Despite being released nearly 20 years ago, BioShock remains well-known among gamers today. Created by Ken Levine and Irrational Games, the game takes place in the imagined underwater city of Rapture. It’s celebrated for its compelling story and distinctive gameplay, which blends elements of survival horror and first-person shooting. However, it’s the game’s incredible world-building that has truly made BioShock – and its follow-up games – enduringly popular.
Few first-person shooter games create a world as immersive as BioShock, but the following titles come close. They all have similarities to the classic game: some are set in post-apocalyptic environments (like the fallen city of Rapture), others are adapted from novels (Rapture’s story draws inspiration from Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”), and all of them capture that distinct feeling of being somewhere truly unique – a place you can recognize instantly from just a single image of BioShock’s unforgettable setting.
Fallout: New Vegas
Widely Considered To Be One Of The Best-Written RPGs Of All Time
Fallout: New Vegas appears to be a typical post-apocalyptic game at first glance, but it’s much more than that – and that’s why so many people love it. The game creates a unique ‘retropunk’ world, blending futuristic technology with a strong 1960s aesthetic, all set after a series of nuclear wars. From the ruins, different groups – called Factions – have emerged and built their own communities.
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As a huge fan of Fallout: New Vegas, I think the factions are what really make the game’s world feel alive. They’re all based on old ideas, but warped by the wasteland, and choosing to side with one means you’re bound to make enemies of the others. It’s not just about picking a side, though; it makes you feel like a major player in this broken, post-apocalyptic Nevada. It’s what truly pulls you into the world and makes your choices matter.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chornobyl
Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Based On A Classic Soviet Novel
The world of STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is harsh and unforgiving. It’s a survival game, but with a unique twist. Instead of simply trying to survive after being stranded, you play as Skif, who deliberately enters the dangerous Zone seeking fortune and the truth behind a mysterious artifact discovered in the ruins of his home. Strange anomalies are common in this area, and people known as Stalkers brave the dangers, hoping to find valuable items left behind by these anomalies and gain wealth and power.
The upcoming game STALKER 2 draws inspiration from the famous Soviet science fiction novel “Roadside Picnic” by the Strugatsky brothers. The novel depicts an alien visit that leaves behind a mysterious and dangerous area called the Zone, filled with strange anomalies. While STALKER 2 isn’t a direct retelling of the book, the connection is clear. Built on this strong foundation, the game boasts impressive graphics and a challenging, realistic gameplay experience that effectively captures the depth and complexity of its unique setting, immersing players in the world of the Zone.
Half-Life 2
An All-Time Classic Set In A Crumbling Dystopia
Many people believe that Half-Life 2 heavily influenced the world of BioShock. While the games are quite different, they share some themes, like cities controlled by strict governments, and the terrifying effects of genetic modification. The main difference is that the city in Half-Life 2, City 17, is decaying but still exists, while the underwater city of Rapture in BioShock was already in ruins.
The story behind City 17 and its leaders is complex, involving otherworldly aliens and impossible technology. However, what truly makes Half-Life 2 captivating isn’t that it tells you this lore, but that it lets you experience it. As Gordon Freeman, you’re dropped into City 17 and quickly understand who holds the power and who suffers, and you immediately encounter the menacing headcrabs. From there, your instincts guide you through the city’s underbelly, the dangerous town of Ravenholm, and beyond. The world feels real because it existed before you arrived and will continue on after you’re gone – you’re simply a part of its ongoing story.
Metro Exodus
A True Post-Apocalypse Set In A Brutal World
The Metro games are based on novels by Dmitry Glukhovsky. They have similarities to games like BioShock, STALKER, and Fallout, but with a key difference: the world in Metro is a truly desolate post-apocalypse. Humanity is on the brink of extinction, and unlike the thriving communities in Fallout, the few survivors are hiding in the dilapidated Moscow subway system – or so it seems. Metro Exodus, the third game, puts you in charge of a working train leaving Moscow to find other people who have survived.
The Metro series has always made its world feel real through its gameplay – things like using bullets as money, having broken-down weapons, and needing a gas mask to survive outside. But in Metro Exodus, you venture beyond the city and discover how vast and detailed this world truly is. You’ll encounter strange mutated creatures like blind gorillas and giant shrimp, highlighting the dangers and wonders that lie outside the tunnels. This isn’t a story about rebuilding civilization; it’s a desperate fight for survival, where simply making it through the night is a victory.
Destiny 2
Some Of The Best World-Building You’ll Ever See In A Live-Service Game
When the original Destiny launched, many players criticized its story, even though the gameplay was excellent. The narrative felt like an afterthought, and the game struggled to overcome that initial impression. Despite significant improvements to the story over time, Destiny continued to be associated with the dismissive “wizard on the moon” joke. This is a shame, because Destiny boasts a truly unique and compelling game world, especially compared to other ongoing, live-service games.
Set 700 years in the future, Destiny 2 blends realistic science fiction with fantastical elements. Humanity has spread throughout our solar system, but a cataclysmic event known as the Collapse nearly destroyed everything. Now, humans are caught in a long-standing war between powerful entities called the Traveler and the Darkness, and various alien races inhabit the planets and settlements around Earth. You play as a Guardian, fighting off alien invaders and working to restore what was lost after the Red Legion attacks Earth and destroys the Guardians’ base, the Tower. This is a simplified explanation – since its release in 2017, Destiny 2 has received numerous expansions that have greatly expanded the story and world. You can dive deep into the lore and enjoy a rewarding narrative, or simply focus on the excellent shooting and movement and enjoy the game as an action experience. Destiny 2 offers something for everyone.
Cyberpunk 2077
A Perfectly Realized Sci-Fi Metropolis Down To Its Smallest Detail
Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most memorable video game locations ever created. It’s more than just a large, futuristic city to explore; it feels completely alive. Every detail, from crowded streets to hidden alleys, adds to the immersive experience. The city is a gritty, often unpleasant, but fascinating blend of futuristic technology and familiar urban decay.
One of the best things about Cyberpunk 2077 – and a highlight even during its rocky start – is its story. But what really makes the game world special is that the story isn’t the most important part. Night City feels alive and continues to exist, whether you’re racing through the streets, running across rooftops, or getting cybernetic implants. Johnny Silverhand, who shares the spotlight with your character, V, has definitely left his mark on the city, but even his impact feels small compared to the city’s constant energy. This makes the world incredibly immersive; Night City feels like a real, detailed metropolis. You’re important, but ultimately just one person in a huge, bustling place.
Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
A Perfect Blend Of Alternate-History Storytelling And High-Stakes Action
I’ve always loved how the Wolfenstein games take place in a world where the Nazis actually won WWII, but Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus really dives deep into that idea like no other game has. Instead of running around Europe, this time I’m back in America, trying to free the US from Nazi rule. It’s a totally fresh take on the world Machine Games built in the first game, and they really lean into the series’ history while making it feel modern and relevant.
Playing Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus is seriously unsettling because it feels… real. I mean, you’re walking around what’s still recognizably Manhattan, but it’s plastered with swastikas and patrolled by Nazi robot dogs. The story gets pretty wild – there’s even a point where my head gets ripped off and put on a new super-soldier body! But honestly, all the craziness just drives home the game’s main point. The Nazis won the war using super-advanced tech, and everyone – even the resistance – is using stolen and modified versions of it. It doesn’t hit quite as hard as BioShock, but the whole package – the story, the setting, the backstory, everything – really builds this believable alternate history. It’s consistently reinforced at every turn, so you never feel lost or disconnected from the world around you.
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2026-04-02 03:07