From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action
Nope, this isn't another article about publishers shutting down games
and preventing gamers from playing them. Nope, it's much more literal.
Once again stealing an idea from some youtuber,* this article is about
sunsets in games.
The aforementioned video tried to qualify the 'objectively' best
sunsets in video-games (based on number of mentions in reviews and
discussions on the topic). His list included (in no particular order)
Ghost of Tsushima, Mad Max, Witcher 3, Minecraft, GTA5, ES5 Skyrim,
Red Dead Redemption 2, Zelda Breath of the Wild, Horizon Forbidden
West and Firewatch. And I won't necessarily disagree with the
inclusion of any of those games; they're all very pretty and they all
have very pretty sunsets. I just thought I'd throw out the names of
some other games that have nice sunsets too.
First, though: I wholeheartedly agree with the inclusion of Minecraft.
It might be hard for some to see why, because --let's face it--
Minecraft isn't the most visually impressive game. But I think the
reason it affected me (and perhaps others?) so much is because of how
/unique/ each sunset is. Because the procedurally generated
game-worlds are so big, and so numerous, and because you can mold hill
and vale to your liking, it is quite possible that sunset you are
looking at --the way the sunset interacts with the world below; the
lengthening shadows from the hills, the way the glistening sea
reflects the light near a cliff-- is not only a sunset only YOU have
ever seen, but a sunset only you will EVER see. It adds a fragility to
the moment that may be lacking in other games.
At least it does to me.
#
But there are other games that have worthy sunsets, and the first one
that comes to mind whenever I think of video-game sunsets is
LucasArt's 1995 opus, the adventure game "Full Throttle". The thing
is, you could technically argue that the game itself doesn't HAVE a
sunset. You only really see the sun go down during the end-credits...
but man, what an effect it is. The pixel-art is incredibly well done,
and the fading light excellently combines with the bittersweet (and
excellently voiced) ending and quiet singing of the Gone Jackals in
the background. It's one of the rare games I actually WANT to watch
the end-credits to the end, and the slow darkening of the sky is a big
part of that.
What "TheHunter: Call of the Wild" it isn't so much it has excellent
sunsets. At time, it does... but as often as not, the sunsets are
absolutely forgettable. But the lighting system in the game is really
robust, and the wilderness terrain just so gorgeous that at moments
you can't but stop and stare at the spectacle of (virtual) nature. It
may not be the first game I think of when I think of video-game
sunsets... but when it delivers, ho-boy does it deliver!
"FarCry 2" is really starting to age in terms of its visuals, but its
sunsets still have special impact. Set in the wilds of central Africa,
there's a heat and weight to the sun as it blazes down on you, and
it's never felt so much as when the sun starts sliding down to the
horizon. Even through the computer screen, night-time feels a cool
relief in comparison.
Finally --and of course-- mention must be made to "American Truck
Simulator" (what, you thought I'd get through a list of games without mentioning the damn thing?). Although the inclusion of that game on
this list is, perhaps a bit debatable... since the sunsets in the base
game aren't, perhaps, all that impressive. But modded up (I
particularly recommend TGModz 'Ultimate Graphics Mod ATS') and some of
those sunsets are /spectacular/, with lurid reds and oranges across
the entire horizon. It's also a great warning to start looking for a
place to make a 10-hour pitstop, because night-driving in ATS /sucks/
;-)
#
Are there any sunsets in any video-games you found particularly
memorable or noteworthy?
*original video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRaRU-O6hIU
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