This Iconic Sci-Fi Show Feels Just Like An Open-World Video Game

When Lost first released in 2004, it quickly became a huge cultural phenomenon. Created by J.J. Abrams, Jeffrey Leiber, and Damon Lindelof, Lost follows the survivors of Oceanic flight 815 after their plane crashes on a remote Pacific island. The castaways first try to endure a hostile wilderness before their struggle for survival quickly evolves into something far weirder. They soon discover that the island features a deadly smoke monster, hidden bunkers, and countless unexplained mysteries.

Across six seasons, Lost balanced character-driven storytelling with ambitious sci-fi concepts, gradually revealing more about the island and the people on it. Its expansive premise redefined what television could achieve, causing Lost to inspire countless projects after it. However, over 20 years later, one particular aspect of the show does feel familiar to modern audiences: the way its sprawling island, interconnected mysteries, and constant sense of discovery makes it feel like remarkably similar to an open-world video game.

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Lost Balances a Large Cast With An Even Larger World

The Island’s Expansive Map & Character Flashbacks Feel Reminiscent of Video Games

Much like the maps found in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Elden Ring, or Horizon Zero Dawn, Lost’s setting is filled with landmarks that encourage exploration. The Oceanic survivors constantly set out toward a single objective only to stumble across something completely unexpected, whether it’s the buried hatch in the jungle, the mysterious Black Rock ship, the Pearl station, or Jacob’s cabin. Every expedition uncovers new questions and new answers, creating the same rewarding cycle of exploration and discovery that defines open-world games. The island is always bigger than viewers initially believe, and in each Lost season, new locations hidden beyond already-known areas are frequently revealed. With its more than 2000-year history, Lost presents the island with as much importance as the human characters.

Lost shares its quest-like structure with RPGs and adventure games. Characters are regularly embarking on missions that feel similar to video game objectives, whether it’s escorting survivors across dangerous territory, retrieving supplies, infiltrating enemy camps, or deciphering cryptic clues. The conflict with the Others often resembles a faction storyline, while the DHARMA Initiative functions like a long-abandoned civilization whose secrets players gradually uncover through logs, recordings, and environmental storytelling. The series’ flashbacks also resemble character-specific side quests, giving each survivor a unique backstory that deepens their motivations and expands the world around them.

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The characters are the heart and soul of Lost. Much like how Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring drop players into mysterious worlds with little explanation, Jack Shephard, Sayid, Hurley, Kate, Sawyer, Locke, Charlie, and every other survivor has no idea where they are or what they could encounter. Every attempt to answer their questions leads to several more. Much of Lost revolves around competing factions, including the survivors, the Others, the DHARMA Initiative, and eventually Jacob and the Man in Black.

Much like in open-world RPGs, characters find themselves choosing sides, forming alliances, and navigating conflicts between groups with different agendas. Desmond’s storyline in particular feels reminiscent of a game narrative, as the time travel and mystery surrounding the character wouldn’t feel out of place in BioShock Infinite or Control. Ironically, Lost already received its own video game in 2008 with Lost: Via Domus, but it was a relatively linear adventure as opposed to a true open-world experience.

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The Video Game-Like Structure Benefited Lost

The game-like structure worked well in Lost’s favor because it made the island feel alive. Rather than serving simply as a static backdrop, the setting became a character in its own right. Every path, system, and DHARMA station hinted at a larger, more expansive mystery for the survivors to solve. It also allowed Lost to balance its ensemble cast without losing momentum; open world games thrive by giving players multiple storylines to pursue, and the show adopted a similar approach through its rotating focus on survivors.

Whether viewers tune in for Jack’s leadership struggles, Locke’s belief in the island, Sawyer’s redemption arc, or Desmond’s adventures, there was always another compelling storyline waiting around the corner. The result was a show that felt expansive and unpredictable, and it’s endless fun to explore. Long before open world games became a dominant format, Lost was delivering many of the same thrills on TV.