Summary
Exploration is one of the best aspects of open-world games, and this is all the more rewarding if players feel like something is always around the corner just waiting to be discovered. While some games are more linear, holding a player’s hand from point A to point B, other titles can be explored naturally, often offering many secret locations that most players will never find.
Theopen-world games with the best secret locationshave creative ways of making these areasobscure but rewarding to findwhile also not punishing less adventurous players for failing to discover them. Secret areas in games often feature unique bosses, NPCs, and almost certainly exciting rewards.
WhileSkyrimis the game that brought worldwide attention toThe Elder Scrollsand Bethesda, many older players would argue that it wasThe Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowindthat offered the best exploration. In part, this is due to a less cluttered map which encourages players to explore more freely, making discoveries all the more rewarding.
Although the graphics are outdated today, thelocations were breathtaking for their time, and yet so many of the game’s more hidden areas have only been discovered by a minority of players. Each of these secret areas has a life of its own, making them memorable even years after playing the RPG. One notable example is a room on top of the Dunmer Strongholds that is hexed, and once inside, players will be locked in with enemies. There is also a cave simply called Milk, where players will meet a former Redoran noble who has quite the story to tell.
Dragon’s Dogma 2is an open-world game that, at first, can appear to be fairly structured with the layout of the initial mountain pass. However, once players wander for the first time and find something completely unexpected, they will quickly realize that this is what the developers want. Through constant rewards, players are encouraged to seek outsecrets inDragon’s Dogma 2, and hidden areas can contain unique bosses, entire questlines, and, of course, loot.
There is a ton of missable content inDragon’s Dogma 2, and players will have to get creative to scale certain cliffs and keep their eyes fully peeled for every cave entrance. Thankfully, gamers do have a helping hand when it comes to locating the unknown, as Pawns who have traversed the area with other players are quick to offer assistance as a guide. Players will also need to return to locations after in-game days have passed, as is the case with the hidden Waterfall Cave, where the entrance is initially hidden behind a Griffin’s body. Some of the other best-hidden dungeons include the Tomb of Al’Guttos and Drabnir’s Grotto.
It’s no surprise that an open-world game set in Hogwarts isfull of secret locations, as the books constantly refer to the hidden magic of the castle and new rooms and passageways opening up. InHogwarts Legacy, players can have endless fun exploring the castle, and by trying out various spells, they may just open a few doors they did not even know were there.
One of the best examples is a secret werewolf tapestry room, where players have to walk through a tapestry that doubles as a door.The Hufflepuff Common Roomeven has its own secret location, with a secret room full of sweets hidden behind a bookshelf. Players will find many hidden rooms behind fires, which they can extinguish with the Glacius spell. Beyond the castle, there are even more hidden secrets to uncover in the Scottish Highlands.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildis highly acclaimed for countless reasons, and one of these is its natural and relaxing exploration opportunities. Players will often find themselves straying from the beaten path as their attention is drawn by intriguing landmarks, and from here, it is quite possible that they will stumble upon an area that some players may have missed.
No two experiences ofBreath of the Wildare the same, and with how big the map is, it’s almost impossible for all but the most dedicated explorers to findall ofBOTW’s secret locations. One of the most memorable examples for many gamers is the Eventide Island, which strips the players of all their equipment and challenges them to win it back. Other highlights include Selmie’s Spot, which is perfect for shield surfing, and a hidden Labyrinth challenge on Lomei Labyrinth Island.
Elden Ringis a game that iscrawling with secret areasboth big and small. While, sometimes, there is simply an extra room hidden behind a seemingly real wall, other times there is an entire cave system or catacombs with a boss at the end to be discovered. Moreover, there are even entire regions that can be discovered, for example, by jumping into a coffin that takes the Tarnished to the Deeproot Depths. The Consecrated Snowfield is perhaps the largest region that would be considered secret, and this is only reached by finding two halves of a medallion and taking them to the Grand Lift of Rold.
Elden Ringgives players the freedom to go wherever they like. Yes, there is a golden path of Sites of Grace that can be followed or used to correct one’s path, but other than that, the map is completely blank and open to explore. The landscape is designed in such a way that even approaching from a different angle can open one’s eyes to a previously unseen area. After finding a few such locations through creative means, players are rightfully led to believe that other secrets are behind every wall or beneath the floor, and henceforth, their ears will be pricked for distant sounds, and their eyes will be peeled for hidden treasures.
