Okay, well I can't pick just one. That'd just be cruel. Is top 3 (in no particular order) cool?
1: Dark Souls. Yes it can be dreary, yes it's frightening, yes it makes you paranoid about everything, but it's so pretty and majestic at times, that the melancholy that pervades the environment itself (before you even get into the characters and backstory) is downright touching. Honestly, the world of Dark Soul feels so much like it's dying of a thousand agonizing wounds, I feel like I'm watching a beloved character get shot at a few key moments. It's rare, and the terror or feeling of triumph that the game inspires tends to replace this feeling, but I'd say that it's the most effective use of atmosphere that I've seen in a game.
2: Planescape: Torment. That the writing of the game was downright superb helps, but I think all the little things that make up the world of Sigil is what really sells it. The Hive was actually alive, which is more than I can say of anywhere I've seen in Assassin's Creed, Prototype, or GTA. And the whole thing with belief changing the world, the presence of portals and their effect on the city, and the fact that ideas actually are more powerful than anything physical in the Planes is just fucking awesome. Basically, 'twas a bloody good game, an' any yoo eedjits who missed it should get yer arse and coppers down to GOG an' pick it up!
(Note, Mod it first. There's a fan patch that restores a lot of content and fixed a lot of bugs. It is an Obsidian game after all)
3: The Void: Seriously, I had no idea what the fuck was going on in that game, and haven't come close to beating it so I still don't. Despite this it was pretty, unique, dark, super atmospheric, and just totally the bee's knees. Also, hot mostly nude chicks were like, the only people you could interact with, so that's a plus.
Honorable mentions: Skyrim/Morrowind (Fuck Cyrodill though. So boring outside the Aeleyid ruins) Mass Effect, Fallout, Jet Set Radio, and the world of Alan Wake.
1: Dark Souls. Yes it can be dreary, yes it's frightening, yes it makes you paranoid about everything, but it's so pretty and majestic at times, that the melancholy that pervades the environment itself (before you even get into the characters and backstory) is downright touching. Honestly, the world of Dark Soul feels so much like it's dying of a thousand agonizing wounds, I feel like I'm watching a beloved character get shot at a few key moments. It's rare, and the terror or feeling of triumph that the game inspires tends to replace this feeling, but I'd say that it's the most effective use of atmosphere that I've seen in a game.
2: Planescape: Torment. That the writing of the game was downright superb helps, but I think all the little things that make up the world of Sigil is what really sells it. The Hive was actually alive, which is more than I can say of anywhere I've seen in Assassin's Creed, Prototype, or GTA. And the whole thing with belief changing the world, the presence of portals and their effect on the city, and the fact that ideas actually are more powerful than anything physical in the Planes is just fucking awesome. Basically, 'twas a bloody good game, an' any yoo eedjits who missed it should get yer arse and coppers down to GOG an' pick it up!
(Note, Mod it first. There's a fan patch that restores a lot of content and fixed a lot of bugs. It is an Obsidian game after all)
3: The Void: Seriously, I had no idea what the fuck was going on in that game, and haven't come close to beating it so I still don't. Despite this it was pretty, unique, dark, super atmospheric, and just totally the bee's knees. Also, hot mostly nude chicks were like, the only people you could interact with, so that's a plus.
Honorable mentions: Skyrim/Morrowind (Fuck Cyrodill though. So boring outside the Aeleyid ruins) Mass Effect, Fallout, Jet Set Radio, and the world of Alan Wake.
