PS2 games with most interesting environments?

[Andy Shandy]

In addition to some of the excellent choices so far, I'd like to add Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Sure there were times where it was just corridors, but for parts of it you were roaming around the jungle, mountains and other environments, and in fact, had to use the environment to your advantage to survive.

 

[Evonisia]

Silent Hill 4: The Room. Before you rage at me telling me that it's the worst game ever, hear me out.

The level system is crap, admittedly, but I love how it takes place in a slowly decaying room, with holes to other worlds which are all beautifully designed with not an inch wasted. The room is also very absorbing because the Japanese style of having the character's thoughts pop up when you click on things really gave the impression that Henry is scared and vulnerable in his situation. The worlds too have the brilliant symbolism and eerie weirdness of Silent Hill and were refreshing after three games of seeing a Hospital Otherworld.

 

[InfernalGrape]

The Room is the most psychedelic of SH, how can't we love it? Sure, gameplay is not perfect, but it has so weird cool things that work on atmosphere!

p.s.

And i still think that Water Prison is one of the most memorable locations in games.

Well, though i played SH4 on PC, i'm glad that it was mentioned.

p.s.s.

I forgot to add video for R. Galaxy



p.s.s.s.

I also should mention Forbidden Siren 2.. Siren 1 is more "generic" (am i right?) but sequel had some strange industrial places with silent hill 1 vibe.

 

[krazykidd]

Star Ocean : Till the end of time? Anyone? Was the the only one to play the beautiful looking game?

Wild arms 3 . Good lord i loved the environments in that game .. The wild west theme was spot on !

I want to say Xenosaga ... But the art designed changed in all 3 games . It was weird.

 

[lacktheknack]

Silent Hill 2 anyone? with every spec of dirt, rust, and blood lovingly placed in order to make you urinate your clothes, it is largely the best environmental design on the PS2.

Silent Hill 3 was better.

Other than that... yeah, I'll join the chorus of Shadow of the Colossus.

 

[faefrost]

Let's not forget the wonderful insanity that was Katamari Damacy.

 

[Hero of Lime]

God of War II has awesome environments, its got grand scale, looks great, and there's a lot of detain in each area.

The Wind Waker - I friggin loved sailing around! So many islands you didn't have good reason to visit but there was always treasure to find, side-quests to do, sea monsters to fight but only for those willing to go looking for them!

EDIT: Just realied this thread is only for PS2 games... woops! Even so... I like the Wind Waker...

I second this notion. At least it's a game that fits into the PS2 era. So that means something.

 

[Tanis]

Warship Gunner 2...
O, wait...ENVIRONMENTS, not game play...

Um...IDK.
Some of the Gundam vs Zeta Gundam levels were kind of cool.

 

[InfernalGrape]

Also, have you noticed that in most ways japanese (well, of course many non-j released games for j consoles obviously) developers are concentrating on characters and enemies (modelling) while environments often were low priority?

And , in opposite, many western devs, mostly on PC titles, often did amazing level design , but character models were lacking in polygons or overall impression?


So, the most notable "rule breakers" were Silent Hill..let it be 3rd one and, from current gen era - Dark Souls, which is closer to western level design of 97-2001 era instead of primitive "snake" modern games often have. Please understand, i m not talking about "how it looks", i'm talking about several layers of walkable space and interconnections of several parts which makes you feel it as the whole 1 world


Returning to PS2.. take, for example, Bujingai by Taito. Player and enemy models are ok, but environments are..you could have them in Duke Nukem 3D, lol.

Once again, in this semi-offtopic post i m not speaking about art direction[/], but about complexity of architecture/landscape. From this point of view Morrowind, for example, is just flat floor with some obstacles generally.


And, if anyone played DM_GOTHIC map from UT'99.. so great construction. That's for western

p.s.

You can ignore this cry, i'm still interested in just impressive environments, either they complex in architecture or just beautiful