What is your favorite game world that you just love to explore?
- Thread starter Randoman01
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For me, its a tie between Fable 2's Albion and Fallout 3's Capital Wasteland, with FF12's Ivalice running close behind. Just wandering around the world and finding all the quirky stuff hidden in obscure corners is more fun than playing through their poorly-written storylines.
Come to think of it, Fallout 3 and Fable 2 both demonstrate how important how much decent world design can redeem a game. Both have terrible writing in the main quest and average combat that leaves the player massively overpowered; if these games were linear experiences or even films, they would probably have been utterly panned. But because you can effectively step off the railroaded storyline and into the background and just wander around the world, it doesn't matter as much.
Come to think of it, Fallout 3 and Fable 2 both demonstrate how important how much decent world design can redeem a game. Both have terrible writing in the main quest and average combat that leaves the player massively overpowered; if these games were linear experiences or even films, they would probably have been utterly panned. But because you can effectively step off the railroaded storyline and into the background and just wander around the world, it doesn't matter as much.
I would have to second S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s exclusion zone. Espcially Yantar Lake in "Shadow of Chernobyl". Such an oppressive atmosphere.
Far Cry 2 is more for fun freeform-gameplay at times, but when I take my time to enjoy the landscape and its accompanying soundscape, as well as the great soundtrack, it becomes one of the most atmospheric games I know. The fact alone, that I just can play the game however I want, and even completely stop "playing" in the traditional sense when I want, makes this one of the best games I know.
I have not yet played some of the games listed here (Skyrim, Morrowind etc.), but Fallout 3 had a great world. Personally I just felt that the game lacked atmosphere somewhat.
Far Cry 2 is more for fun freeform-gameplay at times, but when I take my time to enjoy the landscape and its accompanying soundscape, as well as the great soundtrack, it becomes one of the most atmospheric games I know. The fact alone, that I just can play the game however I want, and even completely stop "playing" in the traditional sense when I want, makes this one of the best games I know.
I have not yet played some of the games listed here (Skyrim, Morrowind etc.), but Fallout 3 had a great world. Personally I just felt that the game lacked atmosphere somewhat.
If the OP is assuming we were or became part of the world and we not constrained by the limits of the game then I would say the Mass Effect universe. It's got the right mix of old and new, good and evil - same shit, different day but with knobs on. There is also a level of civility and security in most of the populated areas and hubs where someone like me, who has all the upper body strength of a chaffinch and the combat skill of a dead rock, can walk around, explore, learn and interact in relative safety.
I might even meet Liara! One can dream...
As much as I think the worlds of Fallout 3, New Vegas and Skyrim are rich, wonderful and interesting in their own ways, someone like me would be chewed up and spat out inside half an hour. I'd probably also crap my pants the second I ran into a feral ghoul or super mutant - just sayin'...
Having read the OP again, I am starting to think that he meant worlds I like to explore and poke around whilst playing the game but leaving the plot and side missions to one side while I do so. If that is the case then the ME universe, while incredibly rich, diverse and detailed, is somewhat limited when it comes to exploration.
As if to mirror my original answer, I do love to roam the Capital Wasteland, New Vegas/Mojave and Skyrim, as there's tonnes to see, do and discover. In addition, I often find myself going back to Zion Canyon (Fallout New Vegas DLC, Honest Hearts) and having a good wander around as if my character were on holiday, so to speak.
I might even meet Liara! One can dream...
As much as I think the worlds of Fallout 3, New Vegas and Skyrim are rich, wonderful and interesting in their own ways, someone like me would be chewed up and spat out inside half an hour. I'd probably also crap my pants the second I ran into a feral ghoul or super mutant - just sayin'...
Having read the OP again, I am starting to think that he meant worlds I like to explore and poke around whilst playing the game but leaving the plot and side missions to one side while I do so. If that is the case then the ME universe, while incredibly rich, diverse and detailed, is somewhat limited when it comes to exploration.
As if to mirror my original answer, I do love to roam the Capital Wasteland, New Vegas/Mojave and Skyrim, as there's tonnes to see, do and discover. In addition, I often find myself going back to Zion Canyon (Fallout New Vegas DLC, Honest Hearts) and having a good wander around as if my character were on holiday, so to speak.
Topic title and OP seem a little misaligned. To answer the topic title, I love exploring the post-apocalyptic wastelands of Fallout (especially 3 and New Vegas). It's just a lot of fun stumbling on some random cave, exploring it, fending-off any threats, and then emerging from the cave with a few scars but over-all a little bit richer.
As for the OP's suggestion of actually going there, I don't know if I'd be as entertained with exploring the wasteland, as it would basically be like wandering around my own neighborhood if everyone's walls were knocked over. For a world that would actually be fun to visit in person, I think I'm gonna cop-out and go with Minecraft, as long as I was allowed to interact with the world appropriately. It'd be a lot of fun setting-up camp in the world and exploring the area around me, and getting a bigger and bigger settlement going as I found more materials.
As for the OP's suggestion of actually going there, I don't know if I'd be as entertained with exploring the wasteland, as it would basically be like wandering around my own neighborhood if everyone's walls were knocked over. For a world that would actually be fun to visit in person, I think I'm gonna cop-out and go with Minecraft, as long as I was allowed to interact with the world appropriately. It'd be a lot of fun setting-up camp in the world and exploring the area around me, and getting a bigger and bigger settlement going as I found more materials.
Probably Gothic 3. Despite all its faults, it has an amazing world that is a joy to just travel around in. It's got one of the best forests I've seen in an open-world game, and the desert areas are also a lot of fun to explore especially when you finally come across an oasis that is shared by nomads and crocodiles who tolerate each other solely due to the power of thirst. The frozen north is also well done in a "terrible frostbitten land" kind of way. Not so much fun to explore as it is terrifying.
Nirn hands down (The Elder Scrolls series)
But only if it's in actual scale not that tiny version of recent games
Why can't developers simply inflate game world to 1:1 (with randomly generated terrain) size while keeping same amount of hand-made content?
1.In real world not every m2 is filled with something interesting
2.I sometimes like to simply wander around, hunt, fish and gather plants
3.It would give plenty of space for modders to put new content (in few years map would become less empty)
But only if it's in actual scale not that tiny version of recent games
Why can't developers simply inflate game world to 1:1 (with randomly generated terrain) size while keeping same amount of hand-made content?
1.In real world not every m2 is filled with something interesting
2.I sometimes like to simply wander around, hunt, fish and gather plants
3.It would give plenty of space for modders to put new content (in few years map would become less empty)
Kinda suicide but I would love to be able to explore the worlds of the Monster Hunter games, seeing lush ecosystems filled with interesting beasts and beautiful vistas. I would also love to explore the worlds of Pokemon, Kingdom Hearts, and any Zelda game.
Yeah, I still remember when I first got to the northern mountains. A few steps in and of course a fucking blizzard started, reducing my vision to 2-3m at best. And it just. Wouldn't. Stop!BathorysGraveland2 said:
I got totally lost and it was awesome!
After I managed to finally get back south and out of that storm, I decided to stay in the more temperate central lands for a good while.
