However, there are some whose open worlds either don’t live up to the potential of their gameplay and setting, or crash and burn by doing everything that we’ve already seen a million times before but worse. Some are still good games and even classics, while others…not so much. Let’s look at 15 open-world games that wasted their potential.

Forspoken

As dire as the final product ended up being, Luminous Productions’ Forspoken had an interesting premise when first revealed. The idea of exploring a vast fantasy world with magical parkour, sailing over objects and unleashing powerful magic was enticing. It felt like the team, full of Final Fantasy 15 veterans, was using that knowledge and focusing on what players enjoyed the most about that RPG – its open world.

Unfortunately, not only was the story bogged down by awful dialogue and characterization, but Athia felt artificial. The vast empty fields full of endlessly respawning monsters, the fetch quests, and typical towers which unlock new icons on the map, adding to the “to-do” list, didn’t come together well. There are some interesting optional dungeons and bosses, for whatever that’s worth.

Check out the previous part here.

Shadow Warrior 3

The one where Wang gets a grappling hook. Shadow Warrior 3 does away with its predecessor’s wide array of melee weapons and focuses on one single constant – the Dragontail katana. Being able to quickly whip it out and slice an opponent feels more intuitive, and each slash feels more responsive. Upgrades also allow for directional inputs to call down lightning, shoot fire or unleash a wave of water which is also nice.

SHENMUE

Many years have passed since Shenmue first came out on Sega’s Dreamcast, but the series’ massive fan following hasn’t waned. Shenmue 1 introduced the industry to a style of game that was way ahead of its time- and though the combat wasn’t the centrepiece, learning new combos and then pulling them off against enemies was deeply satisfying.

Sloclap’s free expansion for its online 3D fighting game Absolver is now available for PS4 and PC. Downfall offers new gear, a new combat style, and a new enticing game mode for players to get lost in. Check out the trailer below.

The new combat style, Faejin, is very Bruce Lee-esque and allows for quick strikes that shift between offense and defense. Existing schools also get new School Challenges, which allows for battling in 1v1 Combat Trials. Individual and group performances, calculated by wins in the challenges, will net new rewards every few weeks. Think of it as semi-seasonal content to partake in.

The main attraction of Downfall is the Downfall mode, where players venture into the Adalian Mines and progress through procedurally generated areas to battle different enemies. Three new boss fights lie in wait, and it’s possible to earn new gear from your trials in the mines. It’s possible to play either solo or with a friend, so in terms of PvE content, there’s quite a bit here.

Sloclap’s 3D fighting game Absolver didn’t really set the world on fire at launch. However, the developer has been working hard to support it and has confirmed that the free expansion, Downfall will be out on September 25^th.

Releasing for PS4 and PC, Downfall will have a new fighting style called Faejin. As per the PlayStation Blog, this style will mimic the moves of legendary martial artist Bruce Lee and should introduce even more variety into the game’s combat. The calling card of the expansion is Downfall Mode though. In this, players will venture into the Adalian Mines and battle Arcell along with his corrupted Prospects.

Downfall Mode promises a unique path with each run through the mines, including stronger enemies with better AI, three boss fights, and other challenges. Defeating Corrupted Prospects earns Gleam, which can be redeemed for experience and gear, until eventually, the player is strong enough to take on Arcell. New weapons, intros, and masks will also be added in the expansion, so Downfall might mark a good time to revisit the game.

Sloclap has been hard at work on their action role playing fighter, Absolver, for quite awhile now, adding on content to keep the dedicated group of fans happy with the game. In a blog post on the official Website, Sloclap has now outlined the upcoming Downfall expansion, as well as updated the status of the Xbox version.

With Downfall expected as a free content drop this September, players can expect the new gameplay mode “Downfall”, which functions as a Rouge-like mode where players can take on randomly generated dungeons while getting strong enough to finish the three boss fights of the mode. The new Faejin Combat Style and School Challenges are also being introduced for the more experienced players. 6 new armour sets, comprised of 51 pieces of equipment will also become available.

While the game is already available on PS4 and Windows, the Xbox One version of the game is still to come. According to the aforementioned post, it’s being worked on in tandem and is requiring some extra attention to properly adapt the game to Xbox Live’s systems. If you’re interested in trying the game, either when it comes to Xbox or as one of the PS+ games this month, you should see GamingBolt’s review here.

PlayStation Plus subscribers are getting some high-profile free games in July 2018. The PlayStation Blog EU has announced that Sloclap’s Absolver and Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain will be available free for PlayStation 4 from July 3rd.

Released in August 2017, Absolver is a 3D fighting game where players travel throughout the land of Adal and build their fighting legacy. It received a modest critical reception at launch (check GamingBolt’s official review here) for its combat mechanics and unique aesthetic.

Heavy Rain, on the other hand, is a remaster of the PlayStation 3 cult classic. With multiple playable characters, it’s centered around the mystery of the Origami Killer, relying heavily on QTEs and player-driven choice for its gameplay.

Other free games for PlayStation Plus in July include Rayman HD and Extreme Exorcism for PlayStation 3. Space Overlords will have cross-buy support on the PlayStation Vita and PS4. However, Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma is undoubtedly the highlight for Vita owners. An animated adventure title with plenty of thrills and mystery, Zero Time Dilemma is the latest in The Nonary Games trilogy and well worth playing.

Unfortunately, for the robust combat system that Absolver offers and the unique art-style it bestows to the proceedings, it feels barren most times. The action RPG mechanics in this PvE landscape seem to only really funnel players into PvP, which itself is limited. It’s like For Honor in many ways, eschewing the diverse multiplayer modes for a more customizable fighting system. While it may have a solid base, Absolver feels like it’s started off with so much less despite having so much more potential.

"Battles in Absolver are also about cancelling certain moves, maintaining your stamina, knowing when to dodge and engaging your class-specific ability in certain situations."

The story of Absolver is pretty muted, the atmosphere bordering on dull. The Adal Empire has fallen and the Guides are in charge of training Prospects aka masked students, in the ways of melee combat. Progress far enough through the various trials, which basically means beating some other masked warriors spread across the land, and you’ll become an Absolver. Sounds simple enough but there’s pretty much nothing going on with the story. At times you’ll encounter a Guide who offers some advice. The odd boss fight has a few dialogues. While most games with such minimal narrative usually have a deep lore behind them, if not something else bubbling beneath the surface that’s acknowledged through various winks and nudges, Absolver‘s tale is just bland.

Combat takes place on a 3D space. You’ll lock on to an opponent and have the ability to administer light or heavy attacks to beat them down. There are combos associated with these buttons which can be created through the Combat Deck. Combos are chained together by switching stances of which there are four and it’s possible to seamlessly transition between combos if your Combat Deck is outfitted properly. Creating the right Combat Deck in that regard is tough but battles in Absolver are also about cancelling certain moves, maintaining your stamina, knowing when to dodge and engaging your class-specific ability in certain situations.

Those classes, known better as Styles, have a variety of functions and feed off of different attributes (which you can improve by levelling up). I went with the Khalt style which relied on absorbing enemy attacks to slightly reduce damage and regaining health when counter-attacking. Sounds simple but triggering the ability took an absurdly accurate window of timing. It also didn’t help that AI opponents seemed capable of pulling off the absorption constantly without error. And if you don’t like a certain Style in the beginning, well, you’re kind of stuck with it. The only way to learn a new Style is to join a school and become another player’s pupil, thus granting access to their Combat Deck, or just starting a new game.

"Weapon fighting has its own Combat Deck which could have been cool but that random sword you picked up will break over time. So don’t count on discovering and building up a fun arsenal either."

Sounds like a great way to encourage PvP but it’s downright annoying in PvE to be confined to a single Style that simply isn’t working for you. Furthermore, spend your stat points wisely because there’s currently no way to refund them and go in another direction. Considering how certain Styles benefit from specific stats more, you’re caught in this hilariously ridiculous Catch-22. Let’s not even get started on those players who only realize the importance of dumping all points into certain stats later.

Of course, at this point, you’re probably wondering why I don’t just go online and take advantage of Absolver‘s PvEvP zones where AI enemies and real players alike can battle (or even engage in a few 1v1 duels). The thing is that going online resulted in pretty severe lag, that too for the PvE component where hit registration was heavily delayed. Only by going offline was I able to actually get some responsiveness back in my fights. I’m sure this issue will be addressed later by Sloclap but it’s a huge let-down, especially when the game is so clearly leaning on PvP.

It also doesn’t help that the world of Absolver is so lifeless and bland. NPCs are pretty much the same and barring perhaps the drunken master Jinn Mesca, there’s very little variety in the mini-boss and boss fights. Fighting against numerous AI opponents at once becomes annoying because you’ll whittle one down only for them to suddenly run away and their friends to distract you. Meanwhile, they’re back up to full health once you’re ready to fight them again. Switching between targets during combat can be annoying, especially when you’re being attacked from all sides. At least the NPCs try to counter your tactics, even if that means spamming their Style ability continuously and driving you to the point of insanity.

You can find new gear to equip, learn new moves by either dodging or blocking enemy attacks, and even learn new abilities like healing or summoning a weapon using the Shard system. Alternatively, some weapons can also be picked up. The abilities are interesting but ultimately bland as well. Weapon fighting has its own Combat Deck which could have been cool but that random sword you picked up will break over time. So don’t count on discovering and building up a fun arsenal either.

"For me, Absolver is pretty much just a whole lot wasted potential."

The game is bereft of side quests, reasons to explore the world (which is anyway fairly small) and a real end-game to really sink your teeth into. You can fight tougher versions of past opponents but the real battle will be with other players as you join or start schools to gather more moves. Otherwise, just run around the limited environment and beat on NPCs or other players until you get bored.

There’s plenty to like about Absolver. Once you get the hang of the combat system, fights can become intriguing dances of attacking and counter-play. This highlights the aesthetic even more, especially the animation system and overall visual design (though running at 30 FPS on PS4 with some drops here and there certainly didn’t earn it extra points). Working together with other players and joining their schools to learn new moves sounds awesome in theory. But right now, it feels like Absolver is missing a lot.

The lack of variety in the PvE component, the boring atmosphere which is punctuated by the lack of music and compelling narrative, the irritating AI fights which can become absolute clusters, the sheer stupidity of not being able to change your Style without joining another player’s school, the inability to reallocate stat points – I could go on. And it’s a shame because there is some pretty deep fighting to be had here for those who are willing to put the time in.

As it stands, Absolver is a game that will be heavily reliant on a dedicated community. You may eventually come to the 1v1 duels and find beauty in your perfectly crafted Combat Deck. You may explore the world with some friends and engage in frantic battles. For me, Absolver is pretty much just a whole lot of wasted potential.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 4.

Sloclap’s online melee action title Absolver is now available for PS4 and PC courtesy of Devolver Digital. Check out the launch trailer below.

Absolver has been quietly hyped for a while now and introduces an interesting take on the 3D fighting game genre. Players essentially begin the game as Prospects and traverse Adal to fight against both AI opponents and real people.

Sparring, competitive PvP and co-op PvE are also possible and players will learn moves from each other, which can be customized in the Combat Deck, while gaining experience to spend on different attributes. There’s also loot to be had for improving one’s stats and down the line, you can even create your own school to mento students.

There will be more to come with Absolver including ranked play, 3 vs. 3 matches and a Spectator mode among other things. New Combat Styles and moves will also be added for free down the line.

Having a competitive online fighter like Sloclap’s Absolver is great, especially when you look at the game’s art-style and overall structure. However, post-launch support is also important and to that end, the developer has announced what players can expect in the coming months.

It first noted that all content updates will be free and features like 3 vs. 3, ranked matches and Spectator mode will make up the initial updates. New moves and Combat Styles will also be coming in the future.

Even more interesting however is the fact that players can open fighting schools in the game to create their own styles of combat. You can act as a mentor of sorts to other players, allowing them to use your Combat Deck and some more advanced moves than they normally play with.

Absolver will feature sparring and PvP with other players but will also have PvE co-op combat as well. It will still be possible to learn moves from other players via co-op as they gain experience and improve their skills and attributes. Absolver arrives on August 29th for PS4 and PC.