Desert Settings in Video Games Quiz

Answer: Assassin's Creed Origins

Much like the earlier "Assassin's Creed" games released by Ubisoft over the years, "Origins" followed the expected game mechanic of completing assassinations with death-defying stunts and stealthy maneuvers, this time in Ancient Egypt during the reign of Ptolemy XIII.

The player took on the role of Bayek and traced the origins of the Brotherhood back to the very start; by the end of the game, it would be expected that more Assassins would be trained based on the player's actions. Many considered the release to be one of the best in the series after a rough run of middling sequels.

Answer: Spirit Temple

Deep in the Gerudo Valley and past the Desert Wasteland, Link can stumble into the Desert Colossus and find one of the last temples of the game-- the Spirit Temple-- at an oasis within the harsh sandscape of Hyrule. This temple, usually played fourth or fifth of the temples as Adult Link, is the only one to require that Link flip between child and adult form mid-way through since the temple is reflective of Link's journey through time.

At the end, he can face off against Twinrova (the witches Koume and Kotake) and save the Sage of Spirit, Nabooru, on his quest to reclaim the medallions he needs to enter Ganon's Castle.

Answer: Journey

A bit more concrete than thatgamecompany's earlier indie productions, "Journey" (PS3, PS4) was still conceptual in nature with a bit less directive than a mainstream game. In this one, you navigated a desert searching for pieces of fabric to help you lead the way to your next destination and, ultimately, you would need to reach a distant mountain.

The game also allowed players to meet up together in the barren desert, but online and with minimal communication. As simple as the game was, it was awarded several different 'Game of the Year' prizes from different publications.

Answer: Earthbound

While not a lot of the actual (extensive) storyline unfolds in the Dusty Dunes Desert, this intermediary area between the mid-game cities of Threed and Fourside is interesting because, like in a real, blazing desert, it holds the severe possibility of inflicting sunstroke on Ness and the party. No worries though! As long as you have Wet Towels on-hand (which you can buy at the local drug store), the sun is very little to fear as you head towards the game's metropolis.

Answer: The Talos Principle

Released on Steam and PS4, this unique puzzle game puts you into the role of a sentient AI who, in trying to determine its origin, is forced to complete different trials involving mechanical equipment to collect items and advance rom area to area. The game's second stage is Egyptian-themed, so visiting those ones in particular will place you in expansive deserts and into ruins and pyramids.

While the environment in the game doesn't necessarily affect gameplay through theme, the surroundings definitely play a role in how you construct your solutions and, in some cases, they hold hidden secrets.

Answer: Rub' al Khali

This third adventure with archaeologist Nathan Drake takes the player to the deserts of the Middle East on the hunt for the Iram of the Pillars and like its predecessors (taking place in the jungles of Panama and the Himalayas) it makes use of unique natural terrain so that Drake can parkour his way through temples and along the landscape.

The game was very popular and resulted in another major hit for the developers at Naughty Dog. They would subsequently go on to release "The Last of Us" before returning to the "Uncharted" franchise for "A Thief's End".

Answer: Super Mario

This level was visited for the first time in "Super Mario 64", and while Mario had visited deserts as far back as "Super Mario Bros. 2", this was the first one to be fully realized in 3D. The eighth stage of the game (and the only one containing a desert),Shifting Sand Land featured rolling dunes and a series of stars hidden inside a large pyramid full of actual shifting quicksand. Mario would visit several other deserts on the N64 including Dry Dry Desert in "Paper Mario" and Kalamari Desert in "Mario Kart 64".

Answer: Fallout: New Vegas

Set in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world brought on by nuclear fallout, "New Vegas" puts players right in the thick of things in a fictionalized version of Las Vegas, Nevada, so it makes sense that the Mojave Desert plays a role in the story. In the game, you're meant to deliver a package to New Vegas but an interesting turn of events occurs along the way.

Although not part of the numerical canon of "Fallout" games, "New Vegas" is considered the fourth in the series (before "Fallout 4") because it makes use of "Fallout 3's" general mechanics.

It was regarded by many to be one of the best Western RPGs of 2010.

Answer: Prince of Persia

Originally released on the Apple II by the defunct developers at Brøderbund (also known for the original "Reader Rabbit" and "Carmen Sandiego" franchises), "Prince of Persia" was a major hit upon first releasing in the late 1980s, enough so that the Arabian nights theme of the game translated over into numerous sequels, the most noteworthy of which was likely "Sands of Time" on the Gamecube, PS2, and Xbox.

The Prince continued to fight through the deserts in gaming and on the big screen, as portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal, in a Disney-produced adaptation of "Sands of Time".

Answer: Shadow of the Colossus

In "Shadow of the Colossus", you may encounter more than a dozen colossal creatures (the Colossuses, go figure), but one of the biggest is the thirteenth Colossus, Phalanx, who lives in one of the game's vast deserts. While Phalanx doesn't fight back quite like the other bosses of the game, he does pose for a bit of an interesting fight since, as a snake, he moves through the air unlike any other Colossus and needs to be brought down from an immense height. Far in the northeast in the Forbidden Lands, there's also a Colossus hiding in the Desert Fortress. "Shadow of the Colossus" was created by Team Ico for the PS2.