Deserts in Video Games
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ย. 2023
- Today I wanted to talk about desert levels in video games.
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As an indie gamedev I'm literally working on a desert level RIGHT now and had this recommended to me. How topical
i shall not let the children say FIRST
I uironically LOVE desert levels mainly because of the music they provide rather than the substance it brings. I love how they use the Middle Easter influence in some games like Twilight Princess' version of Gerudo Valley.
Unpopular opinion: I think deserts rule and I find their vast emptiness appealing
I'm personally a bit fed up by the usual Arab or Egyptian themes used for desert levels... It has become better with more Mexican or Western Cowboy themes but it's already becoming redundant in my opinion. I think that's a missed occasion to not touch on other desert cultures that are as interesting (musically or by design) as the previous ones cited. I was pleasantly surprised by the desert levels of Rayman: Origins using Australian design and music (I loved that didgeridoo). Shoutout also to the recent Donkey Kong games using not often seen Dino theme and African Savannah theme. That's the kind of diversity I'm looking for.
An instant way to make a desert level awesome is making it Wild West themed. That always puts a smile on my face.
All of these dessert levels have their ups and downs, but no matter how good or bad they seem, they make me think of one thing: Patrolling the Mojave almost makes you wish for a nuclear winter.
Detritus Desert from Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz has one of my favourite video game songs of all time, which is especially impressive considering the song it's a remix of, Blistering Sands, is one of the most BORING video game songs of all time.
Also the desert world in Paper Marion the Origami King with the missing sun and everything looking purple or dark blue, as well as and this bazaar run by ShyGuys were a pretty good spin on the desert world architype
I unironically LOVE desert levels. Like maybe there boring in lik new super mario bros but almost every level theme is boring there. I love the music and the aesthetic, probably because of all the mystery we westerners imagine when we think of desert countries.
BotW Gerudo Desert has a really interesting gimmick... If you go in early. Having to deal with both extremes of weather depending on the time is neat. Running from shadow to shadow in day or splashing water on yourself to avoid heatstroke, and lighting a torch at night which renders you helpless to enemies at night, with the only time you really can move freely is at twilight where the weather is in a sweet spot. It's kinda invalidated when you get gear that lets you ignore the temperature mechanics entirely, but on a playthrough where I went in early it became a highlight of the entire game.
One of my favorite desert levels is Sherbet Desert from Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle. I love how they mixed the desert with the ice and how they split the levels between desert, ice, and a mix of both. It makes both themes stand out more when they’re together.
I really like Kirby planet robobot’s desert levels. It’s basically the standard desert theme but with a mechanized twist to it, fitting in with the rest of the game. You even enter a pyramid that’s been turned into a factory, and it gives a homage to the factory on shiver star in Kirby 64. It’s pretty cool stuff
Man you have gotten better and better at writing these videos like seriously, you’ve gotten a lot more confident and your scripts flow a lot smoother now. It’s awesome to see
3:16
I noticed I tend to love the music and aesthetic (unless its literally just a barren wasteland) of desert levels, but the actual levels themselves usually aren't that interesting. Appreciate the shoutout of Shamar's music in Sonic Unleashed, I like to listen to both the night overworld theme and the night level theme.
My favorite desert level in any game is definitely Torna from Xenoblade 2’s dlc. It has so much depth and areas to it. So much unique designs and aesthetics that make it impossible to say it’s a bland desert level. Plus the music is so serene and beautiful.
Speaking of banger music in desert, Shantae has a couple of that in Pirate’s Curse and Half-Genie Hero.
In my opinion also the desert in Slime Rancher is worth mentioning. As the last place you visit in the game it is very special, but its atmosphere is what makes it the best, the soundtrack and the place is just so overwhelming that makes it the best desert in every video game.
I think the Octopath Traveler games may have some of my favorite desert settings. The way the dunes glisten in the HD-2D artstyle is probably the only time I’ve found vast expanses of sand particularly appealing to look at.