What makes a game good? For most, it would be a safe bet to imagine the answer lies in gameplay. For others, the winning factor might be a good soundtrack. There’s no doubt that points like writing, world-building and graphics hold an important place in the conversation. But when these elements are combined, in most cases you won’t just get a ‘good’ game – you’ll get an immersive one.
Immersion is a valuable tool in keeping players hooked, but it can be difficult to get right. I took a look at a couple of recent(ish) games that I consider incredibly immersive, and tried to nail down what made them so Below, I’ve taken a look at a couple of recent(ish) games that I’d consider immersive – and what made them so mesmerizing.
Breath of the Wild
When Breath of the Wild came out in 2017, it blew open expectations for the newest Zelda game. Many games in the series – Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker to name a few – had an open world environment, but Breath of the Wild took RPG elements to a level never before seen in Zelda.
In BotW, the story takes a backseat. Ganon and Princess Zelda have been locked in a fearsome battle for over a century, but Link – who’s just woken up from napping through the cataclysmic hundred year battle – feels no urgency in rushing to the aid of his princess. Or at least, the player doesn’t.
While you’re tasked to awaken four divine beasts and save the princess (because it’s a Nintendo game), realistiically you’re probably going to find yourself distracted for a long time in the beautifully crafted land of Hyrule. There’s a much bigger focus on exploration and side quests than you’d typically expect from the series, and as you start with little in the way of health and very few shoddy (and breakable) weapons, necessity will fuel your need to branch out.
The non-linear gameplay is at the core of what makes this Switch exclusive so immersive. You can do different parts of the main quest at any time, and there’s no rush to burn through it – though I imagine Link may feel a twinge of guilt each time he rides past the giant shadow-ridden castle dominating the centre of the map. In true RPG fashion, you can spend hours wandering happily without any particular purpose. Whether you’re searching a forest for ingredients to your next meal or rescuing an unfortunate Hyllian from colourfully stupid mobins, just traversing Hyrule is a pleasure.
The surprising depth of gameplay is the ace card for making BotW such an immersive hit. As you play, you’ll pick up on small details that will become second-nature to your exploration. If it’s raining, cliffsides and trees will be too slippery to climb. You can freely pass dangerous nights by making a campfire, but Link will thank you with a rested bonus for renting a bed at an inn. There’s no recipe book, but you’ll start to learn what ingredients compliment eachother for best results. It’s in thoughtful features like this that really make you feel like a part of the world.
Hollow Knight
When I first started playing Hollow Knight in the dim depths of a very British January, I thought it was one of the most beautiful games I’d ever played. I lost count of how many times I sat captivated by every new environment I discovered, and still find myself touched by the exquisite hand-drawn graphics.
Hollow Knight has you delving downwards into the bug-built Forgotten Kingdom: an abandoned, dangerous shadow of a once-propserous land. While combat can feel brutal and its bosses borderline horrifying, the land of Hallownest feels like an empty church. Every moment feels lonely and introspective, and there’s a heavy atmosphere of quiet that would feel almost sacriligious to break. Having a silent protagonist feels like a weighty choice to preserve this, and makes every hushed noise stand out more. The sound of enemies shuffling, rolling or buzzing around makes almost for a second soundtrack to the game, and in one particular area the steady drizzle of rain hitting giant glass windows is the only noise you’ll hear.
Combined with an understated and melancholy musical score, the sounds of Hollow Knight – both what’s there and what’s not – is a wholly immersive experience in itself. With Team Cherry’s instant classic, immersion is created by crafting a game that feels too enchantingly pretty to resist giving anything less than your full attention.
GTA V
Los Santos is a terrible place. Sun-soaked? Absolutely. Scenic? Sure. Glamorous? Occasionally. Despite all this? Los Santos is still a terrible, terrible place to live. In Rockstar’s fifth entry into the GTA series, we revisit a not-quite faithful recreation of real world Los Angeles. In GTA V, stereotypes are exaggerated and its people are warped, but the L.A. parody never becomes alien – which is what makes it so engrossing.
As expected of a triple A game from a studio as big as Rockstar, the graphics at the time – and even now – are nothing short of stunning. Like anyone in Los Angeles, GTA 5 hides its age well. The game still feels brand new on its highest settings, and from the scenic hills surrounding the city Blaine County looks outright gorgeous. Driving by night, yellow streetlight beams dancing across your car, it’s all too easy to forget what you’re doing and slide into cruise control.
The city and its people are altogether less pretty. Los Santos is a shrine of hubris, vanity and decedance. Almost everyone you meet aspires to a life of wealth or fame, while others desperately cling to what little of each they have left. The sidewalk is crammed with NPC’s, many of whom are often engrossed in phonecalls or self-musings. Listening to passers-by will net you tidbits of personality ranging from the grossly selfish to tragically nervous.
The characters of the city are colourful and enjoyable, with Los Santos itself owning itself as one of the biggest characters in the game. The three playable characters offer a variety in perspective. Michael De Santa is a money-rich, family-poor man pushing fifty and addled with all the signs of a mid-life crisis. Franklin Clinton is significantly poorer, and follows a necessitated life of crime out of. Trevor Phillips is a redneck living at the bottom of the methamphetamine-crusted barrel, committed to a variety of criminal activity for seemingly no other reason than personal fullfilment.
Each show a different side of Los Santos – none particularly pretty – and the gripping personal stories of the unlikely trio make living in the city a riveting experience to play.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Back in the tail-end of 2015, The Witcher 3 was the kick I needed to finally upgrade my PC. I’d suspected that by sinking a couple hundred pounds into wanting to play one specific game, expectations would be very hard to live up to. For almost any other game, I’m sure I’d have been left feeling as empty as my wallet – but not The Witcher. I’m aware that critical praise for the game was heaped and everywhere, and apologies that my last entry into this article offers even more, but I felt TW3 was one of the finest relevent examples regarding immersion.
I could pick out any element of The Witcher 3 and I’d find something to talk about. Deciding where to start is as hard as one of its particularly difficult werewolves, one who will remain anonymous. On an unrelated note, local woods-loping, lunar-loving and silver-allergenic hunter Niellen sucks.
The Witcher’s graphics and landscapes are one of its first biggest talking points. The game was – and still is – an outstanding visual spectacle. From the autumnal woods and muddy villages of Velen to the vibrant, bustling capital of Novigrad, TW3 is awash in detail and colour. My personal favourite area is Velen – I’m a sucker for rainy areas – but Skellige, the island chain of lofty clifftops and sweeping vistas, is a masterpiece to rival any virtual landscape. With Geralt’s enhanced hearing comes license for some incredibly detailed audio in these areas, and Projekt Red made full use of it. Woods are alive with the dry rustle of falling leaves and unseen wildlife, while wind whispers through grass and crashes wave against cliff. This makes the dullest of horse rides interesting, and there are few games that make me appreciate an environment like The Witcher does.
Beauty might lie in every corner of the fictional Northern Kingdoms, but it’s in the darker corners that our character – Geralt – finds his work. A sworn Witcher, Geralt of Rivia spends his days hunting down the worst monsters the world has to offer. As you’d expect, his job ranks pretty up there in the Awful category – somewhere near valiant postmen who work winters in northern Britain.
Geralt’s trade – combat – is gratifying and difficult, and keeps you fully involved for every second. Whether deft swordplay between a gang of bandits or hacking and weaving around a griffin, fighting feels furious and calculated. One too many slashes or a badly-timed jump can kill you without leaving you so much as a second to regret it, and getting lost in the frenzied rhythm of battle can cost Geralt his life. Getting combat right, however, is deeply rewarding. Against humans, every thrust or parry feels powerful, and your sword often cleaves limb from limb in huge bloody strokes. Versus monsters you’re often one step from death, and last second dodges are fluid and exciting. While some people dislike the combat for feeling clunky, I personally find it to be an exhilarating test with a palpable learning curve.
As a mutant, his daily dances with death are received thanklessly by those forced to employ him – even more so when he asks for payment.
The Witcher 3’s main quest piles a new set of woes upon poor Geralt. Ciri, his adopted daughter, has gone missing. Better yet, you’re not the only one looking for her. The spectral Wild Hunt (that’s the title!) aren’t far behind her, and are carving out a bloody, violent and altogether spooky path in their search for their child of prophecy.
It’s not just the main quest that bears some exceptional writing. Whether it’s main quest, sidequest or Witcher contract, you’ll enjoy some of the best stories and dialogues ever put to a game. Difficult, heart-wrenching decisions constantly leave you questioning whether you did the right thing, and every character involved will illicit at least some emotional reaction. While many quests can feel bleak and depressing, Geralt lightens up the rest of the game with a dry sense of humour and quick wit, making him a thoroughly enjoyable character to play as.
When all’s said and done, immersive features in The Witcher 3 adds up to quite the finished product. Between the lush environment, emotional writing or the detailed sound engineering, it feels like CD Projekt Red understood exactly how to drop players into the headspace of a witcher – and keep them there.
Notable Mentions
Above: DayZ
While I might have gotten a little carried a way in my description of The Witcher 3 (I’m now reinstalling it while writing this) there were many other games I wanted to include but didn’t. Below I’ve listed some games that might scratch the same alluring itch as those I’ve already mentioned, and if you have any more recommendations then I’d love to hear them.
DayZ, Elite Dangerous, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag,
Bioshock, Metro 2033, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, Shadowrun Returns