10 Ferocious Video Game Storms You Won't Survive
Just Cause 4's tornadoes are something else.
Weather can be a harsh mistress. Sunshine is great in doses, but too much will burn you. Snow can be fun for playing in, but has a tendency to bring a nation to a standstill.
Storms, though, they're a different breed altogether - especially in video games. Where all sorts of natural elements used to be shorthand for keeping players confined to specific levels or areas, lately the weather's gotten a bit up itself and decided to join in the fun.
Whether it be localised tornadoes interrupting your wingsuit gliding through war zones, lightning storms to keep you on your toes, or even a good ol' sandstorm to get your teeth into (or get into your teeth, at least), mother nature is getting her own back.
Some even play hell with your sense of direction too, befuddling all common sense and sending you back to your starting point - or straight up killing you for wandering too far.
But don't fret. Batten down the hatches, strap yourself in and let us try to make it through some of gaming's harshest storms.
10. Gerudo Desert - Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
People often cite the Water Temple as a tricky part of Ocarina of Time, but let's share some disdain for the Gerudo desert, too. After a wrongful imprisonment and jailbreak, the all-female tribe decide to aide our hero on his adventure and point him to the Spirit Temple.
But instead of being a quick little jaunt down the road, it's through a desert. A desert that is in a constant state of sandstorm, just to spice things up. Oh, and has quicksand pitfalls too, because videogames.
You'd think, after recognising the Hero of Time, they'd guide our hero to navigate the treacherous trappings of a desert and speed up his mission. Instead, Link is sent on his merry lonesome to navigate this harsh impasse.
You can follow embedded flagpoles, which by today's standards would seem easy. But in 1998's heady N64 days, draw distance was limited and finding the next one was never a straightforward affair, which meant getting lost was all too easy.
It's a good thing Link's a silent protagonist, otherwise he'd be complaining all the way through.