Summary
Valveis one of the most recognized and acclaimed video game developers. For the better part of more than 20 years, they have been making constant headlines with their releases. Even when they don’t release any titles, Valve is still talked about, such as with their incredibly popular and ever-present PC gaming platform Steam.
Despite having slowed down in their releases of late, most of Valve’s games are often discussed as some of the greatest video games to ever exist. FromHalf-LifetoDota 2, Valve has gained a reputation for creating games with passion, with the worlds and stories they create being a perfect example of that. However, Valve has always favored more unappealing and grim locales for their games, with their worlds being locations no one would want to find themselves in.
While not exactly the worst world that Valve (technically Minh Le and Jess Cliffe) have built, especially compared to their other titles, it is nonetheless a world that is less than convenient, to put it lightly.
Simply put, the world ofCounter-Strikeis the same as Earth, but with more terrorism. The name of the Terrorist side when playing a match is the Phoenix Connexion and the Counter-Terrorists are known as the Coalition. There are other factions, such as the French Counter-Terrorist force GIGN, but in recent Operations, Valve has attempted to focus the story on the Phoenix Connexion and the Coalition. The destruction of areas via bombs and the kidnapping of hostages seem to take place somewhat frequently, as seenthrough the various maps, making for a less-than-desirable world to live in.
Definitely the most wacky and eccentric of Valve’s games, theTeam Fortressuniverse features a comedic take on the FPS genre. Due to how odd the story and world are, it wouldn’t be the most normal place to live.
Numerous different technologies can make it unpredictable to live here, such as the Robots created by Gray Mann as featuredin the Mann Vs. Machine mode. Crazed individualssuch as the Mediccan also make life difficult. On top of the challenges to living on Earth, Heaven and Hell exist, both being unpredictable, such as when God threatened to destroy the world simply because every woman on the planet hadn’t slept with the Scout.
One of Valve’s mostly-forgotten games,Alien Swarmfollows its titular namesake with a human colony world that aliens have taken over.
Far more simple compared to other complex worlds that Valve has created,such asHalf-Life,Alien Swarmis still horrifying to live in. The game features numerous parasites and tumors, along with the murderous aliens. Progressing through the game reveals these aliens have killed all the colonists, with the main objective being to detonate a nuclear bomb to stop the alien colony from advancing. So on top of being a hostile alien planet, it’s also about to become a nuclear wasteland. Not a great place to settle down.
League of Legendsmight be the most recognized MOBA, butDefense of the Ancients, orDotA, was one of the first to breathe life into the genre and has become regarded asone of the best to do so. Despite this, the world is less than desirable to live in.
Owing to its original name, players defend powerful beings known as Ancients. These entities, named Radiant and Dire, influence and control parts of the world. Some people will fall under the control of these beings and do their will, which is how the Creeps came into existence. Radiance’s areas mirror themes of purity, good, and light, whereas Dire’s areas change to resemble darkness and evil. However, some can resist turning into Creeps, which is where thenumerous playable Heroescome in, fighting an endless war on behalf of the two Ancients. Neither option is ideal for a living situation.
Arguably Valve’s most well-known game,and one of their highest rated,Left 4 Dead’szombie apocalypse setting makes it obvious why this is one of the worst worlds to live in. Featuring a horror aesthetic,Left 4 Deadisn’t as horrifying in a nuanced way asHalf-Lifeis, but is still terrifying nonetheless.
One ofLeft 4 Dead’smost notable factors is the variety of the undead, with the Special Infected truly making for a bleak world, with Tanks, Witches, Hunters, and so on creating a scenario no one would want to live through. Adding to this are the vast number of regular zombies, the Common Infected, combined with the eponymous Green Flu/Infection being airborne, which creates an incredibly grim world.
While both games never state explicitly that they take place in the same universe, as it isn’t the focus of their respective stories,PortalandHalf-Lifeare indeed connected. ThePortalseriesfocuses more on its own smaller locations, thefacilities belonging to Aperture Science, whileHalf-Lifespans larger regions, across cities and landscapes.
Half-Life 2is where the world becomes truly horrific, as Earth is under the oppression of the Combine, a multidimensional empire seeking to enslave all it comes across, with humanity as its latest acquisition. Spanning numerous worlds, theCombine’s regime is incredibly dystopian; depressing, bleak, and oppressive, with executions, “off-world relocations,” and mass starvation abound. Infamously, the Combine crushed all of Earth’s armies in the Seven-Hour War.
However, more terrifying is the G-Man and his “employers.” The G-Man himself is a godlike being capable of stopping time, yet is at the behest of employers, entities presumably more powerful than him. The series dives into cosmological horror, with humanity being nothing more than pawns to G-Man, his employers, and their plans.
