It’s no surprise that video games take a lot of work from a lot of different and skilled people — working together to tell a story, provide an experience and invoke emotions.
It’s astounding how beautiful video games can be — there’s no argument that video games are art, but there are some views that can simply be breathtaking.
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From worlds based in reality to worlds invented entirely for the game, the beauty that developers are able to generate is genuinely impressive.
Some games, however, have some views (either out in an open world or as part of the game’s experience) that are simply too beautiful to ignore — or forget.
10The Dreaming City
Introduced in theForsakenexpansion forDestiny 2,The Dreaming Cityis one of the most beautiful areas of the entire game.
Home to many secrets (andchests in its ascendant region), it’s a sacred location for theAwokenborn in theReef; while there, they meditate their powers through dreaming — and it shows.
Simply put, the beauty in this area is justdreamlike,with an unshakable draw to soak it all in. It leaves players almost in a trance when they see it for the first time, and there’s no mistaking why.
The Dreaming City is a beautiful combination of sleek science fiction and nature, and it worked well in setting the atmosphere for the world.
9Anor Londo
Dark Souls
Perhaps nothing else is as beautiful as the sun itself —Anor Londoseems to agree with this, anyway. This city inDark Soulsis shrouded in stunning, golden sunlight.
In true Dark Souls fashion, all the information players learn about the city is hidden behind layers ofenvironmental storytelling and lore, which makes the shadows feel all the deeper and darker.
The grand, gothic architecture wrapped up in beams of sunlight is a wonderful representation of the city itself. Deep shadows still lurk, all the more prominent, and all the more beautiful, with rays of gold.
8Big Valley
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2has many diverse, stunning landscapes and genuine biomes. There’s beauty all across the game, in the plains, the mountains, the forests, even the swamps.
Tucked away in thestate of New Hanover, north of the town ofStrawberry, is an area called theBig Valley— and that’s where the beauty of the game shines the most.
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For a game thatromanticizes slowing down, Big Valley is a wonderful manifestation of that beauty. It’s quiet and serene, a perfect place to set up camp and take a nap.
There’s also a lot that can be done, too, so the experience is all the more enjoyable when the scenery is gorgeous.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Assassin’s Creed: Odysseyis an excellent recreation of Ancient Greece, and it’s no secret that the entire world is equally as stunning. One village, however, stands out in particular:Lalaia, located inPhokis.
It’s a small, beautiful village adorned with flowers and thriving nature among ancient Greek architecture. It’s adorned with stunning Mediterranean visuals, and feels like a moment of relief in the game.
For a time of war, having a moment of reprieve and rest is critically valuable. Luckily, Lalaia is able to provide that peace with gorgeous visuals, making it the most beautiful area in the game.
6Rosymorn Monastery Trail
Baldur’s Gate 3
Early inBaldur’s Gate 3, players can progress towardsMoonrise Towersfrom theUnderdark or the Trielta Crags Mountain Pass. For those traveling theMountain Pass, they end up on the gorgeous trail leading toRosymorn Monastery.
When players first make their way upTrielta Crags, they can find a cliff overlooking the Monastery among the mountains — and it’s breathtaking.
Sprawling ruins adorned with stained glass, lush trees, and greenery reclaiming the collapsing stone make for a mesmerising sight. It’s perhaps one of the most beautiful locations in the game, the second being in the monastery itself.
As players walk up, their character remarks, “this view is almost worth the walk,” so be sure to soak it in — if nothing else, to give their feet a break.
5Japantown
Cyberpunk 2077
When players think ofCyberpunk 2077, it’s impossible not to think ofNight City. It’s the game’s setting, backdrop, foundation, and catalyst all in one — to say it’s crucial is an understatement, being the forefront and the background of V’s entire story.
It’s also a beautiful city. Despite itscriticismsabout how the world feels, it’s full and stunning, and this is most evident inJapantown.
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Japantown, much like modern Tokyo, is a stunning visual blend of sci-fi technology and traditional Japanese motifs, such as torii gates and paper lanterns.
This is only amplified during theArasaka Paradein thePlay It Safe mission, adding more holograms, stunning lights in celebration, and hauntingly beautiful vocals byHanako Arasaka.
4Satori Mountain
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildcompletely revitalized the entire Zelda franchise, its immense success producing a direct sequel,Tears of the Kingdom.
Known for its stunning open world and incrediblepost-apocalypticstory, players are able to find beautiful spots all aroundHyrule. However, there’s no place likeSatori Mountain.
Satori Mountain is located in the region ofCentral Hyrule, just east ofRutileLake. Atop the mountain, apart from theLord of the Mountain, rests a small spring underneath a cherry blossom tree.
It’s a hidden spot that’s absolutely stunning, regardless of the time of day. It’s without a doubt the most scenic location in the whole game, and is often revisited among players because of just how beautiful it really is.
3Sands and Ruins
Perhaps it’s cheating to bring upJourneywhen talking about beautiful areas in games, because the entire game is meant to be a beautiful experience.
Journey is ashort, indieexplorationgame that has remained iconic (even over 10 years later) for its visuals. The visuals are the most striking, however, as the player slides down through sandy ruins bathed in gold.
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The views from this area are jaw-dropping and breathtaking, most likely the main visual that players think of from this game — especially with its use of sand in its imagery.
It’s the genuinely gorgeous sunlight reflecting off of warm sand, the contrasting shadow still warm, that makes this particular view all the more beautiful.
2Golden Temple
Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of TsushimawonBest Art Direction during the 2020 Game of the Year Awardsfor a reason — and it’s immensely difficult to name just one location in the game as the most beautiful.
However, one of the most awe-inspiring areas of the game is theGolden Temple, located in theAriakeprefecture in theIzuhararegion.
It serves as a gathering location for many crucial NPCs, including those that can give quests and others that can upgradeJin Sakai’s gear or provide new costumes.
But first and foremost, it’s a breathtaking area of gorgeous scenery. It’s unforgettable, and enough for players to sit and take in the world around them for hours. And for some players, they’re returning for more after the announcement ofGhost of Yotei.
1Sovngarde
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
One of the most surprising things aboutSkyrimis how beautiful it can be, especially after all these years; a huge thanks to the skyboxes. However, nothing in the game can hold a candle toSovngarde, where theDragonborndefeatsAlduin.
It’s meant to be theNord’s equivalent to heaven, and it makes sense once the player gets there — it’s nothing short ofdivine.
Surrounded by stunning lights, the voices and drums of warriors just completely envelop players in the scene, feeling it in their lungs. But the visuals alone make this the most stunning view in all video games.
After all, what’s more beautiful than heaven itself?
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