Most video games aren’t about relaxing, having a nice pint of Guinness, and telling tales from a bar stool. Instead, you would find yourself visiting such a location to receive a new quest or job, sell your loot, or perhaps speak to an NPC about a missing item.
Sadly, a lot of players will duck into these dives and then find themselves outside in an instant. No one takes the time to really take in the universe and the setting. Well, we think that should change — and these ten bars should help immensely.
100 Rads
S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl
After the collapse of civilization, even those hunting their way through the Exclusion Zone in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl need to relax for a moment from the worries of the post-apocalyptic world.
100 Rads, the closest civilized establishment in the wastes, can get you away from anomalies and into the loving arms of other fighters.
Shotglass’s
Wing Commander
Shotglass’s, which is run by a fellow named Shotglass, runs a legendary bar in Wing Commander from 1990. This is obviously a classic.
There is not much to do within the iconic bar, but the single track that plays is absolutely wonderful. The ambiance is the reason to be there.
Sierra Madre Casino
Fallout: New Vegas
While the Sierra Madre Casino from Fallout: New Vegas‘ Dead Money expansion is basically empty, you cannot argue against the aesthetics.
The hologram cashier will pay you in pre-war dollars instead of chips. There are numerous gamblers missing, though.
The Blue Casket
Grim Fandango
The Blue Casket from Grim Fandango (1998) feels more like a slam poetry establishment than anything else. Here, the player will experience dark undertones and morbid poetry being told.
Olivia, the poet in question, has some great lines for those willing to sit through it.
The Hairy Bear Inn
The Witcher
While the name may imply a sleeping spot to some, to others it implies the only gay bar within The Witcher. We’re positive CD Projekt RED did not intend for that to happen, but with a name like that it is hard not to assume.
The beer is said to have been made from dog urine, though, so be wary of your pint glass.
Fighting McDonagh’s
BioShock
Of course, there are quite few bars and nightclubs within the game world of BioShock and BioShock 2, but Fighting McDonagh’s stands out for, well, the fighting.
The pub is a nice, old-fashioned Irish establishment filled with spirit and flair. And did we mention fighting?
The Pelican Inn
Uncharted 3
The Pelican Inn, as seen in Uncharted 3, was once a nice little establishment with an old-fashioned, western-themed pub downstairs. That was destroyed, however, after Nathan Drake got into a massive brawl.
The “classy joint for sailors” is probably home to numerous drunken brawls on a weekly basis, though.
The Grim Guzzler
World of Warcraft
Believe it or not, The Grim Guzzler is the only spot in World of Warcraft where players can meet the virtual alter-egos of Level 90 Elite Tauren Chieftain, the band made of Blizzard employees.
With the right in-game item, players can even get them to play a tune in the bar.
Hercules
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Hercules is the only known openly gar bay within the world of Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony. The player may not like what is on the table, but the party sure is bumping.
Gay Tony certainly knows how to throw a bash.
Afterlife
Mass Effect 2
Afterlife is the single most impressive in-game bar of all time, and it is only featured in Mass Effect 2. The atmosphere, the feeling, the racism — it is all exactly like a real bar would be in space.
Of course, don’t trust the Batarian behind the bar. He isn’t a fan of humans.
Honestly, any gamer would be lucky to spend an evening in one of these bars, as long as they were armed with a laser pistol, a revolver, or a pair of brass knuckles. Seriously, they are all really dangerous places to drink. You have been warned.
Published: Mar 15, 2016 06:32 am