Cool and diverse areas are extremely important for MMOs and MMORPGs. They give the game world its character and have a huge impact on gameplay. Which areas in MMOs did you find particularly well done?
The importance of good zones in MMOs cannot be overstated. They provide us with the first impression of the aesthetics of a game, the enemies within it, and the overall atmosphere. Accordingly, development teams often put a lot of effort into areas to make them cool and interesting.
This works better at times than at others. Gaming as a medium has quite a bit of history by now, and in games, certain “standard zones” have been established that can be found in almost every game: deserts, swamps, dense forests, mountains.
But there are always outliers in areas within MMOs that truly blow us away. These are zones where, for example, you get a real sense of awe when you enter them for the first time. Or perhaps you only discover their advantages after spending a bit more time in them. In any case, they leave a strong impression on us.
Can you think of such areas in your favorite MMOs? I’ll kick things off:
- Destiny 1 – The Hive Dreadnought: I loved that silly zone. It encapsulates for me everything that the Hive represented in D1, even after years. Dark, dirty, disgusting, disturbing, and creepy. I always enjoyed being there, whether for Strikes, the King’s Fall raid, or the Court of Oryx. It is one of my favorite areas in MMOs in terms of gameplay, design, and story.
- Destiny 2 – Dreaming City: Even though I was not a big fan of Forsaken unlike many others, this area was definitely a highlight for me. The visuals combine elegant structures with the Taken corruption and are simply superb. The lore behind it was also very exciting.
- Lost Ark – The Oceans: This is a slightly different kind of “area”, but the ocean map in Lost Ark simply blew me away. There are so many fun activities and secrets to discover. I will definitely not forget my first encounter with a ghost ship anytime soon.
- Final Fantasy XI – Al Zhabi: That was tough. In FFXI, every single zone is tied to special memories for me. But Al Zhabi is still my favorite due to the city’s story and the Besieged mode. It was always a big event when the zone was overrun by monsters and players had to fend them off together. A huge lag fest that was still a lot of fun even in defeat.
- Final Fantasy XIV – The Tempest / Amaurot: Everything is just right about this area. The reveal in the game was fantastic, the story behind it is top-notch, and the visuals are very cool. Even though there’s little to do in the area after completing all quests, I just love hanging out there to take screenshots.
And what about you? Which areas in the MMOs you have played have stuck with you or which ones do you still enjoy visiting? What makes these zones special? They can be cities, dungeons, or open areas. Let us know in the comments.
You can also post screenshots of the areas. For this, you can upload them to imgur.com and paste them in the comments. They will then be approved by us and automatically converted by the comment system.
