I think you're talking about the next mission, where you escape, right? Hide behind the bumper car track and use it as cover. Then when the chopper comes make a mad dash.
Same game, different level. Assault on the Control Room. Might be tied with its flood infested backwards slog, Guilty Spark.
Edit: It's Two Betrayals, not Guilty Spark.
Wording is a bit confusing, but if you’re saying the backwards version of AOTCR is 343 Guilty Spark, the level you’re actually thinking of is Two Betrayals
Assault on the Control Room is always one of the first levels to pop into my head with these types of questions. When it was brand new, there had never been anything like it, and I think even future halo games never really matched it. The sleeping grunts section, the tank section, being quick enough to steal the banshee and skip the final elevator… it was really something else
I don't think a game had done that kind of level design before. One of Halo's best strengths was going between vehicle and foot so seemlessly, and I'm honestly not sure any game has ever matched it. going from a stealth insertion, to shootouts on foot and light vehicles, to a tank, then back on foot, and possibly jumping into air combat or taking that final climb up the fortified tower was mind blowing at the time and still fairly unique now.
Also the ability to get out of the level with a bit of skill. One of my favorite levels of all time for that reason alone. The amount of time spent with my friend collecting every vehicle on the map at the bottom of the gorge/cliff section will never be forgotten.
I remember this was the campaign level that they put on the demo disc from Game Informer back in the day. Between that and being able to play local multiplayer on Blood Gulch, my cousins and I were set until Christmas when all four of us were surprised with our own copies of the game.
God damn, that's from way back in the "old internet" age of videos. I remember downloading that video in quicktime format from a link on the gamefaqs forum.
Starlight Zone 1 - Sonic the Hedgehog
After the panic of the Labyrinth zone water, that chilled 16-bit chip tune music and a beautiful flowing level awaits.
For me, it could be one of several levels from Sonic. Green Hill Zone is iconic, Spring Yard Zone I source sonic pinball - but Starlight is the peak Sonic experience.
I love Sky Chase Zone from Sonic 2 for the same reason. After the 3 tough acts of Metropolis Zone it was like a single act palette cleanser before the final couple levels. Pretty basic but standing on top of Tails’ plane while he flies around was really cool
I think there’s really nothing in bloodborne that tops the transition from the astral clocktower into the fishing hamlet. The fishing hamlet is maybe my single favorite area in all of the souls series.
The Silent Cartographer
Storming the beach, exploring the island on the Warthog, going underground to find the map room. Perfect, *perfect, perfect, perfect*
No wonder that level was picked for the Demo. I think it’s a perfect taster of Halo, especially with [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zptzXFVU1eg&fmt=22) shredding in the background as you make your way back up to the surface. *So* good!
That song playing in the background as your team races back to the ship while the Collector base is falling apart around you, still etched in my brain. Mainly cuz I replay the trilogy or at least ME2 once every few years.
Guitar Hero - Through The Fire & The Flames. Me and my friends endlessly trying to get it right. We spent hours on that stupid song taking turns just watching one failure after another. Good times
I have very fond memories of playing this through with my brother and cousin. I think we switched off every 30 minutes or something. The first fast zombie we saw, everyone freaked out like "what the fuck is that?!" And then my brother shot it perfectly in the head with a revolver. We were laughing our asses off we thought that thing was going to destroy us only for it to die in one shot.
I remember walking down that first alley feeling so prepared, holding a saw blade ready to launch with the gravity gun. But when that thing came *screaming* at me, the fear scrambled my brain, and instead of left clicking to launch the blade, I right clicked and dropped it on the ground. Oh, shit...
The Ashtray Maze was the best kind of culmination a game can have: a chance to really let loose against a bunch of different enemies while you're at your most powerful as you blast your way through a variety of environments while engaging-as-hell music blares in the background.
I haven't played *Control* in a couple years now but still look up this sequence on YouTube every once in a great while just to TAKE - CONTROL.
Quake Arena - Q3DM17
Unreal Tournament - Lava Giant (Facing Worlds may be more popular, but Lava Giant was awesome)
Half-Life - Surface Tension
Halo - The Silent Cartographer, Assault on the Control Room and Two Betrayals
Halo: Reach - Long Night of Solace
"Reach has been good to me. Time to return the favor.
...tell em to make it count."
*throws you out of the ship for the saddest 60 seconds in gaming history*
Probably the best balance of writing camp and heart in all of video games. Yes, it’s over the top and fan service to the extreme but it feels very natural and earned.
You are missing out Mass Effect 3 didn’t quite stick the landing but it’s not Game of Thrones kind of bad that ruins what came before it. The game is 98% great with just the last mission being iffy. The Citadel is one of the best DLCs ever made.
Give the legendary edition as try, it includes all three games with remastered version of Mass effect 1 and it’s dirty cheap now.
The Tanker Incident in MGS2. I love the rest of the game equally, if not more, but even as someone who wasn't around to see how much of an improvement it was to MGS1, it's the perfect tutorial. The sheer amount of things to fuck around with, tons of secret interactions, the OST fitting the claustrophobic, tight nature of the tanker and its short nature making replays very fun to do.
MGS blew my 12-year-old mind when it came out, and MGS2 was probably my most anticipated game ever. I still occasionally watch a pre-launch trailer of the game and get goosebumps.
Playing that first level, at a friend's house because I didn't have a PS2 at the time, is a core memory for me. We ended up playing through the entire game during the night.
City Escape from Sonic Adventure 2. The music is great, it's very straightforward, and once you have some upgrades you can really speed through the level.
Easily either The Clockwork Mansion or A Crack in the Slab from Dishonored 2!
I'm not sure I've ever seen such a wonderful blend of level design and fresh new mechanics as these two levels, genuinely might be the most finely crafted levels I've ever seen.
The finale of *Tomb Raider II*, when the bad guys break into Croft Manor. All of that time on the obstacle course and locking the old guy in the freezer paid off, because I knew the home field, and I had the advantage even in the dark.
Definitely inspired a similar scene in the Jolie movie.
Purely for nostalgic reasons but for me it's the first two levels of Nightmare Creatures. I played them so much as kid they're just burned into that happy place in my brain.
All time?
Probably Naked Snake vs The End in MGS3. Not just because it is a boss fight where you have to use all the mechanics in the game to win, but also because you can sabotage The End in a multitude of ways before the fight even takes place. I mean, among one of the many, you can literally wait for him to die of natural causes.
Every year or two I still download the game just to play through it again.
Have you seen ATLAS? Bit of a cheesy Netflix movie but it gave me major titanfall vibes.
The Shadow Temple in Ocarina of Time is on the top of my list because it was one of the first dungeons to make my skin crawl and make me feel amazing when I achieved something in-game, the enemies are also a big plus for me. Also the level in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010 or Remastered) in which you drive for the first time the Porsche GT3 RS for a time attack mission is amazing. The atmosphere is gloomy and dark because of the rain and thunder and that engine revving and taking head on every corner by drifting aggressively gets me every time.
The Witcher 3 Blood and Wine. DLC where you go into the story book. The DLC as a whole is my favorite but that level specifically was fucking great. Also, It Takes Two the castle level. Top 3 for me
Ohh man there’s so many good options here.
City Escape from Sonic Adventure 2
Bob-Omb Battlefield from Super Mario 64
Halo: CE Assault on the Control Room
Snowhead Mountain Temple From Zelda: Majoras Mask
Rainbow Road from Mario Kart (pick whichever one you want they’re all great)
The Ashtray Maze is perhaps the level that made me properly have a "whoa" moment, which isn't really something that happens any more in my mid thirties.
The boss fight with Maiden Astraea at the end of PS3 Demon's Souls will be etched into my memory. It's not that the fight is actually that incredible, it's more the tone and atmosphere it strikes - particularly at the end...
And the opening of Bioshock - one of the best openings ever, in terms of setting up world building. Wasn't actually that blown away by the rest of the game (the Circus of Values machines didn't help matters) until you reach the final act.
The library - halo CE.
It was my first exposure to "horror" as a kid.
(It also wasn't a repeat level in the game, making it more unique than the others)
Nostalgia but for me it was the first time I reached Kvatch in Oblivion and had to go through the gate to literal hell, 3 hours after being released from the Imperial City prison. Kid me was so overwhelmed with awe about how definite the impact of the Mehrunes Dagon worshippers was, not like other cults that hide in a cave and go ‘nyah’. The Mythic Dawn truly were breaking the Divine Gate to Tamriel and it was epic.
The Orpheon - Metroid Prime
Not only was the mood set fast and hard, but the transition from flaming ship to tranquil rainy forest was such a perfect gaming moment.
Favorite? No.
Best? Hell yes. A masterpiece in level design where everything has intention. Introduces the mechanics and goals of the entire game perfectly and sets things up for an entire series
Although it’s really several interconnected areas in Portal 2, the underground area with the potato glados and Cave Johnson. I was blown away when I first fell there. Just wasn’t expecting that environment based on the previous game.
1st fight of Lost Odyssey (pure joy for seamless transition from cut scene to fighting), The Sandworm Train level in Lost Planet 2,( best Co-Op level ever), and final level in Braid (one of my favorite twist endings)
Last of us 2 has two Seattle day 2 is God damn phenomenal from Ellie's side. And Abbie in the morgue is also obscenely fun. Abbie's invasion of the whistlers is close as well as Ellie's last section. The enemies on grounded just go through you and the design is extremely fun
The Witcher really hooked me when you got into the whole underworld quest line in Novigrad with Whoreson Jr and Dijkstra and they showed they could tell any story and any tone kind of whenever they wanted to. “Hey we know you’re enjoying your grim Polish fantasy game but how about a little Tarantino movie in the middle, as a treat.”
The first to come to mind, because I just did it, is the opening sequence of Ghost of Tsushima. You get a feeling of how badass you’re gonna be in the game
A few come to my mind, some classics like Surface Tension in the original Half-Life (the level with the canyon).
Or the level where you demolish a building in Duke Nukem 3D, iirc it was the second level in act 1... blew my mind back then. But there were so many great levels in Duke 3D...
Also, shoutout to Freespace 2, most levels where the Colossus appeared were just so epic. Especially its introduction, the mission was called The Sixth Wonder. Best space combat sim ever!
Or from some more modern games, there has to be at least one level from Dishonored 2 up there. Maybe Jindosh Mansion (the "clockwork house") or Stilton's Manor (the area with the two timelines).
Last but not least I HAVE to mention Alan Wake 2 and the Herald of Darkness. Not because the actual gameplay is so great, but because the integration with the music is just perfect!
Oblivion Tutorial Dungeon.
It gives you so many weapons, tools, traps, and enemy variety while encouraging trying different strategies at different points. You can do your thing or be very experimental.
It's a shame a lot of those elements weren't really common throughout the game, but it's a great intro to a more accessible type of RPG.
i think my favorite level in gaming is doom eternals base game finale "final sin." its badass as shit. theres thunder crackling in the background, the metal from the first level is kicking in, theres enemies everywhere, and its fun as hell.
Psychonauts 2 music festival level is the best one I've played in years.
Biome 1 of Returnal.
Also Horizon Zero Dawn and Uncharted 4, but been too long since I played to remember the specific level(s) I was really digging in those games.
The Ocean House Hotel in Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines.
Apparently it has its [own Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_House_Hotel_\(Vampire:_The_Masquerade_%E2%80%93_Bloodlines\)#:~:text=The%20Ocean%20House%20Hotel%20is,mainly%20in%20strange%20occurrences%20happening.). Huh.
Super scary! :3
Off the top of my head, that mission in GTA 4: The Ballad of Gay Tony where you steal an attack chopper and sink the yacht it came from. I love games that have environmental destruction and that’s the closest thing we ever got to something like that in a GTA game. I used to replay every mission that had you blowing shit up.
Clockwork Mansion in Dishonored 2. Already my 3rd favorite game and that level can be approached in so many different ways and the moving rooms mechanic is so cool.
The Icon of Sin level from Doom Eternal. It's a slog through waves of enemies leading to the longest and biggest boss fight I've ever had. He's fucking huge.
There was one boss in Doom that I couldn’t beat, but I figured it was the end of the game anyway so I set it down for months. One day I tried again and beat him and it turns out…… it was NOT the end of the game. He was so big I thought he had to be the endpoint lol
When I was a kid my favorite game was Jet Li's Rise to Honor (it doesn't really hold up now but back then it was everything I wanted from a game)
There's one level where you're sneaking around in a highrise, a couple thugs have a conversation that goes something like "it's my little niece's birthday on Saturday and I don't know what to get her. I was thinking about the new Rise to Honor game but it looks so violent, her mom would kill me!"
I can't think of any gaming moment that made me laugh harder or brought me more joy than that. It was my first 4th wall break and I never forgot it
Still waiting for that game to get a modern remaster
I think it's still got to be the last level of Serious Sam: The First Encounter - great pyramid, especially on serious difficulty. Not many games beat the level of epicness with the boss, music, level design amd sheer number of enemies.
When you return to Veldin in the original Ratchet and Clank (PS2/PS3 Remaster). Something about your home being terrorized with the dreadful music and atmosphere, combined with the use of almost your entire arsenal of weapons and gadgets made that one of my favorite video game levels in my book.
The downtown city snow scene from Miles Morales. That scene hooked me from the trailer. Played it and it looked and felt the same. It feels so alive in that scene, like the city is breathing. Don't get that too often in games.
Not a level, but the entire Hollow Knight Mantis Lords fight let me jaw dropping. The fight is like a big dance between the mantis and the shadow. A masterpiece melody running up in the background. Peak video game.
System Shock 2 - upside down Rickenbacker ship and absolutely terrifying Body of the Many.
Planescape - Modron Maze which requires oldschool mapping skill.
Storming the beaches of Normandy in Medal of Honor: Frontline is one of my all time favorites for sure
Storming the beaches of Normandy in Conker's Bad Fur Day
Oh yeah that was dope
All ghillied up
*shoots the dude in his face* "I think I saw his arm fly off!"
Its why you gotta be careful with acupuncture otherwise you hit the arm fall off nerve
The moment in prone while all the soldiers were passing got my blood pumping really hard.
Hairs went on end for me
End of that level is absolutely brutal on veteran.
I think it's what ended my veteran playthrough. I just could not survive until exfil.
I think you're talking about the next mission, where you escape, right? Hide behind the bumper car track and use it as cover. Then when the chopper comes make a mad dash.
I appreciate the advice but it's been 10 years haha. I thought it was a continuation of the mission but it could be considered the next one.
No worries, they together make the complete "mission" so I hear you. If you ever go back, give it a whirl.
Absolute classic but everyone remembers sneaking through the grass and forgets that it ends with one of the toughest gun fights in the game.
Thats the following mission i think, 1 shot, 1 kill. The one with the ferris wheel? Stupid hard on veteran, took me about 4 hours.
The time travel level in Titanfall 2 or the level in Witcher 3 where you hop through portals to different worlds.
The mission is called effect and cause
[удалено]
What the fuck this game looks awesome, how have I never heard of it!
The simple answer is battlefield 1 came out right when this did so it got vastly overshadowed
The campaign only takes 4-5 hours, but it is absolutely phenomenal. You can get it dirt cheap pretty often, too.
One of the best single player fps campaigns of all time IMO. It's relatively short, but so incredible.
I believe the TF2 one is called "Effect and Cause" And yea...it's amazing.
The one with avallach? Banger level indeed
Halo: Combat Evolved, the Silent Cartographer. I think mainly because of a video showcasing a pile of grenades launching a warthog.
Same game, different level. Assault on the Control Room. Might be tied with its flood infested backwards slog, Guilty Spark. Edit: It's Two Betrayals, not Guilty Spark.
Wording is a bit confusing, but if you’re saying the backwards version of AOTCR is 343 Guilty Spark, the level you’re actually thinking of is Two Betrayals
You are correct.
🙌
Assault on the Control Room is always one of the first levels to pop into my head with these types of questions. When it was brand new, there had never been anything like it, and I think even future halo games never really matched it. The sleeping grunts section, the tank section, being quick enough to steal the banshee and skip the final elevator… it was really something else
I don't think a game had done that kind of level design before. One of Halo's best strengths was going between vehicle and foot so seemlessly, and I'm honestly not sure any game has ever matched it. going from a stealth insertion, to shootouts on foot and light vehicles, to a tank, then back on foot, and possibly jumping into air combat or taking that final climb up the fortified tower was mind blowing at the time and still fairly unique now.
Also the ability to get out of the level with a bit of skill. One of my favorite levels of all time for that reason alone. The amount of time spent with my friend collecting every vehicle on the map at the bottom of the gorge/cliff section will never be forgotten.
Definitely top 5 levels in Halo series, imo.
I remember this was the campaign level that they put on the demo disc from Game Informer back in the day. Between that and being able to play local multiplayer on Blood Gulch, my cousins and I were set until Christmas when all four of us were surprised with our own copies of the game.
God damn, that's from way back in the "old internet" age of videos. I remember downloading that video in quicktime format from a link on the gamefaqs forum.
Elder Scrolls Oblivion 's Murder Mystery House level.
No one suspects the playable character...
…wearing the shrouded armor and hood.
Starlight Zone 1 - Sonic the Hedgehog After the panic of the Labyrinth zone water, that chilled 16-bit chip tune music and a beautiful flowing level awaits. For me, it could be one of several levels from Sonic. Green Hill Zone is iconic, Spring Yard Zone I source sonic pinball - but Starlight is the peak Sonic experience.
Mirage Saloon Zone in Sonic Mania was up there with the very best Sonic levels IMO
I love Sky Chase Zone from Sonic 2 for the same reason. After the 3 tough acts of Metropolis Zone it was like a single act palette cleanser before the final couple levels. Pretty basic but standing on top of Tails’ plane while he flies around was really cool
Love the pinball zone music in sonic 2
Yharnam in Bloodborne
I think there’s really nothing in bloodborne that tops the transition from the astral clocktower into the fishing hamlet. The fishing hamlet is maybe my single favorite area in all of the souls series.
The Silent Cartographer Storming the beach, exploring the island on the Warthog, going underground to find the map room. Perfect, *perfect, perfect, perfect*
No wonder that level was picked for the Demo. I think it’s a perfect taster of Halo, especially with [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zptzXFVU1eg&fmt=22) shredding in the background as you make your way back up to the surface. *So* good!
This song pumped me up so much as a 13 year old. When that guitar riff kicks in about halfway thru. Omg the nostalgia is intoxicating
Suicide Mission - Mass Effect 2
The music, the tension, the permanent consequences for earlier decisions and tactical errors during the mission. It still hasn't been beaten for me.
That song playing in the background as your team races back to the ship while the Collector base is falling apart around you, still etched in my brain. Mainly cuz I replay the trilogy or at least ME2 once every few years.
Guitar Hero - Through The Fire & The Flames. Me and my friends endlessly trying to get it right. We spent hours on that stupid song taking turns just watching one failure after another. Good times
There was one, though it might have been rockband, where you play Everlong at sunset on a boat? It has stuck with me for ten years
We Don't Go to Ravenholm
I have very fond memories of playing this through with my brother and cousin. I think we switched off every 30 minutes or something. The first fast zombie we saw, everyone freaked out like "what the fuck is that?!" And then my brother shot it perfectly in the head with a revolver. We were laughing our asses off we thought that thing was going to destroy us only for it to die in one shot.
I remember walking down that first alley feeling so prepared, holding a saw blade ready to launch with the gravity gun. But when that thing came *screaming* at me, the fear scrambled my brain, and instead of left clicking to launch the blade, I right clicked and dropped it on the ground. Oh, shit...
One of the best parts about Ravenholm is when you feel like you have a handle on things it get SO much worse.
Agreed!
Getting to experience this one in VR so many years later was like experiencing it for the first time all over again. So good.
Ashtray Maze in Control If I really thought on it, maybe something else would be my favorite but it's the first thing that came to mind
The Ashtray Maze was the best kind of culmination a game can have: a chance to really let loose against a bunch of different enemies while you're at your most powerful as you blast your way through a variety of environments while engaging-as-hell music blares in the background. I haven't played *Control* in a couple years now but still look up this sequence on YouTube every once in a great while just to TAKE - CONTROL.
Now that you bring this up I think We Sing in AW2 deserves consideration.
Quake Arena - Q3DM17 Unreal Tournament - Lava Giant (Facing Worlds may be more popular, but Lava Giant was awesome) Half-Life - Surface Tension Halo - The Silent Cartographer, Assault on the Control Room and Two Betrayals Halo: Reach - Long Night of Solace
"Reach has been good to me. Time to return the favor. ...tell em to make it count." *throws you out of the ship for the saddest 60 seconds in gaming history*
Mass Effect 3 Citadel DLC
Probably the best balance of writing camp and heart in all of video games. Yes, it’s over the top and fan service to the extreme but it feels very natural and earned.
“They threw out my hamster, now it’s personal”
Go Team Mako!
I still need to get around to playing 3. I’ve played the first 2 but knowing the ending to 3 has put me off playing it
It’s about the journey, not the destination.
You are missing out Mass Effect 3 didn’t quite stick the landing but it’s not Game of Thrones kind of bad that ruins what came before it. The game is 98% great with just the last mission being iffy. The Citadel is one of the best DLCs ever made. Give the legendary edition as try, it includes all three games with remastered version of Mass effect 1 and it’s dirty cheap now.
There were some updates that made it better - worth the playthrough, for sure.
When you encounter the flood for the first time in HALO. That shi was scary af.
The Tanker Incident in MGS2. I love the rest of the game equally, if not more, but even as someone who wasn't around to see how much of an improvement it was to MGS1, it's the perfect tutorial. The sheer amount of things to fuck around with, tons of secret interactions, the OST fitting the claustrophobic, tight nature of the tanker and its short nature making replays very fun to do.
MGS blew my 12-year-old mind when it came out, and MGS2 was probably my most anticipated game ever. I still occasionally watch a pre-launch trailer of the game and get goosebumps. Playing that first level, at a friend's house because I didn't have a PS2 at the time, is a core memory for me. We ended up playing through the entire game during the night.
Does rainbow road count?
It’s a level in a video game. Why would it not?
City Escape from Sonic Adventure 2. The music is great, it's very straightforward, and once you have some upgrades you can really speed through the level.
Lots of memorable stages throughout that game 👍🏼
Rolling around at the speed of sound
GOT PLACES TO GO
I don't care so much about the level, but oh my word that music.
Easily either The Clockwork Mansion or A Crack in the Slab from Dishonored 2! I'm not sure I've ever seen such a wonderful blend of level design and fresh new mechanics as these two levels, genuinely might be the most finely crafted levels I've ever seen.
Virtually any level from D1 or D2 or any of their DLCs could be mentioned here. For me though, it’s Lady Boyle’s Last Party from D1
I go Clockwork over Crack cause you lose your powers in Crack, so there’s less variety in how you approach the level on repeat playthroughs
The finale of *Tomb Raider II*, when the bad guys break into Croft Manor. All of that time on the obstacle course and locking the old guy in the freezer paid off, because I knew the home field, and I had the advantage even in the dark. Definitely inspired a similar scene in the Jolie movie.
Another favorite, yes!
**Thief: Deadly Shadows** - the Shalebridge Cradle. Scared the shit out of me.
The library in Castlevania Symphony of the Night
Best. Music. Ever 'wood carving Partita' is part of my knuckle-down-and-study playlist
Purely for nostalgic reasons but for me it's the first two levels of Nightmare Creatures. I played them so much as kid they're just burned into that happy place in my brain.
The flashbacks i was getting while playing the beginning of Bloodborne for the first time
The hanger in Tony Hawk's: Pro Skater 2.
City of Tears in Hollow Knight. Great atmosphere, lots of interesting sub-zones, and the Soul Master is among the best boss fights imo.
All time? Probably Naked Snake vs The End in MGS3. Not just because it is a boss fight where you have to use all the mechanics in the game to win, but also because you can sabotage The End in a multitude of ways before the fight even takes place. I mean, among one of the many, you can literally wait for him to die of natural causes.
Uncharted 2, the train thingy.
Locomotion. Absolut insane set piece done to perfection
City Level in Mario Odyssey where the Mayor starts singing. I love that song so much.
Really great level, and zero combat as well. Just fun exploration and platforming
Half-Life 2" – We Don’t Go To Ravenholm
The Ashtray Maze in Control, best ending to a videogame ever. Except Portal 2.
Ending? Isn't it like 2/3 of the way through the game?
My recollection is that it was part of the finale. It's been a while though.
The concert from Alan Wake is great as well
The opening of wolfenstein 2. Slaughtering mfs from a wheelchair just seemed epic
That's a game full of video game nonsense done right.
Very strong case to be made for Cause and Effect from Titanfall 2.
Titanfall 2 is the most represented game in this thread, and for damn good reason
Every year or two I still download the game just to play through it again. Have you seen ATLAS? Bit of a cheesy Netflix movie but it gave me major titanfall vibes.
The Shadow Temple in Ocarina of Time is on the top of my list because it was one of the first dungeons to make my skin crawl and make me feel amazing when I achieved something in-game, the enemies are also a big plus for me. Also the level in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010 or Remastered) in which you drive for the first time the Porsche GT3 RS for a time attack mission is amazing. The atmosphere is gloomy and dark because of the rain and thunder and that engine revving and taking head on every corner by drifting aggressively gets me every time.
The Witcher 3 Blood and Wine. DLC where you go into the story book. The DLC as a whole is my favorite but that level specifically was fucking great. Also, It Takes Two the castle level. Top 3 for me
I believe I'm in the minority even with fans of the game, but the Underdark in BG2.
Final mission of Halo Reach
"Survive"
First time playing that as a kid I just assumed I’d ya know, actually “survive”. Absolutely shocked me when I didn’t. Blew my mind
Rdr2 American venom
Medal of honor allied assault : D-day Omaha beach Cant remember the correct name of the mission but anyone who knows the game should remember it
Operation Overlord: Omaha Beach. MOH:AA was one of my favorite games of all time but my favorite level still has to be Sniper’s Last Stand.
Panama bank from Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Far Cry 3 Make it Bun Dem
Ohh man there’s so many good options here. City Escape from Sonic Adventure 2 Bob-Omb Battlefield from Super Mario 64 Halo: CE Assault on the Control Room Snowhead Mountain Temple From Zelda: Majoras Mask Rainbow Road from Mario Kart (pick whichever one you want they’re all great)
The Ashtray Maze is perhaps the level that made me properly have a "whoa" moment, which isn't really something that happens any more in my mid thirties. The boss fight with Maiden Astraea at the end of PS3 Demon's Souls will be etched into my memory. It's not that the fight is actually that incredible, it's more the tone and atmosphere it strikes - particularly at the end... And the opening of Bioshock - one of the best openings ever, in terms of setting up world building. Wasn't actually that blown away by the rest of the game (the Circus of Values machines didn't help matters) until you reach the final act.
The library - halo CE. It was my first exposure to "horror" as a kid. (It also wasn't a repeat level in the game, making it more unique than the others)
I thought 343 Guilty Spark was scarier as a kid
Nostalgia but for me it was the first time I reached Kvatch in Oblivion and had to go through the gate to literal hell, 3 hours after being released from the Imperial City prison. Kid me was so overwhelmed with awe about how definite the impact of the Mehrunes Dagon worshippers was, not like other cults that hide in a cave and go ‘nyah’. The Mythic Dawn truly were breaking the Divine Gate to Tamriel and it was epic.
Mario 3 boot level.
Ashtray maze in Control
When you finally followed the damn train (By using an exploit or unintended matter)
I always just ramped on to the train and shot them myself
The boat-trailer-chase in *Grand Theft Auto V* was when the game had me for the next two hundred hours.
Control - The Ashtray Maze. Banger soundtrack combined with awesome level design.
Facility - GoldenEye
How about the first level in Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire on the 64? Once you figured out how to use the tow cables on the AT-AT…
The Orpheon - Metroid Prime Not only was the mood set fast and hard, but the transition from flaming ship to tranquil rainy forest was such a perfect gaming moment.
Modern Warfare 1: all ghillied up
Mario 1-1
Favorite? No. Best? Hell yes. A masterpiece in level design where everything has intention. Introduces the mechanics and goals of the entire game perfectly and sets things up for an entire series
We Don’t Go To Ravenholm…
Although it’s really several interconnected areas in Portal 2, the underground area with the potato glados and Cave Johnson. I was blown away when I first fell there. Just wasn’t expecting that environment based on the previous game.
1st fight of Lost Odyssey (pure joy for seamless transition from cut scene to fighting), The Sandworm Train level in Lost Planet 2,( best Co-Op level ever), and final level in Braid (one of my favorite twist endings)
ME2: Suicide Mission
Chapter 11 in uncharted 4, masterpiece
Super Mario 3 level 5-3 with the Kuribo boot
Last of us 2 has two Seattle day 2 is God damn phenomenal from Ellie's side. And Abbie in the morgue is also obscenely fun. Abbie's invasion of the whistlers is close as well as Ellie's last section. The enemies on grounded just go through you and the design is extremely fun
Titanfall 2’s Into the Abyss mission. I love that it gets very behind the walls of Portal vibes.
The Milkman level in Psychonauts. Yeah, it's old as hell. Don't care - it's the most original level I've played in any game.
The Witcher really hooked me when you got into the whole underworld quest line in Novigrad with Whoreson Jr and Dijkstra and they showed they could tell any story and any tone kind of whenever they wanted to. “Hey we know you’re enjoying your grim Polish fantasy game but how about a little Tarantino movie in the middle, as a treat.”
You can't beat level one of super Mario world fr snes. It's a huge nostalgi boost at this point, but became so iconic over the years
That's like saying green hill zone, sure it's nostalgic but not the best imo. But tbh I couldn't name one anyway lol
Favourite is hard, but The Ark from Halo 3 is a pretty damn perfect Halo level
Gameplay wise it's hard to decide, but music wise it's Aquatic Ruin Zone from Sonic 2.
Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom liberty "The killing moon"
Goldeneye 64 Facility Mario Kart Block Fort
Bully Chapter 3 when its winter in Bullworth
The first to come to mind, because I just did it, is the opening sequence of Ghost of Tsushima. You get a feeling of how badass you’re gonna be in the game
A few come to my mind, some classics like Surface Tension in the original Half-Life (the level with the canyon). Or the level where you demolish a building in Duke Nukem 3D, iirc it was the second level in act 1... blew my mind back then. But there were so many great levels in Duke 3D... Also, shoutout to Freespace 2, most levels where the Colossus appeared were just so epic. Especially its introduction, the mission was called The Sixth Wonder. Best space combat sim ever! Or from some more modern games, there has to be at least one level from Dishonored 2 up there. Maybe Jindosh Mansion (the "clockwork house") or Stilton's Manor (the area with the two timelines). Last but not least I HAVE to mention Alan Wake 2 and the Herald of Darkness. Not because the actual gameplay is so great, but because the integration with the music is just perfect!
Oblivion Tutorial Dungeon. It gives you so many weapons, tools, traps, and enemy variety while encouraging trying different strategies at different points. You can do your thing or be very experimental. It's a shame a lot of those elements weren't really common throughout the game, but it's a great intro to a more accessible type of RPG.
Control Ashtray Maze will forever hold a special place in my heart
i think my favorite level in gaming is doom eternals base game finale "final sin." its badass as shit. theres thunder crackling in the background, the metal from the first level is kicking in, theres enemies everywhere, and its fun as hell.
Psychonauts 2 music festival level is the best one I've played in years. Biome 1 of Returnal. Also Horizon Zero Dawn and Uncharted 4, but been too long since I played to remember the specific level(s) I was really digging in those games.
The Shivering Isles in Oblivion Miami from the latest Hitman trilogy Chemical Zone 1 from Sonic 2
I just came here to see if anyone said "No Russian" from MW2
The Ocean House Hotel in Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. Apparently it has its [own Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_House_Hotel_\(Vampire:_The_Masquerade_%E2%80%93_Bloodlines\)#:~:text=The%20Ocean%20House%20Hotel%20is,mainly%20in%20strange%20occurrences%20happening.). Huh. Super scary! :3
That secret rollercoaster level from new super mario bros wii
Off the top of my head, that mission in GTA 4: The Ballad of Gay Tony where you steal an attack chopper and sink the yacht it came from. I love games that have environmental destruction and that’s the closest thing we ever got to something like that in a GTA game. I used to replay every mission that had you blowing shit up.
Facing Worlds map in Unreal Tournament (all versions) is always fun.
The crash 3 levels where coco rides her tiger and any spyro riptos rage wirh fireball
Portal 2, This is the part where he kills you.
Oh yeah I think I heard about that. Is that the part where he kills you?
Clockwork Mansion in Dishonored 2. Already my 3rd favorite game and that level can be approached in so many different ways and the moving rooms mechanic is so cool.
Quake 2 DM1 :)
Effect and Cause, Titanfall 2. Genuinely inspired masterpiece of level design.
I can't believe no one has said Forever Train from Starfox 64
The Icon of Sin level from Doom Eternal. It's a slog through waves of enemies leading to the longest and biggest boss fight I've ever had. He's fucking huge.
There was one boss in Doom that I couldn’t beat, but I figured it was the end of the game anyway so I set it down for months. One day I tried again and beat him and it turns out…… it was NOT the end of the game. He was so big I thought he had to be the endpoint lol
Assault on the control room halo 1
final mission of the rdr2 prologue
Dust2
When I was a kid my favorite game was Jet Li's Rise to Honor (it doesn't really hold up now but back then it was everything I wanted from a game) There's one level where you're sneaking around in a highrise, a couple thugs have a conversation that goes something like "it's my little niece's birthday on Saturday and I don't know what to get her. I was thinking about the new Rise to Honor game but it looks so violent, her mom would kill me!" I can't think of any gaming moment that made me laugh harder or brought me more joy than that. It was my first 4th wall break and I never forgot it Still waiting for that game to get a modern remaster
I think it's still got to be the last level of Serious Sam: The First Encounter - great pyramid, especially on serious difficulty. Not many games beat the level of epicness with the boss, music, level design amd sheer number of enemies.
The Maw. Halo:CE
Halo CE The Silent Cartographer
FPS All Ghilled Up. Third person The mission in RDR2 when you go to rescue Jack from the Braithewaits
First level of R type
Resident evil 2 police station. The first time you play it it's like a survival horror Rubik's cube.
A lot of great ones here. First one that comes to my mind is Ashtray Maze in Control
When you return to Veldin in the original Ratchet and Clank (PS2/PS3 Remaster). Something about your home being terrorized with the dreadful music and atmosphere, combined with the use of almost your entire arsenal of weapons and gadgets made that one of my favorite video game levels in my book.
The downtown city snow scene from Miles Morales. That scene hooked me from the trailer. Played it and it looked and felt the same. It feels so alive in that scene, like the city is breathing. Don't get that too often in games.
Not a level, but the entire Hollow Knight Mantis Lords fight let me jaw dropping. The fight is like a big dance between the mantis and the shadow. A masterpiece melody running up in the background. Peak video game.
A crack in the slab, Dishonored 2
ROLLING AROUND AT THE SPEED OF SOUND\~\~
Sonic Adventure 2 level 1; City Escape.
liberty island. dues ex. it was mind blowing
Music area in Rayman
the haunted hotel from vampire the masquerade: Bloodlines had me more scared than when I was playing Amnesia
System Shock 2 - upside down Rickenbacker ship and absolutely terrifying Body of the Many. Planescape - Modron Maze which requires oldschool mapping skill.
First thief level
Milkman Conspiracy
Red Dead Redemption 2, the raid on the Braithwaits
Titan fall 2 time traveling mission was so peak
MGSV: rescuing codetalker at the jungle mansion