I've always enjoyed the snowy levels more than any others no matter the genre.I don't exactly know what about them I like so much but I do. I love hearing snow crunch and seeing my footprints or tire marks left behind.Which snow levels or games do you think were done well and which ones were done poorly?
Games with Snowy / Winter environments
- Thread starter bluorange28
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Done well? Let's see there are alot of them... hmmm...
All of these places are the epitome of why I love ice and snow levels. Places like Phendrana Drifts and most of the snowy places in Skyrim have a serene and tranquil feel to them. It's a very quiet, crisp, and clean feeling.
Walking up the mountain to High Hrothgar at night with a blizzard out is just incredible. Doubly so when you get to the top and the weather clears enough to witness an aurora. Say what you want about the drauger quests, glitches, and lack of balance in Skyrim but very few games are able to capture the feeling of environment and exploration that it has... Back to snow levels, right
The other way snow levels are good is to capitalize on the festive traditions that occur around winter (mostly christmas I guess). Freezeezy peak is one of the best examples I have of this. I get to race a polar bear on a sled, climb to the top of a giant snowman, and explore the area for some kid's missing presents. It just has a very upbeat fun feel to it. The kind of feel you get (And by you I mean me, 'cause I don't know you) when having a snowball fight with your friends.
Just listen to this music! It's fun
As for some that are done poorly? I'm not really sure probably areas where it's just snow and ice and nothing else (it's hard to explain why some areas have the "spark" and others don't). Some parts of the Pale seem guilty of this... Although that might be because there was nothing really interesting to explore, and in Skyrim I'm all about the exploration.
Metroid Prime: Phendrana drifts,
Skyrim: Eastmarch
Skyrim: The Pale
Halo CE: Assault on the Control room
Halo CE: Two betrayals
Banjo Kazooie: Freezeezy peak
Super Mario 64: Cool Cool Mountain
Super Mario 64: Snowman's Land
LOZ Twilight Princess: Yeti's Mansion
LOZ Majora's Mask: Snowpeak
Skyrim: Eastmarch
Skyrim: The Pale
Halo CE: Assault on the Control room
Halo CE: Two betrayals
Banjo Kazooie: Freezeezy peak
Super Mario 64: Cool Cool Mountain
Super Mario 64: Snowman's Land
LOZ Twilight Princess: Yeti's Mansion
LOZ Majora's Mask: Snowpeak
All of these places are the epitome of why I love ice and snow levels. Places like Phendrana Drifts and most of the snowy places in Skyrim have a serene and tranquil feel to them. It's a very quiet, crisp, and clean feeling.
Walking up the mountain to High Hrothgar at night with a blizzard out is just incredible. Doubly so when you get to the top and the weather clears enough to witness an aurora. Say what you want about the drauger quests, glitches, and lack of balance in Skyrim but very few games are able to capture the feeling of environment and exploration that it has... Back to snow levels, right
The other way snow levels are good is to capitalize on the festive traditions that occur around winter (mostly christmas I guess). Freezeezy peak is one of the best examples I have of this. I get to race a polar bear on a sled, climb to the top of a giant snowman, and explore the area for some kid's missing presents. It just has a very upbeat fun feel to it. The kind of feel you get (And by you I mean me, 'cause I don't know you) when having a snowball fight with your friends.
Just listen to this music! It's fun
As for some that are done poorly? I'm not really sure probably areas where it's just snow and ice and nothing else (it's hard to explain why some areas have the "spark" and others don't). Some parts of the Pale seem guilty of this... Although that might be because there was nothing really interesting to explore, and in Skyrim I'm all about the exploration.
First one that comes to mind is the Phendrana Drifts in Metroid Prime.
Damn, I love ice levels, the music is always awesome
Damn, I love ice levels, the music is always awesome
Ninja'd on the Skyrim levels, but I also quite liked the "snow" levels in Final Fantasy XIII. Yeah, it's crystal dust instead of actual snow, but they look really good. Plus there's the grim implication that you're walking on the remains of Gran Pulse's population. I appreciated the subtle darkness underneath all those cheery colors that S-E likes to use.
The Witcher 1 has a cool-looking snow level as its final area, and Drakensang: River of Time has a pirate camp set in a really good one. Neither is great with the footprints, but the overall look and the sound design are nice.
Oh yeah, and the Prometheus/Typhon level in God of War II: I liked the excuse for blizzard and slide effects.
The Witcher 1 has a cool-looking snow level as its final area, and Drakensang: River of Time has a pirate camp set in a really good one. Neither is great with the footprints, but the overall look and the sound design are nice.
Oh yeah, and the Prometheus/Typhon level in God of War II: I liked the excuse for blizzard and slide effects.
This might be a spoiler, but...
Also, there was a "snow" level in Aquaria (more of an ice level, but you can see snow falling) with this lovely music...
...playing in the background while you do the most brutal jumping puzzle in the game.
I really like every snowy environment in every game I've played, honestly. The Shiverpeaks in GW2, Beaucedine and Uleguerand and the rest in FFXI (sledding!), and even Hoth and Alderaan in SWTOR (and Belsavis, which was a cool twist on an ice planet). I'm just a sucker for snowy weather, I guess.
Journey, the final levels. The snow physics were phenomenal, much like the sand physics. I drew a heart in it with another player once. <3 And it just felt cold. They pulled it off so well.
Also, there was a "snow" level in Aquaria (more of an ice level, but you can see snow falling) with this lovely music...
...playing in the background while you do the most brutal jumping puzzle in the game.
I really like every snowy environment in every game I've played, honestly. The Shiverpeaks in GW2, Beaucedine and Uleguerand and the rest in FFXI (sledding!), and even Hoth and Alderaan in SWTOR (and Belsavis, which was a cool twist on an ice planet). I'm just a sucker for snowy weather, I guess.
Northrend from WoW. Do partially snowed zones count? Because Grizzly Hills and Howling Fjord are simply my favorite zones from any game ever, they're partially snowed. Storm Peaks and Icecrown are pretty cool too, they're completely snowed.
Talking about ice levels and no mention of Ice Cap Zone from you, Daystar? I am truly shocked!Daystar Clarion said:First one that comes to mind is the Phendrana Drifts in Metroid Prime.
Damn, I love ice levels, the music is always awesome
YES!!!!! I bought the soundtrack because I loved that part with that music so much. My absolute favorite level of any Halo game, period.Vuliev said:
OP, you can't go wrong with World of Warcraft for winter environments. There are so many, and they're all gorgeous. Start as a Gnome or Dwarf and you begin in a lovely one (and if they haven't changed the music from vanilla, some of the prettiest music in old Azeroth). Get to Wrath of the Lich King and you get a bunch more-- Dragonblight is, IMO, unnecessarily long (particularly for Horde), but it's quite pretty. Howling Fjord is wonderful, and again has fabulous music. What's the one up by the druid zone in vanilla, the one with the goblin town? Winter... something, I can't remember, I haven't played in ages, but that's another gorgeous snowy zone.
Ninety-ninthing Skyrim and the walk up to High Hrothgar.
I think Shadow Moses was done pretty well in MGS4, especially the boss fight when you fight the wolf chick (crying wolf I think?).
I'm not sure why no one's brought it up yet (though I make this judgement based on gameplay videos and trailers as I have no yet played the game myself) Assassin's Creed 3 looks like it does snow pretty well, actually taking into account things like the depth of it affecting your movement rather than just having it be a different texture for the ground.
The first Lost Planet takes place pretty much entirely on a snow covered planet, and managing your temperature is a core element of gameplay. Really gives you a sense of the harshness of the environment.
The first Lost Planet takes place pretty much entirely on a snow covered planet, and managing your temperature is a core element of gameplay. Really gives you a sense of the harshness of the environment.