You Create Worlds

I essentially agree with the premise of this article that what makes video games such an interesting medium is the worlds that are created within.  Of the top few most memorable games I have played, I would say each presents a compelling, imaginative, or realistic world that kept me coming back again and again.  Yet, as Chris Dalen points out, there doesn’t seem to be a large emphasis on the building of the game world in the industry.  So with that said, here are a handful of memorable game worlds that are worth visiting:

1.  Bioshock 1 and 2 – I will never forget my first venture into Rapture–this world is a testament to the outcome of godlessness and human hubris.  The world is haunting and provides the necessary backdrop for one of the best plots I have ever played through.  The second installment is perhaps less chilling because we have been to Rapture before–but well done nonetheless.

2.  Half Life 1 and 2 – Black Mesa and the subsequent City 17 are fascinating places to visit–the amount of detail that was put into both of these games at the time at which they were released is astounding and the result is a mysterious world that kept me progressing through until the very end.

3.  Super Mario 64 – the playability of this games years after its release proves that a game doesn’t have to feel real to be worth visiting.  At the time of its release, Mario 64’s was a massive but familiar world that just never seemed to cease to be interesting.

4.  Red Dead Redemption –  What Rockstar excelled at in the world of RDR was building a truly ruthless wild west world complete with various types of wildlife, town ruffians, and vastly beautiful western landscapes.  I seriously could have played RDR for hours just riding around on my horse taking in the sites.

What game worlds do you find memorable or impressive–I just sort of came up with this list off the top of my head, I am certainly leaving out some gems–so drop a comment and let me know what game world you found compelling or interesting.