this post was submitted on 13 Jun 2026
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I DON'T mean other games that let you build a car from scratch.

I'm looking for other complex open world games that throw you into the deep end without any explanation, and are completely unforgiving when you make mistakes.
Games that even actively hate the player, but give you a deep sense of satisfaction when you finally figure it out.

So no tutorial, no quest markers, no mini-map, no quick-saving, etc.
Bonus points if they also show you a glimpse into a niche culture, like My Summer Car does with rural life in Finland during the 90's economic depression.

Other examples I can think of are Kingdom Come Deliverance in hardcore mode and Dwarf Fortress. Which ones do you know?

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[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 5 points 10 hours ago

Morrowind kinda does this. Unlike the other Elder Scrolls games that came later, you don't have any quest markers, or anything really to help you find where you're looking for. Most of the quests give directions like, "follow the road south till you get to the fork in the road with a big tree. Go on the eastern branch till you find a cave entrance. If you get attacked by cliff racers you're either on the right path or you went too far. Good luck."

[–] Texas_Hangover@lemmy.radio 3 points 9 hours ago

You might dig The Forest.

I died a LOT in the fucking forest.

[–] Erusset@slrpnk.net 22 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Noita may be close. It nails the no directions and unforgiving part.

[–] SharkAttak@kbin.melroy.org 9 points 13 hours ago

"Don't Starve"? Checks all your boxes and has a ton of dlcs. I've yet to find the will to play it again.

[–] tonyn@lemmy.ml 6 points 12 hours ago

I've been playing Pacific Drive. It's a roguelite driving survival exploration and crafting game. There's very little guidance, the punishment for failing is decent. You may like it.

[–] Suck_on_my_Presence@lemmy.world 4 points 11 hours ago

Rain World. Fucking struggling with this one. Animal Well, little easier than rain world. Tunic.

[–] Coelacanth@feddit.nu 8 points 13 hours ago

I'm looking for other complex open world games that throw you into the deep end without any explanation, and are completely unforgiving when you make mistakes.
Games that even actively hate the player, but give you a deep sense of satisfaction when you finally figure it out.

So no tutorial, no quest markers, no mini-map, no quick-saving, etc.

Boy have I got a game for you. I'm playing Darkwood right now and this should tick most of your boxes. It's not a huge open world, more like several open zones as you progress through the story, but otherwise should do what you want. It's also not just deeply unsettling but also genuinely terrifying despite being a top-down game.

[–] blomvik@sopuli.xyz 2 points 10 hours ago

Neo scavenger might fit the bill. You start out naked in a Detroit that has no regard for the player.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/248860/NEO_Scavenger/

[–] Sv443@sh.itjust.works 3 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (2 children)

Urge is a very strange one but kinda fits the bill

[–] Coelacanth@feddit.nu 1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

That is the weirdest thing I've seen in a while. Not sure I want to play it but I'd watch a playthrough.

[–] Sv443@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 hours ago

Yeah I also only watched it. Not quite the mix of mechanics I enjoy in survival games.
I recommend Pr1vateLime's series, he always makes an effort to learn some of the mechanics beforehand without being overt about it, which I feel makes the videos more engaging than someone struggling for hours.

[–] mech@feddit.org 6 points 11 hours ago

First review on Steam - Negative:

Personally, I find the game just too hard.
Absolutely NOTHING is explained (there isn't even a tutorial), so I can't even figure out how to get rid of, reduce, or avoid the fog in the early game.
There seems to be a story, but since there’s no clear path on how or where to explore, it gets completely lost.
The enemies simply can’t be fended off during the first fog phase, as they’re just way too strong due to their sheer numbers...

Second review - Positive:

piss

Yup, that's the game I'm looking for!

[–] tal@lemmy.today 11 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

I’m looking for other complex open world games that throw you into the deep end without any explanation, and are completely unforgiving when you make mistakes.

UnReal World? It's never really grabbed me when I've tried it, personally, but it might be up your alley.

Kenshi has a pretty difficult start, though it gets easier later in the game. I don't think that it's as complex.

[–] STUNT_GRANNY@lemmy.world 3 points 11 hours ago

Project Zomboid has a tutorial, but it's strictly optional to play. You can absolutely just dive straight in to it.

Knox County, Kentucky, 1993. The zombie apocalypse hits. As far as you know, you're the last person alive on earth. It's all up to you, and you alone, to keep going.

The game's default settings are plenty brutal, but you can tweak them to an insane degree, and anything the settings don't cover, someone's probably made a mod for that. I highly recommend the Bandits mod, which adds hostile human NPCs in to the mix of all the things that will kill you.

[–] Broadfern@lemmy.world 3 points 12 hours ago

There’s a very light “tutorial” but Breath of the Wild is like that. Especially on Hero Mode (I think that’s what it’s called)

I was 20 hours in when I found out cooking was an option. No explanation of the mechanic in-game

[–] early_riser@lemmy.world 2 points 11 hours ago

I'll second Tunic. It's RTFM the game.

[–] ItsMyVault101@piefed.social 5 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (1 children)

My Winter Car its the sequel

[–] mech@feddit.org 2 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

I know, and I also own it.

[–] ItsMyVault101@piefed.social 1 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

So the sequel doesn't scratch the itch, how about Finnish Cottage Simulator it has actually a similar vibe but less focused on cars.

Or some dynastie games like Sengoku Dynasty, Lumberjacks Dynasty, Medieval Dynasty, Wild West Legacy.

Or from your description "unforgivable near hateful to the player but rewarding" you literally describe Dark Souls or souls like games how about Sekiro

Or some hard 2d platformer like Celeste combined with the aboth suggestion you can also try Hollow Knight or Rain World

[–] mech@feddit.org 2 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Medieval Dynasty is great, I already have it. Soulslikes and 2D platformers aren't my thing.

My Winter Car was too depressing. I liked the 90s summer vibe. In the sequel, the soulless gas station putting Teimo out of business, your fun uncle dying from cancer, grandma gone, pre-paying for gas with a card, getting a soul-crushing 9to5 job to pay the rent, and being an alcoholic was just too close to real life.
(I'll check back in a couple years, and I hope Toplessgun adds a progressing story that lets you improve things...or fuck them up more)

I'll definitely check out Finnish Cottage Simulator.

[–] icanbrewmushrooms@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago (1 children)
[–] mech@feddit.org 1 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I've sunk hundreds upon hundreds of hours in this :)

[–] icanbrewmushrooms@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago

I don't know why I didn't think of it before, as it's one of my favourite games, but you may well enjoy Oxygen Not Included :)

[–] Whitebrow@lemmy.world 2 points 13 hours ago

Pathologic series and Gothic 1 remake

[–] brosaph@lemmy.world 3 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Have you checked out Fear and Hunger or Pathologic? I've only experienced them through video essays but they seem like what you're looking for.

[–] mech@feddit.org 4 points 15 hours ago

Pathologic looks very interesting, thanks!
Also Pathologic 2 is currently on sale for under 7€.