Not sure if it counts as open world, but a souls-like platformer with some great movement is Blue Fire
this post was submitted on 03 Apr 2025
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Dying Light had a mediocre story and repetitive gameplay, but the parkour mechanic was what made it interesting in the long run. Jumping around and climbing stuff was so satisfying.
As for side scrollers, Ori might not be the most difficult platformer I've ever played, but it certainly was the most fun, thanks in no short part to the fluid and dynamic movement of the main character. The camera is also very wide, to allow you to see the road ahead clearly, which is not something that all platformers do right, surprisingly enough.
Mirror's Edge
I haven't played it in 15 years or so, but I think it wasn't open-world?
Mirrors edge catalyst then.
That's true, I missed that
Prototype 1 & 2, you'll love the glide movement
Prototype was my jam back in the day, since I had Xbox and not a PS3 and couldn't play Infamous.
Having played Infamous finally on PS5... Prototype is actually better anyway and it's insane how it was overshadowed by Infamous to begin with.
Ahh good old times, jumping from building to building like hulk. It had good story too which I didn't appreciate the first time I played cause I was young and couldn't understand it fully.
if you haven't, please play just cause 3. it is genuinely one of the greatest games ever made and the entire premise is: ok here's your grappling hook, parachute, wingsuit, bombs, and guns, now go blow up every thing and/or person with red on it. there is a story (and it's decent) but who cares, you upgrade your shit by doing cool stunts and the main mode of progression is a how-much-shit-have-you-blown-up-in-this-area meter.
the story is much better in jc2 but it's so hard to go back to with how well executed the movement was in 3. it's a shame they skimped on the writing.
like, the final boss in 2 is a fist fight on a flying cluster of ICBMs. the final boss in 3 is... a helicopter.
yeah the story isn't amazing but everything else is the best ever made
I can't even play JC4 because JC3 was just so good. Why the hell did they change the formula in 4? The missions are boring as hell in 4. They kept the "fight these guys," "open these doors," "release these prisoner" missions, but I have yet to be tasked with destroying, well, anything. 😮💨
The only thing in 4 I liked more than 3 was that the rocket things you can stick on stuff can be used multiple times and don't automatically explode, so you can use them to fly a car without fear of blowing up.
JC3 is fun to just spend hours dicking around in, or seriously investing it with the gameplay. It's honestly amazing how good of a game they made around the concept of "blow up some shit, and then blow up some more shit"
you upgrade your shit by doing cool stunts and the main mode of progression is a how-much-shit-have-you-blown-up-in-this-area meter.
100% agree. JC3 is a gem of a game
Why not go to the original? Mirror's Edge (2008) has still probably the best first person movement of any game. Unlike it's sequel, It's not an open world, but many cited it as a plus, since the levels still feel free but very well designed asking you to sprint through - and nearly the whole game you just run and climb with very few interruptions.
Dying Light, the zombie parkour game was also good and had great movement mechanics.
Was also coming in to recommend mirrors edge, what a great game.
I've played the first Mirrors Edge to like 75% maybe three times over the years since it released. I just started downloading the second today. Do you think it is ill advised to skip the last quarter of the first? It has been a while since I played it and I feel like I would burn out again.
Great game. I think it's me.
I absolutely LOVED Mirror's Edge. That feeling of hitting flow in game and out of game as you just move smoothly from point to point was just amazing. I played originally on PS2 and almost got the plat trophy. I loved trying not only to find the fastest path but the smoothest, the weirdest, the pacifist, etc. It was great.
Then I tried 2 for like 5 seconds before I dropped it. It immediately felt like a betrayal of the first game. I hated the UI. I hated the color grade. I hated the style. I hated what seemed like a turn toward the violent.
Mirrors edge wasn't on ps2... Was that a typo intending to be ps3 instead?
A new game just came out on steam called Haste that's all about fluid movement. I've been enjoying it quite a bit.
Riders Republic is so much fun. It has a relatively low skill floor but also a really high skill ceiling. Go watch some stunt clips to see just what you can pull off.
The different sports are a lot of fun and honestly what other game lets you transition from Skateboard to BMX to Jetpack in a span of a few seconds.
Only downside is that the more fun sports are locked behind a DLC purchase but it goes on sale quite frequently.
Just Cause series is great for that, JC3 being an absolute joy of free movement. I used to spend hours just gliding with grappling hook and fly suit.
I saw that one thrown around when I was searching before. I wouldn't really be playing it for the story, but as long as the story's there, should I be familiar with the first two?
Honestly, there's nothing you can really miss IMO, the game presents everyone and everything in a nice and smooth way and you won't ever be lost.
anything that matters in that game is introduced or explained in it.
Not all open world, but:
- Dying Light 1 has a really fun parkour movement system (haven't played Dying Light 2)
- Ghostrunner, also kind of parkour-based, really gets you into a flow state once you get the hang of the movement
- Vanquish is always pretty satisfying IMO, both movement and combat
- Jet Set Radio or its spiritual successor, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk (different dev, same idea) are really fun, especially with friends
- The remake of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 is pretty damn good
Unfortunately Jet Set is not sold on steam anymore
Ah, damn. I did buy it many years ago, but it's unfortunate that new users can't access it.
I haven't played the PC version, but I expect it's the same as the console version: Prototype (from Activision in 2009; there's another game listed with the same title). The story is utter garbage, but everything about the moment to moment gameplay is great, and it definitely checks the boxes you're looking for. I never played the sequel, because it re-used the same map, and that's a lot like playing a Mario game with all of the same levels as the one before it, but this first game rules.
If you have access to something that can play Xbox 360 games, I'd also highly recommend the first Crackdown.
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Warframe has some of the best movement in a game ever. Not exactly an MMORPG, not exactly Open World, but definitely space ninjas on crack.
Also, it can be played completely free. There is a paid currency model (platinum), but it's tradeable between players (so you can trade items and earn Platinum), and most non-cosmetic items are obtainable through gameplay.
It's been around since the early 2010s but keeps evolving and manages outperform AAA titles on the regular. If you like high fantasy sci-fi cosmic horror madness on drugs that won't be invented for another 100 centuries or so, give it a shot.
There's so much I want to like about Warframe, but last time I tried it I couldn't get any sense of what a new player's supposed to do to start progressing, or to get the story in a comprehensible way. The build timers also made me sad. I got all the parts, just give me the Rhino.
Still though, "We All Lift Together" is a certified banger.
Warframe has been making updates to the new player experience the last couple updates. Removing annoying grinds for things, changing things so new players are on more equal footing.
As for direction, I'll tell you what I wish I knew when I started.
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Do the main storyline quests, they eventually unlock really cool rewards or weekly rewards opportunities that give all sorts of goodies. Some main story quests, are locked behind reaching certain planets on the star chart.
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Complete the star chart, at your own pace. Getting to new planets is always good. By that I mean do every mission on a planet at least once. It will unlock the Steel Path, which is all the same shit with more and tougher enemies. Yay bigger horder! But the real reason to play it is steel path has double drop rates for resources and mods, so less grind.
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Focus on fun. Don't overally focus on that next weapon or upgrade. It will still be there. Focus on the mission types you like. Grind at your own pace. If you a grind is really getting you down, go do something else. There is so much to do!
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Understand the weird mastery system. Its a weird system at first. Basically, when you level up a weapon it doesn't get better. It gets more upgrade capacity. You will need to go in and put in mods or upgrades to make the weapon more pew pew. There is more to the mastery system too but that is enough for now.
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Trade shit on warframe.market. you can make so much plat to buy the stuff you want. I'm too the point where I mainly trade to buy cosmetic upgrades to look cool!
Fair point. I've played it on and off for years now, and I still have no fucking clue where the game wants me to go (although it's a lot better now than it used to be). The storyline is... complex to say the least, and the game doesn't do much to drive you an particular direction. Progression is also lateral, not vertical, so while you have a wide variety of options and directions to explore, they can be shallow and overwhelming at the same time.
On the plus side of that, every time I come back, it's like a new game, but with the same combat / movement that got me addicted back when it was nothing but grind.
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maybe not quite what you're looking for but the shadow of mordor series has a liiiitle bit of that. obviously not as city-focused as arkham or spider-man.
Your character becomes a double jumping revenge ghost sprinting through the environment pretty early in the second one.
Good suggestion.
The movement in Sunset Overdrive is amazing and I think was the base for the movement in Spiderman since it's made by the same developer. I preferred the movement in Sunset Overdrive, personally.
You have to get to the point that you get the air dash for it to be smooth and you can chain together your parkour movement across the entire city
The humour is a bit divisive/hit or miss though and the open world is a little dead by today's standards.
Ah, maybe that's the missing ingredient. Pretty sure I don't have that yet. I fucked off from the main story almost immediately to go find balloons and such.
Yeah you definitely need it for the movement to flow. I've seen a lot of comments lamenting that they took too long to introduce it.
Steep (snowboarding, skiing, paragliding, wingsuiting) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (fast travel is an option, but come on, enjoy that ride!) are the two that I really enjoy.
Loved Steep and have tons of hours on it. However, my issue with it is that it is a purchase for a single playthrough: there's no way to start over. I didn't play in years, mostly forgot how to play and would like to have a few tutorials, rediscover the open world again, etc.
Great choice with Steep. Very underrated still
Okay this is a little off script since it's not an open world game, but if you're only looking for satisfying movement you should take a look at Neon White. Just be warned that the writing is... on the cringier side. But that doesn't really matter in the end.
Echo Point Nova. Super fast and fun. Hoverboard, Wallrides, grapple, etc are all here.
I came here to recommend this, too. This game lets you really hit a nice vibe with the movement. Has co-op, too!
Ooh, I wasn't thinking of first-person games, but that does look pretty gnarly.
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