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[DMONKUMA]

I enjoyed the original PlayStation home hub.

 

[Synth]

There were a lot of things Phantasy Star Universe did worse than Phantasy Star Online. Hubs were not one of them.

 

[MadSexual]

I don't know if it really counts, but I'd voluntarily become an alcoholic if I ever found a bar like The Stray Sheep from Catherine:

 

[Ysarus]

Skyhold feels really cozy, for a ruined castle.

 

[Buttonbasher]

Folklore's Doolin, the rainy island in Ireland, was my favorite area in that game. The music, and the atmosphere was just perfect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkaMg0NY-sA

 

[SoundPulse]

Isle Delfino was like the perfect size for Sunshine's mechanics. It never really felt like a chore to get between levels, and you have more than enough

Best hub. For obvious reasons.

Probably the best PS hub. Better than PSU's hub, anyway. PSU had everything spread way too far out, and everything was behind at least one loading screen.

Everyone just hung out here and spammed their memes since it was the most convenient.

 

[petran79]

Serial Experiments Lain

 

[NullPointer]

One of the few positives about Black Ops 3 for me were the various hubs you went to before and after missions. You could customize equipment, put up trophies and mementos, check out the backstory and intel on the next mission, or jump into the arena survival mode, and do it all together in co-op. Nice touch.

 

[DaciaJC]

My favorite by far is Firelink Shrine (the original, mind):

I found it much more comforting than the Nexus in DeS, partly because of the natural environment but mostly because of the gorgeous music.

 

[Nosgotham]

The Nexus
Glover had a good hub
my favorite is PSO though

 

[Darkstorne]

Skyhold feels really cozy, for a ruined castle.

Huh. I thought it was waaaay too big. Felt like a chore getting around. Destiny's hub is another one I specifically don't like, but I can't figure out why. Maybe because it feels designed around the mechanics of being a hub, instead of conveying a sense of history and immersive purpose? Too many dead ends, no city life. I don't know. Skyhold definitely nailed the NPC life and sense of history.

My vote goes to Dalaran. Great size, great lore, and no loading screens required =)

 

[Peltz]

This one may be the most charming little hub world I've ever seen:

Super Mario Galaxy 2

 

[Majmun]

Game with hubs are the best. Especiallly when you can upgrade the hubs.

 

[wideface]

The Nexus from Demon's Souls is the GOAT.

I don't know if it really counts, but I'd voluntarily become an alcoholic if I ever found a bar like The Stray Sheep from Catherine:

Good choice, too.

 

[MikeOfAllTrades]

Prince of Persia 2008, to me, is like Hub World: The Game. The hub just keeps expanding! Man that was a great game.

 

[Allan Holdsworth]

Banjo Kazooie and Diddy Kong Racing are probably my favorites.

 

[Rhomega Beta]

Delfino Plaza (Super Mario Sunshine)
Rosalina's Observatory (Super Mario Galaxy)
Dalaran (World of WarCraft)
Sanctuary (Borderlands 2)

 

[Synth]

You don't do a whole lot at the Horizon Festival, but it holds the entire game's theme together really well. I felt they lost this somewhat in Forza Horizon 2, but Horizon 3 seems to be a much better job again form the little I played so far.

Everyone just hung out here and spammed their memes since it was the most convenient.

That's not true. There were also the various (pre-White Beast) hotspots.

Plus you also had your own personalised rooms (and shop), that you could fill with Sonic statues and Dreamcasts!

And even the lobbies that were rarely populated were still nice to visit with you small group occasionally (such as the beach or hot springs or the casino). The also helped give the missions themselves a sense of place as they were actually "located" somewhere between hubs.

 

[CountAntonius]

PSO Lobbies. The chairs give me feels.

 

[BarringGaffner]

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided- Prague

not a hub... that's the open world.

 

[malboroking]

Soul of the mind, key to life's ether.

Soul of the lost, withdrawn from it's vessel.

 

[Rooster]

I liked the resistance hideout in Wolfenstein The New Order. I know some people thought it ruined the pacing but I appreciated the rest.

 

[Rexatality]

not a hub... that's the open world.

Considering the size of it, it's a hub.

Open world to me means games like Ubisoft's Far Cry, Assassin's Creed of Bethesda's Fallout and Elder Scrolls

 

[Greddleok]

Gotta love motherbase.

Mother base wasn't a hub. The ACC was the hub.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

I think I'd rank the Soulsborne hubs like this:

Nexus > Majula > Hunter's Dream > Firelink (DS3) > Firelink (DS1)

Visually only, Hunter's Dream is the nicest-looking one.

Non-Souls hubs I also like are Sanctuary (Borderlands 2), Concordia (Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel), Gran Soren (Dragon's Dogma)

 

[Creaking]

Now I know you all aren't forgetting about the Spyro trilogy. Those games are full of awesome hubs.

 

[Ogawa-san]

Nothing comes close to Inaba from Persona 4 for me. I felt home while playing, literally no other game has given me the same feeling.

Not fair. That's not a hub, that's home.

 

[Sesuadra]

Idyllshire. I mean my home is gridania..but well

 

[dezzy8]

Citadel from ME 1 felt so grand and alive. It didn't feel as large in the sequels. I've always wanted spinoff based on the citadel.

 

[-duskdoll-]

One does not simply post the Nexus without the BGM

Fuck yes! I really need to finish that game.

Now I know you all aren't forgetting about the Spyro trilogy. Those games are full of awesome hubs.

I remember spending hours just swimming and killing butterflies, it was so satisfying.

 

[SoundPulse]

That's not true. There were also the various (pre-White Beast) hotspots.

Plus you also had your own personalised rooms (and shop), that you could fill with Sonic statues and Dreamcasts!

And even the lobbies that were rarely populated were still nice to visit with you small group occasionally (such as the beach or hot springs or the casino). The also helped give the missions themselves a sense of place as they were actually "located" somewhere between hubs.

Oh right, Seabed was a thing!

And yeah, I liked that aspect of it, but it was somewhat annoying to get to places you needed to go without fast-traveling, which kinda hurts the whole hub-thing.

Neudaiz was pretty damn chill.

 

[Sparse]

Post those nice areas of games that link the entire experience together where you can usually run around and do whatever you want with minimal danger

Heres probably the most famous example:


But heres my personal choices

Holy crap the Harry Potter one just nostalgia bombed me.

 

[Kthulhu]

One of my favorite games is Mount and Blade and I really hope they improve their cities in Bannerlord. Each is very similar to each other and there are limited interactions you can do, but in a game like that a proper hub would be perfect.



I have had P4 on my bucket list for a long time but I still haven't finished P3.

Would it be bad to just jump in without finishing PES?

I would try to finish P3 first. I played P4 before P3 and it was hard to go back.

 

[megalowho]

Rec Room

 

[Lux R7]

I like Cassardis (DDogma)

it feels like some kind of south european little town.

 

[- J - D -]

The Normandy from Mass Effect games, definitely. It's one of the few aspects that each successive game actually improved upon. By ME3, characters on board were moving around to different areas and hanging out.

 

[Chairmanchuck]

.hack//G.U. s Mac Anu

 

[- J - D -]

.hack//G.U. s Mac Anu

Hell yes. love .hack.

 

[Chairmanchuck]

Hell yes. love .hack.

I would actually love it if someone could recreate Mac Anu or some other parts of .hack in a VR enviroment.

 

[Courage]

love a good hub

Peach's Castle is probably the GOAT. a recent great example is Prague from Deus Ex: MD.

 

[falconxcrunner09]

The Tower

Probably the HUB that feels most like "home" to me.

 

[Harmen]

The campsite in Psychonauts.

Overview screens look terrible, so I picked a selection of screens taking place in the hub.

Filled with characters to interact with, with a ton of optional dialouges and neat/funny interactions with your powers. Furthermore, it is filled with collectibles and akin to Metroid game design, unlocking powers allows for further exploration.

 

[Fractal]

Always loved the hubs from Assassin's Creed, like Masyaf (AC 1), Jackdaw (Black Flag) or the Homestead (AC 3), though my favorite is Monteriggioni from AC 2:

As for something more recent, loved the Corvo Bianco vineyard in Witcher 3 Blood and Wine:

 

[BarringGaffner]

Considering the size of it, it's a hub.

Open world to me means games like Ubisoft's Far Cry, Assassin's Creed of Bethesda's Fallout and Elder Scrolls

If 95% of the game takes place there, it isn't a hub.

just because there is less empty space between stuff doesn't mean it isn't open world. Non-linear design, optional missions to discover, make it open world.

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

One of my favorite games is Mount and Blade and I really hope they improve their cities in Bannerlord. Each is very similar to each other and there are limited interactions you can do, but in a game like that a proper hub would be perfect.



I have had P4 on my bucket list for a long time but I still haven't finished P3.

Would it be bad to just jump in without finishing PES?

If you are slogging with Persona 3 because maybe the characters and themes are not your cup of tea, maybe you like Persona 4 more so dont worry on jumping before finishing the other.
I did that with FES and then came back and finished it after finishing P4, becuase I like more the characters and ambience of the whole game much more than 3.

 

[His Majesty]

The Kreuzbasar in Shadowrun Dragonfall. Feels like home every time coming back after a mission.

Santa Monica in Bloodlines. Could have also picked any of the other hubs but this stands out a bit more to me. Great atmosphere.

 

[Qurupeke]

I doubt it's the best hub, but I have a really soft spot for Super Mario 64's castle. When you start there's already plenty to explore but soon you realize there's even more hidden or locked behind doors. And slowly you gain access to more and more places. The young me was blown away by the attention to the detail.

 

[Hopeford]

Nothing comes close to Inaba from Persona 4 for me. I felt home while playing, literally no other game has given me the same feeling.

I'd recommend playing Deadly Premonition because that game is the only one that gave me the same feeling that P4's town did. Gameplay isn't anywhere near as good, but it's some amazing atmosphere.

 

[gogojira]

 

[Big Nikus]

This one may be the most charming little hub world I've ever seen:

Super Mario Galaxy 2

This Hub infuriates me to no end because it's Mario in GREEN, ffs.
Also, giant floatings heads creep the fuck out of me.
Such a step down from the Observatory in the first one too
But the music is so, so good.