogs

Interactive, hackable city

Character is boring and gloomy

Limited co-op play

Fun multiplayer

My Recommendation for ARK: Survival Evolved

My Recommendation for ARK: Survival Evolved

Tribal aspects

Anti-cheat issues

Good character creation

Early access

My Recommendation for Jotun: Valhalla Edition

My Recommendation for Jotun: Valhalla Edition

Beautiful hand-drawn graphics

Can be a bit boring

Immersive Nordic atmosphere

Combat is too minimalist

Bosses provide an exciting shift in tone

Overtuned last boss feels very out of place