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[DevilPower]

I love Slimy Spring Galaxy. I think it transcends the Mario level format, especially how it ends. Just beautiful.

The only instant in gaming when I put down my controller and marveled at the level design. Such a sudden and wonderful change of scenery from start till finish.

 

[Jagsrock]

Mario galaxy 2- Cosmic Cove

was AMAZING.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-xAE4YfpWg

 

[LostOne428]

All of assassins creed black flag.

 

[Silky]

Ape Escape, Crabby Beach

MY MAN.

MY MAN.

MY-MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN.

 

[TaiKH92]

Xenoblade Chronicles - Eryth Sea:



Absolutely gorgeous area.

Oh yes this and also the Water Temple, JollyRoger bay and

Spoiler

Atlantis in KH1

are among my favorites.

 

[EBE]

I always liked Jolly Roger's Lagoon from Banjo Tooie.

First and foremost you have to complete some stuff above the water first before you really get into it. Something about the scale of it really hit me as you dive into the middle and just keep going down into Atlantis. Has hidden ruins, downed UFO, caverns that keep descending until you get to the aptly picked out angler fish boss at the bottom.

Probably not nearly as big as it felt back then, but eh.

needs more love. this level was seriously well done. so colorful and full of things to do, areas to explore.

 

[Frankenstrat]

Rayman Origins

Co-op buddies: [PANIC]

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Lost Precursor City, Jak and Daxter:

Underwater cities always get me, but this one was especially enjoyable. I loved the glowing neon electricity based imagery everywhere.

 

[HTupolev]

Halo 3: Finish the Fight (Against Fishes)

 

[licktheenvelope]

NOT this one:

 

[Kriken]

Rayman Legends 20,000 Lums Under the Sea

And The Great Bay Temple

Spoiler

If literally every other water level was wiped from existence

 

[Bluekaveli]

I absolutely hate watered areas. I just can't stand them and never have.

 

[Arrogant Bastard]

Painful memories. Very painful, a game that was such a damned pleasure to play that went to crap after MoM.

 

[Seventy_X_Seven]

Lost Precursor City, Jak and Daxter:

Underwater cities always get me, but this one was especially enjoyable. I loved the glowing neon electricity based imagery everywhere.

This by far. Perhaps my all-time favorite water-themed area in a video game.

 

[Kinsei]

DKC2: water levels
DKC3: coral levels
Super Metroid: Maridia
Metroid Prime: Sunken Ship
Metroid Prime 2: Torvus Bog
OoT: Water Temple
Twilight Princess: Seabed Temple
Skyward Sword: Ancient Cistern
SM64: Jolly Roger Bay

 

[Creaking]

Assassin's Creed II

Romagna/Forlì

Horrible lack of screenshots from this place. I'm a sucker for wetlands and light flooding.

and Venice

Those two places plus some others like Tuscany are why Assassin's Creed II is my favorite of the series thus far. The others just don't have the same variety in interesting locations to visit and explore.

I really don't like water levels in 2D platformers, and most 3D ones as well. I don't like levels where water is presented as a gimmick challenge. I prefer it as an environment establishing feature. Something that really ups the aesthetics.

 

[TaiKH92]

Lost Precursor City, Jak and Daxter:

Underwater cities always get me, but this one was especially enjoyable. I loved the glowing neon electricity based imagery everywhere.

Oh yes this was really good, another one to add to my list XD

 

[DannyDanger]

Sorry to be generic...

But I really enjoyed the pirate shipyard in Uncharted 3

 

[Synless]

Nintendo dominate the water worlds or what?

 

[Creaking]

Sorry to be generic...

But I really enjoyed the pirate shipyard in Uncharted 3

Nothing to be sorry about! However much of a waste it was plot-wise, it was worth it for the great water stuff.

 

[Toxi]

Nintendo dominate the water worlds or what?

Kirby water areas tend to suck though.

 

[tali'zorah84]

Skyward Sword's Lake Floria and its temple, the Ancient Cistern.

 

[Creaking]

Nintendo dominate the water worlds or what?

Depends on your tastes. I've never played Metroid except for Fusion, but I don't recall liking any water level in any Mario. Sunshine has nice aesthetics though.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Lost Precursor City, Jak and Daxter

This one is my favorite as well.

 

[MasterCheeze]

Probably my two favorite levels in the early Sonic the Hedgehog games:

 

[aaronobst]

And the soundtrack...

 

[NJDEN]

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic

Manaan is aesthetically one of my favorite planets in that game, but I always found it kinda boring.... The atmosphere made up for it though.

 

[AcademicSaucer]

Water Temple from Ocarina of Time. The best water area in any game.

fuck the water temple in ocarina and fuck the iron boots

 

[rubius01]

I always liked Dire Dire Docks in Mario 64

Wet, Dry World was cool too

 

[adamsapple]

Phon coast area from FFXII, with the waves and all.

Shit looked ridiculously good for a PS2 game.

 

[J.W.Crazy]

Pikmin 3 has a few great water areas.

 

[Henrar]

MGS3.

 

[Currygan]

Painful memories. Very painful, a game that was such a damned pleasure to play that went to crap after MoM.

don't tell me, man. I'm still weeping. One of the best MMORPGs ever ruined forever

 

[NotLiquid]

Water Ruin from Jet Force Gemini.

An odd choice perhaps. If you've played this game, I probably know what you're thinking. "This level is small, you're only in here for 20 minutes tops and that's only to fetch a sidequest from another level and collect some things".

It is small. But it is also incredibly breathtaking. It is the most quiet and tranquil level in the entire game. It's the only level where you aren't under any sort of looming threat or are being conditioned to do combat. You can get through this level without ever firing your gun. The planet is nothing but a sea of water, rock formations and a tiny island with a small fortress in ruins. It is so insanely simple in construct and its a bit of a tragic setting, but that makes it all the more beautiful. The backdrop is also incredible and adds to the sense of peace that can be found in it's desolation. The most fascinating thing is, you're never given any explanation for why the planet is the way it is. Was it always in ruins, has it always been flooded or has it seen better days? It's just an incredibly mysterious destination that you end up having to cross paths with during your bigger quest.

But the best part of it all is the music. Rare had some incredible musicians, but Robin Beanland was the one who was ahead of his time with an incredible cinematic edge. I don't think it's an exaggeration for me to say that anyone who's played it considers the track of this stage one of the most memorable tunes in the entire game, again adding onto that sense of awe-inspiring dystopia. This song feels like it could have been in Halo, and is easily a standout for me as far as N64 music goes.

 

[EVIL]

Monster hunter tri, flooded forest areas

 

[Banjoman]

needs more love. this level was seriously well done. so colorful and full of things to do, areas to explore.

you know, like every other level in banjo-tooie.
fuck the haters of that game.

 

[p3tran]

out of recent stuff, the pier in gta5 at a sunset and the normandy-d-day-like beach scene in ryse are beach/water scenes that really caught my eye. hmm bf4 paracel storm too.

 

[Spieler Eins]

The music was fantastic.

My first thoughts too.

 

[Culex]

I always loved Serpentshrine Cavern raid from World of Warcraft.

 

[terrisus]

Jolly Roger Bay (Mario 64)

 

[Strax]

Guybrush drowning

 

[Tarps]

http://youtu.be/8LLcGtlDK20

(Skip to around 2.30)

First thing that came to mind was Undine's cave in Secret of Mana, mmmm that soundtrack, that artwork sooo good.

 

[Host Samurai]

REmake. The area with Neptune and the sharks

 

[Sportbilly]

The first Bioshock (obviously...), plus I really liked the temple and beach parts of Bioshock Infinite.

 

[sublimit]

Xenoblade Chronicles - Eryth Sea:



Absolutely gorgeous area.

Right game wrong area.

This is the right answer:

 

[ironcreed]

Xenoblade Chronicles - Eryth Sea:

Absolutely gorgeous area.

Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of the fact that polygon counts, sharp textures and high resolution is never a substitute for fantastic art and how what assets you have are used. I really need to play this game.

 

[sector4]

Dino Crisis 2 actually had a really enjoyable underwater segment

 

[runnin_blue]

Roger Bay. This area has a very relaxing music.

This +100! That music.

 

[jett]

MGS3

 

[ironcreed]

Right game wrong area.

This is the right answer:

Wow.