Iconic Game Levels That Are Impossible to Forget

Creating memorable locations is a true art. While not every developer has mastered it, the gaming industry has given us many outstanding levels over the years — ones that remain etched in memory thanks to their unique design or unparalleled atmosphere. We’ve gathered some of the most unforgettable locations in this article.

The most famous hub in the original Deus Ex was one of the first levels of its kind. Before Ion Storm’s masterpiece, most shooters were linear adventures, so FPS developers saw little reason to include large urban areas with NPCs, side quests, secrets, and alternative routes. However, the creators of Deus Ex pulled it off brilliantly, crafting a level that truly felt alive.

The best vampire RPG, Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines, isn’t particularly terrifying, yet the abandoned hotel in the first half of the game rivals any full-fledged horror title.

During the visit to Ocean House, the player must find a way to get rid of the resident ghosts. There are no conventional enemies on this level, but that doesn’t make it any less unnerving. The spirits constantly keep the protagonist on edge — objects fly across the room, eerie laughter echoes through the halls, a mysterious man with an axe appears, and obstacles continuously block the way. An elevator crashes down, scalding pipes burst through the walls — it’s a relentless nightmare.

Ocean House Hotel perfectly captures what it feels like to be a character in Stephen King’s "The Shining", which is why it remains so beloved.

Another chilling level in a game that isn’t inherently horror-focused. Throughout Half-Life 2, the player encounters surprises and new challenges, and in Ravenholm, the game fully transforms into a survival horror experience.

To survive in this abandoned mining town overrun by zombies, every bullet must be counted, and the environment must be carefully observed — not just to spot lurking enemies but also to find useful makeshift weapons. For example, with the Gravity Gun, players can rip a circular saw blade off the wall and launch it at a line of zombies, cutting through multiple foes in one swift move.

Ravenholm is oppressive and lonely, and even the presence of Father Grigori, the only friendly NPC in the area, does little to ease the tension.

The cultural hub of the underwater city of Rapture is the most memorable location in the first BioShock, largely due to its direct connection to the game’s most eccentric character — Sander Cohen: a painter, musician, sculptor, poet, and playwright.

As players explore Fort Frolic, they battle Cohen’s students and interact with the enigmatic artist through audio messages. The level is packed with unforgettable moments, from a showdown in a bizarre museum of frozen statues to the creation of a deranged quadriptych under Cohen’s personal supervision.

If you’ve played the single-player campaign of Titanfall 2 (which, surprisingly, is quite good), you probably remember the time-travel level. The player arrives at an abandoned military research facility and acquires a gadget that allows them to switch between two different timelines. This means the station must be explored in both the past and the present, requiring constant temporal jumps. Need to cross a chasm, but the platform has collapsed? No problem — in the past, it’s still intact.

To create this level, the developers had to design two perfectly aligned maps and overlay them, ensuring seamless transitions. Despite the technical challenges and doubts about feasibility, the final result was highly praised by both critics and players.

The Dishonored series boasts many outstanding locations, but the most impressive in terms of design is undoubtedly the mansion of inventor Kirin Jindosh in Dishonored 2.

The level consists of two distinct spaces: the elegant, visible areas and the hidden industrial sections behind the walls. The entire mansion is essentially one massive, ever-shifting puzzle. Walls, floors, and furniture move at the pull of a lever, transforming rooms before the player’s eyes. To progress, one must think outside the box and adapt to the constantly changing environment.

Arriving in the sunlit city of the gods is one of the most visually striking moments in the otherwise grim Dark Souls. Anor Londo, with its breathtaking architecture and Gothic cathedral inspired by the Milan Cathedral, stands out in stark contrast to the rest of the game. This contrast makes the level unforgettable — though the infamously frustrating archers blocking access to the cathedral certainly contribute to its lasting impact.

FromSoftware’s levels deserve a dedicated list of their own, but at the top would surely be Central Yharnam.

This is the perfect starting location, immersing players immediately in the atmosphere of Bloodborne while also serving as an excellent introduction to the game’s core mechanics. It features tough — but not overwhelming — enemies, numerous hidden paths and rooms, and plenty of incentives for exploration.

Remedy’s avant-garde Alan Wake 2 is full of bizarre moments, but nothing compares to its famous musical level.

During the fourth mission, Alan Wake must fight his way through hordes of enemies while participating in a full-fledged musical. The level plays out like a live performance, with Broadway-style stage props, shifting backgrounds, and lighting effects that sync with the rhythm and lyrics of the song — creating the sensation of starring in a surreal, psychedelic music video.

A near-perfect location in terms of both design complexity and atmosphere. The police station, especially in the remake of Resident Evil 2, is a meticulously crafted labyrinth filled with engaging puzzles, hidden passages, and rooms containing valuable rewards — as well as dangerous enemies.

Interestingly, the game provides an in-universe explanation for the puzzles: a brochure reveals that the station was originally a museum.

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That’s all for now. Share your favorite game levels in the comments and let us know what made them special!