1. The Wall of Midgar with FF7 crew (FF7 Remake)
2. Jazz Club in Kichijoji (Persona 5 Royal)
3.Alfheim (God of War 2018)
4. Astral Observatory (Zelda: Majora's Mask)
5. Tsushima (Ghost)
6. Boreal Valley (Dark Souls 3)
7. Museum sequence (FF7 Remake)
8.Edge of Creation (FF7 Remake)
9.Libertalia (Uncharted 4)
10.Sovngarde (Skyrim)
@TheBrandedSwordsman Yo man same to you! I recently was watching a stream of DS3 and forgotten how much I love that game. All of the levels and enemies in that game are so memorable, mind you this was my introduction into the Souls series. It's crazy because you can miss Lothric Castle for a while if you don't know about Dancer
@TheBrandedSwordsman This made for some awesome homework, thank you! My immediate reaction to the question was "way too many" so I made some coffee, put on some music and went for a pleasant wander through my screencap archive. Hopefully the pictures will help justify my choices (although I certainly haven't been everywhere ever made in gaming, so this is all subject to change).
Just to be clear, these aren't our favourite levels in terms of gameplay, but rather our favourite digital places to hang around and soak up the atmosphere, right? That's how I've approached my list.
I've tried to keep it exclusively places invented for games, by games developers (for example, I prefer Dathomir from Jedi: Fallen Order, but it was originally featured elsewhere in the franchise). Gotham City was a brand new layout for Arkham Origins. There is a real Shoshone National Forest, of course, as well as a real New York City, but I reckon there was enough imagination applied to their in-game appearances to make them unique enough to include.
Am looking forward to seeing where everybody else picks!
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
Ooh, this was quite fun actually! My list isn’t really ordered as such, just my thoughts scattered all over.
1. Another pick for Sakuragaoka from Shenmue. One of the first locations to feel like an actual living town.
2. Forget-Me-Not Valley from a few different Harvest Moon/BokuMon games. I know that place like the back of my hand and it’s easily my favourite area from the series.
3. Delfino Plaza from Super Mario Sunshine. The perfect hub area, with plenty of secrets, fun music, loads of character and potential for sequence breaking!
4. Outskirts of Silent Hill from Silent Hill 2. Despite having just one enemy, the opening minutes of Silent Hill 2 are some of its best. From the rest stop to the forest, graveyard and tunnel where you find the radio, the atmosphere is unmatched.
5. Bit cheating here but I’m going to say Hyrule from Ocarina of Time. Yes, that’s practically the whole map minus the Gerudo Desert but I’m not talking about dungeons here. I mean the overworld so Hyrule Market Town, Hyrule Field, Lon Lon Ranch, Kakariko Village, Zora River and Kokiri Forest. Essentially everywhere directly accessible from Hyrule Field and all spaced within a short distance of each other. Going through the game using an item randomiser seriously makes me appreciate the level design so much more. It just has a timeless quality to it.
6. Raccoon City Police Department from Resident Evil 2 and 3. Probably my favourite setting of the series with plenty rooms, the threat of Mr X and great puzzles. It beats the mansion but not by much.
7. Riverwood from Skyrim. Yes, it’s the first town you go to and there isn’t much there but I remember every single NPC who lives there. A sentimental pick more than anything.
8. Revachol from Disco Elysium. I won’t spoil anything here as it’s still not out on PlayStation but the lore and world-building within Revachol is some of the best I’ve ever seen in a game. Not a place you would live but the political situation alone gives it a grim but quietly beautiful quality, like the feelings I had visiting Prague and seeing the dilapidated ex-Soviet architecture.
9. Hallownest from Hollow Knight. So much atmosphere in the game with varied environments and an extremely well-designed map. Another place that nails the ‘once-great’ aesthetic.
10. Sotenbori from the Yakuza series. I like Kamurocho but I do prefer Sotenbori as it’s a slightly more interesting environment.
I have probably missed a whole lot of places but this is all that’s coming to my mind right now 😂
1. The train in Metro Exodus. Does that qualify as a vehicle, location or both? Regardless, its great. The developers deserve a lot of credit for making it feel like such a real and lived in place.
2. Deep space in Elite Dangerous. Just you and your ship. Literally in the middle of no where. What's not to love?
3. The Spencer Mansion in Resident Evil 1. For most it's understandly the police station from the much loved sequel that is the best location. But I'll always love that creepy mansion and its mad secrets.
4. Old Yharnam in Bloodborne. Just the moment of opening those huge doors to this old abandoned town and all the warnings to stay out. A really fun and exciting part of the game to explore.
5. Laboratory in Portal. Valve were certainly masters in their trade. Trying to escape that lab was an unforgettable experience.
6. USG Ishimura. Exploring the ship in Dead Space is brilliant, absolutely loved running around that thing trying to stay alive.
7. Lara's Surrey mansion in Tomb Raider 2 & 3. Exploring Lara's home and being followed around by her incredibly old butler is something so many people remember. And I suspect most people couldn't resist locking him in the freezer.
@Th3solution Thanks! I knew my obsession with the Share button would come in handy someday, even if it did make picking the best representative shots a little tricky!
***
@nessisonett Whilst I've never been to Riverwood in Skyrim, I will defend your choice of a game's small starting area (similar to Sakuragaoka). It's where you'll often decide whether you like a game or not, and where you'll get to know your protagonist, those around them, and the general atmosphere. Like you, I have much sentimental fondness for many opening levels.
***
@LieutenantFatman Am I the only person who didn't lock Winston in Lara's fridge?!
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
@LieutenantFatman Argh, you’ve already chosen one I should have in your first choice! The train in Metro Exodus is utterly brilliant, one of the best hubs of any game I’ve played. I spent ages just talking to each of my squad between levels.
@LieutenantFatman Well, it'll be frozen Winston for dinner if he is (you monster)!
Although I must admit, I did have a cheeky chuckle when exploring Croft Manor in the "Blood Ties" DLC for Rise of the Tomb Raider, because I found a diary entry written by Winston in which he complains to Lara's parents about her troublesome fridge-trapping habits. Seems she started at an early age!
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
Meridian from Horizon Zero Dawn as you have excellent views, plenty of culture and relatively safe from all the machines.
Plenty of locations from Red Dead Redemption 2 but it's Clemens Point which tops them all. Fishing on your 'doorstep' and an excellent secluded spot to put up some tents and enjoy a sing song around the fireplace.
Dragonsreach from Skyrim. Again, wonderful views, plenty of wares on offer and a welcoming Inn awaits. Don't bother with the cloud district, people there are a bit snooty.
@Col_McCafferty I think my favourite location from RDR2 was probably Saint-Denis. It’s a brilliant recreation of a city at that time period, it reminded me of early Assassin’s Creed in that respect. I really wish we got more games that actually did try to be historically accurate.
Not in any particular order of importance! Also I tried to stay away from posting a whole setting of an entire game. Maybe do a thread of Favorite game settings? But my favorite locations in video games are:
1. Resident Evil 1 - Spencer Mansion. Just amazing Building especially in the HD remake.
2. Resident Evil 2 - Police Station - it is so cool that they made a museum into a police station and then a zombie outbreak happened!!! The setting was perfect!!!
3. Half-Life 2 - Ravenholm - "We don't go to Ravenholm ..."
4. World of Warcraft - The Barrens - the music, the quests, the Crossroads ... damn it was good!
5. World of Warcraft - Duskwood - Alliance creepy zone. I loved leveling there!!!
6. Castlevania Symphony of the Night - The Catacombs - One of the most beautiful and atmospheric pixel crafted areas!
7. Painkiller - The Town - The action and the atmosphere in this level is just perfect!
8. Painkiller Battle out of Hell - The Orphanage - How damn creepy that level was!!!
9. The Elder Scrolls Skyrim - Solitude - Love the architecture of the city and it is quite enjoyable to explore!
10. Sanitarium - Level 2 (the Town) - One of the best location in Point and Click adventures ever made!
Forums
Topic: Top 10 Video Game Locations
Posts 1 to 20 of 33
This topic has been archived, no further posts can be added.