Favorite Space Quest Locations

[JimmyTwoBucks]

Took some time to put together my top SQ locations, as well as some of my least favorite (and even those are pretty cool really). Where there are similar areas, I've grouped them together (otherwise my list would look different, I'd probably give Monolith Burger its own spot at no. 3, etc. if I separated them all out).

 

I would love to see what other people's favorite SQ locations are!

 

Most Favorite Areas

 

1. Polysorbate LX in SQ6

Now, SQ6 is not my favorite SQ game, but the beginning location is probably my single favorite place from all the games. It feels the most like a fully realized alien location to me and it makes me think, “what other cities and alien societies are in the SQ world to explore?”

While I enjoy the rest of SQ6 overall, I wish it had gone more in this direction... I'd have loved to have explored other seedy areas of other planets, or just other planets in general. Being in someone's stomach and the filing cabinets, etc. felt kinda un-Space-Questy to me and was just a bit dull in comparison.

 

2. Galaxy Galleria in SQ4

SUCH a good idea... lots of funny alien shops, characters, lots of spoofs to fit in, perfect.

Also have to mention the Monolith Burger in SQ3, which is like a prototype of the mall to me... I feel like the mall expands on the idea of the SQ3 Monolith Burger and improves it. Also the Space Bar in SQ5 is cool, but I don't think it competes with the Galaxy Galleria or Monolith Burger... The only improvement I can think of with the Galaxy Galleria would be if it had a Space Bar in it. And maybe an alien cinema.

 

3. Ulence Flats in SQ1 + 4

This and Phleebhut in SQ3 are what I'd call “populated desert areas” and I think Ulence Flats wins out here because it has more to see and do. Just a really fun area in a relatively alien landscape with great ideas in it.

 

4. SCS DeepShip 86 in SQ6

Probably my favorite ship in the series, mainly because it's got many parts to it... the only critique I would have is that the rooms all seem kind of disconnected, like they're random unrelated rooms rather than the feel of one continuous place.

S.S. Eureka in SQ5 is also a very nice ship... if it had a few more rooms, I think it would trump the SQ6 ship, as it feels more together and flows better.

Arcada in SQ1 is a great opening ship to be on, though there are limited things to do on it, but it serves its purpose well, same as the Deltaur in SQ1... mostly a place to try to get through.

Orbital Station 4 in SQ2 is ok, but it's just a small area really... I like the general vibe of it though.

What we see of the Goliath in SQ5 (not including the tunnels) is ok, but we don't see that much.

 

5. War-torn Xenon in SQ4

Awesome idea. I probably like the idea of this location more so than how it actually came out... I wish it had been more expansive and had more to explore. I'd have loved to have gone into burnt out buildings/shops to pick up some more items and seen more of the ruined city.

 

6. Kerona Desert in SQ1

The SQ series has several areas that I'd call “dangerous desert areas” and I think Kerona is probably the best and most fully realized (probably because it is the biggest and has the underground complex as well). The only problem I have with this kind of location is there is often not that much to see or do there as other areas... it's a cool contrast to the more populated areas though. Kiz Urazgubi in SQ5 and Klorox II in SQ5 have a sort of similar feel, though both are pretty limited in scope and the Canyon in SQ4 is also similar, but there is even less to do there. I guess I can also lump Ortega in SQ3 in here as well... it's not technically a desert, but it's barren and there isn't that much to do in it.

So for me Kerona captures the “barren” planet vibe the best and it creates a contrast to the more populated areas in the SQ games.

 

7. Junk Freighter in SQ3

This one was hard to judge, because I remember finding this area tough when I first played it, so maybe I'm biased against it, but it is a really nicely put together location with interesting parts to it. I don't know if this is correct, but I get the impression this is some people's favorite location? To me it's a solid location, a little underwhelming as far as its "alien-ness", but well crafted.

 

8. Labion Forest in SQ2

The good thing about this area is that it is vast and so there is a lot of exploring to do. Unfortunately though, there isn't THAT much to see or do really, compared to other SQ locations, but they really went all out to make it an explorable place.

I think it is a bit of a disappointment in SQ2 that it takes up so much of the game just in one place though, but if it had been part of a game with 4-5 more big locations, then I think it would fit in really well. I think it may be judged more harshly by some due to it taking up so much of the game just in one area.

Thrakus in SQ5 is a similar sort of environment, though it's kind of underdeveloped (I think several of the locations in SQ5 have a bit of that problem).

 

9. Genetix Envirodome in SQ5

It's intriguing, but feels like a lot of SQ5, where different planets feel underdeveloped... it should be a really, really interesting area, but I think it falls a little flat. Still give it points for being an interesting idea though.

 

 

Least Favorite Areas

 

1. Subterranean Tunnels in SQ2

Not really got much to say about this area because there isn't much to it... there are a few similar areas in other SQ games which are like neither here-nor-there, but this one stands out because it takes up time without really adding any interest or enjoyment.

 

2. Goliath Service Tunnels in SQ5

Same problem as the tunnels in SQ2. I get the idea that tunnels can break up the rest of the game play to add variety, but I don't find them much fun!

 

3. Computer and Filing System in SQ6

On the one hand, some of the computer area is very nicely realized, I just found it a dull idea overall and I really didn't like messing about in the filing cabinet area... with all the alien planets we could be exploring, we're stuck doing filing work! Should have maybe been a very quick mini game thing at the most, not a whole fully-realized section of the game, in my opinion.

 

4. Inside Stellar in SQ6

Not a terrible idea and it's well realized, but again, just kind of uninspired when we should be out exploring the galaxy. I think because it also comes after the computer/filing system part, it felt SQ6 went further and further away from the great beginning. If we are going to go inside a stomach, it should have been an alien stomach at least!

 

5. Pestulon in SQ3

It's an ok area... it's at the end of an awesome game, so I have a fondness for it, but the office part is another one of those areas where it felt like it could be in any game really. It's humorous, so it's got that going for it, but it feels a bit mundane in a sci-fi adventure.

 

6. Vohaul's Asteroid Base in SQ2

It's not awful or anything, just a bit repetitive I guess, same with Vohaul's Base in SQ4. In both cases the games are winding down to their conclusions and so I think it's more concerned with creating a sense of dread and “uh oh, nearly at the final bad guy” feeling, which they do well.

 

 

[Troels Pleimert]

Least favorite area: I'll second the underground tunnels on Labion in SQ2. Fuck that squid monster!

[JimmyTwoBucks]

Let's hope there isn't an interview in the future where the two guys go, "well we knew everyone loved the tunnels from SQ2, so we designed most of Space Venture around that location..."

 

I think many of my new favorite areas will be from Space Venture from what I've seen so far... 

the ship looks phenomenal, I especially liked the science lab room thing where the one containment thing had broken...

[Troels Pleimert]

The tunnels are interesting from a technical perspective, in that Scott Murphy had to hack the AGI engine in order to achieve the "glowing gem only illuminating the area around Roger" effect. But from a gameplay standpoint I'll never forgive that section for making me repeatedly crap my pants as a kid.

[mikepinto]

I love the Galaxy Galleria! The games store with the hint books... Amazing!

[suejak]

Hmm...

 

I definitely agree that the more populated / civilized areas tend to be more fun.

 

I also liked a lot of the atmospheric areas of SQ5, a game I love playing again and again. StarCon, Genetix, the wiped-out colony, the Space Bar, the planet where WD40 chases you around... This was the height of Sierra adventure games for me, with perfect art, music, and gameplay.

 

I also really liked the data archives in SQ6.

 

I didn't like Labion in SQ2 until the beautiful underground areas with the pools. Reminded me of the... beautiful cave areas of QFG2, haha. Something about Labion was just too passive. Too much man-vs-environment and not enough sentient life. Too much stuff just waiting for you to walk into it.

 

That's about it, I guess. Most of the areas in SQ are designed very poorly, but most of them are fun to explore. The mall in SQ4 is a great example. It's a fun place, but it's piss poorly designed. You have no motivation to do most of what you're required to do, and then the Sequel Police don't show up until you step in a specific spot in the arcade you have no reason to step into...