Virtual Escapes: study reveals best video game world for a walk

Take a Virtual Escape with these Stunning Video Game Worlds

With the lockdown looking to continue, many of us are feeling glum about spending so much time indoors. But what if you could take a walk from the comfort of your living room? What if you could see the sky from your own sofa? As we look for creative ways to escape lockdown blues, more and more of us are finding a solution in video game worlds.

Video game open worlds have come a long way in recent years – many now mimic Mother Nature herself with changing weather patterns, wild animals, and a mix of topography to rival the best adventure holiday. But which video game makes for the best virtual escape?

Luckily for those with an insatiable wanderlust, the team over at Onlinecasinos.co.uk have found out. Taking a list of the most popular video game open worlds, Onlinecasinos.co.uk awarded points based on number of towns, topography changes, animals and weather, out of a total high score of 100. 

So why not escape the lockdown by losing yourself in these stunning virtual landscapes?

The Top 5 Game Worlds

1. Wild West US – Red Dead Redemption II – 76/100

Taking the top spot, the impressive Red Dead Redemption II is perfect for those with a longing for the untouched beauty of the old Wild West. Taking place across five fictional states, this is a vast and sprawling open world which recreates the early US in all its untouched glory. There’s something for everyone here – snowy mountains, deserts, forests and beaches, with a multitude of old-World villages to explain and plenty of fauna to take in. Get on your horse and take a virtual escape in the Old West.

2. Hyrule – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 74/100
   
   Nintendo took inspiration from the countryside around Kyoto to create the latest version of Hyrule, meaning we’re blessed with tropical beaches, imposing, snowy peaks and lush canyons and forests. Weather changes frequently, so you’ll feel like you’re really outside, braving the rain as you wait for the clouds to roll by and the sun to come in. The game features over eighty different kinds of wild animals – deer, foxes, fish – so take a walk on the wild side with this epic Zelda adventure.
3. Tamriel – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – 73/100

Scoring low for a lack of animals, Skyrim makes up for this with its sheer amount of mountains and forests. Gamers have been known to lose themselves exploring these trees on horseback, so why not join them? Take a break from the world by touring the vast, leafy terrain of Tamriel.

4. Ancient Greece – Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – 72/100 

Since much of the gameplay is set on or around water, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey scores highly for its lush beaches and crystal, Aegean-inspired waters. Ubisoft really pulled out all the stops to create Ancient Greece in gorgeous detail – perfect for those looking to experience a Mediterranean-style holiday from the comfort of their own living rooms!

5. The Continent – The Witcher III: Wild Hunt – 66/100
   
   Where The Witcher III really shines is its towns – there’s almost too many settlements to count, from smaller villages, to university towns, to the sprawling Novigrad, a city so big the average gamer could spend days exploring it! Perfect for those city-dwellers who need their fix of the hustle and bustle of life during lockdown!

As for the rest of the top ten:

6. Los Santos, GTA V – 56/100
7. Island, Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 54/100
8. Future Earth, Horizon Zero Dawn – 50/100

9. Alrest, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – 30/100
10. New York City, Marvel’s Spider-Man, 14/100

Methodology:

We took a list of popular open-world video games and scored them points based on scenery, topography, and fauna – the idea being to find the world which would be the best to take a virtual escape in. Video game worlds were scored based on:

• Weather Changes – Yes = 10 Points
• Beaches Featured – Yes = 10 points
• Forests Featured – Yes = 10 Points
• Deserts Featured – Yes = 10 Points
• Snowy Terrain Featured – Yes = 10 Points
• Animals Featured – Yes = 10 Points

And further points were awarded based on number of animals featured, and number of towns to visit:

Number of Animals Featured

• 50+ = 5 Points
• 60+ = 6 points
• 70+ = 7 points
• 80+ = 8 points
• 90+ = 9 points
• 100+ = 10 points

Number of Towns to Visit 

• 1-4 = 4 points
• 5-9 = 6 points
• 10+ = 10 points

So there you go! Turn away from the window. Fire up the PS4, Xbox or Nintendo Switch, and take a virtual escape instead.