Hey there, fellow adventurers! 👋 I know the feeling. Ever since I finished Tears of the Kingdom, that Hyrule-shaped hole in my gaming heart has been aching. We all know the next major Zelda installment is still a long way off, and while remasters like Echoes of Wisdom are neat, they just don’t capture the sheer, awe-inspiring scale of exploration that Breath of the Wild and its sequel mastered. But don't worry, I've been on a quest of my own—scouring the gaming landscape for worlds that can give us that same thrilling sense of discovery and freedom. Let me share my findings with you.

First up, let's talk about The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Now, I know what you're thinking—it's got more adult themes and a more linear quest structure. But trust me, the heart of a true explorer beats within this game. Riding through the gorgeous, war-torn landscapes of Velen and the majestic isles of Skellige gave me that same feeling of setting out into the unknown. The world doesn't hold your hand; it encourages you to get lost in its stories, both grand and intimate. The combat has a satisfying depth to it, and the narratives you uncover are incredibly rich. The fact that it runs beautifully on the Switch is a huge bonus, and its massive expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, are practically full games themselves. It’s a different flavor, but it absolutely satisfies that craving for a vast, lived-in world to get absorbed in.

Now, if pure, unadulterated exploration is your main jam, I have one word for you: No Man's Sky. This game is the ultimate embodiment of "what's over that horizon?"

You are literally given a starship and an entire universe—yes, a universe with quintillions of planets—to explore at your own pace. There's no overwhelming main quest pushing you along. Your story is the one you write through discovery: finding bizarre creatures, charting alien landscapes, and building bases on worlds no one has ever seen before. The sense of freedom is unparalleled. Since its rocky launch, Hello Games has delivered a constant stream of incredible free updates, adding everything from deep-sea diving to full-on settlement management. The survival gameplay loop is surprisingly addictive, and playing with friends just makes the journey better. It’s a game about the joy of the journey itself, which is a core Zelda philosophy.

For a completely unique twist on exploration, you have to try Outer Wilds. This isn't a traditional open-world game with upgrades and levels. Your only progression is knowledge. You explore a handcrafted solar system stuck in a 22-minute time loop, uncovering ancient mysteries and cosmic secrets. The entire solar system is open from the very first minute. Figuring out how to reach a distant planet or solve an environmental puzzle relies entirely on your curiosity and the clues you've remembered. The puzzles are brilliant, the sense of discovery is profound, and even though it's sci-fi, the environmental storytelling and "aha!" moments will feel deeply familiar to any BOTW fan who loved piecing together Hyrule's history.

Of course, we can't have this conversation without mentioning the granddaddy of modern open-world RPGs: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Its popularity over a decade later is no accident.

From the snowy peaks of the Throat of the World to the deep, draugr-infested ruins, Skyrim is a world built for getting sidetracked. You'll start a quest to deliver a letter and end up three hours later as the leader of a secret guild. The sense of adventure is timeless. And here's the secret weapon for Zelda fans: the modding community. It is arguably the best in gaming. Want to bring the Master Sword and Hylian Shield into Skyrim? There's a mod for that. Want to fight Lynels on the tundra? You can probably find that too. The ability to play this classic on practically any device means your adventure is always with you.

Let's shift gears to some more atmospheric picks. Shadow of the Colossus is a masterpiece of minimalism. Its world is hauntingly empty, but that emptiness serves a purpose. Traveling across the vast forbidden lands on your horse, Agro, with only the wind and your goal for company, is a powerful experience. The world itself is the puzzle as you search for each towering Colossus. And those battles! They aren't just fights; they are epic climbing puzzles where you scale these living monuments to find their weak points. The focus on parkour and using the environment reminded me so much of figuring out how to topple a Divine Beast or defeat a Talus in Breath of the Wild.

If you love the blend of exploration, preparation, and epic machine-vs-human combat, Horizon Zero Dawn (and its sequel, Forbidden West) is a must-play. Released the same year as BOTW, Aloy's journey shares that same DNA of rewarding careful planning and exploration. Scanning a massive machine dinosaur to find its weak points, setting traps, and using the environment feels like a high-tech version of taking down a Guardian. The stories are more front-and-center than in Zelda, but the world is gorgeous and full of mysteries to uncover. Forbidden West especially doubles down on free exploration with improved climbing and a Shieldwing (their version of a paraglider), making traversal an absolute joy.

For a samurai epic that captures the beauty and serenity of exploration, Ghost of Tsushima is stunning. It foregoes cluttered maps and floating waypoints, instead guiding you with the wind, golden birds, and foxes. This makes exploration feel incredibly organic and immersive. Riding through fields of swaying pampas grass or quiet bamboo forests, stumbling upon a hidden hot spring or a duel among the autumn leaves… it creates those same quiet, beautiful moments of discovery that made just wandering in Hyrule so special. The combat is deep and satisfyingly sharp, but it's the world that will truly hook a Zelda fan.

Now, I know Elden Ring seems like a left-field suggestion. It's darker, tougher, and its tone is vastly different. But hear me out. The core loop of Elden Ring is pure, unfiltered exploration. FromSoft gives you a horse (Torrent, who is a very good spectral steed) and points you at a massive, breathtaking world called the Lands Between. Then it says, "Go." You can go almost anywhere you can see. The sense of wonder as you crest a hill and see a mysterious castle, a sprawling swamp, or a hidden city is identical to the feeling of spotting a distant shrine in Hyrule. The story is told through the environment and item descriptions, rewarding your curiosity. The freedom to tackle challenges in any order and discover secrets off the beaten path is profoundly Zelda-like, even if the combat will test your skills in new ways.

Finally, let's look at two games that wear their Breath of the Wild inspiration proudly on their sleeves. First, Genshin Impact. Yes, the comparisons were rampant at launch, and for good reason. The art style, the gliding, the climbing stamina system—it's all very familiar. But it has grown into a phenomenal experience in its own right. The world of Teyvat is massive and constantly expanding with new nations like the vibrant Natlan. The elemental combat system is deep and fun, and there are puzzles and secrets tucked into every corner. It's a live-service game, so there's always a new event or area to explore.

And perhaps the closest direct sibling to BOTW is Immortals Fenyx Rising. Ubisoft took the Zelda formula and gave it a vibrant, Greek-mythology-coated twist. You have a glider, you can climb (almost) anything, and you solve environmental puzzles in vaults that feel like extended shrines. The combat is flashier and more combo-based, which helps keep things fresh. The world is packed with challenges, legendary beasts, and witty narration from Zeus and Prometheus. If you want a game that feels the most like a direct continuation of that Breath of the Wild exploration vibe, this is your safest—and most fun—bet.

So, there you have it! My personal list of worlds to get lost in while we all patiently (or not so patiently) wait for Link's next grand adventure. Each of these games captures a piece of what makes exploring Hyrule so magical: the freedom, the mystery, and the pure joy of discovery. Happy exploring! 🌄✨

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