Weird and wonderful worlds in the galaxy of gaming
Marvel unleashes a new set of heroes on film today with the launch of Guardians of the Galaxy. Though many of the studio's stories collide with modern-day Earth, GotG travels across a series of strange alien worlds.
With the Guardians in mind, we decided to round up some of our favorite, weirdest worlds brought to life in video games. Check out a few of our most memorable galaxies after the break. For even more selections, explore our gallery.
Oh, and suggest your favorites in the comments and tell us why – we'll add it to our gallery!
[Image: Marvel]
Psychonauts (2005)
Taking place at the Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp, a remote government training facility under the guise of a children's summer camp, Psychonauts throws players into the minds of its gaggle of strange and wonderful characters to uncover a vast conspiracy. Of particular note is the Milkman level; Managing Editor Susan Arendt calls it a "twist on the mundane."
Metroid Prime (2002)
Any number of Metroid worlds could have made this list, but the planet Tallon IV in the original Prime offered more detail to the variety of locations Samus Aran has ever visited in the past. Within the gorgeous world of Metroid Prime we learn more about the Chozo, a species of avianoid extraterrestrials that helped raise the bounty hunter, and battle deadly creatures throughout a giant, connected open-world planet. We never really learn why the Chozo opted to use intricate puzzles instead of doorknobs, though.
Beyond Good & Evil (2003)
The sci-fi fantasy world of Ubisoft's Beyond Good & Evil features structures with rustic charm and anthropomorphic animals coexisting with humans in a futuristic mining planet, known as Hillys. After the population starts disappearing, photojournalist Jade and her bore-like buddy Pey'j are thrust into the role of heroes.
Jazzpunk (2014)
The weirdness of Jazzpunk's world is only thanks in part to its setting. Senior Reporter Jessica Conditt says in her review it's as "a comedy game wrapped in a point-and-click puzzler; it's intense spy action in an adorable, cartoony world." The game and its world exist to poke fun at America and Russia's cold war past, injecting odd humor in every element of its gameplay.
Earthbound (1995)
Though it takes place on an alternative version of our own earth, it's nothing like the planet under our feet. Ness and his crew of friends set off to battle strange alien invaders in Nintendo's cult-classic Earthbound and explore a vast array of weird and wonderful locations. The weirdest perhaps, according to Joystiq Contributing Editor Danny Cowan is Moonside, a psychic illusion created by the Evil Mani Mani statue. If you had a nickel every time you heard that one ...
[Images: Nintendo, Ubisoft, Necrophone, Double Fine]
