I find Divinity 2: DKS quite pleasing to the eye. The score is just excellent. Absolutely excellent. Combine those two and I've spent way too much time just running around the hillside, scaling the tower, and going in circles in underground caves - just for the sake of the ambiance.
I explored Love with a few friends and found it beautiful (and in the game). That was in the paid-alpha, until later when it went all complicated and insane and I got a headache from the wobbly graphics.
Just Cause 2 is for me one of the best exploration sims.
Yeah, whatever problems I had with the game, I never stopped appreciating the scenery. It was pretty amazing.Originally Posted by SirKicksalot
Oblivion was also bloody gorgeous when it came out. It may not have the most interesting design, but it still looked damn good. It's still quite pretty now, though obviously more dated.
I've not played it for very long, and some of it has been in relatively confined areas, but Risen has had some rather lovely views so far.
GTA4, while I found the game terribly dull, was a very impressive technical achievement, and while it wasn't exactly pretty like the others, it was certainly a good scenery game.
Fallout 3 had its moments, too - despite the drab palate (or arguably because of it), it had some very interesting scenes and really captured a desolate, broken city feel. If you get a mod that changes the lighting it can be wonderful. Theress at least one mod that makes the nights pretty much pitch black, and another which has the streetlights on, making for some incredibly atmospheric scenes.
Just Cause 2 has to be the best for me though for sheer bright, colourful, pleasant scenery. It's a joy to behold even in the more built up town areas.
I agree with a number of those mentioned thus far. WoW, Far Cry 2, Oblivion, Just Cause 2.
Not sure I get the gripes regarding Cataclysm in terms of exploring. Yes, the actual questing is a lot more linear now* but there's nothing to stop you mooching around looking at stuff.
* I like (or at least don't dislike) this, but I do appreciate why people don't.
I remember upgrading my graphics card and reloading Oblivion, having saved it at.... er... that big Good Guys temple way up a mountain side. All of a sudden I could see all the way to the city in the middle of the map, and the weather looked much better, etc. Loved it. And Oblivion had tonnes of stuff you could find if you just wandered about too. Small, unrelated quest chains. Ruins/dungeons (even if they quickly got boring for being the very samey.) The daedric shrines.
Last edited by Ian; 18-07-2011 at 02:13 PM.
A brave heart and a courteous tongue. They shall carry thee far through the jungle, manling.
There's a difference between gawping at 3D rendered scenery (anything an artist might create) and actually feeling like you're in a fully-realized imaginary place (the product of worldbuilding). The latter makes the former much more satisfying.
That's cheating, Jim.
Also: awesome.
Hell, those screens are quite cool!
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