Appreciating Mother Earth in all forms
By Sonam Kaloti, Arts Editor
Many video games with incredible landscapes and graphics are not always reminiscent of Earth, nor set on our planet anyway. However, regardless of where the scene is set, there are not many places designers can get inspired by for their landscapes besides our planet since itâs the only one any of us really know. Even so, there are countless magical places on Earth that would make anyone marvel at the beauty our planet holds; itâs no wonder artists are able to capture our planetâs magic and insert it into a variety of games for everyone to experience in a more accessible manner than travelling.
Halo: Reach
All the Halo games are magnificent when it comes to the scenery. The worlds are incredibly immersive, and it helps that the universe of the Halo franchise is so well built as it propels you into the alternate reality. Even the Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn movie had its UNSC headquarters filmed at our very own SFU Burnaby Campus.
Focusing on planet Reach, Earthâs sister planet in the Halo universe, the planet was a beautiful mirror to our own planet before its eventual fall at the end of Halo: Reach. Once beautiful and lush with greenery, the game goes on to show the planet grey and in ruin.
No Manâs Sky
This video game is all about space travel. You can fly around to different planets, build bases, complete quests, and even learn the languages of different alien species. Due to there being a plethora of worlds to explore, No Manâs Sky has something new around every corner. The visuals are colourful, slightly alien, but beautiful and oftentimes reminiscent of Earth.
Ghost of Tsushima
I would deem Ghost of Tsushima one of the most gorgeous games I havenât played. Itâs an action-adventure game about a samurai during the first Mongol invasion of Japan on a quest to protect Tsushima Island. Only available on PlayStation 4 and 5, and it has near perfect ratings on all critical review sites.
