Recently I realized that the main reason I got interested in this genre of long and occaisonally tedious games in the first place was because I loved experiencing the travels of the protagonist. Exploring large, fantastical worlds and getting to marvel at the imagination of their design is often what makes the whole game worth it for me. I nearly creamed my jeans at the depth of KOTOR's rich history (especially at the end) and had a blast with the size and the exploration factor of Skies of Arcadia. What other games, whether through a story that's just the tip of the iceberg or the sheer size and variety of its otherwordly locales, have managed to induce similar feelings in yourself? Feel free to toss in games from all genres, even though I'm mostly looking for something to satisfy that RPG itch at the moment. Inquiring minds want to know!
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RPGs with overwhelmingly rich environments.
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Littleberu
Banned
Metroid Prime. OMG. Tallon Overworld. I actually had chills the first time I saw it. Or the first time I entered Chozo Ruins. All those little details. Awesome.
Since it's on my mind from the recent topic put up, Grandia 1 totally blew my balls off when I first witnessed the fly-by shot of Parm on my Saturn. Back then 3D was barely a reality for gaming of this type and the detail put into the settings(despite the actual 'world' being connected through bulletpoints on a map) was pretty draw-dropping. Each town was chock-full of at least an hour's worth of exploration, chatting, and subtle goofball environment interaction.
BG2 didn't have much of a 'world' to explore per say. But the main city you visit early in is dense enough to support it's own 60+ hour game. Lots of detail and history to pour through in each screen.
I tend to love the look of most of the settings in the FF games. FF8 and 9 likely being my favorites judged purely on the world design.
Chrono Cross didn't offer a very progressive 'vacation-like' itinerary for the quest to follow much like other RPG's; yet the parrallel worlds offered plenty of discovery and detail.
BG2 didn't have much of a 'world' to explore per say. But the main city you visit early in is dense enough to support it's own 60+ hour game. Lots of detail and history to pour through in each screen.
I tend to love the look of most of the settings in the FF games. FF8 and 9 likely being my favorites judged purely on the world design.
Chrono Cross didn't offer a very progressive 'vacation-like' itinerary for the quest to follow much like other RPG's; yet the parrallel worlds offered plenty of discovery and detail.
JackFrost2012
Banned
epmode said:
I'm waiting with you, I am.
Greenpanda
Banned
Story-wise, Xenogears does an impressive job of setting up a world with a huge, long history that you're always discovering more about. The settings always seem like it's been going on a long time before you stepped in.
So does FF X, for that matter
So does FF X, for that matter
Not only story-wise but visually Xenogears is filled with rich detailed environments. It has tons of houses in every town just filled with a million cool items everywhere even though that particular room serves no point in the game. Since there are so many interesting locations and they are all quite detailed, it's definitely the game I'd pick along with Shenmue for rich environments.
Optimistic
Member
*Shenmue series - the first has much richer environments and atmosphere than the second, but the second is still very good in this regard, it just sacrifices some detail for much bigger environments.
*Chrono series - Trigger is great in this regard in that you see the same environment in different time periods, while the second simply has some of the most beautiful, colourful environments in any Square rpg.
*The FF series - All of the FFs post Snes have excellent environments, even FFX (shame this one was such a shitty game all up IMO)
*Ocarina of Time - regardless of whether or not it's an rpg, it has some great locales to explore
*PSO
Non RPGS -
*Ninja Gaiden - has some very nice environments to explore
*JSR and JSRF - huge, cel shaded environments, some of which look flat out amazing
*Halo
*Chrono series - Trigger is great in this regard in that you see the same environment in different time periods, while the second simply has some of the most beautiful, colourful environments in any Square rpg.
*The FF series - All of the FFs post Snes have excellent environments, even FFX (shame this one was such a shitty game all up IMO)
*Ocarina of Time - regardless of whether or not it's an rpg, it has some great locales to explore
*PSO
Non RPGS -
*Ninja Gaiden - has some very nice environments to explore
*JSR and JSRF - huge, cel shaded environments, some of which look flat out amazing
*Halo
Late Stage Marxist
Member
I've been teetering on getting this game for a while now.Mejilan said:
- I love the sleepless city of Treno in FFIX. It'd be great if they updated the game using the CG models they already have.
- Persona 2 had a painstaking attention to detail that I couldn't help but notice. I'm also a sucker for modernesque settings in RPG's in general.
- Pretty much all of Wind Waker. (Ocarina of time as well)
- One more shout out for Metroid Prime.
Late Stage Marxist
Member
Is it just me or have Reese Peanut Butter Cups gotten worse over the past ten or so years?
Funny, I really, really hated Estar. Empty and ugly. Most of Squaresoft's RPG do captivate me sooner or later though. Alexandria & Lindblum in FFIX, Phantom Forest in FFVII, the Denadoro Mountains, Guardia Forest and others in Chrono Trigger, Midgar in FFVII and the list goes on. I liked FFX's enviroments less.
Late Stage Marxist
Member
Exactly! And the cups are lined with grease. I'll bet it has something to do with preservatives.Docpan said:
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Suikoden 2 is nice and sweeping, although it's straight 2D overhead and all.
SolidSnakex
Member
PSO is the first game that came to mind when I read this thread title. The Forests levels are just beautiful. The Beach is quite nice too.
WHOAguitarninja
Member
One game I've been wondering about, how is Saga Frontier 2, as a whole. I realy dig the art style, so much so that I'm thinking about picking up the game if I can find it. Is the story intersting enough to keep me engaged? Is it really as pretty as it looks in screens?
elitehebrew
Member
SolidSnakex said:
Yeah but for me...after playing the game thousands of hours those areas seem very small.... need more maps and we need a new phantasy star online. (no card shit this time either)
SolidSnakex
Member
elitehebrew said:
Yah they definetly need a new one, luckily there's PSU coming wup which seems to be exactly that. But even though i've spent hours with PSO, if they actually released PSO Ep 1 and 2 PLus in the US, i'd buy it.
MightyHedgehog
Member
Though flawed and a bit too linear, I'll add Dungeon Siege to this thread. It fits the bill.
I'll add another vote for Zelda: OOT. Whereas you're typically given a fixed perspective on your environments in most RPGs, with OOT you really felt like a part of the environments and not merely an observer. And though it's not really an RPG, System Shock was pretty damn scary and immersive in its day, too bad its sequel conjured up feelings of 'meh'.
Baron Aloha
A Shining Example
FFX - I'm still awestruck by Besaid Island. Just freaking beautiful.
FFCC has some pretty interesting environments in it as well but it's not your typical RPG.
FFCC has some pretty interesting environments in it as well but it's not your typical RPG.
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