VGP 341 Discussion Topic: Atmosphere!

[darkgodakito]

What is your favorite area in a game, in terms of the overall atmosphere of the area, and why?
(feel free to include screenshots!)

~idea submitted by Algazero~

Aki's pick: Generally Hospital from Borderlands (The Zombie Island Of Dr. Ned DLC)


Millennium's pick: tbd

[Midnight Crooh]

Ooh, I've got two from off the top of my head.
The first one is a pretty well-known one: Fort Frolic from Bioshock. It just captures everything that's so good with Bioshock's setting. Madmen, horror, decrepit luxury and water everywhere. It also helps that it's fairly open and non-linear, so rather than being dragged through a disguised corridor you get to explore this massive-ass shopping mall all on your own and just basking in the fallen glory of the place. There are a lot of great areas in the Bioshock series, but Fort Frolic really has it all.



The second one is Blackreach from Skyrim. I remember the first I found it and it really hit me just how massive the place was. I was used to the usual twisted caverns and dwemer ruins you've got dotted all over the landscape, but I never expected there to be an entire open underground region to explore. The glowing mushrooms and crumbling dwemer structures give Blackreach a real air of surreality and made we want an entire game set in a similar setting.



-Crooh

[Algazero]

Yotaru has got the right idea, and I'm gonna extrapolate on it.
I gotta go with the save rooms from the RE games 1-4 and Code Veronica. Back when the games had more tension, danger, horror, and most importantly, a safe space. Each of the save rooms allowed for a moment of relief, a time to catch your breath, lick your wounds, and plan out your next steps free from danger. As an added bonus, those 5 games: 1, 2, 3, code veronica, and 4 all had relaxing and awesome save room music. Something to ease the tension as you hit up that item box and clacked away at that typewriter with those very necessary albeit limited ink ribbons.

[Burst Angel]

Hyrule Castle in Legend of Zelda BOTW*
I love the music playing which is a twisted form of Zelda’s lullaby. When I’m in the castle I’ll either where the traditional hero green tunic or this games blue tunic and have the Master Sword and hylian shield out.

(**Breath of the Wild)

[xahldera]

In terms of atmosphere, one of the standouts is probably any of the outdoor areas in "The Witcher 3". I know this sounds like a cop out but there is something compelling about the great outdoors in the game that gives a sense of great adventure and foreboding in the game. Given each of the areas has it's own character, it would be unfair for me to pick one over the others.