Most Beautiful Video Game Location?

[ArtemusClydeFrog]

The game needs to immerse me enough that I actually feel like I am there

I applaud the statement above. Really caring about and feeling "at home" in a game world can sometimes make its locations and environments seem much more beautiful and engaging than they would as screenshots etc.

For me some examples (some of which have been posted a couple of times) could be Besaid Island in FFX (it is the first truly beautiful location in the game and the carefree feel it had to it instantly made me smile), the cathedrals in AC:2 (I've been to Italy many times and the game really captures the feeling of awe that you get from stepping inside such a giant religious monument), all of RDR, but especially Tall Trees, Nuevo Paraiso and the wreck of Serendipity when the setting sun's rays reflect in the surface of the water, and many places in Oblivion - Cheydinhal and Skingrad in particular. Many of the towns in Dragonquest VIII were painstakingly romantic to look at as well.

 

[Hanibal_Rising]

A

Crysis....
All of it.
Every single local, with the exeption of the *SPOILER ALERT!!!* Iced over jungle. That is just plain frighting.

My thoughts exactly! What did you think of the first time you see the ruined Time Square in Crysis 2?

I fudged my pants, that's what happened (that was probably after the fight too, that was REALLY challenging).

Also, I thought that Crysis was more beautiful than Crysis 2, only because of the whole tropical island thing. I'm surprised by how little people think the same way.

Nah I agree the whole city kinda seemed to blend together after awhile and only the key land marks stood out. I think the jungle just had more ooo and aaaah if you know what I mean. xD

 

[XxSummonerxX]

Depends on your definition of beautiful. Do you mean real life beautiful, with wonderful trees and flowers, clear skies, idyllic villages, animals, etc.

Or do you mean awe inspiring graphics of any kind?

For the first one... The Grizzly Hills in Northrend in World of Warcraft... so peaceful. Despite my guilds constant questioning, that is where I spend most of my time when I'm not raiding or farming herbs.

For the second one. That is tough. A lot of good games have come about recently with amazing graphics, and also a lot of games with graphics that were great for their time, so ANOTHER TWO CATEGORIES.

Best for it's time. Oblivion. Before all the Morrowind fanboys get all up in my grills (I joke about the stupid annoying crappy way of speaking), it was just brown, and it was just really blocky.

Best of the recent years. You've put me back on the difficulty again. Assassin's Creed is up there. I know neither of them are out yet but screenshots and gameplay vids from Skyrim and Revelations look brilliant, so I'm going to hold my tongue for now.

So that you have an answer for your archiving... I'm gonna saaaaaaay... Bulletstorm. LAWWWWWWL.

 

[CANofKAM]

Simple, in the spongebob game for the PS2, when you were up in the needle tower thing. That was a kick ass view of Bikini Bottom.

 

[Herbsk]

There was this place, a camp, in the lands of Mania in Shivering Isles that had an incredible view of the ocean and of the sky. It was the first time in a game when I just stood for like fifteen minutes and watched the sunrise. I was captivated by the night sky at first and then the came the sunrise... just wow.

This one is my personal favorite - but even more the night sky than the sunrise - In Mania. I spent a good 30 minutes staring at the night sky in the Shivering Isles, and the sunrise. I also remember thinking that the waterfalls on the divide between Mania and Dementia (by the capital city) were really beautiful and worth seeing!

 

[Twilight.falls]

Final Fantasy 13, Gran Pulse in general.

 

[omega_peaches]

All of you make me feel like a corporate douche.
My answer was Liberty City in a helicopter in GTA IV.

 

[King Toasty]

Iacon City in Transformers: War for Cybertron is particularly gorgeous. A shame you couldn't spend more time in it.

 

[Mister Benoit]

Surprised no one has mentioned either of the first two Kingdom Hearts games, they not insanely technical but damn do they ever look nice. Also the world and characters are very well realized.

Okami - Only game i've ever disliked playing but continued because I wanted to keep seeing more of it.

Assassins Creed 1 - I loved finding all the high points and running around, shame there wasn't a game inside of it.

Donkey Kong Country 2 - Incredible variety in locations, play mechanics and music.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Metroid Prime Phendrana Drifts or Tallon Overworld. ... Actually thinking about anything from that game reminds me of how beautiful it all was.

I find your avatar awesome, but for some reason it bothers me....

 

[MiracleOfSound]

The planet in Bulletstorm. It's one of the best environments I've seen in a long while.

There were some gorgeous vistas in that game, I loved the distant ruined buildings. Couldn't find a good screenshot of this one, but it was the one that stuck in my head:

 

[onewheeled]

The Citadel Presidium in Mass Effect 1 and 2.

Spoiler: Ooh, purdy.

Also: GODFUCKINGDAMMITAAAAAAUUUGH I pushed that fucking red button AGAIN. It wasn't even on purpose this time!

 

[Zanderinfal]

A

Crysis....
All of it.
Every single local, with the exeption of the *SPOILER ALERT!!!* Iced over jungle. That is just plain frighting.

My thoughts exactly! What did you think of the first time you see the ruined Time Square in Crysis 2?

I fudged my pants, that's what happened (that was probably after the fight too, that was REALLY challenging).

Also, I thought that Crysis was more beautiful than Crysis 2, only because of the whole tropical island thing. I'm surprised by how little people think the same way.

Nah I agree the whole city kinda seemed to blend together after awhile and only the key land marks stood out. I think the jungle just had more ooo and aaaah if you know what I mean. xD

Yep.
The jungle had more of a "hide in a tree, jump and and assassinate" sort of feel. Now it feels kind of off putting to do stealth.

 

[UberMore]

The plane crash from Bioshock (PS3 version. Not to flame, it just did it better than the PC or Xbox cos they updated it for the port).
The water looks so beautiful with the fire playing on top of it.

 

[SilentCom]

im gonna be honest here: I booted up a new world in minecraft and I spawned in the middle of a forest. On Fire. Most breathtaking scene i've ever bore witness to in a video game, and the real kicker is that i'll never see it again. ever.

That's awesome. For me, I built a lighthouse in Minecraft that you could see across the sea during night; in addition, there is a line of torches outlining the shore. Now that is some beautiful stuff there during night.

 

[Amondren]

Pretty Much The ARI in Heavy Rain

I agree with this post the Under water area is quite calming.

 

[Gralian]

Bulletstorm had some wonderful vistas. Usually i tend to frown upon games that use the incredibly cheap Unreal engine to give the illusion of high fidelity, but they did some incredible things with Stygia. I love the manic-dystopian world they have created.

Just Cause 2 had a pretty lush setting. Nothing like looking out to the horizon and crystal clear waters in a tropical paradise, or my personal favourite, parachuting down from high up and really taking it all in.

 

[Revolution -X-]

I'm gonna go with New Zack Island in Dead or Alive Xtreme 2. It's got a wicked environment, in my opinion (And no, I'm not talking about the breast physics that immediately come to mind).

 

[Revolution -X-]

I'm gonna go with New Zack Island in Dead or Alive Xtreme 2. It's got a wicked environment, in my opinion (And no, I'm not talking about the breast physics that immediately come to mind).

Alternatively, I've also been charmed at the Hotel in Hotel Dusk: Room 215. No idea why.

 

[tlozoot]

Many of the places in Final Fantasy XI. Really felt like I was exploring a huge, teaming world and I'd often spend hours getting myself killed just trying to access new places.