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?
I can’t believe it’s been a day and no one has said Kenshi yet.
Kenshi is an open world rpg where you control one or more characters in an enormous wasteland. It’s super complicated with a ton of systems and that game really hates you. When you start your first save, you’d be lucky if you only get captured and enslaved instead of killed. Your character is a regular person in the world, not the powerful main character (the real main character is Beep) and you’ll constantly feel it.