Open world games are fast becoming the norm in the community, as the endless possibilities they are known for are incredibly enticing to gamers from all genres. The fun they bring is rivaled only by the challenges involved for developers, and a major one is finding a way to keep players within the bounds of the map they create, especially without ruining the immersion of the game.
While some games work well with simple solutions such as mountainous terrain, other games require a more elegant solution, and many developers have taken to making the map feature an iconic and important feature of their game. Here are just some of the creative ways that will stop players from leaving the map in open-world games.
10 Grand Theft Auto 5 - Sharks
One of the best examples of enforcing a map border without ruining the immersion of a game is in Grand Theft Auto 5, and the deadly sharks that swim off the coast of Los Santos. While sharks are typically rare in Los Angeles, which is the basis for Los Santos, they do show up on occasion, making their presence in GTA 5 even more believable.
The map border is equally enforced regardless of the vehicle a player is on, as boats will sink and planes will crash, all inevitably ending with a grisly death by aquatic predators. As with most open-world games, most players will have tested this out at some point, but the result is invariably the same.
9 Family Guy: The Video Game - Mimes
Most fans of Family Guy probably aren't even aware of the video game based on the series, which was released for the Xbox, PSP, and PS2 in 2006. The game didn't exactly smash the box office, but it did merit a sequel in 2012, a third-person shooter by the name of Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse.
In the original game, the map border was handled in a particularly on-brand fashion, as mimes would guard the invisible wall and turn players back if they got too close. It's hard to argue this took away from the game at all, as Family Guy has always been a fan of fourth-wall breaks, both in the show and out.
8 Subnautica - Ghost Leviathan
Rather than simply create an impassable border, some games choose to provide players with an insurmountable challenge, which can have its drawbacks but tends to be much more successful in feeling like a part of the game. Subnautica is one of these games, as the Ghost Leviathan, one of the strongest creatures in the game, will be the gatekeeper of the border.
Up to three will spawn at once if the player chooses to stay in the out-of-bounds area, and while they can be killed, they will simply respawn. This can provide a great source of entertainment for late-game players and does the job of keeping players in line in an innovative way.
7 Motocross Madness 1998 - Throws Players Away
There's a good chance that even long-time gamers won't be familiar with Moto Madness, but it was quite the achievement in gaming at the time, featuring detailed and expansive terrain, as well as impressively realistic physics. The game inspired a direct sequel in 2000, and a further in 2013.
Both the Motocross Madness and the direct sequel had a delightfully on-the-nose method for reminding players to stay within the assigned map area. Those choosing to stray too far would simply be launched miles into the air, which served as an entertaining but direct reminder.
6 Mad Max - The Big Nothing
A key aspect of designing a compelling map border is making sure it fits well in the established universe and lore in which the game is set. The Mad Max video game released in 2015 does this perfectly, with The Big Nothing referring to a large and desolate wasteland in the movies, and to the out-of-bounds area in the game.
The Big Nothing has no special features, as it will simply damage the player until their death much like other out-of-bounds areas in games, but the fact that its explanation is built into the established universe of the franchise makes it one of the best examples of such a feature.
5 Splashdown - The Kraken
Splashdown is a boat racing game originally released for the PS2 in 2001, and later posted over to Xbox. The premise and gameplay were very simple, but a great deal of fun, and handled players straying out of the playable area in a comically simple yet effective manner.
Players a little too far from home would quickly find themselves in the clutches of a sea monster resembling a Kraken, which would slam down on the boat sending them back to the last checkpoint. Being as out-of-nowhere as it was made it very entertaining, particularly for a simple arcade racing game.
4 Assassin's Creed - Desynchronization
The Assassin's Creed franchise has maintained the same approach to keeping players inside the map for some time now, and while the concept is very simple in essence, it stands out as one of the best due to how it's framed. Desynchronization will occur for players straying out of the map border, in the same way as when objectives are failed.
In practice, this simply reverts a player to the last checkpoint, but it also serves well as a reminder that the character is living through the memories of a different time, and manages to make the experience all the more grounded.
3 Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint - Drone Attack
Plenty of open world games have large bodies of water that act as the map borders, inevitably leading to the border being enforced by a large sea monster of some kind. Ghost Recon: Breakpoint goes another way, which is actually quite refreshing, as while the conclusion is unavoidable, it is built to in a sensible and grounded way.
Players straying too far from the land will find themselves mobbed by a large drone swarm, which begins to circle in the distance before they attack. The visual is pretty terrifying, and the fact it doesn't simply come out of nowhere goes a long way toward making it feel like a real part of the world.
2 Far Cry 6 - Hidden Achievement
Far Cry 6 takes a very different approach to players attempting to leave the map, as while it is not encouraged in game, doing so will actually net the player a reward, rather than instant death. Heading out to sea, players will be met with the message that they are leaving Yara and to turn back, but by pressing on a secret achievement can be unlocked.
The Hidden in Plain Sight achievement is unlocked along with the secret game ending to Far Cry 6, after which the game can be resumed as normal, but it must be done before the main story is completed. The novelty of not punishing players for attempting to leave the border makes for a fantastic addition to the game.
1 Sea Of Thieves - Blood Sea
Perhaps the best known, and most iconic, map border out there is the Red Sea from Sea of Thieves, also known as the Blood Sea or Devil's Shroud. This feature does exactly what one might expect, slowly damaging a ship until it sinks into the depths.
What sets this apart from similar map borders is the spectacular visual associated with it, as well as the fact that the game does give players a decent chance to recover and turn back. The ship will need extensive and fast repairs to stay in the area for any amount of time, but unless players venture quite a way in, the situation is recoverable, giving it a much more realistic feel as opposed to a simple border.