Summary
A big advantage ofthe open-world genreis being able to use the natural environment to tell its own story. Rather than needing to tell the player directly how the world came to be and what its people have been through dialogue, talented developers will be able to spell this out clearly by inserting specific hints throughout the environment that players are able to pick up on during their grand adventure.
Sometimes, this can be something as obvious as a gigantic sign or monument, but it can also be a lot more subtle, such as showing small wreckages being scattered around the land after a chaotic war, for example. Environmental storytelling is incredibly hard to pull off effectively, but these games listed below have managed to execute it better than any others, so it’s time to learn about how they go about achieving this and what impact it makes on the player’s overall experience.
Players are told little to nothing about the Mojave Wasteland after they wake up in Doc Mitchell’s house at the beginning ofFallout New Vegas. Once they’re let out into Goodsprings, there will be a subtle mention ofHoover Damhere and there, but in terms of the game’s major factions, a lot of the details are kept very vague. The reason for this is that the wasteland, which could be considered a character in and of itself, does anexcellent jobat giving players everything they need to know to helpform their own opinionson each group.
New Vegas shows each Faction’s capability to help players form their own opinions
Whether it’s seeingburning corpses strung up on crosses by Caesar’s Legion, or the tiny andunorganized NCR base camps,it’s evident a lot of effort went into making these small cues informative rather than just random points on the map. Of course, there’s also New Vegas itself, which can always be seenshining brightlyin the distance, acting as the controversial"safe haven"that everyone flocks to in order to have a second chance at life.
Even though Hope County acts as onegiant mapthat players can explore inFar Cry 5, it is split up intothree different regions, each of which is ruled by one ofJoseph’s sick and twisted subordinates. These areas act asvisual representations of the peoplewho rule them, giving players an insight into the person whose land they’re currently trespassing on. In Faith’s region, for example, it’s common to seejunkies aimlessly wanderingaround while high on Bliss, while Jacob’s area is filled withsmall army campsand torture buildings where he squeezes information out of his targets.
Each Subordinate’s region in Far Cry 5 is a visual representation of them as a person!
Far Crygames have always been admired for theirunique open-world environments, but while Hope County looks amazing from a visual standpoint, there’s also so much it reveals about thewider cast of characters. It’s a beautiful, yet haunting area that constantly reminds players that they are wandering around a dangerous territory, and should never feel fully safe.
At the beginning ofArkham Knight, over6 million civiliansare forced to fleeGotham Cityafter one of Batman’s most terrifying enemies, Scarecrow, threatens to spread a brand-new strain of fear gas across the entire city. What remains is a Gotham that has beencompletely taken over by criminals, and the city itself demonstrates how evil and sadistic these sorts of people can be once they are given an inch of power.
The Dark And Gloomy Gotham City feels like its own character in Arkham Knight
The brokenneon signs and graffitisplattered all over the walls are just a few examples of ways that the criminals have tinkered with the environment, and when paired with the thick and gloomy smog that covers the city, it creates a truly immersive open world to explore. Despite all of this, though, there’s still a large andbeautiful moon in the skythat beams down onto Gotham, providing one final source of light, similar to how Batman is the only one trying to restore peace amidst all the darkness that surrounds him.
Though players will get the chance to learn about all thedifferent tribes and their culturesthrough dialogue exchanges inHorizon Forbidden West, they can also gather a lot of info about the people and the world at large through the environment. It’s not uncommon inForbidden Westto stumble across a gigantic machine that has been left to fade away into history or a group of Leaplashers who are all sticking together as part of a pack, going about their daily lives. All of this hints at the long-lasting conflict between humans and machines, which is very much at the core ofHorizon’sstory, alongside highlighting how therobots actually live in comparison to animals and humans.
Players can learn so much about the world of Horizon from the environment alone!
During their adventure, players will also be able to spotstructures and monumentsof old that have been completely taken over by nature. A few examples of this include theSalesforce Towerwhich is in California, and the Burning Shores which are designed afterthe inner city of LA. Seeing all of these well-known areas completely forgotten about and hidden away behind moss really drives home just how much society has changed after all those years.
It’s honestly staggering how many small andobscure detailsare hidden away inRed Dead Redemption 2’sworld, but it’s clear Rockstar was very particular in making sure everything players see has some sort of purpose. Sometimes, this can be fairly straightforward, such as coming across acreepy witch’s cabin, but then there are deeper forms of this, such as how each camp seems to represent the current emotional status of the gang at that point in the story.
Every Aspect Of Red Dead 2’s World Is Specifically Designed To Tell Some Sort Of Story!
A big reason whyRed Dead Redemption 2has become so beloved among fans, aside from itsincredible story and well-written characters, is the fact Rockstar managed to make the world feel alive thanks to how richly detailed it is. As players explore at their own pace, they’ll be able to piece together information about the world and its inhabitants bygalloping around on a horseand gazing at everything in the distance, whether it be a manmade structure or simply the natural beauty of the world.
There are several points inCyberpunk 2077’sstory where characters willrefer to Night City as if it’s a real personwho is more than capable of luring someone in and taking them on a wild ride if they become too attached. The truth is, Night City tells players everything they need to know about the state of society and what the people at large care about the most in this not-so-distant future. There are literally hundreds ofthat offer all kinds of services, such asimplants, biochips, and augmentations, but while these are always presented in a jovial and happy tone, the people of Night City who consume these things couldn’t look more depressed.
The richly detailed Night City tells the story of a society that has been enslaved by mass Corporatism.
There’s also a shocking amount ofvariation in the environments, which all allow players to fully understand where they’re stepping into by looking around for a minute or two. When entering Jig Jig Street, for example, thenarrow avenues, blasting music, and gunshotsthat can be heard in the background all give the impression of the area being quite dangerous, and this is only one example of many. This is perfectly complimented by the Badlands, which provide a breath of fresh air with itslong stretches of road and small villagesthat present the image of a quiet but difficult place to live because of how out-of-the-way it is.
