Happy Places

To stop us all from going completely insane from the stresses of life, we human beings seem to have developed a defense mechanism known as the 'happy place'. This is a place we can picture in our mind and is usually our own personalised space in which we can be in complete tranquility. Sometimes, this place can be inspired by locations in books, films or video games. One bonus that comes with video game happy places is that you can actually walk around in them, developing very strong memories that can later be invoked by a number of stimuli, such as colour or music. Video games are a form of escapism which isn't necessarily confined to when you're actually playing the game. Find that perfect happy place in a game and you may find yourself returning there in daydreams.

Below are some of the happy places I've become attached to in the games I've played.

The Moonflow - Final Fantasy X

The Moonflow is a rather beautiful place. A massive river that sparkles with the light of pyreflies is quite obviously a spectacle. But it's the paths on either side of the Moonflow that I find the most serene. You travel through this area in the early hours of the morning while the sun is rising, creating a brilliant orange sky. The trees on either side of the trail hang overhead and allow small specs of warm amber light onto the otherwise shaded path. This, coupled with a perfectly atmospheric arrangement of the game's main theme, means you can almost taste the fresh morning air.

In fact, this is a case where the music really makes it for me. Like many of the pieces from the Final Fantasy series, I can listen to them and instantly visualise specific moments or locations in my mind. Listening to this particular track creates a relaxing image of early morning sunlight trickling through tree branches and leaves.

Nagrand - World of Warcraft

Gameplay wise, Nagrand is mostly terrible. The quests are long and repetitive, partly due to the presence of the hunter Hemet Nesingwary, who gets his thrills by sending out the heroes-in-training of Azeroth to mindlessly slaughter ridiculous amounts of the local fauna. Dull isn't the word.

It's odd, then, that Nagrand is actually one of my favourite zones. Taking a step back from the quests and looking at the landscape of the zone reveals a hauntingly solitary place. Nagrand is one of the only areas in Outland that isn't a hellish wasteland and sits, tucked away, in the corner of an otherwise devastated world. The luscious green hills give it the feeling of a preserved paradise, but the wondrous floating islands and curious native wildlife add an extra layer of an alien place, far away from home. And because Outland is two expansions old, Nagrand is mostly bereft of other players, meaning it's a place in the massive World of Warcraft in which you can be mostly alone. Sometimes you just need to get away from the bustling streets of Orgrimmar/Stormwind.

Typewriter Rooms - Resident Evil Series

Up until the fifth main game, typewriters were the only means of saving your game in the Resident Evil series. Typewriter rooms were a safe place; a stark contrast to the typical survival horror setting outside, where you were always one step away from something leaping out of the shadows and ripping your head off. It's the nature of games such as these to be as far from relaxing as possible in order to imbue feelings of dread and terror, so Resident Evil might seem a little out of place in this list of 'happy' places. But the reason I chose to include this is that I'll never forget that massive feeling of relief every time I managed to reach a typewriter room and save my game, knowing that there were now a few less horrors to face before finally escaping this nightmare.

The Normandy - Mass Effect 2

This really applies to both games, but the redesigned Normandy in the second game is just so much better. The Normandy is an example of something I love to see included in any exploration-based game; a place to call home. Bioware really went the extra mile to give the Normandy that "home sweet home" feeling. Commander Shepard has his own private quarters, complete with a variety of chill-out music, a place to display his collection of model ships and of course, that lovable companion, the space hamster. Outside of Shepard's quarters you have all the facilities you need, such as a laboratory to conduct research and a computer to check your emails.

Each member of your crew has their own space that they like to hang out in. Encouraging you to frequently wander about the ship is the fact that quite a lot of character development comes from on-ship conversations. It's nice that it's not all business with them and that you can actually develop friendships with your fellow squad members, to the point where they almost seem like family. Home sweet home, indeed.

The Outer Continent - Final Fantasy IX

Similar to Nagrand, I find myself drawn to this area due to how far away from the more populated parts of the world it is. That's not to say I don't enjoy places of bustling civilization, as they actually enhance the contrast between the more populated and unpopulated locations of the game. After spending the first third of the game traveling around the various towns and cities of the Mist Continent, having war and strife follow you at every turn, it's a breath of fresh air to find yourself so far away from it all. The Outer Continent is mostly deserted, and the few small settlements you do come across know only peace.

There's also a nice amount of culture shock to further distance yourself from the war-torn continent you've come from. You've got the dwarves of Conde Petie, with their charming mannerisms and language, and the denizens of Black Mage Village, who almost appear childlike in their innocent curiosity. It's definitely one of the more peaceful sections of the game (for a while).

Do you have a 'happy place' inspired by a video game location? Do share!