The Center of Everything

Sanctuary was briefly mentioned in the first Borderlands game, but the sequel gave us a first-hand look at the place. The aptly-named city acts as the central hub in Borderlands 2, and it provides refuge from the harsh wastelands of Pandora. Distress signals were sent out to encourage civilian populations to migrate to Sanctuary, and it’s one of the few safe havens on the planet. The city is inhabited by a colorful cast of characters, and many businesses seek your patronage. You’ll be able to purchase upgrades in the black market, swing by the medical clinic, or get your daily dose of propaganda at the news stand. You can also drop by Moxxi’s bar and try the slots. The city provides shelter from bandits, but this doesn’t mean that nothing exciting ever happens there. There are over a dozen story missions that begin in Sanctuary, and three times as many side missions. Sanctuary is an unusual city with a unique history. As it turns out, the entire city was a vast ship that was sent to Pandora to mine precious minerals. The mining ventures were unsuccessful, but local populations were happy to move in. Late into the game, the city lifts off and relocates to a more dangerous area. Needless to say, it’s surreal to see your home disappear.

Psychonauts follows the exploits of a young boy named Raz who is blessed with psychic abilities. After running away from the circus, he finds refuge at the Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp. As it turns out, the camp is actually a secret government training facility where gifted children go to hone their abilities. Raz spends most of the game exploring the imaginative minds of various characters, but the summer camp helps him stay grounded between assignments. He can buy useful items at the camp store, take a relaxing canoe ride across the lake, or catch a show in the TV room. He can also visit with his fellow campers and receive advanced training from the counselors. Raz gains additional abilities throughout the course of his adventure – including telekinesis, levitation, invisibility, and pyrokinesis – and these skills allow him to investigate the camp in greater detail. On a related note, there’s something about a summer camp that naturally encourages exploration. Much in the same way that Hogwarts was the perfect training ground for young wizards, Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp is an ideal place for young psychics to grow and evolve.

Inkopolis Plaza is a bustling city center where young squids can hang out, gear up, and sign up for epic ink battles! There are many stores in the plaza, and each shop has a charismatic owner that represents a different type of marine animal. As you familiarize yourself with your surroundings, you’ll meet sea anemone, horseshoe crabs, tiger prawns, clown fish, and countless other fascinating characters. The buildings are almost as stylish as the residents are, and each one has its own function. Inkopolis Tower will grant you access to online battles, the dojo will let you play the one-on-one local multiplayer mode, and the conspicuous manhole is used to access the single-player campaign. You can also play mini-games on an arcade machine or stop by the mailbox to post on the Splatoon Miiverse community. (Rest in peace, Miiverse.) The entire plaza feels like a glorified menu in many regards, but it helped to create a cohesive world that was overflowing with personality. Inkopois Square from Splatoon 2 was just as lively and colorful, but the plaza from the first game felt more imaginative and creative.

A hidden temple in the northern land of Boletaria, the Nexus acts as a place of retreat and refuge for would-be soul hunters. Incidentally, these individuals are bound to the Nexus, so they are only able to travel to five connecting worlds that have been overtaken by fog and demons. The Nexus is a center for trade and commerce, and it’s the place to go if you need to store items, repair equipment, or level up. Blacksmiths will upgrade your weapons, witches will teach you dark magic, and vendors will trade their services in exchange for souls. The population of the Nexus will increase as you work your way through the game, and many of the folks you meet during your adventure will take refuge within its chambers. It’s worthwhile to explore the monolithic premises between missions just in case someone new has moved in. In a world engulfed by soul-stealing fog, the Nexus is the last bastion of hope for its inhabitants. It’s somewhere you can breathe a sigh of relief, and the only place in the game that feels like home.

Diddy Kong Racing deserves tremendous credit for trying to advance the kart-racing genre rather than just copying the established Mario Kart formula. The game introduced concepts like upgradable weapons, boss stages, special battle arenas, unlockable characters, magic passwords, and a surprisingly robust adventure mode. The game featured a massive overworld to explore between races, and it was nice to be able to drive around without worrying about other racers. The scenery is absolutely gorgeous, and it’s hard not to be impressed by the majestic waterfalls and double rainbows. Above all else, Timber’s Island is noteworthy for being geographically diverse. The environments range from snow-covered mountains to a medieval themed village, and you’ll come across many interesting landmarks as you explore the island. You’ll have to use different vehicles to reach different areas, however, so it’s fortunate that Diddy Kong Racing featured hovercrafts and airplanes in addition to the standard go-karts. No racing game has ever featured a more complete hub world than Diddy Kong Racing.

Hidden away in the Seychelles archipelago off the east coast of Africa, Mother Base is the headquarters of a private mercenary unit. The offshore plant is split into many different sections, and each has its own unique function. The combat unit platform houses the best soldiers, the intel platform can intercept and decrypt transmissions, and the R&D platform is where new weapons are developed. There’s also a medical platform for recovering soldiers, a conservation platform for rescued animals, and a brig to hold unruly prisoners. You’ll stumble upon many interesting conversations as you explore the base, and its a great place to interact with the other members in your private army. The development of the base is largely determined by the amount of time and effort you’re willing to put into it. You can customize the paint, upgrade the defenses, and manage the personnel. If you prefer, you can ignore it for most of the game and simply treat it like a personal playground.

Destiny is set on a mythic science-fiction Earth about 700 years in the future. Following an extended period of exploration and technological advancement, a cataclysmic event occurred that left mankind teetering on the brink of extinction. The survivors found refuge in the last safe city on Earth, and the Tower stood at the center of it all. As the home of the Guardians, it’s a place to regroup, rearm, and form new alliances before venturing forth. The Tower is where weapon vendors and merchants congregate, but it’s also a place for recreation. It’s not unusual to see groups kicking soccer balls around or gathering together for a quick round of Duck, Duck, Goose. Whether you’re listening to the jukebox or participating in impromptu dance parties, the Tower is a glimmering stronghold surrounded by darkness. From the moment you step into the plaza, it feels hopeful and bright. The troubles of the universe seem to melt away when you’re hanging out with your friends and goofing around.

The primary objective in Monster Hunter: World is to research wildlife on an unexplored continent. The game is set in a vast open world filled with untold dangers, but players can prepare for the adventure from the safety of a central command base. Asteria is a sprawling, maze-like structure with beautiful vistas and spectacular views. It’s a safe place to sell goods, manage your inventory, and craft new equipment. You’ll be able to register bounties at the resource center, cultivate plants at the botanical research center, and stop by the canteen for a bite to eat. You’ll also be able to experiment with weapons in the training area, test your strength at the arm wrestling barrel, and meet up with friends at the gathering hub before heading out on an expedition. If you want a little more privacy, Asteria gives you your own personal space where you can store items and raise creatures you have captured during your journey. You’ll even be able to upgrade your housing as you progress! The New World is a hostile environment, but Asteria has all the amenities you could ask for.

Super Mario 64 was one of the first 3D games with a fully-realized hub world. It was commonplace for 2D games to feature simple maps or stage select screens, but Super Mario 64 gave players a ton of things to do between the levels. Princess Peach’s castle is a relatively safe place with no enemies to speak of. It was important for players to have a chance to test out their moves in a low-pressure environment. After all, the Nintendo 64 controller was revolutionary, and Super Mario 64 was unlike any game that came before it. The layout of the castle is relatively straightforward, and paintings on the wall act as portals to the game’s levels. Some of the levels are hidden away, however. (In one instance, you’ll have to enter a miniature haunted house after killing a ghost in the courtyard.) There’s a lot of interesting things to do in the castle when you’re not too busy looking for the next level. You’ll chase down a rabbit in the basement, drain the water out of the moat, and eventually meet up with your pal Yoshi on the roof of the castle. It’s also fun to run around the castle grounds without a care. Peach’s castle is arguably more memorable than any of the game’s individual levels.

From the moment you cross the rope bridge from Spiral Mountain into the gaping maw of Gruntilda’s Lair, you know you’re in for an adventure. More often than not, hub worlds are safe spaces that function as intermediators for the real game, but Gruntilda’s Lair feels like a level onto itself. It’s crawling with enemies, there are tons of hidden power-ups and secret passages to find, and you’ll have to make use of Banjo and Kazooie’s abilities in order to access new areas. The lair acts as a hub to nine different worlds, and its geography ties into the individual level themes. You’ll enter a giant treasure chest to reach Treasure Trove Cove, for example, and you’ll have to trek through a drainage pipe to find Clanker’s Cavern. You get a sense of each level before you enter them, and this ultimately makes the game feel more cohesive. Peach’s castle from Super Mario 64 felt completely disconnected from most of the game’s levels, but Gruntilda’s Lair makes Banjo-Kazooie feel like one giant, seamless adventure. The sound design is worth noting too, and I love how the dynamic background music changes to reflect your surroundings.