Top 20 Insanely Ambitious Games

Some games set out to do more than entertain. They try to simulate entire worlds, push technology forward, or build systems that feel limitless. Here are twenty projects that aimed sky high, from planet scale sandboxes to living cities and intricate simulations that never seem to stop growing.

Star Citizen

This ongoing space sim targets a unified experience that spans first person shooting, seamless ship flight, and large scale trading in one universe. It runs on a heavily modified engine to support detailed interiors, planetary landings, and server meshing plans that aim to stitch shards together. The project uses a persistent economy with cargo, piracy, and mission systems that affect player livelihoods. It has raised hundreds of millions through crowdfunding and sells ships with complex interiors and bespoke roles.

No Man’s Sky

This exploration game uses procedural math to generate around 18 quintillion planets with unique biomes, wildlife, and weather. Players can fly from space to a surface without loading screens and scan or catalog discoveries that sync to a shared database. Regular updates added base building, land vehicles, multiplayer, living ships, and expeditions with seasonal goals. It now supports cross play and runs on everything from PC and consoles to VR.

Dwarf Fortress

This simulation generates entire worlds with geology, weather, and centuries of history before play even begins. Every creature, wound, and fluid is modeled at a fine level which drives emergent stories. Fortress mode tracks hundreds of dwarves with jobs, moods, and relationships that affect production and survival. Adventure mode lets you roam the same world and witness the consequences of prior runs.

EVE Online

This is a single shard universe where every player shares the same galaxy and economy. Massive wars involve thousands of pilots with fleets, logistics chains, and player built stations. Loss has weight since ships and cargo are destroyed permanently which fuels industry and markets. Governance is largely handled by alliances and diplomacy that arise from player actions.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

The entire Earth is modeled using global map data and photogrammetry that streams from the cloud. Real time weather is integrated so wind, clouds, and storms match current conditions. Aircraft range from light planes to airliners with detailed avionics and flight models. A robust SDK allows third party airports and planes that expand realism further.

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

This adventure layers sky islands, a vast surface, and deep underground zones in one continuous world. The Ultrahand and Fuse systems let players build vehicles and tools from found parts that obey physics. Zonai devices add power and logic so creations can move, lift, or attack. Shrines and dungeons are designed to accept many solutions based on player contraptions.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Its world simulates animal ecosystems, weather, and NPC routines that shift with time of day and story progress. The honor system and contextual interactions affect shopkeepers, bounty hunters, and random events. Weapons and horses require upkeep which ties into survival mechanics. The cinematic presentation sits on top of deep systemic AI for wildlife and human behavior.

Cyberpunk 2077

Night City is a dense urban sandbox with vertical exploration, netrunning, and weapon mod systems. Quests support multiple approaches through dialogue skills and cyberware choices. Major updates reworked police and perks while an expansion introduced a new district and storyline. The game includes full voice acting and cinematic scenes across multiple languages.

Baldur’s Gate 3

This RPG adapts modern tabletop rules with turn based combat, environmental interactions, and advantage systems. Almost every quest accepts stealth, persuasion, combat, or creative object use. Companions react to choices and long rests which alters camp scenes and romance arcs. Split screen and cross save let groups play together across platforms.

The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt

Its open world links monster contracts, political plots, and exploration without level gates across large regions. A deep alchemy and preparation loop rewards studying enemy weaknesses. Two expansions add new landmasses with lengthy stories and new mechanics. The game features dynamic weather and a living ecosystem of creatures and humans.

Grand Theft Auto V

Three playable protagonists intertwine in heists that switch perspectives during missions. The city includes traffic, radio, markets, and activities that feed into character skills. GTA Online extends the world with businesses, heists, and player housing that persist over years. Frequent content drops add new modes and vehicles that keep the economy active.

The Elder Scrolls II Daggerfall

Its map spans a region roughly the size of a small country with thousands of towns and dungeons. Procedural quests and factions create different career paths for each character. A robust skill and reputation system drives guild access and story outcomes. Travel, disease, and survival tie progression to the world scale.

Elite Dangerous

This space sim models a representation of the Milky Way with billions of star systems. Players can trade, mine, explore, and fight with flight physics that demand careful thruster control. A background simulation tracks influence and control for factions across the galaxy. Later updates added planetary surfaces, on foot missions, and engineering for deep ship customization.

Kerbal Space Program

Its physics follow real orbital mechanics which teaches delta v, staging, and transfer windows by doing. Players design rockets and aircraft from modular parts and iterate through testing. A career mode adds budgets, contracts, and tech development tied to science collection. Community mods expand everything from life support to visual upgrades.

Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain

Missions unfold in large spaces where systems like time of day and weather change infiltration plans. Enemies adapt by wearing helmets or carrying lights if the player relies on certain tactics. The Fulton system builds a private army that supplies gear and support during operations. Smooth controls and reactive AI encourage creative approaches to objectives.

Shenmue

This early 3D adventure featured a detailed town with daily NPC schedules and interactive interiors. Weather and time affect shop hours and events which creates a grounded routine. Players track clues through phone calls, notebooks, and real maps rather than floating markers. Quick time events mix with free movement combat to stage cinematic sequences.

Death Stranding

The core loop focuses on delivery routes across harsh terrain that require planning, tools, and patience. Asynchronous online systems let players build roads, bridges, and safe houses that others can use. Terrain scanning and weight distribution create a strategic puzzle for every trip. The story and worldbuilding sit alongside a deep logistics simulation.

Starfield

This space RPG combines handcrafted cities with many procedural planets across multiple systems. Ship building supports custom layouts that affect crew roles and combat performance. Outposts automate resource extraction and manufacturing that feed research and upgrades. New Game Plus adds unique narrative twists that encourage repeat journeys.

The Last of Us Part II

It uses a complex animation pipeline with motion matching that blends movements smoothly during combat. Enemy AI communicates and flanks while accounting for tall grass and line of sight. The game ships with extensive accessibility features covering audio, visual, and input needs. Detailed crafting and stealth systems support multiple play styles.

Minecraft

Worlds generate infinitely as players move which allows building at any scale. Survival mode tracks hunger, health, and resource progression that leads to bosses and dimensions. Redstone enables logic circuits and machines that power farms and contraptions. The game supports massive community servers with mini games and custom rules.

Share your own picks for the most ambitious games ever in the comments.