16 Best Games With Emergent Gameplay

Emergent gameplay has been quite the topic over the years. The classic definition involves gameplay “emerging” from player agency as they exploit mechanics in ways the developers didn’t intend. However, offering enough freedom to the player and unique systems for different possibilities to come about can also contribute to emergent gameplay. With that in mind, let’s take a look at 16 of the best games that provide this unique form of entertainment.

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain’s open world was okay and not exactly a shining example of the genre. However, where it delivered was in the number of ways players could exploit the systems to crazy effect. Guards could be distracted with inflatable decoys, players could surf down slopes with boxes, collapse towers on top of enemies, the list goes. The sheer variety in tackling objectives, whether through pure stealth or crazy ingenuity, also made up for the conclusion.