I’m starting to find that HUDs in games clutter the screen and take away from being fully immersed in the game. I like games that force you to pay attention to what’s going on in the game and not numbers/markers on the edges of the display. What are some of your favorite games to play with no HUD? Here are a few of mine:
Astroneer - this game has tool tips on screen but that’s about it. There isn’t even an inventory, all objects are interactive and you can physically place them on your backpack.
Battlefield 1 - super gritty and immersive, but playing without a HUD really puts you at a disadvantage online.
Red Dead Redemption 2 - I liked that you could hide the HUD, but the mini-map was a tap on the d-pad away if you get lost. It was a super immersive experience!
Grand Theft Auto 5 - maybe not designed to be played without the HUD, once you get used to the layout of the city this becomes a lot easier, and you focus more on landmarks to navigate and again this really increased immersion. Sometimes finding things in missions wasn’t obvious and required consulting the map but otherwise this was enjoyable.
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Dead space? It famously has a hud that’s built into the world rather than being random bars and stuff on the screen. Everything UI related is essentially from an object in the game
Elden Ring and other fromsofts have the Hud disappear unless something actively happens with it sometimes. You don’t see your health or mana unless you get hit or cast a spell.
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
Turning off the HUD makes you look up at the environment to help you plan where to go. You start to remember landscape shapes and areas that way. Plus it’s just nice.
Your hearts and stuff will show up if they need to, but otherwise it’s totally blank. And since pulling up the map is quick it’s really not that jarring to not have it in the corner.
Limbo is amazing. You want engrossing atmosphere? No HUD, no music, no color. Just you and the terrifying, soul-crushing, body-crushing environment.
I tried that game once, got stuck at one point and put it down. I really need to give it a fair chance!
Don’t think I’ve seen anyone mention sea of thieves, always loved how pretty it was and the complete like of hud is great
There are a lot of design choices I love about that game! I’m one of those people however that found the PvP frustrating.
Good news! There’s a new update that included a PvE server that you and friends can play on. You’ll be the only players on the server and can play all the PvE content (minus the fort of damned/fortune)
There are a few restrictions, but if you care more about game experience, they shouldn’t affect you too much.
Wooooo may be worth trying out!!
That’s true it’s pretty damn tough
I really like portal’s absolutely minimal HUD. The game absolutely works without any hud whatsoever just as well too.
escape from tarkov
This is a perspective I just don’t understand, personally. I’ve seen people get super excited about being able to turn off the HUD in Souls games and then die because they didn’t realise they were low on health. I’m sure it can be done well and I’m not judging at all, I just don’t get it. I’d rather have a well made HUD (i.e. Not over the top) than nothing. I kinda wish I understood the appeal.
All that said, I am 10,000% in favour of giving users options in all software. So if you can turn the HUD on or off, add or remove details etc, all the better.
It certainly works better in some games than others! Usually a HUD element would need to be replaced with a different on-screen visual indicator…how well it works can vary a lot between games and genres.
Well, you mentioned Battlefield 1 already, but yes.
No HUD, good sound system, only standard issue rifles… Honestly an experience like no other.
I mention good sound because no HUD means you get a lot more focused on what you’re hearing, and the sound in this game is fantastic. So many great audio clues to work with.
Battlefield 1 just drips with atmosphere, it’s amazing!
The Long Dark…
Absolutely, came here to say this. You can fully turn off what minimal ui there is and it’s still playable. They could really get rid of some menus too, like cooking could be a little more drag and drop.
More animations too. Latest patch went a long way, but eg fire starting and the like.
I used to play Skyrim with a mod that turned off the HUD. Can’t remember the name. I switched off extra options, and it became quite fun sneak-archering with neither crosshairs nor stealth indicator nor enemy radar dots.
I’m pretty sure Hellblade didn’t have HUD and that game was incredible.
Both Zelda BotW and TotK have the option for a “PRO” HUD mode which only shows certain elements of the HUD at the right time.
It makes exploration so much more fun when you’re not (if not subconsciously) navigating with the minimap instead of the environment in front of your eyes.
+1 for Battlefield 1. That game nailed the cinematic experience and without a HUD it’s turned up to 11.
Have you played heists in GTA5 in first person without a HUD? It becomes a completely different game!
Dying Light 1 is awesome to play HUDless, but you have to learn the controls beforehand, and you have to enable the HUD again for a certain bossfight, or just memorize the keypresses for it from a walkthrough.
If you’re into Bethesda games and modding them, nearly all of them have “immersive HUD” mods that only show HUD elements when it’s relevant.
