While I wrestle with how best to review story-driven games or focus on games without stories (both good options) I figured I'd give you a list of some of my favourite settings. A game's setting can add so much to the experience, turning it from a simple backdrop or window dressing into feeling like an actual place. Some
I will avoid some bigger ones that aren't specific to gaming like Star Wars, Warhammer, Dungeons & Dragons and the like. I know there are games in those settings but this is for settings that are from games originally. Otherwise, we'd be here all day, I was tempted to put The Witcher on here for example though that came from books much like Stalker and Metro.
So, with all my usual preamble nearly veering drunkenly off course and plunging into a rabbit hole, let's get to some of my favourite game universes!
World of Warcraft
The world of Warcraft will always hold a special place in my heart, I got into it long before World of Warcraft was a thing with the original trio of strategy games. Warcraft 3 and its expansion Frozen Throne is one of my favourite games (I still have my physical copy.) Then when World of Warcraft came along, how could I not want to explore that world from ground level?
Even now, despite not having played it for years I still get a huge sense of nostalgia and memories when I hear parts of the original soundtrack or see a meme using WoW. Seeing the places mentioned in the strategy games as though you were just a single unit wandering the map made the early clunky days worth it.
Despite how long I played WoW I still find Warcraft 3 to be my favourite game in the setting. The Warcraft universe will always be awesome to me despite Blizzard somewhat falling from its lofty perch over the years.
Dragon Age
While the next Dragon Age game seems to be in a rough spot in terms of development. I can say I love the setting and hope it at least finishes the various story arcs that started way back in the first game. While it got officially labelled as a dark fantasy setting it's not that dark compared to the likes of Warhammer though it leans on a lot of issues which make it feel like a believable place. One of Bioware's best settings that I hope doesn't get shelved like Deus Ex seems to have been (just to name one franchise I've been waiting to finish its stories in recent times.)
It has its takes on a lot of fantasy races like elves, dwarves and the titular dragons though they aren't that far removed from classic tropes. Honestly, there is so much in this setting I could cover but that isn't the point of this post (maybe another time I can deep dive into the lore if people want?)
The three games set within the Dragon Age universe are... All rather different beasts despite all being RPGs. Origins started things off with a modern take on classic RPGs, slow-paced tactical combat, dialogue trees and a vast array of skills to customise your characters. It earned well-deserved acclaim and is still a lot of people's favourite Dragon Age game (mine included.)
Dragon Age 2 shifted away from the deeper RPG mechanics and slow-paced combat of the first game in favour of a more action RPG offering. Honestly, given how short a development cycle it had (something between 9 and 14 months) it's a miracle the game is as good as it is. It shifts away from the multiple origins of the first game in favour of telling the story of Hawke and their rise.
Inquisition was a strange beast to me, I liked the game though it feels a bit MMO-ified. Large open areas filled with an assortment of quests and collectables could make it drag at times. The combat was still good and I always kept wanting to see what happened next in the story it just felt a little... Stretched out. I just hope Dreadwolf sees the light of day as I want to see the way the story plays out!
Fallout
Probably not a surprise to anyone the Fallout setting would be in this. Much like Warcraft, just hearing the original soundtracks from the first two games causes nostalgia overload in me. While the first Wasteland game might've inspired it I think it very much became its own thing thanks to its popularity.
Set in an alternate almost art-deco reality where the 50s never really went away and nuclear weapons and power led to the world becoming more advanced until overconsumption and overpopulation turned to war with a nuclear conclusion.
While the two originals are always my favourite for their darker atmosphere I honestly like all the Fallout games, yes, even Tactics and 76. Even if part of me hopes the series goes back to its roots a bit more if we get any more games in the setting!
Mass Effect
Ah, Mass Effect is likely my favourite game universe by no small margin and something I may also have a more in-depth look at, though not a review as I don't trust myself not to give spoilers without meaning to. So, as with Dragon Age if you want to see me having a look in-depth at specific parts of Mass Effect just let me know!
The music, the technology, the races and most importantly the characters all feel iconic in some way to me. I had the original trilogy, bought the remastered Legendary Edition and even have Andromeda (we'll get to that shortly.) It's a setting that I think could accommodate a lot more games and even genres of games mainly as I want to see more of it.
A game where we play as Captain Anderson long before the Shepard saga began? Sign me up! A 4X space strategy game could even work though for obvious reasons it'd likely need to be a 'What if?' scenario but I'd love to see it all the same!
Andromeda had a lot to live up to especially given how loved the original trilogy was and the general dislike toward the ending which didn't help it any. Add to that its issues to do with animations and the generally lukewarm reception it received you might think I'd dislike it. I don't, I enjoy it for what it is though I would have liked to have seen at least one or two meaty DLCs for it as you can see they were planning for it.
Let's hope the next Mass Effect game lives up to the originals rather than Andromeda, eh?
So, what are some of your favourite game settings? Hope you enjoyed the read and if you wish to see me take a deeper look into any of these just let me know!
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