5 Key Ways Rockstar Dominates at World-Building Games

Location, Location, Location

Poised to leap into the crowd, Rockstar Games sets out to push the threshold further and leave the video game industry with their arms extended. The recent announcement of Red Dead Redemption 2 has left fans salivating over screenshots and a titillating trailer. The mere though of a sequel to one of the most successful video games from the previous generation has sent some of the most hardcore fans into a frenetic state of speculation.

Over the years, Rockstar Games has erected an impenetrable reputation with their flagship series Grand Theft Auto; the cultural phenomenon filled with delightful murder sprees and twisted reflections of our modern society. To understand why such a bleak video game premise may have found worldwide success, we need to distill the essence of what makes Rockstar Games a superstar studio, a large part of which remains their settings.

Whether traipsing through the hallways of Bullworth Academy or navigating the dense favelas of Sao Paulo, Rockstar Games have an uncanny ability to place gamers in some of the most memorable locations; locations which provide the setting for the studio to unfold their absorbing narrative. Through the numerous locations Rockstar Games has developed, each bears distinct features and is filled with remarkable detail. The neon lights of Vice City may gleam across a boulevard of palm trees and the Old West may leave you squinting into the horizon as you navigate the dusty trail.

Get into Character

Populating the diverse environment Rockstar has created are its humble inhabitants, living out their daily lives, oblivious to the harrowing series they find themselves in. They may be spit shining their boots, engaging in various forms of debauchery, or simply selling their wares to unsuspecting buyers moments before your rugged protagonist enters the scene and interrupts their morning routine. Whether exploring this world as a gunslinger with an itchy trigger finger or psychopathic anarchist hellbent on mindless destruction, the living, breathing Rockstar Games creates adds dimension to their sprawling landscape; each character an individual occupying a sandbox which teems with life.

Music to our ears

Once you’ve got a beautiful location, populated with flora and fauna, what better way to represent a chosen era than through the sound of music. In the Grand Theft Auto series, players are given control over several radio stations, each representing a specific subculture and reflecting the views and attitudes of the time. In the case of San Andres, listening to “How I Could Just Kill a Man” by Cypress Hill as you cruise down Grove Street in your low rider crafts a mesmerizing Los Santos experience. Sure enough, voyages to far flung destinations soon become road trips filled with nostalgia as Rockstar fills the world with atmosphere. Regardless of your musical preference, Rockstar ensures they cater to a wide audience by presenting an assorted soundtrack which encapsulate the era they are tapping into.

Make a short story long

The red thread sewn through each element, and which ties them neatly together, is the narrative; the context in which this dense world =and your protagonist’s call to adventure exists. Whether you find yourself caught in a web of treachery or on a quest for revenge, each Rockstar protagonist may find themselves with a goal in mind. However, the protagonist may find that it’s all too easy to stray from the path which leads to their hearts desire as the sprawling worlds are littered with activities. You might find yourself smashing pumpkins littered across a school campus or tasked with hunting a sasquatch. These diversions are entertaining and may add value to the world, introduce new characters or set up an intriguing side story full of reward.

Humor me

Beneath the satirical front Rockstar Games displays is an undeniable truth we can only laugh at. The studio unapologetically pokes a stick at pop culture, corporations, and everything in-between. Nothing is safe from the scrutinous eye of Rockstar, and the jokes about society are often presented in a humorous fashion. Social media also sees itself parodied in the form of the pervasive LifeInvader which encourages users to “Go dock yourself.” All forms of media are parodied and hilarious commercials may be found on Television, radio and the internet, each exhibiting exhibit that unique Rockstar Games sense of humor.

To lay a golden Easter egg (Bonus)

To those who enjoy digging a little deeper, wondering what might be around the next corner, atop the tallest peak or at the bottom of the page you may discover a secretive wink and a nod to the player. These pervasive, and often unexpected, references, jokes or hidden artifacts encourage exploration and reward the curious gamer. With their dense environments, Rockstar still manages to find the time to cram in even more golden nuggets of entertainment. The layers upon layers which make Rockstar Games truly demonstrate the developer’s attention to detail and their understanding of culture and humanity.

This post was originally written by Nathanael Roman.