10 Games With Interesting Fast Travel Systems

As someone who has spent countless hours exploring the vast landscapes of Azeroth and beyond, I must say that World of Warcraft takes the crown for the most exceptional fast travel system in video games. The complexity, interconnectivity, and thematic coherence of its fast travel mechanics are simply unparalleled.

As video games advance and expand with each new generation, it’s now commonplace to find them equipped with swift travel mechanisms.

Across all these large virtual worlds, they share a consistent feature – either via a user-interactive map or by incorporating it within the gaming experience.

Yet, these creative titles offer more than the typical motion-related ones. They provide unique methods, promote understanding, and enhance the feeling of engagement.

Consequently, if you’ve grown weary of the ordinary, drab icons and monotonous black screens that typically guide your navigation, here is a list of 10 games featuring intriguing fast-travel mechanisms for your enjoyment.

10 Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

A Technological Feat

As a die-hard gaming enthusiast, I can’t help but sing praises for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Its movement mechanics rank among the finest in video game history, a fact that leaves me awestruck. Even their swift travel system is nothing short of remarkable, adding another layer to the game’s unparalleled excellence.

Insomniac Games provides a quick-travel feature that’s as swift as a wink, enabling you to select any location on the map and move there instantly, without any delay.

In Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, there’s a fantastic blend between the game’s user interface and its game world, making for a smooth transition that sets it apart from typical open-world games.

Despite not being particularly groundbreaking, this system is astonishingly captivating, making it an unavoidable inclusion on our list.

9 Red Dead Redemption 2

Cinematography at its Best

Red Dead Redemption 2 boasts one of the most organic and entertaining environments ever created, so finely tuned that players often find themselves enjoying exploring freely on their own accord.

Despite this, the game offers a captivating transportation system that allows you to either rent stagecoaches or purchase train tickets to journey between different places, seamlessly blending your actions with the game’s environment.

If you share my taste, you’ll likely appreciate the engaging blend of the auto-ride, a technology that seamlessly combines conventional horseback riding with visual effects reminiscent of the finest Western movies.

While it might not be the most efficient or swift device, it effectively combines immersion and spectacle, creating an intriguing amalgamation that captivates.

8 Darksiders

God of War’s Precursor

Instead of using the Yggdrasil tree as a justification for the hardware constraints of its era, Darksiders had been employing that concept a full decade prior.

In this aspect, War’s journey allows us to traverse different zones by encountering the merchant Vulgrim, who employs “Serpent Holes” as a means of minimizing our travel distance. Every time you meet him in a fresh location, it unlocks another travel point that enhances the game’s connectivity even further.

The system is straightforward; it features miniature platforming segments designed to reduce travel distances. But if you take into account the strikingly creative design of its portals and the groundbreaking concept that was unique for 2010, it becomes a piece of work deserving appreciation.

7 Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Real-time Dangers

When discussing games that aim to immerse you deeply into their world, it’s challenging to find contenders that rival the immersive medieval atmosphere of Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

As a gamer, I’ve found that the fast travel system isn’t an instant teleport or risk-free. Instead, it operates in real-time, offering an immersive experience where unexpected events can occur, much like what you’d encounter if traveling solo… but all wrapped up in the engaging world of a board game.

Consequently, this system leverages the framework and visual appeal of board games, effectively transmitting the game’s feelings in alternative ways as depicted by its title.

Any Kingdom Come: Deliverance player would recommend not using it, and I agree. But again, this list is about the most interesting systems, and this one definitely is.

6 Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain

A Pick-Up Boss

The Phantom Pain offers an incredible variety of spontaneous gameplay scenarios that immediately captivated me with its grandiose style.

Among numerous reasons, the last installment of Kojima’s series has won my heart. Yet, the unique fast travel method, where you conceal yourself within a box and a truck transports you to different locations on the map, is an experience that will forever remain etched in my memory.

In this game, you’re free to transit from one Delivery Point to another effortlessly. However, to facilitate quick travel, it’s essential that you gather the invoices from each location first. Essentially, the game encourages you to traverse the terrain at least once before utilizing its fast-travel feature.

Independent of other aspects, what I appreciate the most about this system is its ability to transform a distinct emblem from Metal Gear Solid into a practical and engaging feature.

5 Far Cry: New Dawn

Jumping Points

As a gamer, I’d say that Far Cry: New Dawn is okay, not mind-blowing. It lacks the exceptional mechanics, compelling storyline, and memorable characters that make the Far Cry series stand out, but there’s something about its fast travel system that just feels right, like a secret satisfaction I can’t quite put my finger on.

1st reason: It’s enjoyable to clean out areas of enemy presence, but more importantly, clearing them unlocks Air Drops that allow you to soar through the skies using a parachute and wingsuit for effortless map navigation.

Capturing a bandit fortress and using it as a base for a supply drop to rescue another location creates an engaging loop, making Far Cry: New Dawn particularly captivating.

Although the title might seem unremarkable, I’d happily replay it once more, as the game’s basic yet captivating mechanics provide a satisfying dose of dopamine.

4 Death Stranding

Fragile Teleportation

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but express that Death Stranding is essentially an odyssey centered on exploration and traversal. The core essence of this game lies in the act of going from one location to another, making the concept of swift travel quite a challenge. If not executed skillfully, a less-than-ideal approach could potentially tarnish the overall enjoyment.

Consequently, the game provides an ideal equilibrium as it lets you swiftly move around without the cargo. While you can’t wrap up deliveries using this feature, it certainly simplifies their completion.

Assisted by Fragile, whose talent powers the narrative of Death Stranding, you forge a strong bond with the character and the world that envelops you.

It’s a sensible yet imaginative setup, offering both forgiveness and creativity alongside challenge and familiarity.

3 Hollow Knight

An Emotional Journey

The fast-travel feature in many games is typically beneficial for players, but what makes Hollow Knight stand out is that its fast-travel system adds a remarkable level of storytelling depth, making it truly exceptional.

Similar to the game “Death Stranding”, the game links fast travel with a character – in this instance, it is The Last Stag, the last remaining member of an extinct species, who faithfully carries out his task of transporting the residents of Hallownest.

Through various conversations and a deeply engaging storyline, there is a non-player character who becomes a cherished companion. You grow unusually fond of him as he accompanies you throughout your journey, making the bond between you truly extraordinary.

Without delving too deeply to preserve the surprise, let me say that Hollow Knight’s quick-travel system might seem simple at first glance, but its stations instill a sense of security and comfort that leaves an indelible impression on players.

2 Dragon’s Dogma 2

Relentless Immersion

Although many people dislike it, I find myself appreciating the swift travel system in Dragon’s Dogma 2. Rather than catering to players’ ease, it emphasizes the game’s grandeur by compelling you to delve into thorough research and ponder over each journey you embark on.

You can pay for carriages to take you, but it only works between major cities, and there are only a handful of them on the entire map. However, the game features a system of extremely expensive teleportation stones and crystals you can use to get around quickly.

In times of distress, determining the optimal spots for crystals and deciding when to employ stones to activate them requires delicate decision-making skills, as these resources are crucial.

In contrast to many games of today that prioritize ease and comfort, Dragon’s Dogma 2 maintains its challenging nature like the original, earning it the title of my favorite game in 2024. Instead of catering to convenience, this game mirrors a tumultuous world, offering a refreshing change from the status quo.

1 World of Warcraft

The Art Of Traveling

One classic video game that has left an indelible mark on the gaming world is World of Warcraft, a pioneer in numerous gameplay mechanics such as instant travel across its vast realm known as Azeroth. Even today, the impact of this virtual world continues to resonate.

In this expansive universe, Blizzard constructed a detailed framework that maintains the mythology and economic aspects of the MMORPG. This includes a vast and intricately connected system, offering limitless opportunities.

In the World of Warcraft, mages create gateways, Hearthstones bring you back to inns, warlocks conduct summoning ceremonies, and flight paths take you everywhere – it handles every conceivable method of swift travel, and each one is a thematically consistent wonder.

Not just diverse, but also captivating and engrossing, “World of Warcraft” stands as an enduring classic. Its prominent position on this list serves yet again to underscore the reasons behind its popularity.

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2024-12-01 17:09