The craft of creating memorable places is true artistry. Not every developer nails it, but the game industry has produced many standout levels that stay in memory thanks to distinctive design or atmosphere. This piece gathers examples of such locations.
Hell Cuisine (Deus Ex)
The original Deus Ex popularized a landmark hub that felt like a living city early in the game. Before Ion Storm redefined the genre, shooters tended to be linear; this title proved a large urban area with NPCs, side quests, secrets, and multiple paths could exist within a single level. The designers delivered precisely that.
Hotel Ocean House (Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines)
The vampire RPG Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines is a standout, and the Ocean House Hotel scene stands as a standout horror moment in its early chapters. The deserted hotel creates a relentless sense of dread.
There, the player must banish the restless local spirits. There are no conventional enemies, yet tension remains high. Spirits animate objects, a menacing silhouette appears, and doors stall or mechanisms fail, turning simple progress into a creeping, puzzle-like challenge. An elevator may fail, and unfamiliar threats seem to emerge from the walls.
The setting channels the vibe of a Stephen King story — a love for the uncanny that fans of his terrifying fiction will recognize in every creak and shadow.
How often do players engage in optional exploration in games?
Ravenholm (Half-Life 2)
Another standout moment in what many consider one of the strongest games ever. Half-Life 2 constantly throws new surprises at the player, and Ravenholm becomes a claustrophobic survival horror experience.
To survive in a ruined mining town overrun with zombies, resource management matters. Players must conserve ammo, scrutinize the environment, and improvise. For example, a chainsaw can be ripped from the wall and used to deal with multiple foes in quick succession.
The atmosphere in Ravenholm presses in hard, a lone, desolate mood that heightens tension. The lone friendly figure, Father Grigori, offers rare moments of relief but does little to ease the peril.
Fort Forter (Bioshock)
The centerpiece of Bioshock’s Rapture is a cultural fortress linked to the game’s most flamboyant figure, Sander Cohen. The stage-like environment doubles as a living sculpture and a stage for Cohen’s experiments in art and power.
Within the center the player confronts Cohen’s followers, and engages with his voice through audio diaries. Memorable moments range from clashes with his cultists amid a gallery of frozen figures to the chamber where Cohen’s artistic vision unfolds as a jaw‑dropping tableau.
Research and Reason (Titanfall 2)
One standout moment in Titanfall 2’s campaign is the time-travel level. The protagonist arrives at a deserted military outpost and gains a device that lets him shift between two timelines. The level must be explored across past and present simultaneously, leaping between eras as events unfold. If the abyss closes around the station, does it vanish from the past as well? Time itself remains a constant anchor in the setting.
Designers crafted two perfectly aligned maps layered in time to ensure seamless transitions. Despite technical hurdles and moderate skepticism within the studio, the finished level earned widespread praise from critics and players alike.
Mechanical Mansion (Dishonored 2)
The Dishonored series offers many standout locations, but the Mechanical Mansion of inventor Kirin Jindosh stands out for its design ingenuity.
The mansion splits into elegant public rooms and concealed industrial spaces behind the scenes. It is a vast, living puzzle where walls, floors, and furniture shift in response to levers, turning rooms into new configurations before the player’s eyes. Progress demands quick adaptation to a relentlessly changing environment rather than routine planning.
Anor Londo (Dark Souls)
Arriving at Anor Londo, a sunlit city of the gods, stands as one of the most striking moments in the bleak landscape of Dark Souls. Its breathtaking architecture and a Gothic cathedral reminiscent of Milan create a contrast that etches the place into memory, even as archers complicate the approach to the cathedral.
Central Yharnam (Bloodborne)
Bloodborne’s design treats level creation as a distinct craft. Among them, Central Yharnam stands near the top for its atmosphere and layout, drawing players into a tight, dangerous city that rewards curiosity.
As an introductory hub, it instantly immerses the player in Bloodborne’s mood, while offering a compact sampling of the game’s systems: challenging foes, a labyrinth of secret paths, and dense architecture that invites careful exploration.
Initiation 4: We Will Sing (Alan Wake 2)
Alan Wake 2 presents many quirks, but the standout remains the famous musical sequence that disrupts the ordinary pace with a Broadway‑style stage.
In the fourth mission, the protagonist navigates a musical sequence that stitches story and action into a live performance. The stage blends lit details and shifting backdrops in real time, matching rhythm with song lyrics to feel like stepping into a surreal music video.
Police Station (Resident Evil 2)
The police station area in Resident Evil 2 is nearly flawless in both design and mood. The Remake version builds a dense, maze-like environment filled with puzzles, hidden passages, and valuable loot, alongside formidable foes.
In-universe notes add a playful touch: a brochure hints the station once housed a museum, explaining some of its oddly ornate rooms and hidden routes.
That about covers this list for now. Readers are invited to share which levels left the strongest impression and why.
Which of these levels left the strongest impression on players?