Memorable games tend to have memorable settings. Of course, the traditional elements of the storyline, character development, and overall gameplay go a long way in making any game great, but the setting is where virtual worlds come to life. One easy way of making the geography of any game stand out is by creating dynamic weather effects that impact the player and the game.
Weather is an easy thing to take for granted when dealing with a virtual medium, but the added effect of having to navigate through torrential rain or a white-out blizzard adds an extra layer of authenticity to any landscape, and continues to draw you back time and time again. Games with dynamic weather effects often go above and beyond in delivering a believable and beautiful landscape for you to explore.
7 The Long Dark
Being alone in the vast Canadian wilderness is hard enough, and being lost there in the aftermath of a wide-reaching economic disaster known as The Collapse makes it almost impossible to survive. After surviving a plane crash, this is the premise of The Long Dark, as you navigate your way through the Quiet Apocalypse.
Whether you play the freeform survival mode or the story-driven Wintermute mode, the constantly changing weather will be one of the bigger obstacles to overcome. From ragging blizzards that last days to high-speed winds, the games’ weather effects are always a force to be reckoned with.
6 Forza Horizon 4
Since the very premise of Forza Horizon 4 was to introduce the seasons, the weather obviously plays a very large role in how well you race. Almost every weather type you can imagine can be seen in the game from sunny skies to torrential downpours. And of course, this places you in the precarious position of knowing how the weather will affect the roads, and more importantly, your tires.
Winter can especially be brutal as most cars are unable to handle the snow efficiently. Planning and preparing your vehicles is essential, especially if you favor certain cars over others. Forza Horizon 4 does an excellent job of using the weather to challenge the player and shake up its gameplay.
5 Horizon Zero Dawn
Another game that utilizes dynamic weather effects to immerse players in a setting where survival is key. In this game, the weather changes fast and has no qualms interpreting you during crucial quests or important missions. This can make things tricky or even downright impossible as rain has the potential to completely ruin any visuals you have of your surrounding landscape
The swift and turbulent changes in weather make the game unpredictable, but engaging to play, since every new day is an unknown. Horizon Zero Dawn makes amazing use of their weather effects and keeps you on your toes every step of the way.
4 Red Dead Redemption 2
The weather of Red Dead Redemption 2 is a vital aspect in bringing the setting to life, and adds a variety of scenery changes as you explore the locations the game has to offer. The weather effects operate on a time and location basis, meaning only certain types of weather phenomena will occur in specific areas. This creates a versatile landscape you must carefully navigate through.
The weather also plays a role in gameplay, with different types of clothing required depending on what the temperature is in-game. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prime example of how weather can be utilized to influence gameplay and create a beautiful world for exploration.
3 Ghost Of Tsushima
Not often does your own gameplay determine the weather, but that is exactly how Ghost of Tsushima is designed. Praised for its beautiful animation and art style, the game also entwines the in-game morality meter to affect the weather.
Based on your gameplay choices and style of combat the game’s weather will directly parallel your journey. Picking a morally darker path will in turn make the game’s environment and weather darker as well. Essentially, you affect the weather, and this reversal of roles is a unique and welcome story element.
2 Skyrim
The native province of the Nords - cold, mountainous, and all too often not friendly to explorers or travelers. But, all of this only makes Skyrim more desirable as the numerous weather dynamics featured in-game often add beauty to the already immaculate setting.
Despite its problems, Skyrim itself remains a well-crafted and highly detailed landscape that you can still enjoy ten years after its creation. This is in part thanks to the weather system that blankets snow or rain across the land and is even responsible for rare sunny days. As the Dragonborn, you can even change the weather with your voice.
1 Microsoft Flight Simulator
The newest edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator aims to bring any scenario imaginable to you while you fly across the globe. This includes creating realistic weather for you to navigate through the skies.
You have the final word on what weather will or won’t be present during your various flights as you can change the weather pre or even midflight. There is even an option called live weather mode that takes weather data happening in real-time and inputs it into the game’s engine, creating the real-world weather in-game.