Open-world games are replete withintriguing and expansive cities to explore. From the iconic cities ofThe Elder Scrollsgames to the mysterious ruined and/or abandoned cities of theDark Soulsseries, these large and often interconnected locations can offer memorable landmark locations as part of a larger world.
While most cities in open-world games are located above-ground, others provide memorable underground dwellings that make an immediate impression on the player. From the mysterious New Londo Ruins ofDark Souls, to the central hub oftheFallout-inspiredUnderRail, these are just some examples of memorable underground cities.
Rather thanbeing a hubor a safe zone, the Mines of Moria inThe Lord Of The Rings Online, much like the state of the location in the source material, is a dangerous place full of baddies to take down. This results in an experience that offers a faithful depiction of the iconic underground location. For fans ofThe Lord Of The Ringsand the immediately recognizable dwarven city, it’s well worth exploring, despite the aging visuals.
The Lord Of The Rings Onlinein general is beginning to age as a massively multiplayer online game, and it fails to boast the level of maintenance thatmore popular MMOs, such asWorld Of Warcraft, can offer. However, for die-hard fans ofThe Lord Of The Ringsthat can look past the dated gameplay, the Mines of Moria are well worth exploring.
Technically, there are a variety of underground cities all acrosstheFalloutfranchise, with each of the iconic Vaults hosting its own distinctive environment and population. However, excluding Vaults, theFalloutfranchise’s most iconic underground city is arguably the home of the ghouls, the Underworld, inFallout 3.
Home to all sorts of ghoulish characters of varying charisma, Underworld is a well-hidden location that’s quite the reward to discover. As is common withFalloutgames, discovery is the heart of gameplay, with exploration being consistently encouraged. Underworld is just one of many underground locations across the franchise, but it’s the most memorable thanks to its visual design and population of quirky ghouls.
Mysteriously underground and completely flooded, the New Londo Ruins are a tremendously eerie location in the firstDark Souls. The iconic ruined city is haunted by ghosts that can be the death of many newcomers, only able to be killed by a cursed player — or a player wielding a cursed weapon. Players can also make use of a Transient Curse to take out these foes.
The city itselfis incredibly atmospheric. Like many of the locations inDark Souls, New Londo Ruins are dangerous, gloomy, and appropriately dark. This dark gloom hangs about the city’s ruined buildings and provides a great sense of atmosphere, while the variety of dangerous enemies and hazards make it a frustratingly memorable place.
Set in a world in which the sun has vanished and plunged the land into darkness,Arx Fatalisis a first-person fantasy RPG that makes full use of its unique thematic twist. This twist is also the reason for the gameto be set underground, featuring a variety of underground locations — including the city of Arx.
Arx Fataliswasdeveloped by the legendary Arkane Studios(Dishonored,Prey) and features classic RPG gameplay and thoughtful first-person exploration. As far as older open-world games go, the city of Arx itself is a memorable and impressive location, and it’s a welcome respite from the dark tunnels that frequent the game’s environments; it’s expansive and full of people to meet, but — perhaps most importantly — it provides a place for the player to gather their bearings.
2UnderRail
Core City
Practically a spiritual successor tosome of the best old-school RPGs(especiallyFallout),UnderRailis a frequently challenging isometric role-playing game with turn-based combat. The game takes place in the far future, at a time when humans have been driven underground and forced to dwell in old metro stations. These cities act as the last bastions of humanity, offering a much-needed place of refuge.
Of all the underground locations inUnderRail, Core City is perhaps the most memorable — and the most important. It’s a major city and acts as a hub for much of theUnderRail, with various factions at play and a rich history behind its current state. This city is also home to the Arena, another particularly memorable location, and there are plenty of quests to complete in and around the city.
1Elden Ring
Nokron, Eternal City
The full scale of Nokron, Eternal City inElden Ringcan only be accessed after defeating the notorious boss, Starscourge Radahn, which causes a large meteor to crash into Limgrave, opening up new passages below ground. The large, interconnected underground city is situated above the equally captivating Siofra River, a more wilderness-style location. Despite being literally located underground, Nokron, Eternal City has a beautiful “night sky” brimming with stars. This curiosity is one of Nokron’s most memorable visual elements.
Elden Ring’sNokron, Eternal City is, like many ofElden Ring’smost memorable locations, an incredibly atmospheric and immersive place. It’s hardlyElden Ring’smost expansive or jaw-dropping location, but the inventive art-direction provides ample awe deserving of marking this as the most impressive underground city in open-world gaming.
