Arguably one of the most compelling aspects of a well-designed video game is its ability to immerse the player into its story and, by extension, into its world. Whether or not a game’s universe is considered good is subjective. No two players will judge by the same methodology and most won’t even stay consistent when looking at different games. There is no real “correct” way to weigh these worlds against each other. Between the thousands of universes that are presented to us, it’s not obvious which ones deserve praise and recognition; however, some games stand above the rest with the allure of their worlds.
For this list, we are discounting worlds that were first created as part of a film or book series. (This means no Witcher, Metro or anything inspired by Tom Clancy’s works)
Red Dead Series
The world of Red Dead Redemption was fairly interesting with its unique characters, addictive gameplay and iconic locations that resembled the sets of old-school spaghetti-westerns. It wasn’t until 2018 that the series was brought to its pinnacle with the features and details that were added in RDR2. The map that the player can explore in RDR2 is a compacted American frontier with fictionalized versions of the rocky mountains, great plains, and southern swamps. The scenery, town design and character details give the player a glimpse into the tail end of the nineteenth century as well as the death of the western outlaw.
The details on what makes the world unique could span a mile, but the added features are what truly give this world a spot on this list. (And no, we’re not discussing fluctuating equine anatomy.) Just the control the player has over Arthur’s appearance with in-game hair growth and weight loss/gain, or the fact that you need to maintain your weapons goes to show the length that this game goes to make the player feel immersed. Most impressively, the game manages to give the player enough responsibilities to make them feel immersed without slipping into “simulator” territory.
The main thing that RDR2 has done better than almost any other game on this list is make the world feel alive; through fascinating nature/NPC interactions and radiant “quests”, the player can often be left with the feeling that they’re missing out on something. The world seems designed to feel like you’ll be left behind if you don’t actively seek out adventures and mischief. For that reason, it becomes impossible to put the controller down.
Assassin’s Creed
The world of Assassins’ Creed is fascinating for several reasons; the various characters and their stories, the philosophical-turned-physical war between the Assassins and Templars, and the narrative concepts explored with the fictional animus machine. However, the thing that’s really captivating about the Assassins’ Creed world is that it’s our world. Sure, there are several embellishments, guesses, and outright fictional creations, but for the most part, the locations in the AC franchise are directly inspired by, if not stolen from, the real-life records we have of these historic locations.
Going in and experiencing a scaled representation of 12th-century Jerusalem, renaissance Italy or pre-revolution Paris is breathtaking in a way that Hyrule and the Mushroom kingdom could never be. The franchise has been one of Ubisoft’s most successful endeavors for over 15 years now and it’s proof that millions of people have a hidden history buff just waiting to come out. (Where they will presumably fall down a research rabbit hole.)
Wolfenstein
Wolfenstein is one of the older franchises on this list, but it still plays with a concept that’s been pondered by thousands of historians: What if the Nazis won World War II?
The lore is much thicker than that one question, but it is probably the most compelling aspect of the Wolfenstein series. Many games play with magic or aliens, some even play with alternate realities (see next entry), but playing with history by changing the past so significantly is something that can only tickle the player’s curiosity and leave them wanting more when the credits roll.
Fallout
Probably one of the most successful RPG series of all time, Fallout takes place in a world where the world never develops the microprocessor (but somehow creates compact fusion energy cells?), so it is left with perpetual 1950s aesthetics despite the progression of many fictional technologies. In this Jetsons-esque world, everything was nuclear-powered before the Great War when the United States and China drop thousands upon thousands of atomic bombs on one another, eliminating vast swathes of civilization.
To top this premise off, each game relies on the concept of Vaults, corporate social experiments disguised as fallout shelters. Few players would pass up on the opportunity to explore a fantastical nuclear wasteland while listening to the bops of the mid-20th century. Fallout’s lore is extensive and, at times, mind-numbingly complicated, but along with another Bethesda series, it’s one of the most unique universes in gaming.
Bioshock
Like the previous two entries, Bioshock is a retro-futuristic universe with older aesthetics and futuristic technologies as they would have been imagined in the period. The first two Bioshock games take place in the fictional underwater city of Rapture, a failed attempt at utopia for the secular thinkers and creators of mankind. The aquarium-like aesthetics of the city are unforgettable, but neither are the terrifying Big Daddies and iconic Little Sisters that serve as narrative MacGuffins.
The setting of third game is set in the contrasting sky-city of Columbia which is a theocratic dictatorship run by an openly racist and xenophobic man named Zachary Comstock. The two settings are polar opposites in many ways and the implications that are made by the existence of each are endlessly fascinating.
As is becoming common on this list, the lore is quite complicated and it is only advisable for you to pick up the game and experience the story and world for yourself.
The Elder Scrolls
As was previously mentioned, Bethesda’s other most notable title deserves a spot on this list. On paper, The Elder Scrolls is your typical medieval high fantasy universe, nothing fancy. Most dungeons and dragons campaigns have identical worlds for their players to wreak havoc in.
The Elder Scrolls, however, brought the genre from the imagination to the screen. Other games have toyed with the Medieval Fantasy genre, but none have been lauded to the degree that The Elder Scrolls games have. (Until the release of the next entry)
Elden Ring
In 2022, FromSoftware, the Developers of Bloodborne and Dark Souls, delivered to the world their latest creation, Elden Ring. While the gameplay and general aesthetic are identical to the aforementioned titles, Elden Ring had one key ingredient that made its world immediately more compelling, George R.R. Martin.
That’s right, FromSoftware outsourced the creation of it’s universe to the writer of the A Song of Ice and Fire books. Arguably one of the best fantasy writers of all time, Martin made something in the range of 150 million dollars from his time putting pen to paper. That might seem like they used a Ferrari to pull a plow, but it had to do something for the game since publisher Bandai Namco shared that Elden Ring had Grossed over $17 million by the end of September 2022. Admittedly, this world is more “geeky” than complex, but god is it fun to dive into.
Tyler is Poli-Sci undergrad who, when he’s not working, spends his time-consuming games and media like an insatiably hungry garbage truck. Seriously, his need for constant stimulation is a problem. Send help.
