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Post your most satisfying "hub" to come back to in a game
- Thread starter Nando13
- Start date
STARSBarry
Gold Member
Grildon Tundy
Member
Save rooms in Resident Evil games.
Ulysses 31
Member
March Climber
Member
Most recent game that felt satisfying: Granblue Fantasy Relink. They nailed it with the two hub town tracks.
I already know I'll be feeling nostalgic about this game and these areas later in life.
As for older stuff, I guess here are three personal favorites:
Ascalon City, Guild Wars 1:
Chaotic Bar, PSO 1:
And Majula which others here have posted already.
I already know I'll be feeling nostalgic about this game and these areas later in life.
As for older stuff, I guess here are three personal favorites:
Ascalon City, Guild Wars 1:
Chaotic Bar, PSO 1:
And Majula which others here have posted already.
Soodanim
Member
Firelink Shrine (Dark Souls)
The reason the original Firelink Shrine is better than any of the hubs in later Souls games isn't just the music (which is superior to Majula and any other false idols you blasphemers pray to). Firelink Shrine is the only hub that isn't just a place you teleport back to instantly. You go off on adventures in this excellently designed spider web of a world and find yourself back home, which is when you first realise there is interconnectivity to this world. Then you go off on another adventure towards your second goal, this time for much longer, and somehow find yourself back home again after a long and ardous journey. Firelink actually feels like part of the world and a place you fight to get back to. Later games lose that because we're given powers that might as well have this sound effect:Majula shares some properties, like picking branching paths, but there's too much teleporting to and from for it to have any impact. It's just a sea view and bearer seek seek lest.
Firelink Shrine in 3 is even less "in" the world, and you only get some intrigue later when you, through a hidden area, find yourself in a time shifted version of the Shrine. As much as 3's Shrine does eventually feel alive with some NPCs talking about each other, the teleporting takes away any impact it might have by always being accessible. You don't miss it because it never goes away. Same goes for Elden Ring, and at least they both have excellent smiths.
The Nexus (Demon's Souls)
The Nexus from Demon's Souls is the only one that rivals Firelink Shrine if not beats it, but with different strengths.It shares some properties with 3 (because 3 modeled its hub on The Nexus) but it's better. It feels more alive by default as a result of its starting population, and it manages to feel both cosy and vast at the same time. By having only the bare minimum of safe places within the levels themselves (which are dangerous from the word go), The Nexus inherently has more value than in DS2 onwards because it feels like the only place you're actually safe. That's why the teleporting doesn't work against it, because it's a reward instead of a crutch. And, of course, there's this:
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DelireMan7
Member
Firelink Shrine in Dark Souls
I adore the melancholic yet welcoming music, the contrast of the blazing bonfire against the surrounding greenery and vine-covered ruins, the sight of massive tree branches stretching into the sky.
Came to post this obviously.
This Hub is perfect. The music so melancholic and relaxing. Great NPCs.
Really feels like a safe place compared to the others areas (especially when in this game area have no music except for Firelink, and very few specific areas).
Coming back to it and hearing these strings is a blessing.
EDIT : I would say that every Soulsborne Hub is great in term of music and atmosphere (Dark Souls 3 is a bit a letdown for me. Have to make my mind of Elden ring.)
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March Climber
Member
But it is the music. Most of us Majula fans know the music is a big part of what brings everyone to list DS2 instead of DS1, which just goes to show the massive importance of music to a hub area. For many people, Majula had a nostalgic home-like feeling and I'd say 60% of it is because of the music.
Part of the reason why Code Vein stuck with me as one of my favorite soulslikes is because of it's soundtrack:
Now imagine if the composer who made this piece above did a better hub soundtrack than what was eventually chosen for Code Vein. More people would be bringing that game up in this topic instead of just one person and myself just now.
Edit: And they knew they had a hit with the above track, which is why they composed different variations of it depending on which character's tragic backstory you encountered.
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gaming_again
Member
Great choice. My kid walks though this and asks what kit on display I had and sometimes I get to pull it out of the cupboard and he gets all excited. Brilliant bonding experience.
Robb
Gold Member
Yeah, these were the first ones to pop into my head.
I’d also throw in Hades as an honorable mention.
RickMasters
Member
I was gonna say Normandy aswell. But the ME3 version. More creature comforts.
TerribleAtThisGame
Member
I don't like the actual game but this theme is just fantastic and one of my favorite tracks in a From game.
I really wish they hadn't gone overboard with the blaring choir shit since. The early Souls games all had much more eccentric and atypical soundtracks.
Punished Miku
Gold Member
Hades
Demon's Souls
Metal Gear Solid V
Off the top of my head.
Demon's Souls
Metal Gear Solid V
Off the top of my head.
Hero_Select
Member
Ozzy Onya A2Z
Member
Just the sound alone...
AV
We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
The biggest problem in vanilla/classic is that dragonslayer buff only pops in SW/Org. Even if you're not raiding it's a MASSIVE 2 hour buff, so you'd be foolish to miss it and it means I always just hang where I can possibly get it between questing.
Kiya's Guard
Member
Since everyone already said fromsoft/bethesda/bioware, I'm gonna say "the base you build in a farming/crafting game".
Also Tristram. Didn't crash 3 have a hub? And crash bash?
Also Tristram. Didn't crash 3 have a hub? And crash bash?
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King Dazzar
Member
Of all time it would have to be Whiterun. Maybe one day I'll visit it again....
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IAmRei
Member
Hideaway is beautiful, often listen the ost as its quite relaxing
rofif
Can’t Git Gud
The late game hideaway with red sky is so good too
Zheph
Member
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Killjoy-NL
Member
Zheph
Member
Limsa Lominsa hehe
I do like to stay in Grindania, Old Sharlayan or The Crystarium (this one especially for the theme):
Killjoy-NL
Member
For sure, Gridania and Old Sharlayan are much more beautiful, but Limsa is THE place to go for trading.
I always log in and out over there. Pretty much my homebase. Lol
Zheph
Member
It is where the weirdos and fashionistas are also, the place to be for sure haha
Hero_Select
Member
VulcanRaven
Member
The money bin in Ducktales Remastered:
