MINECRAFT
This blocky survival masterpiece makes this list for two reasons. First, since
Mojang updated the game to let you hold items in both hands, the map has
become more useful than ever. Much like Far Cry 2, you have to hold it in your
hands as you venture around the world – when the map was first added to the
game, that meant you couldn’t carry a sword or a bow to defend yourself while
you looked at the damn thing. Or, you know, mine anything. It was a bit of a pain,
but added some tension to exploring. Now you have the option to hold it while you
slice, dice or dig. And secondly, my favourite thing about this map is that you can
fling it up in a frame to display your explorations on a wall.
FIREWATCH
While Firewatch tells a fantastic story and looks real nice, the map was actually
one of my favourite things about the game. Because it does more than just help
you work out where to go next – it gives you a glimpse into Henry’s personality.
Yes, it’s another physical map that unfolds with a satisfying rustle. But it’s far too
small to make out any of the details on-screen. Hit zoom and Henry lifts the page,
almost like he’s bringing it close to his face to squint at the details. It feels real.
As you explore more, Henry will add his own notes to the map, and they might be
different to another player’s notes, depending on how you’ve played. A map that
adds to characterisation? Awesome.
THE BANNER SAGA
To be honest, when I first starting putting together
this list I was planning on adding a Lord Of The
Rings game to it. We assumed that, somewhere
in the history of LOTR titles, one would have taken
Tolkien’s incredible map sketches and made them
interactive. But it turns out that the best example
of a LOTR-style map isn’t even from a LOTR game –
it’s from the Banner Saga. This absolutely beautiful
world map looks outstanding, and has real function,
too. Highlight any area with your cursor and you can
hit a button to read lore about that area. It might
be mountains, a city or even a small clearing in a
wood. It’s totally optional – and totally awesome –
worldbuilding with a genuinely lovely interface.DRIVER: SAN FRANCISCO
I think Driver: San Francisco may be one of the
most underrated and innovative racers of the last
generation – in no small part thanks to its map
screen. The main feature here was the ability to take
control of any car on the road at any time. That meant
you could jump into a sports car, a family saloon or
even a bus, whenever you wanted. But I’m not talking
grand theft auto here. Instead, you entered the world
map. It paused the game and gave you a live view of
the world around you, with every car frozen in time.
You could fly around, highlight any car you liked, hit a
button and instantly take control of its driver. I would
go as far to say this might be the coolest driving
game mechanic ever.108 THE OFFICIAL XBOX MAGAZINE
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