The Marvel of Great Gaming Worlds

Red Dead Redemption

There’s nothing more immersive or impacting about a video game than a fully realized world, one that you love to be in and help shape by your actions or general goofing around. One of the reasons Red Dead Redemption enthralled me so fully was that its world was something that totally sucked me in, grabbing me in its noose and refusing to let go. Even after I finished the game, I didn’t want to leave, and kept coming back for more.

CVG recently posted a feature about 9 Game Worlds You’ll Never Want to Leave, and just looking at it makes me want to go through and pick up Assassin’s Creed 2 again, a long with a few others. Interestingly enough, they also include Mirror’s Edge, which, while very linear, still had a cool and bleached look about it. The thought of the sequel being an open world game is more than tantalizing. In addition, Rapture, Azeroth and San Andreas all make an appearance. Honestly, I would throw Mass Effect’s universe in here as well, as it’s one of my favorite gaming creations to date. Sometimes I find myself itching for more space adventuring with the Normandy.

So what do you guys think? What are your favorite gaming worlds?

Source – CVG

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I write about samurai girls and space marines. Writer for Smooth Few Films. Rooster Teeth Freelancer. Author of Red vs. Blue, The Ultimate Fan Guide, out NOW!

8 thoughts on “The Marvel of Great Gaming Worlds”

  1. Did I miss something? Did they disqualify Mass Effect, or do they just not want to include the most interesting and fully realized universe this generation?

    I don’t know if I’ve ever wanted to revisit a game world as badly as I do the Mass Effect universe.

    Just saying…

  2. I was thinking the same thing, Nick. I mean, Mass Effect is just so…complete. They thought of every facet of life in that universe. Have they even read the codex? That thing is almost a bible in its size and detail.

    I’d also like to throw out the Halo universe. Sure, it’s filled with murderous aliens and sentient zombies, but if I die I’ll come back on the next level when they reuse my character model.

  4. Totally agree with Mirror’s Edge, and frankly couldn’t wait to get OUT of san andreas. I’d add Myst III and The Longest Journey. While linear in mission (compared to the mostly sandbox games they list), the worlds are just beautiful and imaginative to no end.

  5. Nice mention of Deus Ex there Cossack, it hadn’t even crossed my mind. Red Dead Redemtion’s world was amazing. I started playing it again and I’m still discovering new things. For instance, in Thieve’s Landing there’s a guy choping chicken heads off. I stood there watching him do 4 or 5 and re-enacted the chicken scene from Rush Hour 2 (“Put the blade down and let the bird go! I’m LAPD!”).

  6. The Mass Effect universe should have been number 1 – even if the list wasn’t ranked, it should still be number 1. I’d also throw in the Star Wars universe (KOTOR makes it count), the setting for Chrono Trigger, and just for something that is the antithesis of Fallout, GTA, Bioshock etc where the world itself seems to be your enemy – Kirby’s Dreamland. Everybody needs a little peace and quiet now and then.

  7. I’m gonna be kind of an idiot and nominate Cyrodiil from The Elder Scrolls series as a game world I’d never want to leave. It’s not really because of the quests I could do, or the Kvatches I could save, or the fishy sticks I could get. No, what makes me nominate Cyrodiil is the beauty of the whole place. With the right graphics mods installed, Cyrodiil became a place where I could just watch people go about their lives, where I could stroll the Imperial City Waterfront listening to a sweeping orchestral score (and some custom ambient music), where I could sprint through the Colovian Highlands and watch the trees sway as I passed them, where I could travel into deep, old, dank dungeons and collect treasures, where I could sit by the warm fire in my Bruma house and read book after book, where I could sit at the Merchants’ Inn with a beer or some mead and eavesdrop on the news of the day.

    Not only does that make me a nerd and a fanboy, it also makes me want to play the game again. 😛

  8. [quote comment=”14435″]Did I miss something? Did they disqualify Mass Effect, or do they just not want to include the most interesting and fully realized universe this generation?

    I don’t know if I’ve ever wanted to revisit a game world as badly as I do the Mass Effect universe.

    Just saying…[/quote]
    Totally what I was thinking. World of Warcraft was spot on though.

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