The Importance of Verticality in Modern Open World Games

17 September 2025

When you think of open-world games, chances are you imagine sprawling landscapes, vast vistas, and endless terrain to explore. But let me ask you something—what happens when we stop looking just left and right and start looking up and down? This is where verticality comes into play. Verticality has quickly become one of the most pivotal aspects of modern open-world game design, and for good reason. It adds layers (quite literally) to exploration, gameplay, and immersion. Ready to dive deep? Let’s look at why verticality is such a game-changer in today’s open-world experiences.

What Is Verticality in Games? (And Why Should You Care?)

Alright, let’s break it down. Verticality, in simple terms, refers to a game's use of upward and downward space in its world design. It’s not just about traversing wide-open plains anymore; it’s also about scaling those mountain peaks, diving into mysterious underwater caves, or leaping across towering skyscrapers.

In older games, worlds were predominantly flat—like a pancake (no offense to pancakes). Sure, you might’ve had the occasional platform to jump on, but the environment didn’t fully embrace multiple vertical layers. Modern open-world games, however, have embraced the Z-axis like their lives depend on it, offering players new levels of freedom and immersion.

Think of verticality as the spice in a game’s recipe. Without it, the experience can feel a bit bland, but when done right? Chef’s kiss.

Enhancing Exploration: The Freedom to Go Up, Down, and Everywhere

One of the most obvious perks of verticality is how much it enhances exploration. Traditional open-world games were all about roaming a big map, but eventually, those maps started to feel same-y. Verticality changes the equation by giving you more than just a flat surface to explore—now you’re climbing, gliding, diving, and sometimes even flying.

Climbing to New Heights

Let’s talk about climbing for a sec. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild showcased how transformative verticality can be. Climbing mountains isn’t just about reaching the top—it’s about the journey. Every cliff you scale feels like a challenge to be conquered, and the reward? A breathtaking view, a hidden treasure, or maybe even that sense of accomplishment that says, “Yeah, I did that.”

Diving Into the Depths

On the flip side, verticality doesn’t stop at the clouds. Underwater exploration has become another fascinating element in games. Titles like Subnautica plunge players into underwater worlds with multiple layers of depth to explore. It’s a whole new kind of eerie, beautiful adventure. Think about it—you’re not just exploring a flat ocean floor; you’re navigating underwater caves, investigating coral reefs, and dodging massive sea creatures in the deep abyss.

Gameplay: Verticality Adds Depth (Literally and Figuratively)

Okay, so verticality isn’t just about exploration—it’s a core gameplay mechanic that can totally change how a game plays. It keeps players on their toes and makes combat, traversal, and puzzles way more engaging.

Combat on Multiple Levels

Picture this: you’re in a firefight in an urban environment. In a game with good verticality, you’re not just looking for cover behind walls—you’re looking above for rooftops, balconies, or even zip lines to gain the upper hand. Games like Titanfall 2 and Far Cry show how verticality can turn combat into an intricate game of strategy. The high ground isn’t just a meme from Star Wars—it’s a tactical advantage.

Traversal That Feels Alive

Traversal is another area where verticality shines. Think of games like Spider-Man (2018) where swinging between skyscrapers feels exhilarating. The city isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a living, breathing playground. Verticality makes traversal not just a means of getting from Point A to Point B but an experience in itself.

Immersion: A World That Feels Alive

You know that feeling when a game world just sucks you in? Like you could almost believe it exists? That’s immersion, and verticality plays a massive role in creating it.

Realistic World Design

Cities, mountains, forests—real life isn’t flat, so why should game worlds be? When developers incorporate verticality, it makes their worlds feel more believable. A bustling city with skyscrapers you can scale feels alive, like you’re a part of something bigger. Compare that to a flat city where every building is a static background prop. See the difference?

Engaging Dynamic Environments

Verticality also makes environments more dynamic. In games like Horizon Zero Dawn, you’re not just walking through a forest—you’re climbing massive machines, sliding down cliffs, and zip-lining into new areas. These vertical elements keep the world from feeling static and make exploration feel unpredictable, like the world has more secrets to uncover.

Building Verticality: Challenges for Developers

Of course, adding verticality isn’t easy peasy for developers. It’s a design challenge in itself. For starters, they have to consider how players will navigate multi-layered environments without getting lost or overwhelmed. This means designing clear pathways, intuitive climbing mechanics, and a logical layout.

And let’s not even get started on creating a camera system that works well in vertical games. Have you ever tried playing a game with a janky camera while climbing? It’s the worst. Trust me, if a developer nails verticality, they’ve put in some serious work behind the scenes.

Why Verticality Isn’t Just a Fad

Here’s the thing—verticality isn’t just some trendy buzzword that’ll fade away. It’s becoming a cornerstone of modern game design because it fundamentally enhances the player experience. As open-world games strive to become bigger, better, and more immersive, verticality is the stepping stone to achieving that.

The Future of Verticality in Gaming

So, where do we go from here? The future of verticality looks incredibly promising. With advancements in technology like ray tracing and haptic feedback, developers can push verticality even further. Imagine feeling the wind resistance as you dive into an underwater cavern, or the crunch of snow as you scale a frosty peak. Sounds epic, right?

We’ll likely see more games pushing the boundaries of verticality, blending it seamlessly with everything from exploration to storytelling. Developers are finding creative ways to design worlds that feel limitless—both horizontally and vertically.

Conclusion

Verticality has redefined what it means to explore a game world. It’s not just a gimmick; it’s a transformative feature that adds depth (pun intended) to exploration, gameplay, and immersion. By embracing the height and depth of virtual environments, developers are crafting open worlds that feel alive, engaging, and ripe for adventure.

So, the next time you’re scaling a skyscraper, diving into a bottomless pit, or gliding through the air in your favorite game, take a moment to appreciate the thought and effort that went into making verticality such a core part of your experience. It’s not just about where you’re going—it’s about how you get there.