Favourite game environments

[Nuvendil]

Mira in Xenoblade Chronicles X is an amazingly well realized setting. It feels like a hostile, wild, beautiful, and often bizarre alien world. For most of my play through, it was like every time I turned around there was some epic vista or weird creature I had never seen. As for my favorite continent, it would be a tie between Noctilum and Sylvalum.

Columbia in BioShock Infinite was beautifully realized, with the rather unsettling depiction of the dark potential of man being being very unnerving (and only made all the more so when you see the parallels with real world revolutions gone bad, such as the early French Revolution).

Then finally, the Great Cave Offensive in Kirby Superstar. I absolutely, positively love that level/campaign thing. The level design, structure, variety, music. Love it. I know it's divided into multiple level sections but since it is all seamlessly connected I'm counting it :P

Honorable mentions to Skyrim, Xenoblade, and Oblivion. Skyrim I love the epic emphasis on verticality, really makes the whole world feel bigger and more grand. Also found the variety within the fairly restrictive climate quite nice, as well as the way the history of the region is told through the architecture of it's cities and the ruins of the land. But it's familiarity is a bit of a weak point, it's not as unique.

Xenoblade I love the uniqueness overall, but there are some aspects that feel less interesting. Bionis Leg is cool in terms of geography but the creature designs and foliage are kinda pedestrian. But there are exceptions. Overall, still an amazing world.

Oblivion was very classic fantasy but I loved the vast, sweeping feeling of Cyrodiil. It was a mind blowing experience the first time I stepped out into the world, Oblivion being my first open world RPG. The weaknesses are the lack of unique designs in many places and the blandness of big chunks of the wilderness.