Many video game worlds aren’t realistic, and that’s okay! For instance, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii has a really silly premise – imagining pirate ships sailing around Hawaii in 2025, as if it were the 17th century. While the game is enjoyable, it doesn’t make a lot of logical sense.
While some RPGs excel at creating immersive worlds, even if they aren’t perfectly logical, games like Final Fantasy 7 and Tom Clancy’s The Division demonstrate strong world-building. Let’s explore how these and other games construct their environments.
No spoilers will be discussed when describing these worlds.
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Final Fantasy 7
The Planet’s Tears
Final Fantasy 7 is particularly memorable within the Final Fantasy series for its relatable themes. The game begins in Midgar, a sprawling city controlled by the Shinra Electric Power Company. Shinra powers the city by draining the planet’s energy, called Mako, and selling it to residents, but this process is slowly destroying the planet. Players soon discover the devastating effects of Shinra’s actions when they venture beyond the city walls and witness the barren landscape surrounding Midgar.
Shinra grew into an incredibly powerful company and began looking for new places to build reactors, even resorting to war to acquire land. This portrayal of a massive corporation funding conflicts feels very relevant to real-world issues, which is a key reason why Final Fantasy 7 resonates with so many people. The Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth games also do a great job of further developing Shinra’s history and motivations.
Fallout: New Vegas
All Hail The King
Fallout: New Vegas is set in the area around Las Vegas, Nevada, after a nuclear war. Because Las Vegas was once a famous entertainment hub, it’s not surprising that many different groups, or factions, have formed in the aftermath. These groups have unusual beliefs, with some even worshipping Elvis Presley, ancient Romans, or the spirit of Las Vegas itself.
Honestly, the whole Fallout world is already kinda based on worshipping stuff. I mean, we’re using bottle caps as money! So, when I’m in Fallout: New Vegas and people are going crazy for the King, it doesn’t feel that weird. There’s no real government to trust, so you kinda latch onto whatever gives you hope, and for a lot of people, that’s Elvis.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The Age Gap
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a strategy-based RPG with a uniquely challenging premise. The game centers around a witch called The Paintress, who systematically eliminates people based on their age, and the current generation – Expedition 33 – is her next target. Players take on the role of those trying to stop her, and as they journey through strange and unfamiliar worlds, they’ll uncover records and remains from previous, failed expeditions.
The story is dark, but it logically follows that many people have died trying to stop The Paintress, since she’s been active for decades. While the overall story is well-crafted, the biggest revelation comes later in the game. It’s a moment that will suddenly make everything click for players and explain the game’s unique design.
Chrono Trigger
Time Heals All Wounds
Chrono Trigger cleverly uses time travel to create a cohesive and understandable story. The game begins in the present and then moves to different periods, like a medieval age, an icy future, and even prehistoric times. While the game world changes with each time jump, these changes feel natural considering the events of each era and their lasting impact. The game also features stories and side quests that span across time, effectively demonstrating how actions in one era can affect others.
One memorable quest in Chrono Trigger asks players to leave their robot friend, Robo, in the past to nurture a forest. When players return to the present, they find the forest has flourished, and Robo is there too, waiting to be fixed. Regardless of whether its story logic fully holds up, Chrono Trigger remains a beloved classic.
Sand Land
Thirst Traps
In the world of Sand Land, water is incredibly scarce, leading to conflict between humans and demons. A powerful human group controls most of the water supply, causing widespread struggle. It’s natural, then, that humans and demons would team up to fight against this control and find a new, more plentiful source of water.
Sand Land is inspired by a manga created by Akira Toriyama, the famous author of Dragon Ball. The precious water source in Sand Land is reminiscent of the wish-granting Dragon Balls from that series, but it makes even more sense to search for water in the desert setting of Sand Land.
Tom Clancy’s The Division
Dirty Money
The crisis in Tom Clancy’s The Division started on Black Friday when a virus was spread through New York City via contaminated money. The city was quickly put under quarantine, but help didn’t arrive fast enough. This led to widespread chaos, many deaths, and the rise of criminal groups who fought to control limited resources.
To combat these threats, a covert government team called The Division is assembled, and that’s where players step in. Although the world didn’t experience the same kind of faction-based breakdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis did demonstrate how dramatically a global event can shift people’s perspectives. This makes the chaotic world of Tom Clancy’s The Division feel surprisingly believable.
Triangle Strategy
A Salty War
Triangle Strategy begins with three powerful nations in a fragile peace, poised to share a vital resource – salt. But when ambition takes over, war erupts, and the neutral land of House Wolffort finds itself caught in the conflict. As a key figure, the player can choose to support any of the warring nations during critical moments. The game is a tactical RPG deeply rooted in its war-torn setting.
Okay, so this might sound strange, but salt was actually super valuable way back in the day, and people literally fought wars over spices! That’s why the story in Triangle Strategy focusing on salt actually feels…right, even though it’s a fantasy game. It’s surprisingly grounded in history when you think about it.
Borderlands 2
A Galaxy Run By Corporations
Borderlands 2 built upon the success of the original, expanding the game world and story. The game takes place in a universe dominated by powerful corporations, and introduces Handsome Jack, the charismatic and ruthless CEO of Hyperion. As the main villain, Handsome Jack seeks to claim the treasures hidden within Pandora’s Vault for himself, putting him at odds with those fighting for a fairer world and the treasure-hunting Vault Hunters.
With corporations dominating the job market, and a dangerous place like Pandora overrun by bandits, the world of Borderlands 2 and the Borderlands series actually makes a strange kind of sense. Beneath all the craziness and humor, there’s a logical foundation to how things work.
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2026-04-07 07:35