Going through a level that hits every aspect of design terrifically creates an unimaginable feeling. It gives players a rush of sentimentality coupled with serotonin. Levels of first-person shooters (FPS) can sometimes be overlooked as these usually violent games are where players least expect to see or remember beautiful level design. This article serves to make light of these levels.
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This list will not be talking about levels in the traditional sense. That would not allow for a lot of modern single-player FPS games to be on this list. This list will cover main quests, side quests, missions, and yes, actual levels.
10 10/10 Democracy Inaction - Fallout New Vegas
This is a hidden side quest in Fallout New Vegas that mainly revolves around the story of vault 11. The vault is crawling with mutant bugs. It has lore containing the tragic fate of the citizens who were part of a broken political system. For those who love in-game lore, this is one of the best missions available. There’s a lot to learn from exploring the abandoned bunker.
As far as intriguing combat goes there isn’t much here aside from some bugs and robots. The setting is also somewhat dry in comparison to other FPS games. Nonetheless, this side quest is still worth exploring for anyone who plays through Fallout New Vegas.
9 9/10 The Flooded District - Dishonored
Dishonored's Flooded District is declamatory in presentation. It takes place in Dunhill’s abandoned slums that are mostly flooded. They’re also crawling with weepers, the game’s zombie-like enemies that are infected by the game’s rat plague. This level is late into the game and if a player has a high chaos level then the amount of weepers increases significantly.
There are a lot of different options to handle the level much like the rest of the game. These options are enriched by the setting. The setting also creates a nice parallel between the main character's mood during this point in the story. The level’s crawling with a lot to do, but its final battle doesn't feel as climactic as it should've been.
8 8/10 Left 4 Dead 2 - Dark Carnival
Every single person who loves zombies would be lying if they said they’ve never dreamed of fighting zombies in a theme park-type setting. In Left 4 Dead 2, that’s what dark carnival is all about. It lets players go through giant hordes of zombies with rides and carnival tents as its scenery.
Players are able to enter rides like the love ride which offers heart corridors packed with zombies. There’s also a roller coaster that can be scaled and used to the player's advantage. The textures are not the prettiest to look at, but everything the level has to offer is fun.
7 7/10 Chapter 9: This Is Where He Kills You - Portal 2
Chapter 9 is where everything that players have been learning from Portal 2's first 8 chapters takes a turn. This is also where the climax of the game takes place. This isn't the most mechanically complex level that the game has to offer. Nevertheless, it gives some of the most story-rich moments in the Portal series which feels like obtaining gold.
The layout of the way in which the portal gun is used is different from the other chapters. Part of the level is an escape sequence so players have a much larger area to cover with less time. In previous levels, players faced tedious methodical rooms. The areas are duller in color and this fits with the somber tone the level's plot puts forward.
6 6/10 Super Gore Nest - Doom Eternal
Doom Eternal creates a disgusting enrapturing experience with Super Gore Nest. The level takes place in a fleshy city overrun with Demons. It also has a fantastic soundtrack tied to it. Everything looks like it belongs to part of one organic being. Teeth make up doors and moving fleshy parts resemble otherworldly functioning organs.
Tight spaces traversed through teleporters create nice compact combat. There are also large open arenas that are the best the game has to offer. Every single bit of player mobility is accounted for. The level's playability is phenomenal, but there's no lore to offer or many secrets to explore like other great levels on this list. Even so, the combat holds true for replayability.
5 5/10 Cold As The Grave - Borderlands 3
In Borderlands 3’s quest Cold As The Grave, players travel through an overgrown estate. It's located in Eden-6 which is Borderland’s best world as it's lush with life.
The estate goes from being a regular house to then having components that are reminiscent of an overgrown factory house mesh. The player then walks out into a forest backyard area only to transport into ruins. The setting is constantly flowing into changing states. The area the boss fight is in is sprawling with gorgeous scenery. Combine all of that with Borderlands gameplay and players have one of the best levels to relaxingly mow down enemies and explore.
4 4/10 Resident Evil: Village - Heisinburg’s Factory
Though some might find factory settings to be bland Heisinburg's Factory in Resident Evil: Village is the best one in a video game. It doesn’t feel dull. Each room is purposeful to the actions that players complete. The factory has four large floors. The player travels to each floor on an elevator. This makes traversing through the floors easy though the level is anything but that housing some of the most difficult enemies.
The enemy types here are horrific. They're half Lycan half mechanical hybrids. The mini-boss is a Lycan-motor hybrid and the final boss battle here will have even seasoned Resident Evil fans blown out of the water with how large scale it is.
3 3/10 Half-Life 2 - Ravenholm
Ravenholm is a level that catches players off guard in the fast-paced action that Half-Life 2 gives players. The map is full of headcrab zombies and the dead bodies of refugees. It makes an already tense escape scene turn into a survival horror nightmare. The map offers little ammo which forces players to think of creative ways in taking out the enemies.
The level feels like people were living there. It tells a story in its set-up without having to do much explaining and the side character, Father Grigori, adds a charming dash to the dark city with his mentally unstable yet loveable presence. Grigori also helps players travel through the level using his booby traps which introduces a new form of gameplay.
2 2/10 Fort Frolic - BioShock
Fort Frolic in BioShock takes players through an artist's fever dream of a level. The level features an assortment of different artistic set pieces that the area's main antagonist, Sander Cohen, has made.
The pieces are plaster-covered mutants that are placed in unsettling poses. The different areas in this level give off the feeling that players are walking through a sadistic art piece. There’s an opera house-looking area, a frozen area that’s a nice touch to an underwater setting, and a well-placed casino. The seamless flow of variety is what makes playing through this level so entertaining with all the combat options that BioShock presents and introduces.
1 1/10 Palisade Property Bank - Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided’s Palisade Bank level is one of the best-designed levels in gaming. The layout is complex and tests players' ability. Entries that seem simple at first can end up in frantic situations where the player is swarmed by security. The level feels like a giant game of 3-dimensional chess in difficulty, but completing it is that much more rewarding.
It makes sense why, in an interview with PCGAMER the game’s level designer Clemence Maurer stated that “We give you the tools, but not the answers…The pieces of the puzzle are not meant to be given away, but earned." Overall, in terms of design, it's undeniably the most gratifying to figure out and play through.
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