As games have gotten bigger and more immersive, developers have continued to add more and more features to give their games that extra little something. Even the tiniest of details can add a huge amount of enjoyment to their game, whether by making them more accessible or just adding a little extra bit of nuance.
These features may not be integral to their game, they may even hardly be consequential, but their games are just that little bit better because of them. These great features prove that it is the little things that matter the most.
Radio Stations, Grand Theft Auto V
Listening to the radio has been a part of driving a car ever since the two were first brought together. It makes sense then that in a game like GTA V with so much driving listening to the radio would be an option. The radio isn’t just a setlist of songs though, it has a huge selection of various stations and genres.
Players can flip through over a dozen radio stations while cruising down the road, which will play anything from classic rock to hip hop to jazz. In a game that is already full of insane details, flipping through radio stations adds just that little bit of extra immersion.
Hilarious NPC Dialogue, Batman: Arkham Series
There are many reasons why the Batman: Arkham games are considered some of the best superhero games ever made. They are full of awesome details and Easter eggs for fans and truly capture the feel of being Batman. One of the smallest but funniest details is the random conversations other characters will have around Gotham.
During the game, Batman will pick up conversations with the random goons he comes across. Some of them give hints to secret areas or give important plot background, and some just have some funny thing to say. Conversations include a murderer chastising his friend for drunk driving, one revealing his own mother’s promiscuity, one doing a surprisingly good Joker impression, and so many more gems.
Weapon Descriptions, Destiny
Destiny may have divided fans, but few could argue that its gunplay was anything less than phenomenal. The game featured a huge variety of awesome weapons from massive rocket launchers to huge revolvers reminiscent of the Old West, each with a unique description.
Some of these descriptions tie into the game’s rich lore to explain the gun’s history, such as the Last Word implying a legendary gunfight between two ancient warriors, and some are just outright hilarious like the Comedian shotgun’s simply reading “Aha, a ha ha ha. A ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.” Whether they are funny or just plain awesome, all of them are worth reading.
One-Shot Camera, God of War
There is no shortage of awesome features in 2018’s immaculate God of War reboot, but one of the coolest has almost nothing to do with the gameplay itself. Along with the stellar combat, the game also has some pretty fantastic camera work to strengthen its already powerful story.
Players may have noticed that there is not a single camera cut in the entire game. Outside of fast travel and pausing, the entire 20+ hour game is captured entirely in a single, unbroken shot. While this may not be quite as impressive as in a movie, it is still some pretty incredible cinematography. It is another factor that makes God of War so special and so great.
Petting Dogs, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Petting a dog is one of the purest forms of joy in the world, so being able to put one in a video game automatically elevates a game even further. Many games allow their players to pet their in-game pooches, from Metal Gear Solid V to Fable.
One of the most notable examples recently though is in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Players can take a break from their Viking adventures to pet many of the adorable animals around the world, including dogs. For fans of the feature, Can Your Pet The Dog? on Twitter is an account solely dedicated to figuring out which games let players pet man’s best friend.
Mid-Air Tricks, Spider-Man
Like the Arkham games, Marvel’s recent Spider-man truly captured the feel of what it’s like to be the web-slinger. Players can swing around the city freely with the game’s endlessly entertaining swinging mechanic, and can even get fancy with it.
By moving the analog stick during swinging, players can pull off a whole host of sweet mid-air tricks like flips, spins, and poses. Chaining tricks together even gain them some extra XP, encouraging players to experiment with different stunts. It is so much fun that simply traversing the city is almost as fun as actually playing the story.
Slicing Bullets, Superhot
Everyone remembers that one scene from X-Men Origins: Wolverine where Ryan Reynolds slices a bullet in half mid-air. In the awesome time-bending shooter Superhot, players finally got a chance to do this themselves.
In Superhot, time only moves as fast as the player does, meaning projectiles and enemies will move slowly enough to avoid them. If players are lucky enough to get their hands on a sword though, they can cut any incoming projectiles, including bullets, right out of the air. It is difficult to pull off, but watching your character slice a bullet in half in the replay will not be awesome.
The Curse, LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean is sadly overlooked compared to the more popular games in the franchise, which is unfortunate because it is a really good game. One of the coolest features is how the game deals with the famous curse on Barbossa’s crew in the first film.
If players wander into direct moonlight as one of the cursed pirates, they will turn into a skeletal version of the character just like in the movie. Not just a regular LEGO skeleton either, each character has a skeletal form tailored specifically to them. Certain places even let any character steal some of the gold, turning them into skeletons as well. It is a cool visual and an awesome feature from a relatively forgotten game.
Lightsaber Marks, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Many Star Wars games have tried to capture the true feel of wielding a lightsaber, but few quite so well as the Jedi Knight series. The game has become a classic both for introducing some great characters fans still want to see again and for its unrivaled lightsaber combat.
Not only does the lightsaber feel truly powerful against any enemy, but it also interacts with the environment in a way few games have been able to capture. If the lightsaber hits a wall or other object, it will leave a scorch mark in the exact pattern. It takes the immersion just that little bit further and arguably does it better than most recent games. Plus you can draw funny shapes with it.
Slow Motion Impacts, Mad Max
Avalanche’s tragically overlooked cult classic Mad Max is a surprisingly great tie-in game with rich open world adrenaline pumping action. The game is full of huge explosions, car crashes, and face punches, all of which are emphasized by brief moments of well-timed slo-mo.
Big moments in combat will trigger a very brief slo-mo moment, which is used to add even more punch to devastating melee strikes or the destruction of enemy vehicles. Not only is it endlessly satisfying, but it also makes these moments even more cinematic, like playing a scene straight out of Fury Road. In a game with already incredible combat, these moments make it feel even more awesome.
