GENERATION OPEN
PLAY Magazine UK|June 2024
From ambitious RPGs to sweeping adventures, Jeremy Peel unpacks the history of the open world from PS1 to PS5
GENERATION OPEN

That mountain is not just a backdrop,” Todd Howard once said, introducing Skyrim to the world. “You can walk all the way to the top of that mountain.” The winning quote has become immortalised as a meme: “See that mountain? You can climb it.”

It’s a phrase that encapsulates both the wonder and familiarity of open worlds and the genre that’s been built around them, echoed in many game reveals since. How did the promise of distant peaks become not only possible, but a cliché? For that story, we have to go right back to the beginning of PlayStation, and a little beyond. The open world genre is a technical miracle; the work of thousands of developers over decades. And that work isn’t yet done.

See that planet? You can fly there. 

PLAYSTATION 

The rise of the overworld

Early in PlayStation’s life there were no continuous 3D open worlds to be had. Levels had borders and great distances were travelled only via loading  screens. A skybox provided your sense of a horizon, never to be crossed. Yet even within these hard technological constraints, RPG designers managed to design the first overworlds – connecting discrete areas via imagination and sticky tape.

Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av PLAY Magazine UK.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av PLAY Magazine UK.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA PLAY MAGAZINE UKSe alt
NOT SO SILENT
PLAY Magazine UK

NOT SO SILENT

With a Silent Hill renaissance on the horizon, the Western developers who worked on the most recent four entries - Silent Hill: Origins, Silent Hill: Homecoming, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, and Silent Hill: Downpour - talk to James Winspear about keeping a light aflame while the fog rolls in

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 2024
Late night with the devil
PLAY Magazine UK

Late night with the devil

My, my, what manner of BAFTA is this?\" said Andrew Wincott, slipping into Raphael's dulcet tones with ease as he accepted the BAFTA for Performer In A Supporting Role earlier this year.

time-read
10 mins  |
December 2024
NCE BITTEN, THRICE SNEAKY
PLAY Magazine UK

NCE BITTEN, THRICE SNEAKY

We base-jump towards our first taste of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, talking with series producer Noriaki Okamura about our hands-on with the remade Virtuous Mission section of the classic stealther.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2024
Crimson Desert
PLAY Magazine UK

Crimson Desert

Devils may cry, and so might you after this

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
Spine
PLAY Magazine UK

Spine

Looking to equal gun-fu classics

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
Lost Records: Bloom & RageTape 1
PLAY Magazine UK

Lost Records: Bloom & RageTape 1

Hitting play on Don't Nod's coming-of-age tale

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
PS5 Pro to launch
PLAY Magazine UK

PS5 Pro to launch

PS5 architect Mark Cerny finally revealed' one of the worstkept secrets in gaming history - stick 7 Nov in your calendar

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
Batman: Arkham Asylum
PLAY Magazine UK

Batman: Arkham Asylum

15 years!? Holy depressing passing of time, Batman!

time-read
1 min  |
October 2024
The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road
PLAY Magazine UK

The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road

Keeping us engaged with the carat-and-stick approach

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2024
Alan Wake 2: Night Springs
PLAY Magazine UK

Alan Wake 2: Night Springs

Keepin' it weird

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024