In an era where many AAA games are filled with excessive design lists and cluttered with numbers and annoying details, the user interface of Destiny is extremely clean and easy to understand, making it a true wonder.
Although the original game was exclusive to consoles, Bungie managed to create a user interface similar to PC games, allowing players to navigate quickly through a wide range of options using a controller.
Instead of the need to navigate through options in a strict order, the use of a free cursor allowed players to quickly move to the desired option, reducing the extra work in menus and ensuring that players spend as little time as possible in them.
It is an exceptional balance that does not isolate traditional console players or those who are used to navigating menus using a computer mouse. Bungie has spoken over the years about the immense time spent developing the user interface optimally, and this is very clear from the intuitive and fantastic final result.
8. Firewatch
Over the past decade or so, “digital” user interfaces (those within the game world itself) have become more common, with one of the best examples being the amazing adventure game Firewatch released by Campo Santo in 2016.
Players control the character Henry, a fire lookout in the Shoshone National Forest, who spends almost the entire game isolated while performing various tasks around the forest.
To enhance the sense of seclusion and isolation experienced by Henry, the game abandoned a traditional HUD user interface in favor of an interface heavily based on the in-game world, a “digital” interface.
For example, the game map is an actual map that Henry takes out to read whenever you decide to view it. Instead of putting continuous guidance points on the screen, everything needed for navigation in the game is presented within the game world itself – there are directional signs to guide you, and Henry points out useful information on the map as you progress.
While Firewatch is not the first game to use this style – as Far Cry 2 was heavily praised for it in 2008 – the user interface in Firewatch looks very smart, contributing to the crystallization of the game’s core themes and overall mood in a uniquely effective way.
7. Metroid Prime
The impact of the user interface in Metroid Prime cannot be understated and how revolutionary it was when the game was first released in 2002. At that time, the concept that the player’s user interface could be the same way Samus sees the world was an amazing and unprecedented idea.
In the game, all the information the player needs is displayed in holographic overlays on Samus’ helmet, providing an unprecedented level of immersion and making players feel as if they are wearing Samus’ Power Suit themselves.
And that wasn’t enough for the creativity, the experience was enhanced with different helmets that could be worn, such as the thermal helmet, X-ray helmet, and scan helmet, making the user interface look like an integral part of Samus’ mission needs to be accomplished rather than just a means to serve the player.
Even more creatively, if players pay close attention, they may notice a fleeting reflection of Samus’ face on her helmet when the lighting conditions are right. This level of detail was unprecedented in 2002, and since then, many games have been inspired by this idea.
With the recent resurgence in popularity of mech games in virtual reality VR, this type of user interface has become highly popular and effective in this field.
6. Mirror’s Edge
The game Mirror’s Edge and its late sequel Mirror’s Edge Catalyst took the concept of integrated user interface to a new level of creative brilliance by largely abandoning the traditional interface.
Instead, players were guided through the high locations in the game using the “Runner Vision” feature, which highlights paths and objects that can be climbed in red, allowing players to easily perform amazing parkour moves without the need for excessive guidance from external markers and symbols.
Even more so, players were able to completely disable Runner Vision if they wanted a more challenging experience. But regardless of how you choose to play, the absence of annoying icons and alerts made the experience of jumping between building rooftops more thrilling and focused.
Although EA has not officially added support for virtual reality VR to any of the games yet, a VR-inspired version of Mirror’s Edge is currently in development and looks extremely promising.