Oct 24, 2019
6,560
I love when games give their maps an interesting aesthetic that ties in thematically with the setting itself, rather than just having a pretty generic map.

One example that comes to mind for me is Ghost of Tsushima's map -- the black & white color scheme is very sleek, and is reminiscent of a watercolor painting, which reflects the setting nicely.

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Another map that I think is pretty unique & cool is the one from Watch Dogs 2. It imitates a Google map (using the in-game equivalent, Nudle maps), which is a nice cohesive touch, especially given the game's focus on tech companies:
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One last example off the top of my head would be the map we'll see in the upcoming Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. It looks like a worn piece of parchment that actually exists in the game world, which I think is cool:
Assassin_s-Creed-Valhalla-Map.jpg


Which nicely-designed maps do you all enjoy? Post some pics of your favorites!
 
Oct 25, 2017
6,033
Milwaukee, WI
Forza Horizon 2/3/4 have such underrated maps.
1. It looks cool. 2. It feels perfectly molded to the mechanics. 3. These courses on their own would make a great race.

Actually, they might be the most gameplay conducive maps I've ever experienced.


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collige

Member
Oct 31, 2017
12,772
One last example off the top of my head would be the map we'll see in the upcoming Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. It looks like a worn piece of parchment that actually exists in the game world, which I think is cool:
Assassin_s-Creed-Valhalla-Map.jpg


Which nicely-designed maps do you all enjoy? Post some pics of your favorites!
Glad to see that Ubisoft remembered some of the good ideas from Far Cry 2
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Dan Thunder

Member
Nov 2, 2017
14,974
I always liked the one on BotW. It was just detailed enough so you could work out where you were and what was around you but not so detailed that it spoiled a lot of the areas in the game.

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Pineconn

Member
Oct 27, 2017
653
Ohio
Paper Mario: Color Splash

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I love how vivid it is and how the level select paths are generally concentric. (Color Splash is also superior to The Origami King.)
 

Zoso

Member
Oct 27, 2017
249
Kingdom Come Deliverance has a beautiful hand drawn map. Stylized clouds block your view of areas you haven't traveled to yet. And each city has a unique map that blends seamlessly with the world map when you zoom in on it. The city maps are filled with little details that hint at side quests, native animals, and nearby locations for that city. The whole map system is really unique and fits nicely with the medieval aesthetic of the game.

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OP
OP
Cosmic Voyager
Oct 24, 2019
6,560
Kingdom Come Deliverance has a beautiful hand drawn map. Stylized clouds block your view of areas you haven't traveled to yet. And each city has a unique map that blends seamlessly with the world map when you zoom in on it. The city maps are filled with little details that hint at side quests, native animals, and nearby locations for that city. The whole map system is really unique and fits nicely with the medieval aesthetic of the game.

tRqZBFf.jpg


IfYvKYe.jpg


WVOS3H5.jpg

Wow, I love that! Been meaning to play Kingdom Come. Is the story in that game good?
 

Castor Archer

Member
Jan 8, 2019
2,425
Miasmata

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You have to map it yourself using triangulation and landmarks. You'll occasionally find scraps of map pieces but yeah it's all on you and it's dope.
 

ConfusedOwl

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,338
Canada
shrine_triptych.jpg


Gothic 1 & 2 maps. They are items you have to either buy or find in the world so you can go a while without even having a map.
 

JustinH

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,600
I adore the Metro Exodus diegetetic map

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Using the map with the compass in Firewatch was fun

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Yeah, I love maps like this where they give you a compass and you need to orient yourself/map north and figure out where you are/where you need to go etc.

Uh... I feel like I said this in another thread about maps, but I'll give it another shot.
There was a game I played when I was younger (too young, honestly) called Manhunter: New York.
In it you'll run across and arcade cabinet and the layout of the arcade game is the map for a sewer maze later on.
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I remember this because I got lost and really pissed when I was a kid in the sewer. I didn't look up how to beat that part until like... just a few years ago or something.

I just think that's a cool thing involving a map. I prefer when the game has a map like Far Cry 2/Metro Exodus, and Firewatch above (maybe BotW too. It's been years since I've played that game).
 

Doomguy Fieri

Member
Nov 3, 2017
5,460
Silent Hill 2:

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I really like how the lake dominates the map, and how the player starts on the south side and knows their ultimate goal is the hotel on the north side. It makes all the buildup to crossing the lake feel very meaningful.

My favorite map of all time:

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The paper map that came with Morrowind. I had this tacked to the wall next to my CRT monitor. Morrowind was the last game I personally played that was both huge and didn't provide anything like fast travel or a waypoint. If the quest took you to the otherside of the continent, look at the map, figure out the strider routes, hopefully have a couple things to do while on the way. Would never, ever play something like that today. In my youth when I had the time and the inclination, this was it. It was the promise of games simulating fantastical worlds with incredible realism. Morrowind will never leave my personal games of all time list.
 

Red Arremer

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
12,259
Not a world map (since they didn't have a hub world), but the maps in Thief and Thief 2 were amazing.
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Depending on the level they would be thorough or vague like the one up there. Some maps may be wrong because they're outdated. It's just lovely, because the game just gives you some direction, and not a quest marker for everything.

It's also why I hate maps like Skyrim's, where it's just a hail of icons.