Kris and Rian talk about one of gaming’s most beloved formats: open-world games. What makes them so immersive? Why do they often feel overwhelming? And why is it that sometimes the best thing a game can do is gently pretend it's not telling you what to do? It's a big conversation with plenty of opinions, and a healthy dose of Bethesda jank appreciation. Plus: our Read Watch Play lists, Coming Right Up, and Backlog Roulette.

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0:00 Intro and episode overview

1:45 Read Watch Play

8:34 What we’ve been playing

16:05 Main Topic: Storytelling in open world-games

16:39 Defining open-world games

22:49 Our favourite open-world games

34:00 What we love: immersion & escapism

36:27 Creating your own stories

41:41 Exploration & freedom of choice

43:41 The downsides: overwhelm & quest fatigue

57:35 The Witcher problem and Bethesda jankiness

56:54 Non-linear vs. linear storytelling

1:08:07 Games we’re looking forward to

1:15:37 Coming Right Up

1:19:11 Backlog Roulette

1:24:46 Outro

Books: 

Demon Star https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/c7d399fd-543d-4ee9-9348-7a7ab2dc2c55

Together is a Distant Star https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/619b8744-6298-4845-9a16-9d689e74ac45 

Contact https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/dc4440f5-4b50-4c83-b45a-db313713bc01

Film/TV:

On Swift Horses https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1092506-on-swift-horses?language=en-AU

Companion https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1084199-companion

Six Feet Under https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/1274-six-feet-under 

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu 

Games:

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion https://store.steampowered.com/app/900883/The_Elder_Scrolls_IV_Oblivion_Game_of_the_Year_Edition_Deluxe_2009/

Bully https://store.steampowered.com/app/12200/Bully_Scholarship_Edition/

Fallout 4 https://store.steampowered.com/app/377160/Fallout_4/

L.A. Noire https://store.steampowered.com/app/110800/LA_Noire/

Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey https://store.steampowered.com/app/812140/Assassins_Creed_Odyssey/

Yakuza 0 https://store.steampowered.com/app/2988580/Yakuza_0_Directors_Cut/

Cyberpunk 2077 https://store.steampowered.com/app/1091500/Cyberpunk_2077/

Ghost of Tsushima https://store.steampowered.com/app/2215430/Ghost_of_Tsushima_DIRECTORS_CUT/

Starfield https://store.steampowered.com/app/1716740/Starfield/

Mass Effect Legendary Edition https://store.steampowered.com/app/1328670/Mass_Effect_Legendary_Edition/

Fable https://store.steampowered.com/app/2769570/Fable/

Kingdoms of Amalur https://store.steampowered.com/app/102500/Kingdoms_of_Amalur_Reckoning/ 

Breath of the Wild https://www.nintendo.com/au/games/nintendo-switch/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild/?srsltid=AfmBOopFMbSarCY0gJA8y94fQuqZlCx4vjAK2CHi6ukMCArk1P2lPnET

Dinkum https://store.steampowered.com/app/1062520/Dinkum/

Windrose https://store.steampowered.com/app/3041230/Windrose/

Traveller’s Rest https://store.steampowered.com/app/1139980/Travellers_Rest/

Saint’s Row https://store.steampowered.com/app/742420/Saints_Row/

Crimson Desert https://store.steampowered.com/app/3321460/Crimson_Desert/ 

Dragon’s Dogma 2 https://store.steampowered.com/app/2054970/Dragons_Dogma_2/

Return to Moria https://store.steampowered.com/app/2933130/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_Return_to_Moria/

My Time at Sandrock https://store.steampowered.com/app/1084600/My_Time_at_Sandrock/

Enshrouded https://store.steampowered.com/app/1203620/Enshrouded/ 

Rise of the Tomb Raider https://store.steampowered.com/app/391220/Rise_of_the_Tomb_Raider/ 

Ananta https://www.anantagame.com

Neverness to Everness https://nte.perfectworld.com/en/

Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced https://store.steampowered.com/app/3751950/Assassins_Creed_Black_Flag_Resynced/

Star Wars: Outlaws https://store.steampowered.com/app/2842040/Star_Wars_Outlaws/

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