Games with exceptional locations

[ryanxm]

I've been playing skyrim all day, and I think bethesda did a really great job with the cities. Riften has the obvious underlying feeling that there's crime, Solitude feels like a seat of power, and markarth is clearly very ancient. I found this to be a drastic improvement over oblivion, where all the cities felt slightly different, but with a very similar design over all. Dragon age:Origions also had some fantastic settings, especially the main city; but the camp that serves to deepen relations with party members still remains my favorite spot. What games do you feel has some of the most amazing settings out there?

 

[Hero in a half shell]

I loved the first time you land on the Halo installation in Combat Evolved, on the impossibly huge clifface that looks out towards where the rest of the ring loops up over your head, and you have a huge river gorge beside you, with a narrow bridge over it.

Pity the later game devolved into a confusing, repetitive corridor dash, but that intro to the ringworld was spectacular.

 

[Hazy992]

I'm still really impressed by Liberty City in GTA IV. The level of detail is astounding; I mean it's an actual virtual city. It's more than a mere facsimile. There's a functioning transport system, there are people going about their daily lives, there are fully functioning bars and restaurants, a police force, a fire department, paramedics. I know other sandbox games have similar elements but nowhere near the amount of fine detail.

 

[Suicidejim]

Despite how (mostly) linear and superficial they were, the environments in FF13 were, at the very least, very attractive. If nothing else, it's a game that knows how to look pretty.

 

[krazykidd]

Anor lando in dark souls . The place is so stunningly beautiful and gleams of serenity . Also if you kill gwyndolin and everything becomes dark , it feels so sad and heartbreaking .

 

[LookingGlass]

I've always loved Sadrith Mora from Morrowind:

Spoiler

 

[Eddie the head]

Even though I didn't like the game Uncharted 3.

 

[MarkDavis94]

I remember as a kid playing Jak and Daxter 2 and being like wow this is cool

If I play it again now I'd probably think its terrible but meh at the time I loved it. Also the Ratchet and Clank games on PS2 had brilliant locations

 

[ElPatron]

Got ninja'ed on the Jak & Dexter and Ratchet & Clank.

Hitman series, Tomb Raider series, Deus Ex... BioShock/SystemShock?

 

[ChupathingyX]

The Ratchet and Clank series has had some wonderful looking locations, especially the games on PS3.

 

[sextus the crazy]

Rapture from bioshock. It was called that for a reason.

 

[Fujimora_Pantsu]

Easiest question ever, The amazing Kingdom of Zeal from Chrono trigger. oppressive societies, magic taken from eldritch abominations, and mass, MASS destruction

 

[Dr. Paine]

Twilight Falls, the Valley of Avalar, and the underground city in The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon are quite possibly some of the most beautiful in-game locations I've ever seen.

The ruined chambers of Portal 2 and Rapture of Bioshock both win for disaster scenery porn, though. Omega from Mass Effect 2 was also... interesting. Obviously I can't call it pretty, but... it was very unique, and probably my favorite location of the entire game.

 

[Zhukov]

Bioshock.

Rapture.

Second to none.

 

[That_Sneaky_Camper]

There are so many games out there that have beautiful environments. TV Tropes calls this Scenery Porn.

Uncharted, God of War, and Crysis are excellent examples.

 

[Nouw]

I loved the old Aperture in Portal 2. It felt bleak and made me felt sort of depressed. It was a grim forgotten world and it gave me a sense of isolation.

 

[lacktheknack]

Myst Online: Uru had Ahnonay.

Essentially, it was a "secluded island" with other islands off in the distance. With a bit of puzzle solving, it suddenly transformed into a decrepit rock in a sea of fog. A bit more exploration, and it tranformed into a rock in space, then back into a secluded island.

Then, by manipulating the linking system a bit, you could turn off the water currents and swim out to the distant islands... where they turn out to be painted on giant flats.

With more exploration and mucking behind the scenes, you could transform the island into a giant incomplete statue hanging in a big dome. With a bit of manipulation and help from a friend, you could eventually end up UNDER the island version of the area, in a sleeping area, just watching the waterfall completely surrounding you. It was breathtaking.

Best level design ever.

From the same game, the open area at the top of the first tower in Gahreesen was basically a quick blast of pure scenery porn.

 

[bean burrito]

I've always loved Sadrith Mora from Morrowind:

Spoiler

Absolutely. The variety and bizarre nature of the land of Morrowind was so spectacular.

Although, as multiple others have said, Rapture and Aperture labs were both simply excellent in their design choices as well.

 

[EHKOS]

I loved the luxury ship in Uncharted 3. Ratchet and Clank always had good planets.

 

[The Madman]

I love 'the city' from the Thief series. Great sense of style with its gothic architecture meets steampunk and the cultures within the city, the Hammerites, Pagans, Thieves Guild and so on are all brilliant.